We talk with Leslie and Ahmad, the founders of HappyLlamaTech, who created the SoCool Smart Pet Feeder — the first refrigerated feeder designed to keep your pet's meals fresh, even when you're not home.

What began as a DIY solution quickly turned into a full-fledged Indiegogo campaign, raising over $196,000 from more than 400 backers—most of whom were first-time crowdfunders.

You'll learn:

• How they went from 3D-printed prototypes to factory-ready manufacturing
• Why being on the ground in China was critical to ensuring quality
• The hidden challenges of injection molding and rapid iteration
• What they'd change if they had to launch again

If you're creating a physical product or tackling hardware as a first-time founder, this episode is filled with raw, honest advice.

Resources and Tools Mentioned:

• Book a coaching call
• Subscribe for Weekly Crowdfunding Tips
• Fulfillrite: Kickstarter and crowdfunding reward fulfillment services. They come highly recommended! Download their free shipping and fulfillment checklist
• FREE Kickstarter Course
• SoCool on Indiegogo
• Happy Llama Tech