# 155: Identifying a Sourcing Partner for Overseas Manufacturing

- Show: [Product Startup](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup)
- Published: 2022-12-21
- Length: 17m
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2022-12-21-155-identifying-a-sourcing-partner-for-overseas-manufacturing
- Listen: https://productstartup.com/

## Summary

Forde Aley, Co-Founder of Shining Way Sourcing, explains how startups can identify and work with overseas manufacturing partners, emphasizing the importance of factory management, quality control, and retail-ready scalability. He details the necessity of verifying factory operations through physical visits and reviewing Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) rather than relying on online brochures. Aley also highlights the logistical complexities of retail distribution, including packaging, UPCs, and palletization, and advises maintaining backup factories to mitigate supply chain risks during rapid scaling.

## Chapters

- [0:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2022-12-21-155-identifying-a-sourcing-partner-for-overseas-manufacturing#t=0) Introduction: Forde Aley and Shining Way Sourcing
- [1:53](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2022-12-21-155-identifying-a-sourcing-partner-for-overseas-manufacturing#t=113) Forde Aley's Background and Entry into Sourcing
- [2:27](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2022-12-21-155-identifying-a-sourcing-partner-for-overseas-manufacturing#t=147) The Three Pillars: Factory Audit, Quality Control, and Retail Readiness
- [3:35](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2022-12-21-155-identifying-a-sourcing-partner-for-overseas-manufacturing#t=215) Evaluating Factory Management and Vertical Integration
- [4:40](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2022-12-21-155-identifying-a-sourcing-partner-for-overseas-manufacturing#t=280) The Importance of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs)
- [6:26](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2022-12-21-155-identifying-a-sourcing-partner-for-overseas-manufacturing#t=386) The Role of Experienced Sourcing Agents vs. DIY Alibaba Sourcing
- [8:45](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2022-12-21-155-identifying-a-sourcing-partner-for-overseas-manufacturing#t=525) Retail Logistics: Packaging, UPCs, and Palletization
- [11:38](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2022-12-21-155-identifying-a-sourcing-partner-for-overseas-manufacturing#t=698) Scaling Risks and the Need for Backup Factories
- [13:49](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2022-12-21-155-identifying-a-sourcing-partner-for-overseas-manufacturing#t=829) Coordinating Design, Sourcing, and Factory Engineering
- [14:32](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2022-12-21-155-identifying-a-sourcing-partner-for-overseas-manufacturing#t=872) Shining Way Sourcing's Full-Service Model and Licensing

## Topics

- [Manufacturing partners & offshoring](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/manufacturing-partners)
- [Quality & yield](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/quality-and-yield)
- [Logistics & fulfilment](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/logistics-and-fulfillment)
- [Scaling production](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/scaling-production)
- [Sourcing & supply chain](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/sourcing-and-supply-chain)

## Most relevant to

early-stage companies

## Mentioned

- Shining Way Sourcing (company)
- Alibaba (other)
- Mako Design + Invent (company)
- Target (company)
- Walmart (company)
- Sam's Club (company)
- Costco (company)
- Walgreens (company)
- Ningbo (other)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [Advice Line with Chieh Huang of Boxed](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2026-04-16-advice-line-with-chieh-huang-of-boxed) (How I Built This)
- [#134 How to Make and Scale Your Product with Jamie Valenti-Jordan, Catapult Commercialization Services Part 2](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast/2024-03-21-134-how-to-make-and-scale-your-product-with-jamie-valenti-jordan-catapult-commer) (The Startup CPG Podcast)
- [#227 - Operations Ask-Me-Anything with Jamie Valenti-Jordan](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast/2025-12-16-227-operations-ask-me-anything-with-jamie-valenti-jordan) (The Startup CPG Podcast)
- [Suitsupply: Fokke de Jong](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2023-05-01-suitsupply-fokke-de-jong) (How I Built This)
- [#172 - Ops Talk: 5 Things Brands Get Wrong](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast/2024-12-03-172-ops-talk-5-things-brands-get-wrong) (The Startup CPG Podcast)

## Citing this page

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