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What It's About
Looking to partner with an overseas manufacturer or vendor to develop a product? Start with these questions.
Notes from Chris
Episode 1213
If you end up working with a manufacturer, overseas factory, or some other vendor—what do you need to know? Throughout the history of the show, we’ve heard from a number of individuals who have braved the waters of international manufacturing. It’s much, much easier than you might think. These days, thanks to the wonders of technology and globalization in general, platforms like Alibaba allow you to quickly filter through thousands of options in search of the best partner for your idea. One of my favorite stories is the dice-throwing pastor (Ep. 352: Role-Playing Pastor Rolls The Dice On $2800/Month Hustle) who is feeling burdened with all of his side jobs, then gets the idea to make and sell custom dice for fellow tabletop gamers. So what do you need to know? Most importantly, you want to ask specific questions. The information you’re looking for is: are they reliable, will they be a good partner, are they financially solvent, etc. —but those questions will usually result in a positive answer regardless of whether that’s the real story or not. (“Of course I’m reliable!”) I’ll give you a list of those questions in this episode, but here’s something else that’s critical: however you ask, you want to make sure they understand what you’re looking for. A lot of manufacturers and vendors will just say “yes, we can do that” meaning “we’ll figure it out later.” You want to make sure they understand up front—otherwise you’ll have an issue with quality, timeliness, or cost ... maybe all three. Listen to today's Classroom episode to learn more...THIS WEEK’S ASSIGNMENT: Make a list of the things you need to know that will help you make the best decisions.
Inspiration is good; inspiration combined with action is better. Now get back to work! Yours in the revolution,
