PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT INCUBATOR
PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT INCUBATOR
Join Us To Accelerate Your Path To Product Success
Imagine a stranger seeing YOUR product on a shelf in a store, picking it up, and buying it. ...Now, imagine that happening a thousand times, in a thousand stores.
Our Incubator provides step-by-step guidance, regular meetings, support, tools, a personalized roadmap, networking, 1:1 coaching, and access to professionals with years of expertise.
All within a powerful growth environment, focused on:
- Making your product the best it can be.
- Ensuring retailer sales and customer sell-through.
- Increasing market share across independent stores, big box stores, online, print, and more.
- Growing your brand.
- Putting money in your bank.
We mentor you every step - from concept, through design, development, and manufacturing, all the way to seeing your products on RETAILER'S SHELVES.
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THIS IS A GAME CHANGER
"Steven gives a hands-on approach. From the beginning of the concept of the product, to getting it in the stores."
Kim & Lance - Shark Tank
What are YOUR needs?
The Product Development Incubator is made to fit YOUR needs. Are you looking for a short stay to fix one problem? Are you looking to partner through the full development cycle? Do you need lower prices from suppliers? Instructions on selling to retailers? As a member of our entrepreneurial family, you'll always get personalized support and guidance catered specifically for your needs and your journey.
Example 1 - Is this you?
You are just getting started. You have a whiteboard full of ideas and you need active mentoring to help you choose one, and to personally guide you through every step; from POC and prototyping, to finding a factory, to getting good prices, to establishing logistics, to contacting retailers and through bringing it to market.
Our Incubator is for YOU.
Example 2 - Is this you?
You have an established product, but you are struggling to get the supplier prices lower, (or to get quality better, or change suppliers.), Perhaps, you simply want to get into physical stores. You watched videos or took a class, but simplified solutions do not solve the problem. You need direct personal guidance from someone who's 'been there and done that.'
Our Incubator is for YOU.
Example 3 - Is this you?
You are successfully selling products on Amazon, and you want to expand into physical retailers. You need to 1) learn about retailers, 2) modify your packaging to be retail ready, 3) understand inventory financing, and 4) know the keys to landing recurring retail sales. You are ready to take the next steps, you just need the right person at your side.
Our Incubator is for YOU.
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THE BEST
"He is the best... The One-on-One attention, the attention to detail... Nobody [else] will give that to you.
He doesn't bluff - like most gurus. He tells you what it is. You will NOT be disappointed."
Zarghona G - USA
What should you expect?
- 1:1 business mentorship
- Experienced guidance and training
- Weekly meetings with a supportive ‘family’ of entrepreneurs
- Library of over 105 hours of videos from industry leaders
- Personal dedication to your success
We start with a conversation and an assessment, which are used to create a personalized Learning Map. This is sort of a hybrid roadmap/checklist with benchmarks that you’ll use to ensure we address what brought you to us in the first place. The Learning Map is organic. As you grow and move along your journey, or as you resolve issues or uncover new ones, you can modify the Learning Map, add topics, and even pivot your product.
The breadth and depth of information we cover is immense. Click in each of the areas below to expand the list of some (not even all) of what you will learn.
Product Ideation
Market Research
Competitive Analysis
Product Roadmap
Data Collection
Demand Validation
Market Elasticity
Customer Avatar
Customer Behavior
Intelligent Differentiation
POC
Licensing
Industrial Design
Design Agencies
Mechanical Design and Engineering
MVP
Naming and Business Structure
Packaging Choices
PRD
Product Specs
Tech Packs
Mold Optimization
Prototypes
PVT
EVT
Resolving Factory and Quality Problems
Scaling Opportunities
Turning A Product into A Brand
Market Based Pricing
WTP Pricing
Brand Strategy
Heat Mapping
Labeling
Color
Printing Methods
Corrugate
Technical Talent
CAD Designers
Leveraging Assortments
Validation Phase Gates
Types Of Manufacturing
Identifying Factories
Factories v. Trading Companies
Factory Agreements
Factory Audits
Factory Evaluations
Retailer Audits
Saving Money with DFM
OEM v. ODM Choices
Quality Control and Assurance
AQL In Depth
Sample Reviews
Sourcing
White Label
Protecting IP While Sourcing
Sourcing Agents – the Good and Bad
Supplier Negotiation
Payment Terms
Chinese Business Culture
Primary and Secondary Factories
Outsourcing
USA Manufacturing
Mexico, India, And Other Countries
Child Labor, Forced Labor, Rural Factories
Testing And Certifications
Safety
Resources for Requirements
Electrical Certifications
Mold Verification T0, T1, T2, T3
Truth about Golden Samples
How To Choose a Freight Forwarder
Advantages of a 14 Digit GTIN
EDI
Carton Labeling
Shipping Marks
GS1 for Retail and Shipping
Inner and Outer Packaging
Accurate Inventory Projections
Logistics
International Shipping
Air Cargo
3PL for Retail
OTIF
ASN
SKUs v. Item Numbers
Run-State Operations
Challenges of Consumables
Subscriptions
Incoterms
EXW or FOB
Dangers of DDP
Customs
HTS Codes
Customs Examinations
Carrying Costs
Low-Cost USA Shipping
Replenishment Warehousing
POs
Business Structure and Agreements
Chinese Business Law Basics
Copyrights
Patents
Trademarks
Supplemental Register
Factory Agreements
Retailer Agreements
Distributor Agreements
IP Protection Options
Trade Dress
Effective NNNs
PCT Opportunities
Provisional Patents
Patent Ringfence Strategy
Recordation
Branding
Manufacturers Reps
Retail Reps
Sales Reps
Sales Agencies
Distributors
Addressing Poor Performance
Packaging Design
PDQ and POS displays
Buying Cycles and Turns
Creating your Catalog
Contacting Buyers
Buyer Discussions
Learning Sales Skills
Overcoming Objections
Pitchdeck
Vendor Numbers
Commissions
Launching your Product
Line Reviews
Logo Design
Routing Guides
Sales Channel strategy
Shopper Behavior
Photography
Linesheet
Sellsheets
Scaling Strategies
Sell-To Marketing
Sell-Through Marketing
Big Box v. Independent & Specialty Stores
Social Media
Advertising
Influencers
Signage
FTC and Claims
Retailer Markups
Promotions
Show Specials
Tradeshows
Online Platforms
ECRM
Making Sales Easy
Display Fixtures
Program Costs
Store Placement
Email Templates
Keystoning
Understanding Your Avatar
Facing Strategies
Pinterest
TikTok
Getting Press
GTM Strategies
Service Provider Contracts
Turn Calculations
C-Stores, Big Box, Independents, Specialty, and other stores
Scan + Go Strategies
Business Plan
Cash Flow Projections
Cash Flow Analysis
Billing and Payments
Financial Statements
Tax Implications of B2B and B2C
Margins and Multipliers
Profit Analysis
Raising capital
Financing Inventory
Alternative Financing
Crowdfunding
Angels
Shareholders
Cap Tables
Funding Rounds
Pitching Investors
Investor Pitchdecks
Understanding M&A, PE, and Strategic Exits
DTC opportunities and limitations
Expanding current products from Amazon to in-store retailers includes many topics listed in the other tabs, including packaging, margins, making sales, and OTIF requirements.
Additional topics specific to expansion from Amazon include:
Understanding The Retail Business
Transactional Sales v. Ongoing Reorders
Shelf Impact
ASN not ASIN
Retailer Priorities
Leveraging Amazon When Pitching To Retailers
Online Pricing v. In-Store Pricing
When To Expand to Retailers
Product Cannibalization
Product v. Product Line v. Brand
Retailer Insurance Requirements
Shipping to Retailers
How To Stay in Retailers and What Gets You Kicked Out
Managing High Quantity Orders and Multiple Factories
Riding The Tiger
You've Launched. Now What?
Client Model (Retailers) vs. Transactional Model (Amazon)
Retailer Line Reviews
Addressing Slow Sales
Maintaining Retailer Relationships
Day-To-Day Run Time Operations
Your First Million-Dollar Order
Hiring
Firing
Delegating
Payroll and HR
Predators and Scams
AI Opportunities and Failures
Business Ethics
Geo-Political Issues and Impacts
Resilience & Creativity
Anxiety & Mental Health
Hiring Your Team
Managing Your Team
The Incubator is for you, and your business.
We are happy to work with you whatever your individual business challenges and needs are. If we have done it and have the expertise we will help. If not, talk to us anyway. We may have a good person to introduce you to.
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STEVEN IS SOMEBODY WHO KNOWS NOT JUST HOW TO GET INTO RETAIL, BUT HOW TO DEVELOP PRODUCTS.
"When you are really truly looking to stand out you have to be willing to take risks, and you have to be willing to look at things that have not yet already been developed. And that’s what Steven brings to the table."
Paul Baron - USA
The foundation of FBA is marketing, not developing products.
The FBA formula is to find a product with good sales, minimal reviews, and vulnerabilities; copy it, and outsell the competition through better copywriting, better PPC, better ranking, deeper discounts, and so on. Success comes from better marketing. Not better product development.
Some gurus even claim that the product doesn't matter at all. Extreme gurus say profits don't matter either! They tell FBA sellers its okay to lose money on their first product because they are 'learning the system' - which means they are learning how to out-market other people selling the same thing.
Recently I was shocked to hear gurus tell sellers it's okay to lose money for two or three years, and wait until they exit to an Amazon aggregator, in order to make a profit. That's not the approach we take.
In Product Development Academy, we teach that products must be PROFITABLE from the start, must have customer demand, must be sold through as many sales channels as possible. After all, we want you to make money.
Doesn't Amazon have 80% of the retail market?
No. Not even close. As the New York Times clearly points out, Amazon is responsible for only $5 out of every $100 that people spend buying things. The Department of Commerce, and Amazon's own Annual Reports, confirm the same percentage.
That means Amazon is a very small piece of the pie. No matter how tasty that slice is, you are missing out on all the rest. (And when you sell through Retailers you aren't inundated with hijackers, counterfeiters, and shady sellers using black hat tricks.)
If you want to sell large quantities, you must think about the entire pie. That's why we build products and brands that can sell across all sales channels - online and in-store.
Do I have to stop selling on Amazon?
Of course not! You can, and should, continue on Amazon. One person may buy your product in a store, and their neighbor may buy it online. You want to be EVERYWHERE customers shop.
However, you should change your mindset from selling only online, to selling in stores as well. Change from competitive marketing, to developing compelling products. In the manufacturing industry you are changing from ODM to OEM. It’s a natural growth and we are here to help you.
By the way, most people who expand to retailers find that their business eventually grows so much, that Amazon accounts for only 10-20% of their total sales. I promise that having Amazon own a smaller percentage of your revenue streams will make surprise suspensions and black hat competitors a lot less painful to wake up to.
Why Join the Product Development INCUBATOR?
Our Incubator program puts you on a solid track to build a comprehensive product based business.
This is not for side-gigs. This takes commitment and dedication from you, and from us. This is a high-touch program, to help and guide you as you create a solid, sustainable, company - with recurring revenue and real profits.
The price is only $1,180 /month
(you can cancel any time)
â–º You get personalized business coaching.
â–º You get 1:1 meetings whenever you need them, plus group meetings weekly. (Actually, two meetings - one is New York time, the other is Sydney time.)
â–º You get a family of fellow entrepreneurs who support and encourage you. The atmosphere that surrounds you is unlike any other.
â–º You get our private network that includes engineers, retail consultants, IP attorneys in US and China, quality experts, finance professionals, award wining retail package designers, shipping experts, and more.
â–º You get training and education.
â–º You get accountability.
â–º You get access to over 105 hours of videos and classes from industry leaders and insiders. People like former executives from Apple, mentors from Y-combinator, big box buyers, leaders in the field of retail, product engineers, award wining package designers, data scientists, M&A, finance experts, retail marketing experts, and other entrepreneurs, just like you, who sell online and in stores.
â–º Just as important as the guidance of what to do, you get the guidance of what not to do. Jim Rohn says every mistake avoided is ten thousand dollars in your pocket. We will help you avoid many, many, mistakes.
► You’ll learn all of this from people who have real experience.
Who is Steven Selikoff?
Steven Selikoff is a serial entrepreneur who started selling to retailers in 2001. He’s been sourcing from China since 2005. His products have been on every major morning TV show, he's a consultant to industry legends, his book is a textbook at a major US University (and being reviewed for more), his products have sold on Amazon 3P and 1P, in gift stores, catalogs and chains, in big box stores like Bed Bath & Beyond, AAFES, Belk, Francesca’s, and more. He's even had one of his products in the gift bag at the Oscars.
In addition to his own company, Steven Selikoff was Global Business Manager for Microsoft’s Worldwide Retail Sales & Marketing; managing a $7.35B division of retail products and sales.
He's an industry veteran with experience and success creating and selling products on both the small entrepreneurial level, and the global enterprise level. There is no one else with his experience, his knowledge, his network, and his passion for helping people.
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From manufacturing to sales, I am here for your growth and success.
It’s well known that in China I teach students negotiation skills by doing it live, in front of them, with actual factory owners. Interestingly, a similar thing happened a year ago while making sales.
I had a weekly group class scheduled at the same time I was selling products at a show. I couldn’t do both, so I simply turned the computer around and everyone got to watch as I made actual sales, including to a chain of stores from upstate New York. Everyone got to watch, see, and learn, as it happened.
I love doing this. I love seeing people’s products come to life. I love seeing their ideas become profit-making businesses. It’s the best thing ever!
Steven Selikoff
When you join the Incubator Program, my knowledge and experience is yours. Our network, experts, videos, and classes are yours. And our family of fellow entrepreneurs become yours too. We are all waiting to welcome you on your journey. And we are all committed to your success.
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STEVE'S YOUR MAN!
"I have saved so much money. Every mistake I didn't make was dollars in my pocket." .
Lou - Australia
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I WAS STUCK
"I am ready to launch in July. I am so excited. I do not have the words to express!
Thank you, Steven."
Malana Z. - USA
Do you want results like these?
All of these retailers, and more, have approached our students, alumni, and clients, or have sold (are selling) products from our students, alumni, and clients, or had negotiations with our students, alumni, and clients. Are you next?