EP 495: How Real Time Group Turns Regulated Ideas Into Safe Products

What makes Dave Fello with Real Time Group a good neighbor?

We talk with Dave Fello of Real Time Group, a product design engineering firm in Plano, Texas, about what really happens after a working prototype—and why getting a product to market is far more complex than most people realize. He shares how his team supports the development of regulated products like medical devices, robotics, and automation systems, where safety, compliance, and scalability are critical from day one. (The Realtime Group)

We dig into the biggest misconception he sees in product development—that once a prototype works, the product is ready to ship. Dave breaks down the real gap between a functional prototype and a manufacturable, safe, and reliable product that can succeed in the real world, especially when regulatory expectations and validation requirements come into play.

We also talk about who typically partners with an engineering firm like Real Time Group, from startup founders to product and program managers to executive leadership teams, and why strong requirements, planning, and funding alignment are essential to success. His team’s focus is not just building what works in a lab, but ensuring it can be safely and effectively produced at scale and delivered to market. (LinkedIn)

If you’re interested in product development, medical device design, or understanding how complex ideas become real-world products, this conversation gives you a clear, grounded look at the process behind it.

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Guest Info: Real Time Group | https://therealtimegroup.com | +1 (972) 985-9100

Transcript

Welcome To Good Neighbor

SPEAKER_01 0:00

This is the Good Neighbor Podcast, the place where local businesses and neighbors come together. Here's your host, Sophia Yvette.

SPEAKER_00 0:10

Welcome to the Good Neighbor Podcast. Are you in need of a project engineering company? Well, one may be closer than you think. Today I have the pleasure of introducing your good neighbor, Dave Fellow, with Real Time Group. Dave, it's great to have you on today. Now we are so excited to learn all about you and your project, product engineering company. So go ahead and tell our listeners a little bit more about how you got started with this.

What Real Time Group Builds

SPEAKER_02 0:38

Oh, okay. So uh the Real Time Group is a uh a product design engineering firm focused on mostly regulated products. So medical devices, robotics, automation type of things that have a regulatory component. Um 70% of our business is medical device design. So basically, what we do is take people's ideas from napkin sketch or requirements or whatever you have to um to a usable product for use safe and and uh producible product.

SPEAKER_00 1:14

Wow. Now how did you originally come up with a concept for this business?

SPEAKER_02 1:19

I acquired it. So I I had a prior business um that I sold to L3 Communications, and um uh I knew the founder, loved the business, um, and um acquired it in 2012 um and have had it ever since.

SPEAKER_00 1:36

That's

Prototype Versus Real Product

SPEAKER_00 1:37

awesome. Now, you know, I'm sure you come across a lot of misconceptions on the day-to-day in your industry. So when it comes to being a product engineering company, what is the most common misconception you want to put to rest for our listeners today, especially on medical devices, because I know there's quite a few.

SPEAKER_02 1:59

Well, um, I'd love to say that the misconception is that engineers are all nerdy, but that's really kind of true. Um, so I won't I won't put that to bed. But um one of the most common misperceptions that we see is that once you have a prototype, that you really have a product. But there's there's a vast difference between a usable prototype that's working and a producible, safe, effective, affordable product. And that's where most of the engineering happens on the way to the product, on the way to market.

Ideal Clients And How They Buy

SPEAKER_00 2:34

Now, you know, speaking of market and being in front of the right people, marketing is the heart of every business. So ideally, what does your ideal client look like and how are you attracting them?

SPEAKER_02 2:51

Um, so our our ideal product or ideal excuse me, customer are typically um product managers or program managers. Um, a lot of times they're C-suite executives, you know, company decision makers who um have a um a product that needs to be brought to market that have a set of requirements and funding to do it. Um our customers vary between from startups all the way up to tier one customers, um Abbott, um Johnson Johnson type of customers, um, and everywhere in between, we have mid-sized customers, et cetera. But our our ideal customer has a product need and a budget and some knowledge on how to get to market with it.

Life Outside The Lab

SPEAKER_00 3:36

So, Dave, you know, when you're not helping design some of these products and running your business outside of work, what do you like to do for fun?

SPEAKER_02 3:46

I love uh well, I got grandkids and I got um some um step kids that um I like to spend a lot of time with. Um great kids. Um, and I also like to ride motorcycles, do that quite a bit.

SPEAKER_00 4:01

Awesome.

Biggest Takeaway And How To Reach Them

SPEAKER_00 4:02

Now, circling back to your business here, you know, if you could leave our listeners with just one grand takeaway with real-time group, you know, what would the biggest takeaway be from learning about your business and what sets it apart?

SPEAKER_02 4:21

Um, we're here to make you successful. Um our our key goal in life is is, and we've been doing it for 25 years before I acquired a business, um, is getting people's visions into market and making them successful and then moving on. That's what we do.

SPEAKER_00 4:40

And finally, for all of our listeners here today who want to learn more about real time group, where can they go to chat more with you?

SPEAKER_02 4:51

Uh so our um our website is www.the real time group, all one word dot com. Um we're located here in Plano, Texas, off of Tennyson Parkway. We'd love to have come by, drop, drop by and see us. Um big sign out front says the real time group, um, 5217 Um Tennyson Parkway in Plano, Texas. Um, yeah, please come by.

SPEAKER_00 5:14

All right. Well, Dave, I really appreciate you being on the show today, and we wish you and your business the best moving forward. Thank you.

SPEAKER_01 5:21

It's good to meet you, Sophia.

Nominate A Local Business

SPEAKER_01 5:23

Thank you for listening to the Good Neighbor Podcast. To nominate your favorite local businesses to be featured on the show, go to gnpfrisco.com. That's gnpfrisco.com or call four six nine two two one nine three four five.