Why the World Needs Designers Now More Than Ever With Dan Harden, CEO of Whipsaw
“The world needs design more now than ever.” Most designers want to make beautiful things. Dan Harden wants to make meaningful ones. From building dangerous go-karts as a kid to designing more than 1,000 products (and winning 350+ awards), Dan’s career has been a masterclass in lasting impact. As CEO and founder of Whipsaw, Dan has shaped the modern design landscape while staying grounded in what truly matters: solving real problems for real people. In this episode of Why Design, Dan shares how he turned a passion for sketching and making into a globally respected studio, why the best designers obsess over details, and how to cultivate curiosity, clarity, and creativity over a 30+ year career. Don’t just listen. Go beyond the podcast. Join the Why Design community → teamkodu.com/events What You’ll Learn 👇 🌀 Why the “why” of design matters more than ever 🪚 The discipline behind great design (and why it's more than a sketch) 🔥 How passion, grit, and inspiration fuel longevity 📐 What makes a design transcendent, not just functional 🌍 Why industrial designers must think beyond consumerism Memorable Quotes 💬 “There are fundamentals about design that haven’t changed.” 💬 “Creativity is not a tool you turn on, it’s a way of life.” 💬 “Don't contribute to the malaise. Don’t do shitty products.” 💬 “You can be creative designing a bolt.” 💬 “Design should be gifting, not just commerce.” Resources & Links 🧠 Connect with Dan Harden on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dan-harden-62389435/ 🏢 Explore Whipsaw’s work: https://www.whipsaw.com/ 🎧 Listen to Prism, Dan’s podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/1ZHZoL0hOdzZfRcgAXeuvh?si=40de5239ef2548fc 🎥 Watch full episodes on YouTube → youtube.com/@whydesignpod 📸 Follow on Instagram → @whydesignxkodu 🎵 TikTok → _whydesign 👥 Join the Why Design community → teamkodu.com/events 🔗 Follow Chris Whyte on LinkedIn → linkedin.com/in/mrchriswhyte 🎧 Listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube & Amazon → whydesign.club 👉 Keep the conversation going. Join the Why Design community → teamkodu.com/events 📲 Subscribe on Spotify, Apple, or YouTube so you never miss an episode. 👥 If this resonated, share it with a friend, designer, or team leader navigating their own creative journey. About Kodu Why Design is produced by Kodu, a recruitment partner to ambitious
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1:28:17
From Brain Surgery to Breakthrough: How Kenny Perkins Built the First E-Bike Helmet for Kids
“You have to be a certain kind of crazy to be a founder, especially in physical products.” Most people want to build something. Kenny Perkins actually did. After nearly dying in a car accident his senior year, Kenny clawed his way into the design world; starting at Fossil, shifting to helmets, and eventually co-founding Osmo, the first kids’ helmet to meet the e-bike safety standard. In this episode of Why Design, Kenny shares the journey from rebuilding a Mustang with his dad at 15 to building Impact Lab, a startup studio funding its own consumer brand, Osmo, by designing life-saving protection for others. Don’t just listen. Go beyond the podcast. Join the Why Design community → teamkodu.com/events What You’ll Learn 👇 💥 How a near-death experience reshaped his entire outlook on work 🚲 The overlooked safety gap for kids in the e-bike revolution 🛠️ Why physical product founders need grit, guts, and patience 📐 How Osmo designed with parents and kids, not just for them 📈 The smart way Kenny self-funded a startup without outside capital Memorable Quotes 💬 “I saw a dad wearing a helmet I designed… and two kids wearing ones I also designed but not for e-bikes. That stuck with me.” 💬 “We didn’t just design for families. We designed with them.” 💬 “This changed my relationship with work entirely.” Resources & Links 🌍 Connect with Kenny Perkins on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kennethjperkinsdesign/ 🛡️ Explore Osmo Helmets: https://www.ozmohelmets.com/ 🏢 Learn more about impctLAB https://www.impctlab.com/ 🎥 Watch full episodes on YouTube → http://www.youtube.com/@whydesignpod 📸 Follow on Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/whydesignxkodu/ 🎵 TikTok → @_whydesign 👥 Join the Why Design community → teamkodu.com/events 🔗 Follow Chris Whyte on LinkedIn → https://linkedin.com/in/mrchriswhyte 🎧 Listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube & Amazon → www.whydesign.club 👉 Keep the conversation going. Join the Why Design community → teamkodu.com/events 📲 Subscribe on Spotify, Apple, or YouTube so you never miss an episode. 👥 If this resonated, share it with a friend or colleague navigating their own founder or design journey. About Kodu Why Design is produced by Kodu, a recruitment partner to ambitious hardware brands, design consultancies, and product start-ups. We help founders and teams hire top talent across industrial design, mechanical engineering, and product leadership. 🔗 Learn more → teamkodu.com
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1:10:18
How Jordan Diatlo Went From Layoff to Leadoff
“I got laid off weeks before my first child was born… and I was so happy.” Most people panic when they lose a job. Jordan Diatlo built a business. Just weeks before becoming a dad, Jordan was laid off. Instead of spiraling, he used it as fuel to start Leadoff Studio — now one of New York’s go-to design consultancies for health & wellness brands. In this episode of Why Design, Jordan shares how he went from rejected by corporate to building a values-driven studio that’s helped startups like Roman and Dame become category leaders. Don’t just listen. Go beyond the podcast. Join the Why Design community → teamkodu.com/events What You’ll Learn 👇 🔥 Why getting fired was the best thing that ever happened to him 🏗️ The 5 values that drive every hire, project, and partnership at Leadoff 🎯 How “niching down” created bigger opportunities 📑 The portfolio formula that makes designers stand out 👨👩👧 Why time > money when balancing family and business Memorable Quotes 💬 “I got laid off with a kid on the way, and I was so happy.” 💬 “Somebody else’s win should feel as important to you as your own.” 💬 “Design isn’t just about objects, it’s communication.” Resources & Links 🌍 Connect with Jordan Diatlo on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jordandiatlo/ 🏢 Explore Leadoff Studio: https://leadoffstudio.com/ 🎥 Watch full episodes on YouTube → http://www.youtube.com/@whydesignpod 📸 Follow on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/whydesignxkodu/ 🎵 TikTok: @_whydesign 👥 Join the Why Design community → teamkodu.com/events 🔗 Follow Chris Whyte on LinkedIn 🎧 Listen to Why Design on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube, and Amazon Music → www.whydesign.club 👉 Keep the conversation going! Join the Why Design community and go beyond the podcast → teamkodu.com/events 📲 Subscribe to Why Design on Spotify, Apple, or YouTube so you never miss an episode. 👥 If this resonated, share it with a friend or colleague who’s rethinking their career path. ⚡ About Kodu Why Design is produced by Kodu, a recruitment partner to ambitious hardware brands, design consultancies, and product start-ups. We help founders and teams hire top talent across industrial design, mechanical engineering, and product leadership. Learn more → teamkodu.com
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1:07:11
How Jordan Diatlo Went From Layoff to LeadOff
“I got laid off weeks before my first child was born… and I was so happy.” Most people panic when they lose a job. Jordan Diatlo built a business. Just weeks before becoming a dad, Jordan was laid off. Instead of spiraling, he used it as fuel to start Leadoff Studio — now one of New York’s go-to design consultancies for health & wellness brands. In this episode of Why Design, Jordan shares how he went from rejected by corporate to building a values-driven studio that’s helped startups like Roman and Dame become category leaders. Don’t just listen. Go beyond the podcast. Join the Why Design community → teamkodu.com/events What You’ll Learn 👇 🔥 Why getting fired was the best thing that ever happened to him 🏗️ The 5 values that drive every hire, project, and partnership at Leadoff 🎯 How “niching down” created bigger opportunities 📑 The portfolio formula that makes designers stand out 👨👩👧 Why time > money when balancing family and business Memorable Quotes 💬 “I got laid off with a kid on the way, and I was so happy.” 💬 “Somebody else’s win should feel as important to you as your own.” 💬 “Design isn’t just about objects, it’s communication.” Resources & Links 🌍 Connect with Jordan Diatlo on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jordandiatlo/ 🏢 Explore Leadoff Studio: https://leadoffstudio.com/ 🎥 Watch full episodes on YouTube → http://www.youtube.com/@whydesignpod 📸 Follow on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/whydesignxkodu/ 🎵 TikTok: @_whydesign 👥 Join the Why Design community → teamkodu.com/events 🔗 Follow Chris Whyte on LinkedIn 🎧 Listen to Why Design on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube, and Amazon Music → www.whydesign.club 👉 Keep the conversation going! Join the Why Design community and go beyond the podcast → teamkodu.com/events 📲 Subscribe to Why Design on Spotify, Apple, or YouTube so you never miss an episode. 👥 If this resonated, share it with a friend or colleague who’s rethinking their career path. ⚡ About Kodu Why Design is produced by Kodu, a recruitment partner to ambitious hardware brands, design consultancies, and product start-ups. We help founders and teams hire top talent across industrial design, mechanical engineering, and product leadership. Learn more → teamkodu.com
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From Basement to 8-Figures: Reekon Tools & the Future of Hardware with Christian Reed
Most hardware startups die broke. Christian Reed’s didn’t. He turned a basement side project into Reekon Tools, an 8-figure construction-tech brand with tools that don’t break, content that hit 300M+ views, and a cult following of tradespeople. In this episode of Why Design, Chris sits down with Christian to break down exactly how he went from MIT → military → Formlabs → scaling one of the most talked-about startups in hardware. 👉 Want more insights from world-class builders? Join the Why Design community → teamkodu.com/events What You’ll Learn How a Kickstarter side project became an 8-figure company Why building a product ≠ building a business (and what most founders get wrong) The content playbook Recon used to rack up 300M+ views The difference between scaling hardware and software — and why “muscle beats magic” How to spot talent that thrives in startup chaos The truth about AI in design: why it won’t replace you, but will expose you Memorable Quotes 💬 “Hardware development is a muscle activity. You just have to muscle through it. It never gets easier.” 💬 “If you can’t make content and you don’t appreciate design, you’re just shooting yourself in the foot.” 💬 “If you’re scared of AI, to be frank, it probably just means you’re not a good designer.” 👉 Love this? Subscribe to Why Design on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube, or Amazon Music so you never miss an episode. Links & Resources 🌍 Connect with Christian Reed on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christianrreed/ 🔗 Explore Reekon: https://www.reekon.tools/ 🎥 Watch full episodes on YouTube 📸 Follow on Instagram 🎵 TikTok: @_whydesign 👥 Join the Why Design community: events, huddles, and workshops → teamkodu.com/events 🔗 Follow Chris Whyte on LinkedIn → linkedin.com/in/mrchriswhyte 🎧 Listen to Why Design on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube, and Amazon Music. whydesign.club 👉 Ready to go deeper? Join the Why Design community → teamkodu.com/events
Why Design is a podcast exploring the stories behind hardware and physical product development. Hosted by Chris Whyte, founder of Kodu, the show dives into the journeys of founders, senior design leaders, and engineers shaping people and planet-friendly products.
Formerly "The Design Journeys Podcast", each episode uncovers pivotal career moments, lessons learned, and behind-the-scenes insights from industry experts. Whether you’re a designer, engineer, or simply curious about how great hardware products come to life, Why Design offers real stories, actionable advice, and inspiration for anyone passionate about design and innovation.
Join us as we listen, learn, and connect through the stories that define the world of physical product development.
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