We make
hardware easier.
World-class product development requires rigor, stamina, and significant capital investment.
The Global Element, LLC works side-by-side with your executives and organizations to help you successfully navigate the challenges of bringing hardware to market, guided by five core maxims:
Create products that enable and inspire customers
Live at the leading edge and innovate simple, brilliant technology
Be where you need to be, when you need to be there
Respect is the foundation; do what needs to be done and say what needs to be said
Solve tough challenges and have fun doing it
in the beginning...
You have a killer product and a talented team.
You've assembled your team. Your product prototype is working well, just a couple of minor glitches but no showstoppers. You've perfected your pitch for Kickstarter and have pulled out all the social media stops to get the word out.
Life is good... for now.
reality sets in
You didn't see this coming.
Weeks and months of seemingly endless days are taking their toll on you and your team. Unexpected situations, delays, and mounting costs are forcing you and your team into perpetual "firefighting" mode, interfering with any efforts to be strategic. The lack of experience building hardware products is fast becoming a liability.
CERTIficATION
One of the most overlooked steps when building a new hardware product is the lead time, cost, and breadth of certifications, including:
- RoHS Certification
- UL/CSA Certification
- CE Certification (for EU)
- FCC Certification
manufacturing
The infrastructure to build hardware is in China, and Chinese firms rely on relationships in order to do business. The Global Element, LLC has established these working relationships with manufacturing firms in China over a span of decades.
testing
The testing phase requires a large investment in time, people, and money. Count on iterations of testing, likely many. If you don't plan and budget for this early on, you might be tempted to forgo testing cycles, likely resulting in an inferior or broken product.
logistics
Your product is getting traction, but the logistics aren't in place to handle shipping, returns, customs, warranties, etc. You counted on outsourcing, but allotted no time for cultivating relationships with partners in this space.
we see it coming ...
Help is on the way.
Whether you're just starting out or in the thick of bringing your hardware to market, The Global Element, LLC is your trusted advisor. We have developed and shipped many iconic products, including Microsoft Xbox, Amazon Kindle Fire tablets, Nike Fuelband, and HereOne from Doppler Labs. We align with your needs and goals to deliver exceptional value exactly where and when it's needed, adding credibility to your business.
General Consulting
Sometimes processes require optimization, plans need to be developed, or the unexpected happens.
We can consult with you regarding specific areas of concern in your business, in whatever phase of your business requires assistance.
Early-Stage Planning
You already know the WHAT (product) and the HOW (features), but the success of your business is directly tied to the WHY (purpose), which is typically misdirected (focused on outcome), undefined, or unclear.
We will help you identify and crystallize your WHY, dealing a preemptive strike to the typical pitfalls that arise in any phase, like certification or testing. Your WHY is also key to attracting customers who resonate with your purpose, resulting in higher sales, market penetration, and customer satisfaction.
LEADERSHIP Mentoring
Good leaders inspire by example, ushering your business to the next level by ensuring that everyone is aligned with your purpose.
We have the leadership experience to transform your management team into successful, impactful leaders and mentors in their own right.
“
I worked under Kennard when he joined Doppler at a time when large scale engineering leadership was required as we moved to create our first truly active product. He was able to assemble a quality and hungry engineering team in a short space of time that allowed us to move fast and decisively. In my operational role, I benefited greatly from the open-minded, quiet mentoring approach he has in developing leadership and learned a significant amount in a short space of time, in particular with regard to assembling and empowering a team to perform functions that I myself had less experience of. We worked well in partnership to support our company’s fast growth with the geographic distance being less of a factor through Kennard’s depth of Asia knowledge…
”
