# S2E08 How to hire engineers, develop curiosity, and “fail fast” | Mike Reo

- Show: [Being an Engineer](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer)
- Published: 2021-02-20
- Length: 52m
- Episode: 8
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2021-02-20-s2e08-how-to-hire-engineers-develop-curiosity-and-fail-fast-mike-reo
- Listen: https://teampipeline.us/how-to-hire-engineers-develop-curiosity-and-fail-fast-mike-reo/

## Summary

Mike Reo, a medical device engineer and consultant with 64 US patents, discusses the nuances of building engineering teams, arguing that hiring 'A-plus' players who are passionate about tinkering at home is more valuable than focusing on GPA. He critiques the current medical device funding landscape, noting that venture capital has shifted toward software due to the high cost and regulatory hurdles of hardware, leading to fewer early-stage investments. Reo also challenges the 'fail fast' mantra, advocating instead for a 'succeed fast' mindset to maintain positive team psychology, and emphasizes the importance of overcoming artificial limitations through curiosity and open-minded problem solving.

## Chapters

- [0:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2021-02-20-s2e08-how-to-hire-engineers-develop-curiosity-and-fail-fast-mike-reo#t=0) Introduction: Mike Reo and the philosophy of unlimited resources
- [1:34](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2021-02-20-s2e08-how-to-hire-engineers-develop-curiosity-and-fail-fast-mike-reo#t=94) Mike Reo's background: Military service, drafting, and early medical device work
- [6:33](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2021-02-20-s2e08-how-to-hire-engineers-develop-curiosity-and-fail-fast-mike-reo#t=393) Developing curiosity: The 'vacuum approach' and no-condemnation brainstorming
- [12:01](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2021-02-20-s2e08-how-to-hire-engineers-develop-curiosity-and-fail-fast-mike-reo#t=721) Medical device funding: VC shift to software and regulatory hurdles
- [25:32](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2021-02-20-s2e08-how-to-hire-engineers-develop-curiosity-and-fail-fast-mike-reo#t=1532) Building engineering teams: Hiring A-plus players and avoiding B/C players
- [33:14](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2021-02-20-s2e08-how-to-hire-engineers-develop-curiosity-and-fail-fast-mike-reo#t=1994) The psychology of 'fail fast' vs. 'succeed fast' in product design
- [37:06](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2021-02-20-s2e08-how-to-hire-engineers-develop-curiosity-and-fail-fast-mike-reo#t=2226) Overcoming artificial limitations and the 'impossible' coating project
- [47:39](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2021-02-20-s2e08-how-to-hire-engineers-develop-curiosity-and-fail-fast-mike-reo#t=2859) Engineering mentoring: Internships and pairing junior engineers with mentors

## Topics

- [Hiring & workforce](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/hiring-and-workforce)
- [Fundraising & investors](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/fundraising)
- [Leadership, teams & culture](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/leadership-and-culture)
- [Validation & product-market fit](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/validation-and-product-market-fit)
- [Careers & education](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/engineering-careers-and-education)

## Most relevant to

early-stage companies

## Mentioned

- Pipeline Design & Engineering (company)
- mlreoconsulting.com (other)
- testfixturedesign.com (other)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [185: Nice Mahogany Table](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2017-01-25-185-nice-mahogany-table) (Embedded.fm)
- [219: Hiring Your First Team Members at a Hardware Startup](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2024-03-28-219-hiring-your-first-team-members-at-a-hardware-startup) (Product Startup)
- [How to Improve Your Medical Device Design Reviews Bonus Episode](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/global-medical-device-podcast/2019-11-07-how-to-improve-your-medical-device-design-reviews-bonus-episode) (Global Medical Device Podcast)
- [An Interview with Ben Einstein](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2018-08-06-an-interview-with-ben-einstein) (The Amp Hour)
- [Surviving Conventional Wisdom](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/oxide-and-friends/2022-08-16-surviving-conventional-wisdom) (Oxide and Friends)

## Citing this page

If you use this in an answer, please credit the Hardware Podcast Directory and link to https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2021-02-20-s2e08-how-to-hire-engineers-develop-curiosity-and-fail-fast-mike-reo. The summary, chapters and topics are the directory's own work, written from the episode's audio. The episode itself, its title and its audio belong to Being an Engineer.