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Product Development Engineer

adamboesel — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 20:35:41 GMT

We are a start-up company developing a renewable energy technology facing first-to-market national demand. We already have a working prototype of our product but need final development for production. Our initial phase is "retrofitting;" final phase is OEM.

Product development for initial phase is “brand dependent.” Engineering solutions needed for "top brands."

We are looking for an experienced engineer who can ensure that our technology fits different (market leading) products--allowing us to partner with different manufacturers--and quickly establish our company in the market.

As a start-up, compensation is weighed between salary and options. Prefer full-time worker, but if background is ideal, will consider people with full-time jobs, who want to break the mold on nights and weekends.

You have an appetite to work in start-up environment, 4 year degree in electrical or mechanical engineering, or in technology/product development, and 10 + years experience. Product design, project management, and/or designing experience for equipment manufacturing very desirable (concept to production). Company is fast paced. Urgency.

Please send your resume and/or portfolio to info@xcoatings.com. We look forward to hearing from you! (Please note: coating is NOT the hiring company.)

Seth Godin is killing it right now!

adamboesel — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 16:09:57 GMT

Marketing philosopher Seth Godin www.sethgodin.com has been posting some great advice that has been right up my alley for the last week or so.

Creating Sustainable Competitive Advantage and his point that most great startups these days have created a network of fans/followers is very valuable to keep in focus.

Make a Decision couldn't be more appropriate to our current situation when it comes to branding, logo design, etc. These issues are important, but can certainly slow you down and keep you from moving forward or focusing on more important decisions.

Apparent Risk and Actual Risk is a great piece for anybody trying to do something new, and especially in this economy where risk has been turned upside down in many areas.

I can't wait for When Will the World Make Fun of You? applies to my company! It probably already does - they just haven't posted it on YouTube yet.

Finally, The Three Elements of Full Employment is what every CEO is looking for in helpers, whether they are advisors, interns, partners, or employees. It's so much easier when they see things this way!

Things I think I've learned about business

adamboesel — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 16:46:38 GMT

After a couple years working on this company and gaining some great experience, I think I know a few things:

1. There are 2 kinds of people in the world - Those who get things done, and those who don't. Work with the former, no matter how much you think you need the latter.

2. There are 2 other kinds of people in the world - Those who communicate and those who don't. If they don't email you back or respond to your calls, they don't want to work with you. Let 'em go and keep moving forward.

3. You know your business better than anybody, and every ship needs someone at the steering wheel, so make decisions.

4. Your advisors must be investors (might be time and resources instead of money, but it's got to be something). Just having them on your executive summary for name recognition isn't productive.

5. It's better to be authentic than polished, especially now that people are thinking hard and long about where they spend their money.

Green Microgym on All Things Considered Today

adamboesel — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 15:40:30 GMT

I just found out we're on All Things Considered Today. A woman called awhile ago and was doing a piece on Human Power - it should be interesting to find out how she covers it.

It's been very cool getting interviewed and being in the media - always exciting to find out what angle they'll take. I don't have much advice to give to other entrepreneurs, but I can with all conviction say:

Be Unique! It will get you press!

Listen online at http://tinyurl.com/3r7eo after 4PM Today.

Sometimes I wish I was a lawyer

adamboesel — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 19:42:58 GMT

Should I trademark this? Can I trademark that? How do I get a patent? What's a patent do for me? Should I talk to this company even with an NDA? How can this accountant possibly justify charging that much?

These are undoubtedly questions any relatively new entreprenuer has rolling around in their brain, especially when paying upwards of $250 an hour for a lawyer with the right specialty isn't even an option.

Sometimes GREAT NEWS turns into worry for me. For example, I got a chance to speak with the largest equipment manufacturer in the world about my equipment retrofit, patent application, and the work I've done so far. This could be HUGE, and could also be a problem if I say too much or not enough.

The person on the other line was very friendly, and I got a good feeling about our discussion. We're now exchanging signatures on a mutual NDA, which is great. However, I still can't avoid that nagging feeling that it's david vs goliath and they'll get the info they need, say "see you later" and we'll see something awfully similar to what we've come up with, but slightly different in a year or two.

I guess this is just part of the deal when you're an entrepreneur. There's always about a million variables and nothing is more valuable than experience (except maybe a law degree), so I'll just continue to be as careful as possible without being afraid to move things forward and turn over every rock to see what's underneath.

Encouraging words from a venture capitalist.

adamboesel — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 23:42:50 GMT

The best thing about OEN is getting some great advice from experienced, connected, honest people. A result of participation in the So You Think You Can Pitch competition was the chance to ask for and get a sit down with one of the judges.

It was great to be able to have time to explain where we're coming from and where we'd like to go to him, and he gave some great feedback - said we're on the right track, and gave us his idea of the road ahead.

The conversation clarified some things: The equipment we're creating, since it's the next most important piece of the puzzle, is what we should build our business plan around. And, we should really think big about that. Yes, we might only need generation A to get started and sell to franchisees, but ultimately, if we really think we have something, we should be thinking about selling to everybody.

Everytime I have expanded the limits of my expectations, it's been a good thing, so I'm happy to think big, especially when that's the advice I get from somebody in the know.

He did say the one part of our team that's lacking is somebody in the exercise equipment development/sales industry, so if anybody knows of anyone who might be interested in being part of a really cool project, let me know!

OEN Pitch Competition - 2nd place!

adamboesel — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 21:35:54 GMT

After about a year in OEN, I finally felt ready to pitch my idea to the crowd and was lucky enough to make it to the So You Think You Can Pitch competition on August 12.

I've spoken in front of many groups, so I wasn't too nervous about that, but I was nervous that we might come across wrong and be dismissed as not "legitimate" for one reason or another.

However, even though we only had 5 minutes to tell our story and certainly made a few mistakes, I feel like we were able to get our point across.

I've always felt that our story of creating electricity with human power is great, and that it's only a matter of execution to bring our vision to life, I have found that it's definitely hard to figure out exactly how to make a lot of money on it. That was the main question the judges had - "what's the best business model?".

We got second place, which was fine with me, but the best part about it is we got an introduction to the three judges present, and have been able to schedule a meeting with one of them so far.

Ultimately, our goal of presenting our idea to the OEN community, getting contacts, and hearing feedback was met, and now it's just a matter of continuing the process.

The venture capital or angel investor pitch process is still a mystery to me - there seems to be a process, but It's certainly not the same for everybody. Is it meeting the right person? Coming up with the right mathematical formula that shows how we'll make a guaranteed billion dollars? or just hanging in there until you get to the point where you don't need the money?

We'll see, and I am enjoying the process, so I look forward to the next chance to pitch our idea.