(I know this post is somewhat general, so I apologize in advance.)
Can any of you that are experienced in electronics manufacturing give me some insight as to what major roadblocks (in the form of U.S. laws) exist in going from an idea in one's head to actually selling a product? Is UL/FCC/other testing mandatory before you're legally able to sell your device, or is it something that is done to improve the marketability?
I'm really quite ignorant when it comes to this. If some of you have been through this process before, if you can give me ideas regarding this or any other "gotchas" to look out for, it'd be really helpful.