How We Make Stuff Now: Turn Ideas into Products That Build Successful Businesses

by Jules Pieri

Overview

This step-by-step DIY guide shows entrepreneurs how to create and launch new products, package and market to consumers, and build a thriving business.


Do you have an idea for a business but don’t know where to start? Thanks to high-speed Internet, game-changing technology, and innovative new platforms, you can go from idea to marketplace on a shoestring budget—and join the growing movement of successful Makers who’ve built their businesses from the ground up.


In How We Make Stuff Now, Jules Pieri—cofounder and CEO of The Grommet, a product launch platform that helps innovative products reach a community of millions—guides you through every step of the consumer product creation process. Learn how to:


• Develop an idea with vision and heart
• Tap into established sources of expertise
• Formulate and refine your business plan
• Design a product from prototype to perfection
• Find the funds you need to launch your business
• Explore innovative packaging, manufacturing, and distribution options
• Market your product via social media and online sites
• Manage your finances and inventory to maximize profits
• Expand your business and grow into the global marketplace


You’ll find fascinating case studies of successful startups—and discover how the smartest entrepreneurs overcome obstacles, solve challenges, and rise above the competition to deliver innovative products that consumers can’t resist. It’s all here in one easy-to-use action plan.


Whether you’re a self-starting newcomer to the world of e-commerce, a member of the Maker Movement, or an experienced entrepreneur, the first crucial step in your journey to turning little ideas into big businesses is learning How We Make Stuff Now.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781260135855
Publisher:	McGraw Hill LLC
Publication date:	04/23/2019
Pages:	336
Sales rank:	1,167,162
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.10(h) x 1.30(d)

About the Author

Jules Pieri is cofounder and CEO of The Grommet, a site that has launched more than 3,000 innovative consumer products since 2008. The company’s Citizen Commerce™ movement is reshaping how products are discovered, shared, and bought. Jules started her career as an industrial designer for technology companies and was an executive at Keds, Stride Rite, and Playskool. The Grommet is her third startup, following roles as VP at Continuum and president of Ziggs. She was named one of Fortune’s Most Powerful Women Entrepreneurs in 2013 and one of Goldman Sachs’s 100 Most Interesting Entrepreneurs in 2014. She is an Entrepreneur in Residence Emeritus at Harvard Business School, a member at G20 Ventures, and an investing partner at XFactor Ventures.


Visit thegrommet.com

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments ix

Introduction xi

Starting Your Business

1 A Brief History of Consumer Products 3

2 Where do Great Ideas Come From? 13

3 Educating the New Entrepreneur 23

4 Tapping Established Expertise 37

5 Market Research 51

Building the 16 Competencies for Success

6 Design and Documentation 63

7 Intellectual Property 79

8 Prototyping 91

9 Industry Access and Exposure 103

10 Funding 115

11 Manufacturing 135

12 Packaging 149

13 Marketing 165

14 Retail Distribution 181

15 Direct to Consumer (DTC) 203

16 Logistics 219

17 E-Commerce and Payments 231

18 Customer Experience 241

19 Financial Management 257

20 Inventory Management 267

21 Growing into the Future 279

Conclusion 297

Notes 303

About the Making of the Book Cover 307

Index 309