Bryce G. Rutter Ph.D., IDSA
Founder & CEO
Metaphase Design Group, Inc.
Dr. Rutter is a renowned specialist in ergonomic product design and is the leading worldwide expert in the design of handheld products. His work ranges from robotic surgical systems, surgical instruments & devices to smart phones, computer input devices & wearables through to food & beverage packaging, and beauty & personal care products. His company, Metaphase, has and continues to define new product categories, rejuvenate sleepy brands and develop breathtaking design innovations that fit like a glove for several of the world’s most prestigious and influential brands and scorching start-ups. As a thought leader in ergonomic design, Dr. Rutter has been profiled and interviewed by major media including the Wall Street Journal, CNN, CTV, CITYTV, The Chicago Tribune, The Ottawa Citizen, The Toronto Globe & Mail, Lexus Magazine, Appliance Design, Oprah’s O-Magazine,Metropolis, Business 2.0, and Businessweek. Dr. Rutter has received over 75 international design excellence awards, and been awarded over 100 patents.
It’s Not a New Venture, It’s an Ad’Venture!
5 Critical Success Factors for Designers Investing in Start-ups
Designers have fantasized about doing for ourselves what we do for our clients – designing products that make money. Since 2006, I have taken equity and royalty positions various types of start-ups and in 2007 started a new grill company that grew to $13 million in gross revenues in 2013, shipping more than 300 containers to six different countries with two dedicated manufacturing facilities employing 500-plus people in China.
More than once we teetered on bankruptcy, experienced chaos within our own ranks, watched our Chinese manufacturing partner patent and sell our product behind our back, and had a multimillion dollar order cancelled. This entrepreneurial ad’venture placed everything I own at risk, required skills and knowledge that I never got in design school and taught me how to sleep with one eye open. I’ll share five critical success factors to growing a $13 million business and lifelong learnings of investing in start-ups to live by.
