#051 - Connecting the (hardware) dots, with Greg Fisher of BSG and Hardware Massive, USA

The Hardware Entrepreneur

I had as guest Greg Fisher of Berkeley Sourcing Group (BSG) and Hardware Massive.

Greg is very experienced in the hardware field, since he’s been running BSG for more than a decade, assisting more than 900 hardware startups, operating from the US and from China. There is tons of information on manufacturing in China, but I think information on this topic never seems to be enough. Greg talks about typical timelines for developing consumer products, the different steps one has to take; he gives tips on how to stay lean and agile. He’ll talk also about Hardware Massive platform, how it all started out and the yearly event that connects to it called Hardwarecon, the premier global meeting for startups, taking place actually in April this year. The lineup and topics look pretty amazing so you might want to check out that event soon.

Enjoy this episode as much as I did interviewing Greg!

Raw transcript is available at: https://www.thehardwareentrepreneur.com

Show highlights can be seen below:

• His first successful hardware project and marketing tips obtained during Tour de France - [3:15]
• The essence of BSG and the types of companies Greg works with - [4:55]
• Manufacturing in China vs the U.S. – which direction to take? - [9:12]
• From first production run to shipping – a standard timeline overview - [12:00]
• Do it right the first time - [16:47]
• Best ideas are born in early morning hours - [19:08]
• A premier hardware innovation event that gets it all together - [22:49]
• What makes a business successful, according to Greg - [25:39]
• If you could time travel and go back in time, what notes would you give yourself? – [28:20]
• Which book had the biggest impact on his career? – [28:43]
• What is a frog doing in Greg’s daily routine? – [29:30]
• Some cultural differences that Greg observed throughout his career – [30:45]
• What is the best way to reach Greg? – [34:36]