✍️ Show Notes

In this episode, we get an inside look into the mind of a high performing Big Tech engineer-turned hardware founder. Dhaval Patel began his career at Apple, working through the ranks from an intern all the way to senior manager. At one point, he started to feel the itch to build his own product - and so he made the leap. What gave him the confidence in starting from scratch? How did he know the problem he was solving was worth solving? What did Apple teach him? All that and more in this insightful episode.

🔗 getlotus.com

🔑 Bytes:

• If you are worried about leaving your Big Tech job, remember this: you can always come back. Going the other way is a lot harder - the longer you wait, the tighter the golden handcuffs.
• Designing products for accessbility doesn't necessarily limit your product to a specific audience. Design for accessibility to create an intuitive, easy-to-use product for all.
• At the risk of starting to sound like a broken record... Talk to your customers! Especially early on, doesn't matter if you're the founder, CEO, whatever, get on 1:1 calls with your customers. The key insight is: listen to their problems, not the solutions they may offer.

📖 Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Dhaval and Lotus

00:28 The Genesis of Lotus: Solving Personal Challenges

02:01 Dhaval's Journey at Apple: From Intern to Manager

06:20 Transitioning from Big Tech to Startups

11:05 Overcoming Imposter Syndrome and Timing in Entrepreneurship

16:43 Skills Gained at Apple and Their Application in Startups

23:33 The Importance of Seeking Expertise

24:54 Embracing Efficiency Over Perfection

29:54 The Journey of Prototyping and User Feedback

37:46 Human-Centered Design: Listening to Users

42:15 Vision for Lotus: Telekinesis Productized

Keywords: startup, product development, human-centered design, founder journey, technology, innovation, consumer hardware, disability solutions, entrepreneurship, user feedback