# 81: Mark Three

- Show: [Thoroughly Considered](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/thoroughly-considered)
- Published: 2022-06-29
- Length: 30m
- Episode: 81
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/thoroughly-considered/2022-06-29-81-mark-three
- Listen: http://relay.fm/tc/81

## Summary

Tom Gerhardt and Dan Provost of Studio Neat discuss the launch of the Mark Three mechanical pencil via Kickstarter, explaining how they adapted the design language of the Mark One while using a standard Schmidt lead advancing mechanism. They reflect on the strategic decision to delay the Mark Three's launch to avoid overlapping with the unfulfilled Mark Two Kickstarter, a move that impacted their product roadmap and customer perception. The conversation covers the industrial design choices, such as the slimmer profile and lack of a clip, and the current performance of the crowdfunding campaign.

## Chapters

- [0:08](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/thoroughly-considered/2022-06-29-81-mark-three#t=8) Introduction and Mark Three Overview
- [1:42](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/thoroughly-considered/2022-06-29-81-mark-three#t=102) Design Evolution and Schmidt Mechanism
- [4:19](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/thoroughly-considered/2022-06-29-81-mark-three#t=259) Kickstarter Strategy and Mark Two Delays
- [10:57](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/thoroughly-considered/2022-06-29-81-mark-three#t=657) Mechanism Philosophy and Uni KuruToga Comparison
- [19:19](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/thoroughly-considered/2022-06-29-81-mark-three#t=1159) Industrial Design and Product Family Cohesion
- [25:15](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/thoroughly-considered/2022-06-29-81-mark-three#t=1515) Kickstarter Campaign Performance and Business Lessons

## Topics

- [Crowdfunding & preorders](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/crowdfunding)
- [Industrial & consumer product design](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/industrial-design)
- [Mechanical engineering](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/mechanical-engineering)
- [Validation & product-market fit](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/validation-and-product-market-fit)

## Most relevant to

companies scaling up

## Mentioned

- Studio Neat (company)
- Mark One (product)
- Mark Two (product)
- Mark Three (product)
- Schmidt (company)
- Uni KuruToga (product)
- Relay FM (company)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [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)
- [Afterschool Podcast, Episode 14 - Pencil by FiftyThree (12/17)](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/core77-podcast/2013-12-17-afterschool-podcast-episode-14-pencil-by-fiftythree-12-17) (Core77 Podcast)
- [Episode 205: Thinky Pad and Wippy Pen](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/making-it/2019-03-08-episode-205-thinky-pad-and-wippy-pen) (Making It)
- [Afterschool Podcast, Episode 19 - Craighton Berman, Founder of Manual (04/16)](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/core77-podcast/2014-04-16-afterschool-podcast-episode-19-craighton-berman-founder-of-manual-04-16) (Core77 Podcast)
- [Afterschool Podcast, Episode 11 - Marco Perry and Mark Prommel of Pensa (11/12)](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/core77-podcast/2013-11-12-afterschool-podcast-episode-11-marco-perry-and-mark-prommel-of-pensa-11-12) (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/2022-06-29-81-mark-three. 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.