The $100K Mistake Most Founders Make with Manufacturers (and How to Avoid It)

In this episode, Kian Golzari—one of the world’s top sourcing and manufacturing experts—breaks down exactly how to find the right supplier, avoid bad products, and work smarter with factories. He reveals: ✅ How he sourced for the NBA, United Nations, Olympics & major brands ✅ Why most founders waste money choosing the wrong supplier ✅ How to use Alibaba the right way—and spot red flags ✅ The key steps to developing a product from idea to shelf ✅ What separates a good supplier from a great partner ✅ How to negotiate pricing, MOQs, and timelines without getting burned If you’re developing a physical product and want to get it made fast, high-quality, and for the right price—this episode is essential listening. Omnisend | Get 50% off your first 3 months of email and SMS marketing with Omnisend with the code FOUNDR50. Just head to https://your.omnisend.com/foundr to get started. 📩 How We Can Help You Scale Your Business Faster 🔥 Learn directly from 7, 8 & 9-figure founders inside Foundr+ Start your $1 trial → http://www.foundr.com/startdollartrial 💡 Prefer a custom roadmap and 1-on-1 coaching? → Starting from scratch? Apply here → https://foundr.com/pages/coaching-sta... → Already have a store? Apply here → https://foundr.com/pages/coaching-gro... 🔗 Connect With Nathan Chan 📸 Instagram →   / nathanchan   💼 LinkedIn →   / nathanhchan   🔗 Connect With Kian Golzari 🌍 Website → https://www.sourcingwithkian.com 📸 Instagram →   / kian_jg   00:00 - Intro 01:04 - Kian’s Background: Working With NBA, Olympics & Celebrities 03:16 - Common Mistakes Founders Make With Sourcing 05:28 - How to Talk to Suppliers Like a Pro 08:41 - The Truth About Alibaba & Sourcing Agents 11:33 - When to Visit China (And When Not To) 13:51 - How to Vet Factories Without Leaving Your Desk 17:06 - The 3 Sourcing Paths Every Founder Should Know 21:24 - Best Strategies for Price Negotiation 24:30 - What to Do Before Paying a Factory 28:10 - The Power of Packaging in Brand Positioning 31:26 - Fast vs Slow Shipping: What Founders Miss 34:43 - Kian’s Golden Rule for Product Quality 36:57 - How to Avoid Costly Product Mistakes 39:19 - His Top Advice for First-Time Founders 42:03 - The $1M Lesson He Learned the Hard Way 44:11 - Final Words on Longevity, Margins & Supplier Relationships 🎯 Follow Foundr for More Business Growth Strategies 📺 YouTube → http://bit.ly/2uyvzdt 🌍 Website → http://www.foundr.com 📸 Instagram →   / foundr   📘 Facebook →   / foundr   🐦 Twitter →   / foundr   💼 LinkedIn →   / foundr   🎙️ Podcast → http://www.foundr.com/podcast