We have a lot of interactions with CMs (Contract Manufacturers). These companies are excellent—they can do ten thousand things and not make a single mistake. Their business must work this way to stay competitive. Product development, on the other hand, is different. In product development, you are lucky if you do ten things and get… Read More

“If you don’t know where you’re going, any direction will do.” Lewis Carroll, Alice in Wonderland We are often brought in to help with troubled product development projects that are not progressing as expected. You might expect that the reason for the lack of success would be because of the team’s poor technical skills and… Read More

The most common inquiry we get from startups is, “when do I use a company versus a contractor versus an employee?” Our research has concluded that getting this question right correlates with startup success, and getting it wrong often leads to startup failure. So, what is the right answer?       Employee: – The… Read More

Someone once said that the only difference between those with experience and those without is that the experienced have already made all the mistakes the inexperienced will make. If that is true, then Finish Line PDS certainly has a lot of experience. After almost 20 years of helping startups develop their products, we have seen… Read More

It’s an exciting time for every successful startup: when and who to hire as the baby company grows to meet expanding opportunities! At the same time, this moment is fraught with peril. The right hire can propel the firm to the next stage of development, while the wrong hire can seriously set back or even… Read More

Does it ever seem like the last 10% of the project takes 90% of the time? If you have had this experience, you are not alone. It happens all too frequently when trying to develop technology products in a small company. Managing a project with several different engineers, all with their unique areas of expertise… Read More

To outsource or not to outsource? It’s a question that arises again and again in small companies. Why? Because technology is evolving rapidly, and many small companies are struggling to fund the fixed cost of a full-time team with the necessary diversity of skills needed to stay competitive. For years, small companies have been developing… Read More

“The future ain’t what it used to be.” Yogi Berra Sometimes product development projects do not live up to their initial promise. Knowing when to shut down a project can be an essential ingredient to success. Most new product ideas start with high expectations, but over time, some start to fade. Worse, this process often… Read More

At Finish Line PDS, our success is tied to our customers’ successes.  Indeed, one of the most valuable services we offer IS success. By working with Finish Line PDS, our client businesses can greatly increase their likelihood of success. In our daily doings, we all habitually speak about success at a micro level, e.g., success… Read More

There are many more ways to pay for product development than you may realize, including not paying for it at all. What is right for your situation will depend on your exact circumstances. You may wish to review the following before starting your next product development project. 1. Employees: Most of us are familiar with… Read More