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DTC POD
Justin Seidenfeld
Weekly Newsletter
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1️⃣ One Sentence Summary
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Innovative product development, supply chain management and entrepreneurial success stories.
🎞️ Clipfinder: Quotes, Hooks, & Timestamps
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Justin Seidenfeld
00:03:36
00:07:37
"From Quirky to Doris Dev: "I was very lucky in that I kind of stumbled into a job there predominantly because I didn't know what I really wanted to do out of school, but was really attracted to the intersection of what Quirky stood for."
Justin Seidenfeld
00:08:07
00:11:26
"Gravity Blankets: We love getting involved with pre revenue businesses, basically entrepreneurs or startups that have an idea but don't know how to get it made."
Justin Seidenfeld
00:19:35
00:23:42
"Beauty and Wellness Through Humidifiers: We realized there was an opportunity to lean into this and position Canopy not just as a best in class humidifier, but really focus on positioning it as a beauty and wellness device for healthy skin."
Justin Seidenfeld
00:27:18
00:31:47
"Beauty Meets Durability: We thought that there was really an opportunity to lean in and tell that story and build a brand around that intersection.”
Justin Seidenfeld
00:36:37
00:41:38
"The Power of Supply Chain Visibility": "Making sure that you have visibility into what's going on, that there's a mutual two way line of communication happening with your manufacturing partners, that there's a level of trust on both sides, that you're each treating each other with mutual respect and that it is a true partnership because there's work and blood and tears and sweat that's going into, again, both sides of it."
🔑 7 Key Themes
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1. Building a successful brand from scratch.
2. Importance of pre-validation for startups.
3. Advancements in quality control management.
4. Positioning Canopy as a beauty tool.
5. Challenge of creating custom product solutions.
6. Doris Dev's role in product development.
7. Overcoming traditional humidifiers' shortcomings with Canopy.
💬 Keywords
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White dust, ultrasonic humidifiers, minerals, metals, purified humidity, Canopy, filter, pain point, budget, venture capital, performance marketing, editorial, beauty media, publicist, beauty industry, desk sides, features, benefits, quality control management, disparate, partners, unreliable, fitness, platform, point solution, product manufacturing industry, Quirky, Asia, supply chain operations, pitfalls, validating demand, Doris Dev, startups, growth-stage businesses, Gravity Blankets, Kickstarter, brand strategy, dermatologist, Eric Nair, product development, manufacturing partners, Factored Quality, physical product brands, factory audits, product inspections, pre-shipment inspections, product testing, data insights, designing, engineering, molds, grossness, skincare, wellness device, healthy skin, standalone company, custom product, off-the-shelf customization.
Interview Breakdown
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DTC Pod Linkedin
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📚 Timestamped overview
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03:36 Startup Quirky exposed founder to supply chain operations in Asia which birthed Doris Dev to help people bring product ideas to market.
08:07 Doris helps startups and entrepreneurs develop their products and build their brands, such as with Gravity Blankets, a successful Kickstarter product. They help with supply chain, product expansion, and operational infrastructure.
12:24 Validate concept and demand before investing in product development.
17:06 Two paths for creating new product: custom or off-the-shelf customization.
19:35 Doris Dev is a product development service business that creates and designs category-defining humidifier products for beauty and wellness.
24:42 White dust is minerals in the water from ultrasonic humidifiers that get spewed into indoor environment. Canopy uses evaporation, filter and purified humidity to solve this problem.
27:18 Product-focused humidifier brand positioned as a beauty tool.
32:17 Product-centric product offering, limited budget, invested in beauty media, successful launch.
36:37 Supply chain software helps physical product brands manage quality control and visibility.
42:17 Fragmented approach to managing quality control across global supply chains led to idea for factored platform to bring data into single point solution.
💼 LinkedIN - 6 Reasons Post
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❇️ Key topics and bullets
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Canopy Humidifier Episode:
- White dust problem with ultrasonic humidifiers
- Canopy's humidifier uses evaporation and has a filter
- Beauty media used for promotion
- Supply chain operations are important
- Doris Dev and Factored Quality help validate demand and maintain supply chains
- Canopy positions itself as a beauty and wellness device
- Two approaches to creating a product
🎬 Reel script
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Do you suffer from "white dust" caused by your ultrasonic humidifier? The Canopy humidifier uses evaporation and a filter to capture minerals and metals, providing purified humidity with no particulates. Canopy's founders positioned the humidifier as a beauty tool due to its effects on the skin, and their unique approach to promoting the product through editorial and beauty media paid off. Quality control management has historically been disparate, but companies like Doris Dev and Factored Quality are changing the game by providing a single platform for all quality control activities. Building a new product and brand from scratch may have pitfalls, but validating demand and shoring up the supply chain are crucial for success. Canopy proves that creating a category-defining product with thoughtful design and expert validation can pay off in spades. #CanopyHumidifier #QualityControlManagement #ProductDevelopment #BeautyTools #HealthySkin #Validation #SupplyChainSolutions
✏️ Custom Newsletter
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Dear DTC POD Fans,
We're super thrilled to bring you the latest episode featuring the incredible Justin Seidenfeld! You might know him as the brilliant mind behind Gravity Blankets and the unique Canopy humidifiers. If you've ever been curious about the path from idea to tangible product, this episode is a must-listen.
Here's a sneak peek at the 5 keys you'll learn among numerous pearls of wisdom:
1. **The importance of validating demand before launching a product**
Justin shares how crucial this step is before investing your time, energy, and money.
2. **Attracting attention without a Venture Capital budget**
Hear how Canopy used a bespoke approach to reaching their target audience.
3. **The necessity of a robust supply chain**
Learn why a strong and reliable supply chain is non-negotiable when setting up a product business, especially on an international scale.
4. **How to pivot when encountering a new marketing angle**
Justin and his team didn’t initially picture Canopy as a beauty brand. Listen to find out what led to this pivot and how they capitalized on it.
5. **The creation of a unique software tool to manage supply chains**
Fascinating insights into how Factored Quality came into existence and its importance in quality control and supply chain management.
Here's a fun tidbit from the episode - Canopy's pivot to a beauty industry-focused brand resulted from research indicating many people were already using humidifiers for skincare. They decided to “run” with this discovery and deliberately drafted in skincare experts to solidify this credibility.
To wrap up, we don't need to tell you how insightful and actionable this episode is. It's jammed packed with plenty of industry secrets and best practices that will leave you inspired, whether you are in product development, supply chain management, or you're an entrepreneur about to launch a product.
Click the link below to dive right in:
[Listen to the Justin Seidenfeld episode now!]
Help us get the word out about Justin's amazing journey by sharing this episode with your friends, your LinkedIn network or anyone you think might find it useful.
See you next week with another fantastic guest on DTC POD!
Best,
Blaine Bolus
DTC POD Host
🐦 Business Lesson Tweet Thread
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1/ 🚀Launching a brand from scratch isn't for the faint-hearted, but the folks at Doris Dev did that and more with Gravity Blankets. Let me take you behind the scenes of this remarkable entrepreneurial journey.
2/ 💡Gravity Blankets started with a single idea. But ideas alone don't generate a brand. It needs a solid infrastructure, which is where Doris Dev stepped in.
3/ 🏗️ They built a robust supply chain in China, and enabled Gravity Blankets to expand beyond a single product.
4/ 🤔 Imagine an Ultrasonic Humidifier without the annoying 'white dust' problem. Doesn't exist? Well, it does now, thanks to Canopy's innovative design.
5/ 🌸 On a shoestring budget, Canopy cleverly positioned their humidifier as a beauty product. Editors loved the unique angle and the press coverage at launch was impressive.
6/ 📊 Quality control management sounds boring, but when your company's future hangs on it, it suddenly becomes intriguing. Doris Dev had to think out of the box.
7/ 📦 Validating demand before investing, crucial. Identifying problems, then crafting product features that solve those problems, vital. How did they do it?
8/ 🌍 A three-day notice to relocate to China and set up a sourcing office. A daunting ask but one that led to important lessons in product manufacturing and start-ups.
9/ ✨ With Canopy, they redefined a product category. This wasn't by chance, but by smartly utilizing dermatologists and beauty experts to navigate a new terrain.
10/ 🏭 They've even built a software tool - Factored Quality - to manage and unlock insights from supply chain data. Essential intelligence for scaling a product brand.
11/ 🌱 Canopy started life as a simple idea - a better humidifier. It ended up revolutionizing the beauty and wellness industry, all thanks to a blend of inspiration, perspiration, and innovation.
12/ 🎯 Whether you're building from scratch, or customizing an existing product, know the trials and tribulations you're signing up for. It won't be easy, but what worthwhile thing ever is?
🎓 Lessons Learned
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1. "Building Brand From Scratch"
Formulating a product or brand from zero requires keen innovation, strategic planning, and careful execution.
2. "Crucial Demand Validation"
Validating demand before investing heavily in a product saves both time and financial resources, reducing business risks.
3. "The Art of Product Manufacturing"
The product manufacturing industry utilizes key strategies to develop, source, and successfully launch new products on a global scale.
4. "Skin Deep: The Beauty Category"
Venturing into the beauty category requires expertise, scientific validation, and a keen understanding of consumer needs and preferences.
5. "Importance of Supply Chain Management"
Effective supply chain management is key for successful product business, requiring trusted manufacturing partners and strong relationships.
6. "Tools for Quality Control"
Incorporating comprehensive quality control tools like Factsored Quality provides valuable data insights for physical product brands.
7. "Journey from Concept to Market"
Walking a product from just a concept to a fully-fledged market offering is a journey fraught with challenges and opportunities.
8. "Redesigning for Pain Point Solutions"
Identifying pain points in existing products and addressing them via an innovative redesign can lead to a successful new product.
9. "Effective Collaboration for Growth"
Collaboration with industry experts and influencers in credible positions can greatly guide a brand's positioning strategy and market appeal.
10. "Cutom vs Off-The-Shelf Products"
Choosing between custom product creation and off-the-shelf customization is a key decision affecting cost, time, and product features.
💎 Maxims
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1. Always strive to understand and solve the problem: The first step towards creating a successful product is identifying a problem that needs solving and devising a solution that addresses it properly.
2. Validate before you invest: Before investing time, energy, and money into a product, ensure there is a demand for it. This can save resources and prevent failure.
3. Leverage expertise: If you're delving into an industry where you lack expertise, hire professionals in the field to help guide the process.
4. Embrace unique positioning: Discover unusual ways to market your products, like how Canopy positioned their humidifiers as a beauty tool rather than just a home appliance.
5. Prioritize Quality Control: A high-quality product builds trust with consumers, so consistently investing in quality control management is key.
6. Use Data to Gain Insights: Using data to analyze and understand patterns in supply chains can lead to more effective strategies and decision-making.
7. Maintain Good Relationships with Manufacturing Partners: To ensure smooth supply chain operations, it's crucial to establish a meaningful relationship with manufacturing partners based on mutual respect and trust.
8. Seek External Help When Needed: If you're struggling with a part of the product development process, don't hesitate to hire a specialist or utilize tools to assist.
9. Be Ready to Pivot: Initial ideas and plans may change as you learn more about the market or your consumers. Being ready to adapt enhances your chances of success.
10. Be Mindful of Your Budget: Especially in your early stages, it's important to operate within your means and manage your budget carefully. Seek cost-effective ways of promoting and validating your product.
11. Identify How to Best Utilize Your Funding: As a startup, it can be hard to ration your budget, but it's important to identify where funds are most needed and beneficial, like in product development or product validation.
12. Always Be Learning: In product development, one constantly needs to acquire new knowledge or skills. Make learning a continuous and lifelong journey.
🌟 3 Fun Facts
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1. The idea of Canopy, the revolutionary humidifier, was actually inspired by a partner's girlfriend who used traditional humidifiers as a beauty hack.
2. The Doris Dev CEO was asked to set up a manufacturing and sourcing office in Asia with only three days' notice, leading to the creation of Factored Quality.
3. Canopy positioned its humidifier as a beauty tool for skincare, a unique marketing strategy that brings a refreshing outlook to the conventional use of humidifiers.
📓 Blog Post
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Title: A Deep Dive into Product Innovation and Quality Management - The DTC POD Story with Justin Seidenfeld
Subheader: Turning Ideas into Groundbreaking Products: An Insight Resulting from Entrepreneurial Innovation and Quality Control Management
## Starting with an Idea
Starting a new product development with just an idea in your mind can feel like a daunting task. But the key is to validate demand before investing time, energy, and financial resources. This preliminary concept was triggered in the minds behind Doors Dev when a partner's girlfriend discovered the benefits of using a humidifier year-round for skincare.
## Validating Market Demand
Surveying the landscape is crucial; identifying a problem-solution and specific features that address those problems forms the bedrock of product development. Utilizing the power of networks, research studies, and tools like Facebook to measure conversion gains traction for product ideas. Door Dev's foray led to the birthing of a game-changing concept – a humidifier repositioned as a beauty tool due to its effects on the skin.
## The Challenges and Rewards of Product Iteration
Transitioning from an idea to an end product is a complex process that requires considering the pros and cons of starting from scratch and innovating a custom product or customizing an off-the-shelf product.
## Navigating Unknown Territory with Expert Help
Realizing they were diving into a new category with the humidifier's positioning as a beauty device, Canopy wisely brought in dermatologist Dr. Dendy Engelman and Eric Nair, an expert in beauty, to craft a strategic brand position.
## The Role of Effective Quality Control Management
Quality control management can seem disparate, as experienced by the DTC POD team. Working with different partners for quality control resulted in scattered reports and a lack of a cohesive system to tie everything together—prompting the need for a single platform to organize quality control activities.
## Introducing Factored Quality
Factored Quality materialized as a managed service platform for all things quality control related. Everything from factory audits to product testing needs was consolidated into one source of truth for physical product brands. Using the data generated, brands could optimize their supply chains, creating mutual trust and respect with manufacturing partners.
## Quality Control Management as a Growth Tool
Utilizing quality control management software is not just a reactionary measure. It allows for proactive growth and visibility in relationship building with manufacturing partners. Such software makes quality control management more efficient and reliable, opening avenues for potential scale-up.
## Success is a Story of Many Iterations and Failures
The road from idea inception to delivering a tangible product is undoubtedly rocky. It tests the mettle and determination of the keenest minds. But the resulting product - born out of numerous iterations, pivots and dedicated efforts, is the sweet reward for all the sweat and perseverance.
Indeed, the story of DTC POD and the revolutionary Canopy humidifier illustrates that with thoughtful conception, critical industry insights, and leveraging the right resources and people at the right time - the journey from a novel idea to a groundbreaking product is attainable.
As always, the DTC POD story is a fount of inspiration, teaching entrepreneurs the right way to navigate the road to product innovation, maintaining the delicate balance between independence, collaboration, and creative dialogue.
🎤 Voiceover Script
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"In this episode, we dive deep into the creative and operational processes behind product development with Justin Seidenfeld. We cover everything from validating consumer demand to the importance of quality control management, to the inception and unique positioning of Canopy's revolutionary humidifier in the beauty industry. Justin sheds invaluable insight from his decade of experience and shares how to navigate the numerous challenges of bringing new products to life. Lots of practical advice ahead, stay tuned!"
🔘 Best Practices Guide
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DTC POD's practical guide for product development:
1. Validate Demand: Before investing time, energy or capital, measure conversions or conduct surveys to understand if there's a consumer need for your product or concept.
2. Identify Pain Points: Clearly define the problems your product will address and design features to solve them.
3. Assemble Expertise: Collaborate with specialists in your product's niche to validate claims and position your product effectively.
4. Establish Solid Supply Chains: Find reliable manufacturing partners and foster relationships built on trust. Use technology to manage quality control and other aspects across the supply chain.
5. Market Strategically: Explore cost-effective promotional methods suited to your product. Consider how editorial and industry-specific media can help share your product’s unique features and benefits.
6. Be Ready to Pivot: Stay open to re-positioning your product if, during development, new uses or additional benefits are discovered.
This guide is based on Justin Seidenfeld's experience with Doris Dev and Factored Quality.
🎆 Social Carousel: Do's/Don'ts
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Slide 1: "Maxims from DTC POD: Justin Seidenfeld Episode"
Slide 2: "Validate Demand"
Before investing in a new product, ensure there's a viable market for it.
Slide 3: "Leverage Expertise"
Use the expertise of professionals out of your domain to navigate unfamiliar territories.
Slide 4: "Problem Solution"
Identify problem solutions that your product or service could offer and position it accordingly.
Slide 5: "Product Testing"
Invest in quality control tools to carry out pre-shipment inspections and product tests effectively.
Slide 6: "Relationship Building"
Establishing good relationships with manufacturing partners enhances trust and respect.
Slide 7: "Unique Products"
Investing in customized products can make your product unique but requires large upfront investment.
Slide 8: "Claim Validation"
Strengthen your product selling point by recruiting experts to validate your product claims.
Slide 9: "Target Audience"
Understand your target audience's pain points and design products to address them.
Slide 10: "Connect Services"
Link related services together to provide a holistic solution for businesses.
🎠 Social Carousel
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Mindsets
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Tactics
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In Depth Thread
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LinkedIN - Start from Scratch
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About the Episode
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Success Strategies
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