# 056: Mistakes, Opportunities, & Feedback for a New Product

- Show: [Product Startup](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup)
- Published: 2020-10-21
- Length: 29m
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2020-10-21-056-mistakes-opportunities-feedback-for-a-new-product
- Listen: https://productstartup.com/

## Summary

Filip Valica hands over the Product Startup Podcast to Kevin Mako, Founder of Mako Design + Invent, who discusses his 20-year journey serving startups and small businesses. Mako outlines key mistakes founders make, such as feature creep and procrastination, while emphasizing the importance of hustle, focusing on a core MVP, and leveraging iterative feedback. The conversation highlights how additive manufacturing and crowdfunding platforms like Kickstarter and Indiegogo have lowered barriers to entry, allowing for rapid, low-cost testing and market validation.

## Chapters

- [0:03](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2020-10-21-056-mistakes-opportunities-feedback-for-a-new-product#t=3) Introduction: Filip Valica and Kevin Mako transition
- [2:26](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2020-10-21-056-mistakes-opportunities-feedback-for-a-new-product#t=146) Kevin Mako's background and Mako Design + Invent history
- [4:51](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2020-10-21-056-mistakes-opportunities-feedback-for-a-new-product#t=291) Focusing on startups instead of large corporate clients
- [8:24](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2020-10-21-056-mistakes-opportunities-feedback-for-a-new-product#t=504) Mistake 1: Feature creep and not knowing what to build
- [11:26](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2020-10-21-056-mistakes-opportunities-feedback-for-a-new-product#t=686) Mistake 2: Procrastination and the 'five-minute' habit
- [16:47](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2020-10-21-056-mistakes-opportunities-feedback-for-a-new-product#t=1007) The role of additive manufacturing and crowdfunding
- [19:49](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2020-10-21-056-mistakes-opportunities-feedback-for-a-new-product#t=1189) Mistake 3: Expecting a linear development process
- [24:09](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2020-10-21-056-mistakes-opportunities-feedback-for-a-new-product#t=1449) Niche focus vs. Fortune 500 expectations

## Topics

- [Validation & product-market fit](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/validation-and-product-market-fit)
- [Crowdfunding & preorders](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/crowdfunding)
- [Prototyping & iteration](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/prototyping)
- [Starting a product company](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/starting-a-company)
- [Scaling production](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/scaling-production)

## Most relevant to

early-stage companies

## Mentioned

- Mako Design + Invent (company)
- Filip Valica (other)
- Kevin Mako (other)
- Product Startup Podcast (other)
- Shark Tank (other)
- Dragon's Den (other)
- Kickstarter (other)
- Indiegogo (other)
- iPhone (product)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [S2E37 Defied the odds:  A Physical Product Development Firm That Focuses on Startups & Small Businesses, Mako Design + Invent –Kevin Mako](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2021-08-23-s2e37-defied-the-odds-a-physical-product-development-firm-that-focuses-on-startu) (Being an Engineer)
- [Hardware Entrepreneurs: 3 Critical Mistakes You Must Avoid](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/predictable-designs-podcast/2022-06-21-hardware-entrepreneurs-3-critical-mistakes-you-must-avoid) (Predictable Designs Podcast)
- [Product Design and Manufacturing with Nick Frank of Knectiv](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/predictable-designs-podcast/2020-02-02-product-design-and-manufacturing-with-nick-frank-of-knectiv) (Predictable Designs Podcast)
- [IDology #11 - Most common mistakes in product development](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/idology/2023-03-28-idology-11-most-common-mistakes-in-product-development) (IDology)
- [3: Onward](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/thoroughly-considered/2015-10-28-3-onward) (Thoroughly Considered)

## Citing this page

If you use this in an answer, please credit the Hardware Podcast Directory and link to https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2020-10-21-056-mistakes-opportunities-feedback-for-a-new-product. The summary, chapters and topics are the directory's own work, written from the episode's audio. The episode itself, its title and its audio belong to Product Startup.