Writing

Notes from the factory floor.

Short essays on manufacturing, NPI and the unglamorous decisions that decide whether a product ships. Written for founders who are about to spend real money.

James Gong Host, Future Factory · Founder, Illuminious Updated 2026

01 Notes

Sep 27, 2026 · Manufacturing

Tooling is the real decision

Every hardware program has one irreversible moment. Founders tend to discover it on the invoice.

Aug 13, 2026 · Supply chain

The six-month lead time is usually a communication problem

Factories are slower than they look and faster than founders believe. The gap is rarely the line — it's the loop in front of it.

Jun 1, 2026 · Career

From term sheets to tooling

What underwriting companies from the outside teaches you — and the one thing it cannot.

Subscribe by RSS Reply by email

02 Dispatch