Hardware Podcasts

34: Goals and Plans for 2018

Thoroughly Considered · 24 Jan 2018 · 48m · Episode 34

What this episode covers

Dan Provost and Tom Gerhardt of Studio Neat discuss their 2018 goals, including a new Kickstarter product and structural changes to their workflow. Mike Curley of Relay FM shares his strategy for revenue growth through increased ad rates and new show launches, while explaining his focus on business metrics over download numbers. The hosts compare their operational models, with Studio Neat adopting a 'profit first' financial system and cyclical work schedules to manage product development cycles.

Most relevant to

early-stage companies

Topics

Mentioned

Companies
Studio Neat, Basecamp
Products
Overcast
Tools
FreshBooks
Also
Profit First

Related episodes from other shows

Other shows on the same ground, closest first.

  • Core77 Podcast · 1h 00m

    Afterschool Podcast, Episode 5 - StudioNeat (9/16)

    Dan Provost and Tom Gerhardt, co-founders of Studio Neat, discuss their journey from the first Kickstarter project, Glif, to their latest hardware release, the Neat Ice Kit. They explain their minimalist Kickstarter strategy, which avoids complex pledge tiers and stretch goals to ensure focus on delivery, and share lessons learned from manufacturing delays with the Cosmonaut stylus. The conversation also covers their design philosophy, their views on the iPhone 5C and iOS 7, and their approach to remote collaboration.

    Crowdfunding & preordersIndustrial & consumer product design
    14 chapters

  • How I Built This · 40m

    Kickstarter: Perry Chen (2018)

    Perry Chen, co-founder of Kickstarter, explains how the platform evolved from a 2002 idea about funding creative projects to its 2009 launch, emphasizing the 8-year development period and the decision to remain a public benefit corporation rather than pursuing aggressive venture capital growth. He details the platform's 5% fee structure, the strategic decision to implement stricter review processes for physical product campaigns to manage backer expectations, and the milestone of surpassing $3 billion in pledges. The episode also features a postscript on Dustin Hogard, who co-designed the Wazoo survival belt, discussing the challenges of custom manufacturing miniature components and fulfilling a Kickstarter campaign that raised over $100,000.

    Starting a product companyCrowdfunding & preorders
    9 chapters

  • How I Built This · 46m

    Advice Line with Tim Ferriss

    Tim Ferriss joins Guy Raz to advise three early-stage founders on scaling challenges. Lauren Menard of GOB discusses scaling biodegradable mycelium earplugs across music venues and DTC sleep markets. Emily of EB & Co weighs the growth of wholesale orders against her dominant brick-and-mortar revenue after a viral Taylor Swift moment. Kimberly Becker of K. Becker Designs explores shifting her sustainable clothing brand from inventory to a pre-order model to reduce waste.

    Pricing, margins & unit economicsDirect-to-consumer & e-commerce
    5 chapters

  • How I Built This · 47m

    Advice Line with Tim Ferriss (August 2025)

    Tim Ferriss, author and podcaster, joins Guy Raz to discuss his new analog card game, Coyote, and answer questions from three early-stage founders. Lauren Menard, CEO of GOB, asks how to scale her biodegradable mycelium earplugs across music venues and direct-to-consumer channels simultaneously. Emily from EB and Co seeks advice on prioritizing wholesale growth after a Taylor Swift endorsement, while Kimberly Becker of K. Becker Designs asks how to incentivize pre-orders for her sustainable clothing line.

    Direct-to-consumer & e-commerceRetail, wholesale & distribution
    5 chapters

  • Product Startup · 32m

    085: Scaling Your Product Up After Crowdfunding

    Ben Drury, founder of Yoto Play, explains how the company used a Kickstarter campaign to validate demand and raise $17 million in Series A funding. Drury details the transition from a Raspberry Pi Zero W-based prototype to a scalable product, leveraging early user feedback to refine the hardware and software. He emphasizes treating the initial 750-unit run as a stepping stone to gather data, attract investment, and build a community, rather than focusing on immediate profitability. The episode highlights the importance of unit economics, subscription revenue from Yoto Cards, and maintaining strong customer relationships during scaling.

    Crowdfunding & preordersFundraising & investors
    7 chapters

The summary, chapters and topics are generated from the episode’s audio by this directory, not written by Thoroughly Considered. The episode itself belongs to its publisher.