How we work

How We Work at Next-Gen: The Workflow

At Next-Gen Engineering and Research Development LLC (NERD), we’ve built our business around solving one fundamental problem: incentives in the traditional market are broken. Too often, engineering firms, resellers, and manufacturers’ reps are incentivized to sell more, iterate endlessly, or pass off problems—not to actually solve them. We’ve flipped that system on its head.

At the NERD Ranch, we’ve aligned all incentives around one goal: delivering real solutions that work in the real world. While we’re compensated for the work we do throughout the process, we earn the most when your solution is fully deployed and successful. That alignment ensures we’re as invested in your success as you are.

The Process:

The Traditional Way (and Why It Fails)

Let’s take a closer look at why traditional approaches to solving technical problems so often fall short. The issue boils down to misaligned incentives:

  1. You have an idea or a challenge.
  2. You start the work, hit a roadblock, and seek help.
  3. The options available often include:
  • Engineering Firms: These firms charge high NRE (Non-Recurring Engineering) fees without guaranteeing success. They’re incentivized to keep iterating because every revision means more fees. Or worse—they might tell you, “Sorry, we can’t help,” leaving you with nothing to show for your investment.
  • Resellers: Resellers may charge lower NRE fees, but they require you to purchase equipment through them. To cover costs from customers who never buy, they inflate equipment prices, leaving you overpaying for what you could have sourced elsewhere.
  • Manufacturer Reps: These reps are incentivized to sell their products, whether or not those products actually solve your problem. They’re often more interested in quotas than solutions.

The result? Misaligned incentives mean wasted time, money, and energy—with no guarantee that your problem will be solved.

Our Idea: A Better Way

At the NERD Ranch (Next-Gen Engineering and Research Development), we’ve designed our entire approach to align incentives, ensuring everyone works toward the same goal: solving your problem and delivering a successful solution.

What We Offer

  • In-House Engineers Who Care: Our team is communicative, friendly, and focused on understanding your unique challenge.
  • Solve for X: We address the root of the problem, developing efficient, scalable, and financially viable solutions.
  • End-to-End Support: From a napkin sketch to full deployment, we build a team to plan and execute your project. We stay with you, even 10 years post-installation if necessary.
How We Get Paid

Our business model ensures our success aligns with yours. Here’s how we do it:

  • Performance-Based Retainers: A combination of performance-based compensation and a small retainer ensures our focus on results, not just billing hours.
  • OEM and Distributor Commissions:
    • OEMs: No commission on direct purchases, ensuring market-competitive pricing with no hidden costs.
    • Distributors: For materials sourced through distributor partners, we earn a commission to offset engineering costs while avoiding unnecessary markups.
  • Results-Driven Payments: We’re rewarded the most when the solution is deployed and successful.

Why Our Approach Works

The core issue with traditional approaches is misaligned incentives. Engineering firms benefit from more iterations and higher NRE fees. Resellers and reps are driven by sales rather than your success. Customers end up with overpriced, ineffective, or incomplete solutions.

At the NERD Ranch, we’ve fixed this. Our compensation structure rewards us most for delivering functional solutions. This ensures we stay focused on what matters most: your success.

Trust… Yet Incentivize

While others might say, “Trust, but verify,” we live by the philosophy of “Trust, and incentivize.” By building a structure where we succeed most when you do, we’ve created an ecosystem designed for results—not excuses.

At the NERD Ranch, we’re here to eliminate inefficiencies, align everyone’s goals, and make your vision a reality. Whether you’re dealing with a stubborn roadblock or looking to scale a big idea, we’re ready to solve for X—together.