"It's only a Prototype" Podcast Introduction

Overview

“It’s only a Prototype” is a podcast about the messy reality of designing and launching physical products, featuring honest conversations with top founders, designers, and product innovators. From manufacturing setbacks to breakthrough moments, each episode offers real-world insights to help businesses turn ideas into successful products.

What is the Purpose of the Podcast

The purpose of “It’s only a Prototype” is to demystify the product development process by sharing real, unfiltered stories from people who’ve successfully designed and launched physical products. It aims to help businesses, designers and entrepreneurs learn from the challenges, mistakes and wins of others so they can bring better products to market with more confidence.

Why this podcast?

Because hardware really is hard, they don’t call it hard-ware for nothing. Bringing a physical product to life involves countless challenges, from prototyping and manufacturing to scaling and supply chains. Yet so few people talk about the failures, the setbacks and the wrong turns – even though that’s where the most valuable lessons are hidden.

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How D2M can help with "It's only a Prototype"

At D2M, we help founders navigate the toughest parts of developing a physical product – from refining early ideas and building functional prototypes to sourcing manufacturers and preparing for launch. Our experienced team turns complex challenges into clear next steps, supporting you at every stage to bring your product to life with confidence.

Phil and D2M are the best at what they do and I would highly recommend working with them if you are looking for a product design company. From the beginning, Phil's passion and expertise came through when deciding on a partner.

D2M is a great company to work with and one we would recommend for any new product development. One quality we have been impressed with is their minimum viable product approach. Looking forward to working on our next project with them.

We engaged Phil and the D2M team to help us fabricate a prototype for our product on an extremely tight timeline. We would thoroughly recommend them to anyone who needs to take their product from idea to prototype!

D2M were and still are a massive help to me. They are full of knowledge of the industry and helped bring my idea to physical product. They re-designed, refined and have thoroughly tested my idea to create something that is functional, aesthetic and realistic to manufacture.

Genius Alert!!! Phil is one of the best start-up consultants you find out there. In contrast to all other start-up consultants you will encounter, Phil has first-hand experience of what it means to raise start-up funding, build the team and navigate the highs and lows of the start-ups.

"It's only a Prototype" FAQs

Who is the podcast for?

The podcast is for founders, designers and business leaders involved in developing and launching physical products – whether you’re building your first prototype or scaling production.

What kind of guests do you feature?

We speak to successful product-based founders, experienced designers and innovation experts who share honest stories about what went right, what went wrong, and what they learned along the way.

How often are new episodes released?

New episodes are released fortnightly and are available on all major podcast platforms including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube.

Why is it called It’s only a Prototype?

Because prototypes are never perfect – they’re messy, rough and constantly evolving. The name reflects the reality of product development and the importance of learning through iteration.

Can I suggest a guest or apply to be on the podcast?

Guests for the first series are already lined up but Yes! If you know someone with a great product story, or if that’s you, we’d love to hear from you. Just get in touch via our contact page.

Conclusion

Get ready for a podcast that lifts the lid on the gritty, unfiltered world of physical product development. It’s only a Prototype is your backstage pass to the real stories behind the products we use every day – the false starts, the breakthroughs, the factory failures and late-night fixes. If you’re tired of polished success stories and want to hear how great products actually get made, this is the series you’ve been waiting for.

Phil Staunton

Managing Director of D2M Product Design Phil is the Managing Director of D2M Product Design, a leading product design company that has helped hundreds of businesses and start-ups successfully bring their product ideas to market. He is also the founder of Ark Pushchairs, where he has gained extensive experience in the entire product development process—from concept to launching his product range in prestigious high street retailer John Lewis.

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“It’s only a Prototype” Podcast Introduction