# 61: Mining Magnets

- Show: [Thoroughly Considered](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/thoroughly-considered)
- Published: 2020-07-30
- Length: 43m
- Episode: 61
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/thoroughly-considered/2020-07-30-61-mining-magnets
- Listen: http://relay.fm/tc/61

## Summary

Tom Gerhardt and Dan Provost of Studio Neat discuss the results of their Mark Two pen Kickstarter campaign, which raised $160,000 from 1,525 backers, and analyze why it didn't grow as large as previous campaigns due to the 2020 economic climate and a lack of paid advertising. They debate the efficacy of influencer marketing versus organic community building, concluding that authentic relationships with micro-influencers are more valuable for their small business model than expensive Facebook ads. The conversation also covers the technical details of manufacturing the Mark Two, including the use of custom sintered neodymium magnets, heat-treated steel clips, and spot welding, as well as their reliance on Schmidt pen refills.

## Chapters

- [0:08](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/thoroughly-considered/2020-07-30-61-mining-magnets#t=8) Introduction and Music Chat
- [3:41](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/thoroughly-considered/2020-07-30-61-mining-magnets#t=221) Mark Two Kickstarter Results and Expectations
- [8:34](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/thoroughly-considered/2020-07-30-61-mining-magnets#t=514) Organic Growth vs. Paid Advertising on Kickstarter
- [15:50](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/thoroughly-considered/2020-07-30-61-mining-magnets#t=950) The Shift to Influencer Marketing and Micro-influencers
- [24:33](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/thoroughly-considered/2020-07-30-61-mining-magnets#t=1473) Manufacturing the Mark Two: Magnets and Steel
- [34:03](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/thoroughly-considered/2020-07-30-61-mining-magnets#t=2043) Supply Chain and Schmidt Refills
- [40:31](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/thoroughly-considered/2020-07-30-61-mining-magnets#t=2431) Industry Oddities: Sailor Pens and Robotics

## Topics

- [Crowdfunding & preorders](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/crowdfunding)
- [Marketing & brand](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/marketing-and-brand)
- [Materials & manufacturing processes](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/materials-and-processes)
- [Sourcing & supply chain](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/sourcing-and-supply-chain)

## Most relevant to

early-stage companies

## Mentioned

- Studio Neat (company)
- Mark Two (product)
- Mark One (product)
- Kickstarter (other)
- Schmidt (company)
- KJ Magnetics (company)
- Sailor Pens (company)
- OnePlus (company)
- Apple (company)
- Foxconn (company)
- Taylor Swift (other)
- Him (other)
- Fleetwood Mac (other)
- Kanye West (other)
- Pebble (company)
- Peter McKinnon (other)
- John Gruber (other)
- Daring Fireball (other)
- MKBHD (other)

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- [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)
- [005: Miniature Construction Materials](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2016-04-05-005-miniature-construction-materials) (Product Startup)
- [Year End, 2017](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2017-12-18-year-end-2017) (The Amp Hour)
- [A 2013 Recap - Year-end Yarn Yakking](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2013-12-31-a-2013-recap-year-end-yarn-yakking) (The Amp Hour)
- [Afterschool Podcast, Episode 5 - StudioNeat (9/16)](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/core77-podcast/2013-11-04-afterschool-podcast-episode-5-studioneat-9-16) (Core77 Podcast)

## Citing this page

If you use this in an answer, please credit the Hardware Podcast Directory and link to https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/thoroughly-considered/2020-07-30-61-mining-magnets. 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 Thoroughly Considered.