10 Product Innovation Secrets from Michael De Santis That Will Change Your Game

This week on Turning Pro, we had the pleasure of chatting with Michael De Santis, the Managing Director of Doris Dev. Michael’s story is an inspiring one, moving from the world of finance to leading a cutting-edge product development company.

During our conversation, Michael shared how Doris Dev helps bring consumer brands’ visions to life—from the first spark of an idea to managing the entire supply chain. They’ve worked with both up-and-coming startups and well-known brands, including the popular Canopy humidifier.

Michael didn’t hold back when talking about the challenges of scaling a business in today’s fast-paced ecommerce world. He broke down the complexities of product prototyping, which can range from $150,000 to $550,000, stressing the importance of being resourceful without sacrificing quality. His insights into balancing innovation, cost, and strategy offer some valuable takeaways for any entrepreneur looking to build and grow a consumer brand.

Catch Season 2, Episode 15 of the Turning Pro podcast on Apple, Spotify, or YouTube.

Here Are the Top 10 Lessons We Learned from Michael De Santis:

1.  Turn Passion into a Business: Michael’s transition from finance to consumer products shows that following your passion can lead to impactful and fulfilling work. Doris Dev is rooted in his passion for product design, creativity, and systematic problem-solving.

2. Creativity and Structure Go Hand in Hand: While creativity fuels innovation, Michael emphasizes the importance of a systematic approach to product development, helping Doris Dev transform ideas into successful, scalable products.

3. Invest in Quality Early: Whether through prototyping or selecting factory partners, ensuring quality from the outset is critical to long-term success. Michael’s company is known for its rigorous quality control process.

4. Be Scrappy But Thoughtful: In the early stages of product development, staying lean and cost-conscious is key, but it should never compromise the integrity of the product or brand.

5. Tackle Complex Supply Chains with Expertise: Setting up a global supply chain is one of the biggest challenges for product businesses. Michael’s advice is to have a team with both the expertise and on-the-ground presence necessary to navigate international logistics.

6. Be Ready to Pivot: Michael shares how Doris Dev has successfully adapted to shifts in the ecommerce landscape, particularly when it comes to profitability and lean operations in today’s business environment.

7. Build for Growth: Doris Dev’s incubation model, which blends design, engineering, and supply chain management, shows that building with long-term scalability in mind leads to sustained business growth.

8. Retain and Develop Talent: A strong team is the backbone of any company. Michael highlights the importance of hiring experts who can take ownership of their areas while fostering a culture of growth and collaboration.

9. Keep Customers Engaged with a Subscription Model: With Canopy, Michael successfully built a subscription component into the business, ensuring repeat customers through replenishment products, which helped scale the business and improve customer loyalty.

10. Adapt to Shifting Markets: The evolving ecommerce landscape requires flexibility and quick adaptation. Michael discusses how businesses must stay lean and profitable from day one to survive in a competitive environment.

Michael De Santis’ story is a testament to the power of creativity, adaptability, and the pursuit of quality-driven innovation. His journey offers valuable insights for anyone navigating the challenges of scaling a business in a fast-evolving, global market.

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