In-house designer vs product design consultancy: which is right for your company?
Most companies developing a physical product reach the same question sooner or later: hire an in-house designer, or work with an external product design consultancy?
The Invisible Curriculum: How Are Your Managers Really Learning to Manage?
Most organisations would never put someone into a specialist technical role and simply hope they worked out how to do it.
Yet we do something remarkably similar with management.
Expanding Capabilities in MedTech Compliance
Over the past year, my consultancy journey in the medical device sector — supporting both SaMD and hardware innovators — has accelerated in ways I’m incredibly proud of.
Do I Need an Industrial Design Agency or a Product Design Agency for My Idea?
Industrial Design Agency or Product Design Agency: Which Does Your Idea Need?
Anyone researching how to turn a physical product idea into reality will have noticed that "industrial design" and "product design" are thrown around almost interchangeably, often by the same studio, o
Is AI recommending your business? Now you can measure it.
When a buyer asks ChatGPT, Gemini or Claude “which companies would you recommend for this?”, one of two things happens: your business is named, or a competitor’s is. Until now there was no honest way to know which — so we built one.
What do investors actually want to see from a hardware startup before funding it?
It takes more than a good idea.
I have a product idea - what should I do next?
You've had the idea. Maybe it came to you in the shower, maybe it's been rattling around your head for years. You know there's something in it. But now what?
Do I need a prototype before contacting manufacturers?
Short answer: If your asking this question, you probably aren’t ready to be contacting manufacturers yet.
Design for manufacture: a founder’s guide to avoiding costly mistakes
You've got a product idea that makes sense. You've sketched it out, maybe had a prototype built, and people who've seen it are excited. So you start talking to manufacturers and that's when it gets complicated.
A founder’s guide to prototyping — without wasting time or money
For first-time founders, product development rarely begins with clarity.
Transform Your Compliance Process with One System
Are you managing multiple systems for different certifications like ISO 9001, ISO 13485, ISO 45001, and ISO 27001?
If so, you’re likely facing:
Achieving compliance and quality in medical devices for 2026
As we begin 2026, I would like to take a moment to reflect on the journey of CJ & L Consultancy Ltd over the past year and share my outlook for the year ahead.
Why most hardware startups fail (and how to avoid it)
Most hardware startups don’t fail because of a single big mistake.
They fail because a small number of critical questions were never fully answered, or were answered too late, when changing direction had already become costly.
How self storage supports office refurbishment projects
How Self Storage Supports Office Refurbishment Projects
Office refurbishment projects are becoming increasingly common as businesses adapt to hybrid working, evolving employee expectations and the need for modern, efficient workspaces.
When is the right time for a startup to hire a product design consultancy?
At some point, almost every founder developing a physical product runs into the same question.
Is it time to bring in experienced specialists, like a product design consultancy, to help bring the idea to life?
Passing the "Bus Test" - could your business survive?
On the forums where founders vent - there is a grim but necessary hypothetical known as the "Bus Test".
The question is simple: If you, or your "superstar" operations manager, were hit by a bus tomorrow, would your business still be running in a month?
Why your greatest risk is internal and how to fix it
Most founders lie awake worrying about the "Big Three":
market shifts, aggressive competitors, and the external economy.But what about within your business?.
Rethinking ‘Diversity’ and ‘Inclusion’ as Everyday Leadership Skills: Moving beyond initiatives to real-world leadership practice
Leadership today is less about having the right answers and more about navigating complexity. Decisions are made with incomplete information, competing priorities, and constant pressure to move quickly. No leader sees the full picture alone.
Understanding B2B cold calling across cultures: why one size doesn’t fit all
By Natasha Blatcher, Founder of Velocity Sales Training & Consultancy