No Followers Podcast: for Inventors, Builders, Entrepreneurs

Hosted by No Followers

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Episodes

134

Latest episode

Oct 2026

Language

EN-US

About the show

Digestible tidbits of practical application for entrepreneurs, inventors, and builders. Think of it as a condensed audio version of The First Strike Incubator, about 15-20 minutes The podcast is part of the First Strike Incubator program in the Albany, NY Capital Region. These are discussions and best practices from real world experience. With sponsorable product placement moments, you can get unique & original content for your business, coming from a team that applies unique brand strategies, development & solutions. Sponsor This Podcast: https://chrisjonesmedia.com/no-followers-podcast

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60 recent

October 18, 202615 min

Manufacturing Mistakes

Manufacturing Mistakes are part of the journey. Every invention, product, or new idea will face challenges along the way. The key is not avoiding every mistake, its learning from them early, adapting and improving the process. In this episode, the First Strike Incubator Team shares common manufacturing pitfalls, practical reminders and real-world examples that can help innovators, entrepreneurs and product developers move from concept to production with greater confidence. Whether you are developing your first product or scaling an existing one; understanding these lessons can save significant time, cost and frustration. NO FOLLOWERS Podcast Video Episode 30. MANUFACTURING MISTAKES. Follow, Subscribe and Get Involved with the teams that have over 200 startups directly launched, 100s of international firms grown and scaled, 400+ products/services commercialized, 70 exited plus mentorship of over 5900 others; on the In Focus Brands' YouTube Channel and on LinkedIn.

October 1, 202620 min

Design Goals

The First Strike Incubator Team tackles the importance of establishing clear design goals early to save time, heartache, money and market validation testing mistakes. Follow, Subscribe and Get Involved with the teams that have over 200 startups directly launched, 100s of international firms grown and scaled, 400+ products/services commercialized, 70 exited plus mentorship of over 5900 others; on the In Focus Brands ' YouTube Channel and on LinkedIn.

September 20, 202628 min

Item vs. Product Manufacturing

The goal always for the First Strike Incubator Team is to build smarter. This episode on ITEM vs. PRODUCT MANUFACTURING is the difference that decides whether you scale or stall. This is what we experience with many of our new clients and inventors: Most think they are “building a product” but really they are just making an item. An item is a one-off output with no system, no repeatability and no path to real margin. This episode breaks down the gap between the two, why it matters and how to shift from crafting things to manufacturing value. If you are stuck in custom‑everything mode or wondering why growth feels impossible, this one is worth the watch. NO FOLLOWERS Podcast Video Episode 49: ITEM vs. PRODUCT MANUFACTURING Follow, Subscribe and Get Involved with the teams that have over 200 startups directly launched, 100s of international firms grown and scaled, 400+ products/services commercialized, 70 exited plus mentorship of over 5900 others; on the In Focus Brands' YouTube Channel and on LinkedIn.

September 3, 202614 min

MAKE vs. BUY

Tackling the real decisions that affect your business and/or product design to build. The First Strike Incubator Team discuss the critical questions to dig into before you buy, make, lease... NO FOLLOWERS Podcast VIDEO Episode 22: MAKE vs. BUY. Follow, Subscribe and Get Involved with the teams that have over 200 startups directly launched, 100s of international firms grown and scaled, 400+ products/services commercialized, 70 exited plus mentorship of over 5900 others; on the In Focus Brands' YouTube Channel and here on LinkedIn,

August 20, 202616 min

Research Part 2

Research Part 2 Research as an operating system. It is shocking how many people spend money building products, starting companies, launching new campaigns with no research, no testing, no validating. One of the many reasons we exist to guide and direct from experience and best practices; not ego and hype. Follow, Subscribe and Get Involved with the teams that have over 200 startups directly launched, 100s of international firms grown and scaled, 400+ products/services commercialized, 70 exited plus mentorship of over 5900 others.

August 6, 202620 min

Research Part 1

Bourbon or Scotch? 1:55 T's conspiracy theory 1. 2:35 How do you approach research? 3:00 Not scholarly research. Granola Moms. 3:47 There is a big difference between scholarly research and secondhand research. 4:24 Research should be objective. 5:02 You are creating a methodology to remove your bias from the equation. 5:37 Instagram story about high fructose corn syrup in baby food. 6:24 Research isn't going online a getting other people's opinions. 7:01 The scientific method. 7:07 A hypothesis is something you are postulating at the beginning and must be tested. 8:18 Red Solo Cups. 9:05 T's real-life example of research with his Type 57X Bike. 11:00 I have a 3-step process: Micro, Macro, and Comparative. 11:28 It's like trying to learn a sport and all the rules and lingo. 11:35 T's conspiracy theory 2. 12:02 Look at the macro level of whatever industry you are getting into. 12:11 Move on to the micro research. 12:15 Compare how other businesses in your sector work and how they buy and sell. 13:03 There are methodologies for describing industries. There are NAICS codes. 13:40 Business isn't for everyone. 14:20 What should be the first goal with research? 14:43 What is your research question? Red Solo Cups. 15:09 Use secondhand research to start. 15:35 An example of scholarly research. 16:05 Looking up articles online is very different from qualified research. 16:22 Wikipedia, Buzz Feed, etc. are just starting points but unfortunately many people stop there. 16:40 Know the specific question you are trying to answer first. 18:48 I was rude before, but I am okay with that. 19:13 Most people don't even know their market. 19:49 "You can't fix stupid; you can only numb it with a 2 by 4".

July 23, 202611 min

The "I" issue in Business

Key Takeaway from the First Strike Incubator Team Conversation: If your business language is filled with “I”, you’re operating on ego, not evidence. Real builders shift from I → They → Proof. The moment you stop centering yourself and start centering the customer, your business becomes testable, scalable and real. With over 200 startups directly launched by this team, 100s of international firms grown and scaled, 400+ products/services commercialized plus mentorship of over 5900 others; you should tune in, follow/subscribe on the In Focus Brands ' YT Channel and on LinkedIn .

July 10, 202623 min

Perfect is the Enemy

Perfect doesn’t scale. Execution does. The First Strike Incubator Team tackles a reminder every operator needs: waiting for perfect is just another form of procrastination dressed up as "exacting standards.” You should know your product market fit. 2:24 Do not go to market without knowing who the customer is. 3:10 Your definition of perfect might have nothing to do with what your customer wants. 3:26 Set clear design goals. 3:48 More features do not mean more market share. 3:52 Find the features your customer will pay you for. 3:58 Set your design goals. Get your product in the hands of your target market. 4:41 Our job is to help you focus on what you need. 5:13 Are you focusing on the right market? 5:46 We are trying to get to the Alpha that will move the needle the most. 6:40 An audience of one. 7:00 Are they your true target market? 7:30 Have pay to play testing for your product. 8:43 It's an expensive miss. 9:58 You get a lot of feedback with paid testing. The feedback is gold. 10:41 Apple is the perfect example. 11:20 Go after the market you are validated in. 11:57 Business is not static. 12:49 Clear design goals, proof of concept and paid testing with feedback. 13:27 Practical things you can do on your own to test your product. 14:32 Write down your design goals. 16:08 Do your research. Who are your competitors? 16:53 It's OK to know what you don't do. 17:25 Know who you are creating the product for. It is easier to rank your priorities. 18:18 We saw a lot of theory. 18:40 We learn more from failures. 19:36 Hard product design has many factors. 20:02 The theory is one thing but then you have to apply it. 20:37 When we speak, we are talking from real experience. 20:57 This can be applied to general business practices. 21:15 We have walked in both the blue-collar and white-collar world. 21:46 You can patch mistakes with software. Hard goods require more hands-on work. 22:13 Tesla can't send a patch to fix their gas pedals.

June 29, 202614 min

Devil's Advocate

Devil's Advokate The First Strike Incubator Team and the whole In Focus Brands ' Portfolio are big believers in making sure every member has a voice and that all have the platform to pose questions to make sure all bases are covered. The Devils Advocate Model isn’t about being difficult. It’s about being responsible. It’s how you build resilient strategies, stronger teams and companies that don’t stall or break the moment reality shows up and markets, clients or conditions change. With over 200 startups directly launched by this team, 100s of international firms grown and scaled, 400+ products/services commercialized plus mentorship of over 5700 others; you should tune in, follow or subscribe. We recommend that every team assigns someone as the devil's advocate. 1:33 It's better to answer hard questions now in a pre-emptive way. 1:53 In a manufacturing sense, iron out the details now so it is not expensive later. 2:25 It stops the nemesis of business which is "group think". 3:25 Agreement is not always helpful. Sometimes pushback is needed. 4:32 It holds everyone accountable. We are not just winging it. 5:19 I ask people to go one step further with follow up questions. 6:07 When the idea is your baby you need outside perspectives and pushback. 7:05 Use devil's advocate to inform your designs, marketing and sales procedures. 7:26 It gets people comfortable with asking questions. 8:10 It forces you to look at real actionable data. 8:54 When your team is on the same page you can lose the "prove it" mentality. 9:15 Theranos. 10:12 You need the fundamentals of the why and the how and to listen to the market. 11:42 We are all representative of the marketplace. 12:01 Assign a devil's advocate. Their job is to try and destroy everything you say. 12:37 Qualified people are generally okay with explaining things. 13:22 You have to be okay with pushback and where it takes you. 13:35 Someone on your team should be responsible for pushback.

June 22, 202616 min

Mindset

Short, direct, and necessary for anyone building anything real. MINDSET decides the business long before the market does. This episode breaks down a truth most founders avoid: You don’t rise to your goals; you fall to the level of your habits, your systems and your mindset. Mindset isn’t motivation. It’s not hype. It’s not “believe and achieve.” It’s the operating system behind every decision you make: *How you handle pressure *How you filter advice *How you respond to failure *How you execute when no one’s watching Spend a few minutes getting perspective and insight from the market; not theories. 1:17 We are talking about Mindset today. 1:43 I believe in "Devil's Advocate" as a model. 1:59 Imposter Syndrome vs. Dunning-Kruger. 3:22 These days I meet a lot more people who are Dunning-Kruger adjacent. 4:08 Making a billion in tech doesn't mean you know how to make a hard good. 4:49 Analysis Paralysis. 5:37 A lot of imposter syndrome comes from comparing yourself to your peers and mentors. 7:28 We are all affected by social media. 8:05 The Stoics and Memento Mori. 9:59 Every day is on the job training. 11:01 Everyone I know who has been in business for a long time is unshakeable. 11:35 Not everything is the end of the world. 12:24 Happiness is a choice. 12:30 Character is shown when everything goes wrong. 13:09 Experience does gird you against a lot of the doubts. 13:40 We are human. We fail more than we succeed. 14:20 Don't see every failure as the end of the world. 15:19 It has taken me years to change the way I view setbacks. 15:33 You have to be realistic and dictate your own mindset.