Instead of our regularly scheduled podcast this week, we’re taking a summer break and will be back next week with an all-new episode. So this week, we’re highlighting our top five episodes of the first half of 2021. If you haven’t given them a listen already, they’re episodes you won’t want to miss. So, in no particular order, here they are.
DorsiFLEX
Air Date: July 21, 2021
Memorable Quote: “The future’s extremely bright. I’m just a little old entrepreneur. I came up with an idea. You read and you ask and you learn, what are some opportunities and how does this happen? I’ve heard it said many times before, the best way to fund a product is having paying customers. This Kickstarter is giving me indication that I have a product that there are customers willing to pay for.”
Why you should listen:
In this episode of Art of the Kickstart, we spoke to Jim Cooper, the co-inventor of DorsiFLEX, a calf-stretching device. DorsiFLEX underperformed in its market validation test, but Cooper believed his invention had a market and filled a need. Every entrepreneur can learn from his story of considering the data and personal conviction to make his business decisions. Sometimes the data doesn’t tell the whole story. His product successfully raised nearly $98,000 in 35 days on Kickstarter.
Sleepout Curtain
Air Date: June 30, 2021
Memorable Quote: “Both Mark and I have backgrounds in tech with software, so physical products were a big learning curve. But I think the biggest thing that we did, and this has been consistent in every aspect of the business, is just reaching out to other entrepreneurs who have solved these problems who know more than we do and who are experts in areas that we don’t know.” Hannah Brennen, co-founder of Sleepout
Why you should listen:
In this episode of Art of the Kickstart, we spoke to Hannah Brennen and Mark Coombs, the founders of the Sleepout Curtain. They took the common problem of wanting a dark room to sleep in and re-designed a solution. Creating a simple product solution was more complex than it appeared. These entrepreneurs showcase the importance of digging deep into your skill sets and relying on partners to fill in the gaps to launch a successful business.
Kube4
Air Date: May 12, 2021
Memorable Quote: “I think the mentality we have is to expect success, but prepare for trouble or prepare for problems. You need to expect that you’re going to succeed, and stay focused and determined that you’re going to see it through to be successful and believing in what you’re doing.[…] If you’re solving a problem for people, then the money’s going to come.”
Why you should listen:
In this episode of Art of the Kickstart, we spoke to Nathan George, CEO of Thomas and Darden and creator of Kube4. George is like many entrepreneurs who’ve learned to leverage their networks to find and create opportunities. He emphasizes the importance of making real connections, as those relationships can pay dividends in business.
Inventor Confidential
Air Date: April 21, 2021
Memorable Quote: “Crowdfunding has just been, I think, one of the great platforms to come forth. I’m pretty critical of most things. But crowdfunding, I remember when I was a young man starting my store, I couldn’t get capital. […] but the whole platform of crowdfunding, and the idea of getting out there and raising capital through a diverse group of people that have interest in supporting you and having that launch you is just very exciting to me.”
Why you should listen:
In this episode of Art of the Kickstart, we spoke to Warren Tuttle. He has overseen the open innovation product programs for several industry-leading companies, including Lifetime Brands. You’ve likely heard of lots of their products, from Farberware to Kitchen Aid. He’s been the person behind the launches of several highly successful consumer products. The insights he offers entrepreneurs in the consumer product space are unparalleled.
PowerX
Air Date: January 20, 2021
Memorable Quote: “Climate change doesn’t wait, and I’ve done many different things. Lived in many, many different countries. I just wanted to face a challenge.”
Why you should listen:
In this episode of Art of the Kickstart, we spoke to Manuel Schönfeld, founder and CEO of PowerX. This episode showcases how a mission-based idea can lead to the creation of truly innovative products. He combined work in the energy sector with a desire to do more. His path is one that anyone can follow: find your niche and leverage that passion to create something that solves a problem.
Tune in next week
Be sure to check out these episodes and tune in next week when we talk to KingsCrowd, the online private market’s first and only data-driven ratings and analytics platform.
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Sponsors
Art of the Kickstart is honored to be sponsored by ProductHype, the leading crowdfunding newsletter. Publishing weekly, ProductHype showcases five of the best, most innovative and exciting crowdfunding projects in an absurdly unique way. Their audience of more than 300,000 crowdfunding fans regularly back featured products and eagerly awaits the newsletter to learn about the new ideas that creators are bringing to market. Learn more about having your project featured in ProductHype, or join the HypeSquad today!