Overview
Join D2M’s founder, Phil Staunton, in this open and painfully honest conversation where he pulls back the curtain on the last 15 years of running a product design agency.
Conclusion
Listen Now:
Here’s a text summary if you’d rather read than listen:
Unveiling Product Design Secrets with Phil Staunton on Scale Up Radio
Welcome to another enlightening episode of Scale Up Radio, where we explore the entrepreneurial journey of scaling businesses with innovation and strategic insights. Today, we’re thrilled to host Phil Staunton, Managing Director of D2M Innovation, who shares his extensive experience in growing a product design agency, the challenges he faced, and the key lessons learned along the way.
Interview with Phil Staunton
Granger Fawson: Hi there, and welcome back to another episode of Scale Up Radio! Today, I’m joined by Phil Staunton of D2M Innovation. Phil, welcome to Scale Up Radio. Please introduce yourself to our audience.
Phil Staunton: Thanks, Granger. Yes, my name is Phil Staunton, and I run D2M Innovation, a product design agency. My background is in product design, and over the years, we’ve helped hundreds of entrepreneurs and businesses develop their new product ideas from initial concept through to prototyping, manufacturing, and eventually sales. Some of our clients have even appeared on Dragon’s Den, and we also work with established businesses launching new products within their ranges.
Taking a Product from Idea to Reality
Granger Fawson: That’s fascinating, Phil. Let’s say I come to you with a product idea. What happens next? How do you take me through the process?
Phil Staunton: First, we ensure everything is legally covered with a confidentiality agreement. It’s important that our clients feel secure sharing their ideas with us.
From there, our priority is making sure the client knows what they are getting into. Product development isn’t as easy as it sometimes looks on shows like The Apprentice or in LinkedIn success stories. There’s a long journey involved, and we help clients understand the process, the financial implications, and the risks before they commit.
Once we establish a clear strategy, including how the product will be sold and what the client hopes to achieve, we move into the technical side of product development. This involves designing the product, refining the concept, prototyping, and working out manufacturing logistics.
One of the biggest advantages we offer is strategic support throughout the entire journey. Many design agencies just provide sketches and CAD designs before handing things off, but we stay involved all the way through, leveraging our network of patent attorneys, business advisors, and marketing specialists to help our clients succeed.
How Clients Pay for Product Development
Granger Fawson: And in terms of payment, how does it work? Do clients pay by the hour, or do you take royalties?
Phil Staunton: We charge for our work step by step, with clear costs outlined at each stage. We experimented with royalties in the past, but we found that most people prefer to own their idea outright rather than give up a percentage of their sales indefinitely.
At the end of the day, investing in product ideas isn’t our expertise—we leave that to professional investors. Instead, we focus on helping clients develop, prototype, and manufacture products while providing the necessary resources to raise funds through crowdfunding, grants, or private investment.
The Role of Crowdfunding in Product Development
Granger Fawson: Crowdfunding has become a major player in launching new products. How does that fit into your process?
Phil Staunton: Crowdfunding is an incredible tool, not just for raising funds but also for validating demand. Platforms like Kickstarter allow innovators to secure pre-orders, which helps cover production costs before investing in expensive tooling and manufacturing.
It’s also great for market testing. A client of ours recently launched a gym bag on Kickstarter. Their first campaign failed, but they took the feedback, redesigned the product, and relaunched—this time successfully securing the funding they needed.
Why Bigger Isn’t Always Better
Granger Fawson: Now, you’ve been through the highs and lows of scaling a business. What were the biggest lessons you learned?
Phil Staunton: One of the biggest realizations was that bigger isn’t always better. At one point, we had grown to 18 team members, but I found myself spending more time managing people, handling HR, and doing finance spreadsheets rather than working on creative projects—the very reason I started the business in the first place.
Ultimately, I made the strategic decision to scale back. Now, we have a tight-knit team of 10, which means we operate more efficiently while maintaining the high quality of work that our clients expect.
The Challenges of Hiring Leadership Roles
Granger Fawson: You mentioned struggling to find the right leadership for your team. What went wrong?
Phil Staunton: I initially assumed that a great designer could become a great manager, but that’s rarely the case. Managing people is a completely different skill set. Some designers we promoted into leadership roles later realized that they actually preferred hands-on design work rather than managing teams.
I also tried bringing in business partners, but finding the right fit is as hard as finding the right life partner. You need someone whose vision, values, and working style align perfectly with yours. In hindsight, I rushed into those decisions and learned some tough lessons along the way.
Marketing a Product Design Agency
Granger Fawson: On the business side of things, what marketing strategies have worked for D2M?
Phil Staunton: Honestly? I have no idea. We’ve tried everything—SEO, YouTube, social media, paid ads—but it’s hard to pinpoint exactly what works.
What I do know is that word of mouth and referrals are our best marketing tools. If we do a great job for a client, they tell others. So instead of chasing the latest “marketing hack,” we focus on delivering outstanding results and let our work speak for itself.
Final Thoughts and Advice for Entrepreneurs
Granger Fawson: If you could go back in time, what advice would you give your younger self?
Phil Staunton: I would tell myself to think carefully about what kind of business I actually wanted. When I started, I was obsessed with growing as big as possible. But over time, I realized that what I really wanted was to work on exciting projects without being bogged down by management tasks.
Granger Fawson: That’s great insight, Phil. And finally, how can people get in touch with you?
Phil Staunton: The best way is through our website: www.design2market.co.uk. We also have an Academy section with free resources, guides, and an ebook where I share my experiences, mistakes, and lessons learned.
Closing Thoughts
This conversation with Phil Staunton has been packed with real-world insights on product design, scaling a business, and finding the right balance in leadership. Whether you’re an entrepreneur with a product idea or a business leader looking for strategic guidance, Phil’s journey provides invaluable lessons.
🎧 Listen to the full episode above to hear more!
