# 180: Hardware Startup Tips for Non-Technical Founders

- Show: [Product Startup](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup)
- Published: 2023-06-15
- Length: 21m
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2023-06-15-180-hardware-startup-tips-for-non-technical-founders
- Listen: https://productstartup.com/

## Summary

Graeme Whitehead, a corporate Vice President and non-technical founder, explains how he designed, manufactured, and sold the CNCT Cooler, an ultra-high-end cooler for Tesla storage spaces, as a side hustle. He details the importance of identifying knowledge gaps, collaborating with Mako Design + Invent to achieve specific industrial design and mechanical engineering goals, and navigating manufacturing pushback. Whitehead also discusses leveraging rotational molding for quality, sourcing US-based manufacturers, and gaining traction by shipping free units to influencers without contracts.

## Chapters

- [0:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2023-06-15-180-hardware-startup-tips-for-non-technical-founders#t=0) Introduction and Guest Background
- [1:53](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2023-06-15-180-hardware-startup-tips-for-non-technical-founders#t=113) Identifying Knowledge Gaps and Vision
- [3:08](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2023-06-15-180-hardware-startup-tips-for-non-technical-founders#t=188) Product Design and Industrial Design Goals
- [6:08](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2023-06-15-180-hardware-startup-tips-for-non-technical-founders#t=368) Engineering Challenges and Insulation
- [8:02](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2023-06-15-180-hardware-startup-tips-for-non-technical-founders#t=482) Manufacturing Pushback and DFM
- [12:31](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2023-06-15-180-hardware-startup-tips-for-non-technical-founders#t=751) Rotational Molding and US Manufacturing
- [14:24](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2023-06-15-180-hardware-startup-tips-for-non-technical-founders#t=864) Influencer Marketing Strategy
- [16:53](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2023-06-15-180-hardware-startup-tips-for-non-technical-founders#t=1013) Testing, Feedback, and Global Shipping

## Topics

- [Industrial & consumer product design](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/industrial-design)
- [Manufacturing partners & offshoring](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/manufacturing-partners)
- [Materials & manufacturing processes](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/materials-and-processes)
- [Marketing & brand](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/marketing-and-brand)
- [Validation & product-market fit](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/validation-and-product-market-fit)
- [Logistics & fulfilment](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/logistics-and-fulfillment)

## Most relevant to

early-stage companies

## Mentioned

- CNCT Cooler (product)
- Mako Design + Invent (company)
- Tesla (company)
- Indiegogo (other)
- Creativepool (other)
- New York Product Design Awards (other)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [S3 E7: Building Bootstrapped Hardware That Sells with Christian Reed](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-builder-circle/2026-01-13-s3-e7-building-bootstrapped-hardware-that-sells-with-christian-reed) (The Builder Circle)
- [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)
- [S2E07 A Coach for Entrepreneurs who Want to Launch Tangible Products to the Marketplace | Callye Keen](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2021-02-12-s2e07-a-coach-for-entrepreneurs-who-want-to-launch-tangible-products-to-the-mark) (Being an Engineer)
- [Ep. 8 - Ryan from V1 Engineering](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/open-hardware-manufacturing-podcast/2023-11-09-ep-8-ryan-from-v1-engineering) (Open Hardware Manufacturing Podcast)
- [#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)

## 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/2023-06-15-180-hardware-startup-tips-for-non-technical-founders. 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.