Mako Design + Invent

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Founder/Inventor of CNCT Coolers, Inc.

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Sell a premium performing hard cooler custom designed for unique Tesla storage spaces.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Mako Design + Invent to accomplish?

• Design
• Engineer
• Manufacturing Consulting

SOLUTION

How did you find Mako Design + Invent?

Online Search

Why did you select Mako Design + Invent over others?

Close to my geographic location, Company values aligned

What was the size of Mako Design + Invent’s team?

6-10 Employees

What was your primary form of communication with Mako Design + Invent?

In-Person Meeting, Email or Messaging App

Describe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.

Design a beautiful hard cooler with Tesla aethestics. Premium performance with ability to fit in the unique storage space. Be as easy as possible to manufacture in the USA at a cost that would allow for us to price it reasonably in the premium market.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

• My approval of design
• in budget to get to manufacturing stage
• manufacturing cost per unit < $150

Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?

Great communication. Well documented process with scheduled points in the process for communication and approval.

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

Willingness to work with a startup idea.

Are there any areas for improvement or something {provider_name} could have done differently?

Communicate the work that they performed better in sourcing a manufacturing company. They provided more of the results instead of explaining the process and why certain manufacturers were eliminated.

They did more work than they explained but did not tell me so I was left wondering (unnecessarily) if the work was thorough. This feedback was given and valued.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the Inventor and CEO of my own company, Clasp Magic. Clasp Magic is a product for women, designed to be the complete solution for clasp bracelet attachment.

Clasp Magic works for 90% of clasp bracelets ranging from handmade to designer. It not only reduces stress, it helps women in their daily lives and is a huge confidence boost. Bracelets are attached independently and in seconds. Women ages fourteen to seventy love and use Clasp Magic.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Mako Design + Invent?

I used Mako Design & Invent for: Design, Prototyping, help with Patents, and connections to find my Manufacturer.

What were your goals for this project?

My goals for this project were to design and prototype my idea. Then, use the prototype to go into manufacturing. I wanted a product that was ready for store shelves.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

Back in June 2014, I was a mother with three young children. One afternoon, I decided to try and call local companies to see if I could find a good company to work with. Mako was the only company where I spoke with a receptionist right away and also spoke with the VP on that first call. I had such a good first impression, I went on to give my free consultation a few weeks later.

Describe the project and the services they provided in detail.

First, we completed the design phase. This took approximately three months. I attended in person meetings monthly and approved all drawings.

Next, we entered the prototyping phase. This took 12 months. I attended monthly meetings and approved other steps via email. I was put in touch with Patent Lawyers to obtain my desired patents. Finally, Mako helped connect me with a trusted manufacturer in China. I am still working with this manufacturer today.

What was the team composition?

My project team had about four people. Over the course of the years, there were a few staff changes.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any information that demonstrates the impact that this project has had on your business?

I know that I would not be where I am today with my product without Mako Design and Invent. When I had my final working prototype I had meetings with outside retailers. They were so impressed with the quality of my prototype, I was told more than once how great it was.

Also, I am now a mother with four children. I am very thankful for the manufacturers I was put in touch with. I visited them in November 2018 and they have been wonderful to work with. I would never have had the confidence or the time to go and find one on my own.

Plus, working with an overseas manufacturer, I was more confident entering my contract knowing that they had an established relationship with Mako. This helped me trust them and to manufacture my first production run.

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

Project management was good. I had two different managers over the course of my four years. Delays were communicated and I would communicate either by phone or in person for bigger decisions during the process. Email communication was frequent and all major changes were made with adequate testing and in person.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

I liked how diverse they were and that there was open communication between the industrial engineers. They would often bounce ideas off each other - I was always confident I would get to my desired end point.

Are there any areas for improvement?

I would say that I was not fond of using email communication... there is a chance of misinterpretation. I only used email communication during my box design and think it would have been more efficient to have used Skype calls. I was very happy with my experience with Mako and would highly recommend them!