Darby Dunn, embodying excellence in #manufacturing and #operations, she joins the show drawing from her tenure at SpaceX building the Dragon spacecraft, and now at Commonwealth Fusion Systems where she’s helping develop a full fusion machine alongside the production systems to support it.

She brings a wealth of insight to this episode as we tackle the central question:

“How do you scale hardware operations and manufacturing capabilities?”

Tune in and learn how to build systematically, skillfully and strategically.

Connect & Learn More:

• Follow the show’s Substack for hardware tools, frameworks, and tips.
• Reach out to thebuildercircle@pratikdev.com if you have problems or ideas there are innovators ready to help!

Sponsors & Resources:

• Onshape: Cloud-native product development platform. Apply for the Onshape Startup Program at onshape.pro/thebuildercircle.
• Jiga: Direct access to vetted manufacturers for reliable hardware sourcing. Learn more at jiga.io.
• Allspice.io: Launching DRCY: an AI design review agent that analyzes your schematics against component datasheets and flags things like voltage mismatches, incorrect pin configurations, and component compatibility. Learn more at allspice.io

Music by: Tom Stoke

DISCLAIMER "The Builder Circle” and “Pratik Development LLC” are independent and not affiliated with or endorsed by any other company. All views expressed are solely those of the guests. Content is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal, financial, or any professional advice. Listeners are responsible for their own decisions and should consult qualified professionals. By listening, you agree we are not liable for any outcomes.

Peter Russo, entrepreneur and hardware mentor who has founded and sold multiple companies, shares decades of hard-won wisdom on working with contract manufacturers. With 15+ brands created, 2,000+ SKUs launched, and $250M in retail sales under his belt, Peter reveals the strategies, pitfalls, and creative approaches that separate successful hardware partnerships from costly disasters.

What You'll Learn:

• How to structure contracts that protect your IP while enabling collaboration

• The cultural fit factors that make or break CM relationships

• Why startups are "crappy customers" and how to overcome it with storytelling

• Exclusivity negotiation strategies that work for both parties

• Exit planning from day one: ensuring you can transition suppliers when needed

• How to avoid being trapped by tooling, know-how, or single-source dependencies

• The power of treating suppliers as partners, not vendors

Episode Sponsors:

Jiga - Professional hardware sourcing with direct access to vetted manufacturers and reliable capacity from prototype through production. Communicate directly with machinists, maintain supplier relationships, and get consistently reliable quality. Visit jiga.io

Onshape - The only cloud-native product development platform combining professional-grade CAD with built-in PDM and real-time collaboration tools. Through the Onshape Startup Program, eligible hardware startups receive free access to Onshape Professional for one year, including integrated CAM. Apply at onshapepro/the-builder-circle

Connect & Learn More:

• Follow the show's Substack for hardware tools, frameworks, and tips: https://substack.com/@thebuildercircle • Reach out to our LinkedIn Page if you have topics you'd like us to deep dive!

DISCLAIMER Creators of this show are independent and not affiliated with or endorsed by any other company. All views expressed are solely those of the guests. Content is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal, financial, or any professional advice. Listeners are responsible for their own decisions and should consult qualified professionals. By listening, you agree we are not liable for any outcomes.

Christian Reed, CEO of Reekon Tools, shares how he bootstrapped a hardware company from a side project to a multi-million dollar (8 figure) business without any VC funding. Learn how a $1.2M Kickstarter campaign validated his digital tape measure, the manufacturing lessons from his time at Formlabs, and how 30 minutes of daily social media posting built a 3 million-follower audience.

Key Topics:

• Turning a side project into a viable business through Kickstarter validation
• Why bootstrapping forces better discipline than VC funding
• Finding and vetting contract manufacturers as a startup
• Building 3M+ social media followers with consistency and raw content
• Overcoming user adoption challenges in traditional construction industry
• Hardware horror story: When your chip supplier's factory literally burns down
• Why engineers need to think like entrepreneurs, not just inventors

What You'll Learn:

• How to scale hardware manufacturing without VC backing
• Proven social media strategies for B2C hardware products
• The importance of focusing on product benefits over features
• Why marketing is often harder than engineering in hardware
• How to build authentic brand presence in traditional industries

Connect & Learn More:

• Follow the show’s Substack for hardware tools, frameworks, and tips: https://substack.com/@thebuildercircle
• Reach out to our LinkedIn Page if you have any topics you'd like for us to do a deep dive in!

Music by: Tom Stoke

DISCLAIMER Creators of this show are independent and not affiliated with or endorsed by any other company. All views expressed are solely those of the guests. Content is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal, financial, or any professional advice. Listeners are responsible for their own decisions and should consult qualified professionals. By listening, you agree we are not liable for any outcomes.