"It's only a Prototype" podcast
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In this episode of the podcast, hosts Tom Constable and Phil Staunton engage in a deep conversation with Sarah Giblin, the founder of RiutBag. They explore Sarah’s journey as a solopreneur, the challenges she faced, and the lessons learned along the way. The discussion covers the importance of customer feedback, the impact of burnout, and […]
In this episode, we sit down with Jez Williman, a British entrepreneur whose journey has seen him build a business from $3 million to over $100 million in sales across 120 countries and then lose a second venture after years of development and personal investment. Jez shares a candid, unfiltered story of the highs and […]
Episode Overview: In this episode, hosts Tom Constable and Phil Staunton sit down with industrial designer and AI consultant Rupert Warries to explore how artificial intelligence is reshaping the product design process. From speeding up workflows and removing creative bottlenecks to addressing the ethical and legal concerns of AI-generated content, this episode is an extensive […]
How do you recover from a disastrous TV pitch to build a global children’s brand that sells in over 100 countries? In this episode, we sit down with Rob Law, founder of Trunki, the iconic ride-on suitcase that started life as a student design project and became a multimillion-pound business. Rob shares the wild ride […]
How do you turn a lockdown frustration into a planet-saving product and land investment from two of the UK’s biggest Dragons? In this episode of It’s only a Prototype, we sit down with Lisa Hicks, founder of SNOAP—the world’s first solid soap dispenser that’s stylish, mess-free, and built to last 25 years. Lisa shares her […]
How do you go from a family Christmas hack to a globally recognised product used by nearly a million parents?In this episode ofIt’s only a Prototype, we sit down with Matt Dyson, co-founder of Rockit, the sleep-saving device that gently rocks a baby’s pushchair when parents stop pushing. Matt shares the full story: from bootstrapping […]
Welcome to It’s only a Prototype! What does it really take to launch a physical product? Spoiler: it’s messy, it’s unpredictable and it’s never as smooth as the success stories make it sound. Welcome to It’s only a Prototype, the podcast that goes behind the curtain of product development. In this trailer episode, your hosts […]
About "It's only a Prototype" podcast
Hosted by Phil Staunton (Founder of D2M product design agency) who brings with him a wealth of industry experience and Tom Constable a seasoned podcast host and serial entrepreneur.
This show explores the unfiltered reality of designing, prototyping, manufacturing, and launching physical products.
Each episode features candid conversations with founders, product leads, engineers and innovation specialists who have faced down challenges in new product development (NPD). We learn what separates commercially successful products from costly flops, exploring real-world decisions, moments of uncertainty, and the lessons learned through failure.
This podcast is for you if you’re serious about turning good ideas into great products. Whether you’re:
- Leading innovation, product or R&D teams
- Founding and growing a product-based business
- Managing design and manufacturing processes
- Supporting product success through marketing, strategy or operations
…you’ll gain practical insight into the challenges that really matter.
We cover questions like:
- How do you balance innovation with commercial viability?
- How can you validate an idea before investing heavily?
- How do you manage stakeholder conflict, evolving product requirements or manufacturing risk?
- When do you push forward and when do you pivot or walk away?
From idea to shelf (and every stage in between), It’s Only a Prototype is your behind-the-scenes guide to what it really takes to bring a physical product to life… and make it work.