# 147: Transition from Hardware Product Startup to Hardware Scaleup

- Show: [Product Startup](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup)
- Published: 2022-10-26
- Length: 29m
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2022-10-26-147-transition-from-hardware-product-startup-to-hardware-scaleup
- Listen: https://productstartup.com/

## Summary

Morgan Teachworth, VP of Engineering & Supply Chain at Cisco (formerly head of hardware at Meraki), explains how hardware companies must redefine 'customer' as they scale from startup to enterprise. He details the transition from selling directly to end-users to managing a complex ecosystem of wholesalers, distributors, and installers who become the primary stakeholders. Teachworth emphasizes that maintaining 'simplicity' in design and manufacturing is critical to preventing feature creep and losing touch with core values as organizations grow into large incumbents. He argues that cross-functional engagement, such as sending all employees to interact with products or sales teams, is necessary to keep the entire organization aligned with user needs.

## Chapters

- [0:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2022-10-26-147-transition-from-hardware-product-startup-to-hardware-scaleup#t=0) Introduction: Morgan Teachworth and Meraki's Journey
- [2:05](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2022-10-26-147-transition-from-hardware-product-startup-to-hardware-scaleup#t=125) Redefining the Customer: From End-User to Channel Partners
- [7:55](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2022-10-26-147-transition-from-hardware-product-startup-to-hardware-scaleup#t=475) Expanding Stakeholders: Factories, Installers, and Resellers
- [12:18](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2022-10-26-147-transition-from-hardware-product-startup-to-hardware-scaleup#t=738) The Value of Simplicity in Design and Manufacturing
- [16:12](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2022-10-26-147-transition-from-hardware-product-startup-to-hardware-scaleup#t=972) Feature Creep and the Risk of Becoming the Incumbent
- [23:32](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2022-10-26-147-transition-from-hardware-product-startup-to-hardware-scaleup#t=1412) Maintaining Culture and Cross-Functional Engagement at Scale

## Topics

- [Scaling production](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/scaling-production)
- [Industrial & consumer product design](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/industrial-design)
- [Leadership, teams & culture](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/leadership-and-culture)
- [Retail, wholesale & distribution](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/retail-and-distribution)

## Most relevant to

companies scaling up, large enterprises

## Mentioned

- Meraki (company)
- Cisco (company)
- Kickstarter (other)
- Indiegogo (other)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [Competing with Tech Giants: Approaches and Challenges with Morgan Teachworth of Cisco](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/over-the-air/2023-03-02-competing-with-tech-giants-approaches-and-challenges-with-morgan-teachworth-of-c) (Over the Air)
- [#037 - Disrupting with digital manufacturing, with Nick Pinkston of Plethora, USA](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-hardware-entrepreneur/2017-09-13-037-disrupting-with-digital-manufacturing-with-nick-pinkston-of-plethora-usa) (The Hardware Entrepreneur)
- [#016: From Startup to Global Brand: Scaling Engineering at reMarkable](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/coredump-sessions/2025-09-17-016-from-startup-to-global-brand-scaling-engineering-at-remarkable) (Coredump Sessions)
- [Engineering Organizations Part 2: Product Companies and Market-Driven Focus](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-pragmatic-embedded-podcast/2026-03-04-engineering-organizations-part-2-product-companies-and-market-driven-focus) (The Pragmatic Embedded Podcast)
- [S3 E1: Mastering Tech Adoption and The Hardware Development Workflow with Jon Hirshtick](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-builder-circle/2025-09-30-s3-e1-mastering-tech-adoption-and-the-hardware-development-workflow-with-jon-hir) (The Builder Circle)

## Citing this page

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