Jules Pieri - How We Make Stuff Now: Turn Ideas Into Products That Build Successful Businesses

If youre a Maker who wants to build a business, look no further than the priceless advice that Jules and hundreds of companies have shared here.

MEG WHITMAN, CEO of Quibi, former CEO of eBay, and author of The Power of Many

Generous, hard-won lessons and case studies for anyone whos hoping to launch a product that makes things better.

SETH GODIN, author of This Is Marketing

My professional life has been devoted to what I call the making of things. Up until now, we Makers have been on our ownfiguring it all out one day at a time, every day. Now, finally, we have our users manual, our twenty-first-century handbook to leading a life driven by following the compulsion to do good work, to make cool things. Buy this, read this, underline key passages, turn down pages. Buy a second copy and give it away to someone whos always dreamed of creating.

GEORGE GENDRON, editor-in-chief of Inc. magazine, creator of the Inc. 500, and cofounder of The Solo Project

How We Make Stuff Now is pragmatic truth. A digestible read that will fan the flame of entrepreneurial passion while anchoring the Maker mind in down-to-earth counsel.

JOHN VENHUIZEN, president and CEO of Ace Hardware

Maker: Heres your step-by-step guide to design, manufacturing, marketing, fundraising, and everything else youll need to do to turn your dream into a business. How We Make Stuff Now is packed with practical advice and inspirational case studies.

TOM EISENMANN, Howard H. Stevenson Professor of Business Administration at Harvard Business School

There is no one better than Jules Pieri, who has shepherded thousands of consumer products through the keyhole for mass adoption, to write a very practical guide for the dreamers among us, who have an idea for a product and the passion to see it through.

ROBIN CHASE, founder of Zipcar and author of Peers Inc

This is the Maker Bible for starting your business. Read it. Reread it. Dog-ear it, take notes, mark it up.

CHAD LAURANS, founder and CEO of SimpliSafe

Building hardware products is hard for every companyas evidenced by the countless delayed and failed product launches. With this book and her company, The Grommet, Jules has achieved an ambitious mission to help industry outsiders build both viable products and vibrant businesses.

HARDI MEYBAUM, founder of GrabCAD, general partner at Matrix Partners, and author of The Art of Product Design

This book breaks down what a Maker needs to know into digestible, practical, bite-size gems. How We Make Stuff Now is a great how-to guide to support owners on their journey, whether they are just getting started or well on their way!

TRYNKA SHINEMAN, CEO of Vistaprint

Juless commitment and experience are an inspiration, and her book is a gift to founders. Its a complete playbook chock-full of tangible, experience-driven insights and advice. Armed with this wisdom and guidance, I predict a whole new class of successful Makers and founders will emerge.

KIRSTEN GREEN, founder of Forerunner Ventures

Starting a Maker business is hard. The odds are against you. This book literally changes those odds by giving you a road map. I wish I had this when I started my business!

GAIL GOODMAN, cofounder and former CEO of Constant Contact

As an investor in many of the products The Grommet has helped launchedincluding Fitbit, Molekule, littleBits, TrackR, and SpheroI know firsthand the joys of building these exciting and challenging companies. How We Make Stuff Now reflects the deep insights Jules Pieri acquired through helping over 3,000 companies.

BRAD FELD, founder of Foundry Group

As someone whos worked with small businesses for decades, I know how hard it can be not just to come up with a great product but to find, serve, and keep customers. A product isnt a businessno matter how great that product is. Few people know this as well as Jules Pieri. Jules is genuinely passionate about helping independent Makers succeed and is uniquely knowledgeable. In this book, she provides case studies, critical advice, and inspirational stories about Makers whove made itall based on her years of expertise as cofounder of The Grommet. Jules shows you how to bring your innovative idea to market and create a sustainable business.

RHONDA ABRAMS, small business columnist at USA Today and author of Successful Business Plan

This fascinating book by the cofounder and CEO of the pioneering online platform for Makers, The Grommet, is packed with a rich range of invaluable how-to knowledge for the growing community of Maker-entrepreneurs to take their innovative ideas and products to market success. Pieri combines keen observations on Maker culture and its potential business opportunities and challenges. It is essential reading for entrepreneurs, product developers, designers, and business and design students.

GUNALAN NADARAJAN, dean of Stamps School of Art and Design at the University of Michigan

Stop, drop, and roll: Every kid knows this is what you do when you find yourself on fire. If you want to start a product business (a Maker business), stop what you are doing, drop into a chair, and roll through this book. Read it today, and it will save you months of pain and suffering.

MARK HATCH, CEO of Maker Partners and author of The Maker Movement Manifesto

A must-read for anyone who loves gadgets and the world of invention.

STEVE GREENBERG, monthly contributor to the Today Show and author of Gadget Nation

In writing a Grommet case study, I was struck by the many layers of value the company creates. This book is yet another worthy embodiment of its contributions to our economy.

LYNDA APPLEGATE, Sarofim-Rock Professor of Business Administration Emerita at Harvard Business School

Copyright 2019 by Jules Pieri. All rights reserved. Except as permitted under the United States Copyright Act of 1976, no part of this publication may be reproduced or distributed in any form or by any means, or stored in a database or retrieval system, without the prior written permission of the publisher.

ISBN: 978-1-26-013586-2
MHID: 1-26-013586-1

The material in this eBook also appears in the print version of this title: ISBN: 978-1-26-013585-5, MHID: 1-26-013585-3.

eBook conversion by codeMantra
Version 1.0

All trademarks are trademarks of their respective owners. Rather than put a trademark symbol after every occurrence of a trademarked name, we use names in an editorial fashion only, and to the benefit of the trademark owner, with no intention of infringement of the trademark. Where such designations appear in this book, they have been printed with initial caps.

McGraw-Hill Education eBooks are available at special quantity discounts to use as premiums and sales promotions or for use in corporate training programs. To contact a representative, please visit the Contact Us page at www.mhprofessional.com.

This publication is designed to provide accurate and authoritative information in regard to the subject matter covered. It is sold with the understanding that neither the author nor the publisher is engaged in rendering legal, accounting, securities trading, or other professional services. If legal advice or other expert assistance is required, the services of a competent professional person should be sought.