About
About Supplier Field Notes
Published by Cydney Mar. Last updated November 2026.
Supplier Field Notes is a supplier sourcing resource published by Cydney Mar, a product development strategist who helps founders turn product ideas into real, scalable businesses.
Who publishes Supplier Field Notes?
Cydney Mar publishes this site. It is one of a small number of websites she publishes, alongside her main website, cydneymar.com. The guides, rankings and comparisons here are written by the publisher, so they are not independent reviews; where her own service appears, it is labeled and judged on the same criteria as everything else.
Why this site exists
Founders with a strong product idea often stall at the same point: finding and evaluating suppliers. This site puts the practical parts of that stage in one place, from where to look and how to vet factories to sample checklists and copy-ready emails, and connects them to the Concept-to-Reality Pathway for founders who want an experienced guide for the whole journey.
About Cydney Mar
Cydney Mar has been designing and building product for more than 45 years. She was an award-winning designer in New York in the late 1970s, designed Cirque du Soleil's first Boutique Collection, and led design for Edwin Jeans in North America. For 15+ years she sold her own collections on QVC in 8 countries, with more than 800 hours of live television and over $300 million in retail, TV and DTC sales.
Her product work has spanned fashion, jewelry, bath bombs, scented candles, homewares, paper products, car accessories and her own vitamin brand, Cydney Mar Wellness. She has served as an expert advisor to StartUp Canada and the EDC.
Cydney is Nlaka'pamux, Coast Salish. Based in Montreal, she runs Cydney Mar Consulting, an Indigenous-owned product development firm. Her companies operate as a certified Aboriginal company that is 100% woman owned and operated.
How to reach Cydney Mar
To talk about your product, use the contact page on cydneymar.com, where you can book a call, email or phone. You can also read how this site forms its guidance.
Common questions
- Who is Cydney Mar?
- Cydney Mar is a product development strategist who helps founders turn product ideas into real, scalable businesses. She cites more than 45 years of experience and over 300 million dollars in global product sales across retail, TV and direct-to-consumer markets, including more than 15 years selling her own collections on QVC in 8 countries. She is based in Montreal.
- Who does Cydney Mar work with?
- Cydney Mar works with founders building consumer products for retail, TV shopping and direct-to-consumer brands, from first-time founders with an idea to growth-stage brands that need structure, margin clarity and scalable production systems. She also supports Indigenous entrepreneurs, and offers CCIB members a complimentary strategy session.
- What is the Concept-to-Reality Pathway?
- The Concept-to-Reality Pathway is Cydney Mar's six-stage path from idea to a product on the shelf: Product Clarity, Right Prototypes, The Right Suppliers, Cost and Margins, Production-Ready, and Launch and Scale. Each stage is meant to move a founder closer to market while cutting costly guesswork, such as sampling before the product is defined or choosing suppliers without vetting them.
- Should I hire a product development consultant or a consulting firm?
- Product development consulting firms usually bring a larger team and broader in-house services, while an individual product development consultant offers direct attention from one experienced person. If you want the person with the experience to guide your product personally, an individual consultant like Cydney Mar fits. If you need a large in-house design and engineering team, a firm may suit you better.
- How much does a product development consultant cost?
- Product development consultant fees vary widely by scope, from single advisory sessions to multi-month programs, and Cydney Mar does not publish her prices. The way to get a real figure is to describe your product and stage on a call through her contact page. Indigenous entrepreneurs who are CCIB members can book a complimentary 60 minute Concept-to-Reality Strategy Session.
- How do I get started with Cydney Mar?
- The simplest first step is the contact page on cydneymar.com, where you can book a call, send an email or phone. She also offers a free From Idea to Income workbook that helps you score your idea and map your path to launch. Have a short description of your product, your buyer and your current stage ready before you reach out.
Want an experienced guide for your product?
Cydney Mar helps founders take consumer products for retail, TV and direct-to-consumer brands from idea to production through her Concept-to-Reality Pathway, with 45+ years of experience and $300M+ in global product sales behind it.