Strategy

Build the teams you need.

Development is exciting, but it can be challenging to build a team that can make something that’s never been made before.

I’ve led multiple teams, including an international team of 20+ engineers. The team was innovative, agile, and multifaceted; encompassing mechanical, electrical, optical, and firmware engineering. In a period of 6 years we more than doubled the team, and nearly doubled our category’s revenue, all while navigating the team through organizational changes and significant shifts in process.

Create at your scale.

From rapid prototyping to designing for large (or small!) scale manufacturing and everything in between. Know how to make things - to get things made - to get things done.

I’ve done the detail work and learned from some amazing individuals. For the first 10 years of my career, I actively created 3D CAD, detail drawings and dimensioning, and performed FEA, in addition to supporting manufacturing, supply chain and technical customer support. I also have a passion for prototyping and proving out ideas up front. My designs have flown on aircraft, helped people stay safe and comfortable, and helped people be more productive.

Even more rewarding, I have mentored others to take these skills to an even greater level!

About those ideas.

If you’re serious about your ideas (and your business) you need to be serious about IP. The nuances of landscapes and clearances can have a profound impact on your level of protection.

I have years of experience working side by side with patent attorneys to not only feel confident that initial ideas are patentable, but also to feel confident that the market segment your development investment is applicable to will be protected for years to come.

It’s all about design.

When it comes to product development, design is everything.

I have a proven track record of working side by side with industrial designers for nearly 10 years. My passion for great design bridges the gap between marketing (what people want), engineering (what will work), and manufacturing (what can actually be made).

Streamline the handoff.

All great products have this in common… they can be made! More importantly, they can be made at their appropriate cost and quality targets. A key to success here is making sure that DFM is embraced early on in the design phase and that manufacturing is kept in the loop throughout.

I’ve been leading teams to create, and have created personally, manufacturable products my entire career. Some engineers are happy to think of a complex solution and move it on to the manufacturing engineers to deal with, but this has never been my approach. I’ve always been fascinated by the way things are made and this has influenced my approach to design thinking since before I knew what design thinking was.

Brand for the win!

If you don’t have a brand, you don’t have a product. Brands are powerful. They can garner loyalty from customers, and just as importantly they can inspire loyalty from employees and stakeholders. Whether you’re an established brand or just starting out, you need to have brand alignment throughout your business.

I’ve worked with a variety of big brands over the years; I’ve seen what works well and sometimes not so well. I strive to ensure that development efforts are set on the right marketing path from the start, so everyone has a clear vision of what the product needs to be and how it should speak to the customer, from media to shelf placement to in-person demos.