Launching a consumer product in 1995 vs. 2015

Jules Pieri Co-founder & CEO @JulesPieri @TheGrommet

The Grommet is my third startup…

…with experience at big product companies.

Jules pieri

It’s the place for discovering independent Makers, inventors, and entrepreneurs.

Every weekday we reveal innovative new

products, hand picked by our experts.

What is…

Since 2008, we have launched more than 2,500 products in 16 categories.

Based on research for our upcoming e-book,

only 10% of our Makers have a background in the same industry as their Grommet.

What is…

Our community now includes: 2.7 million monthly web visits 2.4 million email subscribers

140,000 social media fans and followers

What is…

In 2014, we launched the grommet Wholesale at The White House

We now have 5,000 Main Street Retailers who can sell products

from 400+ grommet makers.

FitBit, launched June 2011

SodaStream, launched September 2010

GoldieBlox, launched April 2013

Launching a consumer product in 1995 vs. 2015

What’s changed?

Education in 1995

• books •  libraries •  find a mentor to learn about

product development from

Education in 2015

Expertise Resources in 1995

•  trade shows •  read articles in magazines

and trade journals

Expertise Resources in 2015

Ideation in 1995

Ideation in 2015

•  online collaboration •  rapid prototyping

documentation in 1995

•  technical drawings •  sketches •  illustrations • blueprints

documentation in 2015

• Computer-aided design

design in 1995

•  Identify designers through trade press

design in 2015

Research in 1995

•  focus groups • mall intercepts •  in-person surveys •  telephone surveys •  friends and family

•  social media •  in-person

surveys and focus groups

•  friends and family

•  Amazon reviews

Research in 2015

prototyping in 1995

prototyping in 2015

CNC routers

industry access in 1995

•  trade shows •  trade association leaders •  trade organizations

Industry access in 2015

Funding in 1995

• family loans • banks • angel investors • venture capital

funding in 2015

•  hardware accelerators

•  pre-sales •  family funding

Manufacturing in 1995

•  Thomas Register directories

•  use agents to locate off-shore manufacturers

manufacturing in 2015

Using agents to locate off-shore manufacturers

packaging in 1995

• trade shows • Yellow Pages • directories

packaging in 2015

marketing in 1995

•  media relations •  word of mouth •  direct mail •  television and

radio advertising •  print advertising

marketing in 2015

•  Crowdfunding •  e-mail marketing •  online advertising •  media relations

Retail distribution in 1995

• specialty stores • find reps and distributors • pitch big box stores: Wal-Mart, Costco, Toys R Us, Target, etc. • pitch to QVC and HSN • find licensors

retail distribution in 2015

direct to consumer in 1995

• catalogues • home parties • infomercials

direct to consumer in 2015

logistics in 1995

•  fulfillment house •  garage •  basement

logistics in 2015

payments in 1995

• cash • credit cards • checks

payments in 2015

customer service in 1995

• telephone • snail mail

customer service in 2015

financial management in 1995

• paper accounting • paper banking • book keepers

financial management in 2015

inventory management in 1995

•  larger inventory •  long manufacturing

turnaround times

inventory management in 2015

•  smaller inventory •  shorter manufacturing

turnaround times

Parting thoughts

“The biggest transformation is not in the way things are done, but in who’s doing it. Once things can be done on regular computers, they can be done by anyone. And that’s exactly what we’re seeing happen now in manufacturing.”

—Chris Anderson

Parting thoughts

“This Maker Movement puts power in the hands of the people to fund, design, prototype, produce, manufacture, distribute, market, and sell their own goods.” — Jeremiah Owyang, Web strategist and industry analyst

is shaping the future of our economy

The numbers are rising…

…because makers have access to more resources

The maker movement is growing local economies

Slideshare.net/thegrommet

Please share this presentation with your communities—and help educate and inspire the next wave of Makers, inventors, and entrepreneurs to contribute to the third industrial revolution.

Launching a consumer product in 1995 vs. 2015

Jules Pieri Co-founder & CEO @JulesPieri @TheGrommet