Hardware Podcasts

79: An Ever-Widening Funnel

Thoroughly Considered · 21 Apr 2022 · 51m · Episode 79

What this episode covers

Myke Hurley, co-founder of Studio Neat, joins hosts Tom Gerhardt and Dan Provost to discuss the financial and operational challenges of running a small physical product business. The conversation covers inventory forecasting, the strategic use of short-term loans to leverage bulk pricing, and the 'meta-design' lessons learned from packaging failures like cork and foam. The episode concludes with a technical deep-dive into the iPhone 13 Pro's back-swipe gesture recognition issues and a brief discussion of the movie Tenet.

Most relevant to

companies scaling up

Topics

Mentioned

Companies
Studio Neat, Relay FM
Products
Mark One, Mark Two, The Journal, Subtle Notebook, iPhone 13 Pro, iPhone 11 Pro
Also
Kickstarter, Tenet

Related episodes from other shows

Other shows on the same ground, closest first.

  • People of Packaging · 29m

    217 - Erica Rankin on her packaging pivot at Bro Dough

    Erica Rankin, founder of Bro Dough, explains her pivot from selling functional cookie dough in 6-ounce tamper-evident tubs to single-serve flow-wrapped bites to solve scaling and consumer experience issues. She details the operational nightmare of manual labor for tubs and the high minimum order quantities (MOQs) for printed packaging, which forced her to buy 20,000 manually labeled units at a premium. Rankin advises startup founders to prioritize buying for need rather than price per unit to avoid inventory risk and cash flow traps, a lesson she learned while navigating supplier pitches and SKU changes.

    Packaging designScaling production
    7 chapters

  • Making It · 1h 01m

    Episode 293: My pants are here!

    Jimmy Diresta, Bob Clagett, and David Picciuto discuss recent projects, including DirestaWear pants, disposable shop knives, and 3D-printed helmets. Diresta details the high cost and low margins of manufacturing his DirestaWear pants in Manhattan, explaining why he prefers licensing his name over making clothes. Clagett demonstrates creating a disposable shop knife using an Elegoo resin printer and silicone molds, while also addressing technical issues with resin curing. Picciuto shares his experience selling out of books and designing impractical wooden boxes, emphasizing the value of 'impractical' projects for creative growth.

    Materials & manufacturing processesPrototyping & iteration
    9 chapters

  • Making It · 1h 09m

    469: It’s My Fault, But Also Your Fault

    Jimmy Diresta, Bob Clagett, and David Picciuto discuss their recent projects, including Diresta’s accidental launch of a 3D-printed webcam mount, Clagett’s zinc casting of ‘steal apples’ and stained glass work, and Picciuto’s restoration of a Juno 106 synthesizer. The hosts also critique modern smart TVs, specifically LG models, for intrusive pop-ups and input switching, contrasting them with ‘dumb’ monitors. They explore the rapid iteration of small-batch manufacturing, from sourcing hardware to packaging, and share recommendations for YouTube channels like Veritasium and Dave’s Auto Center.

    Prototyping & iterationDirect-to-consumer & e-commerce
    9 chapters

  • Making It · 1h 06m

    483: There Are Two Wolves Inside Me…

    Jimmy Diresta, Bob Clagett, and David Picciuto discuss the psychological and practical challenges of building physical products, focusing on the tension between small, satisfying projects and large, long-term restorations. They explore how perception influences reality, using examples like Diresta's house restoration and Picciuto's shop expansion, while highlighting specific tools and companies like Loop for filament recycling and Phillips for 3D-printed razor parts. The conversation emphasizes the importance of managing expectations, dealing with unexpected costs, and finding satisfaction in both utilitarian design and visible spectacle.

    Prototyping & iterationValidation & product-market fit
    9 chapters

  • How I Built This · 53m

    Advice Line with Serial Entrepreneur Mark Cuban

    Serial entrepreneur Mark Cuban, who is revolutionizing the prescription drug market through Cost Plus Drugs, advises four founders on scaling their physical product businesses. Lucy of One Trick Pony discusses her upside-down peanut butter packaging and the dilemma of entering big-box retail, while Macy Schmidt of Girlyish Skincare navigates marketing to parents versus teens for youth-safe skincare. Dan Jansen of Imperium Shaving pivots his handcrafted wooden razors to a high-margin, artist-centric model, and Kristen Rood of Northern Classics focuses on supply chain optimization to mitigate tariffs for her children's winter wear.

    Retail, wholesale & distributionPricing, margins & unit economics
    5 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.