# S2E18 Side Hustles, Asking Dumb Questions, & Not Compromising Your Values | Nate Post

- Show: [Being an Engineer](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer)
- Published: 2021-04-16
- Length: 59m
- Episode: 18
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2021-04-16-s2e18-side-hustles-asking-dumb-questions-not-compromising-your-values-nate-post
- Listen: https://teampipeline.us/side-hustles-nate-post/

## Summary

Nate Post, a New Product Introduction Manager at Edwards Lifesciences, discusses his career in medical device manufacturing and his side business, Blue Collar Blades, where he handmakes artisanal cutlery. He explains how his non-engineering background allows him to ask 'dumb questions' that lead to innovative solutions, such as modifying high-voltage tanks and creating cleanroom enclosures for noisy equipment. Post also details the operational challenges of scaling his knife-making process from 25 hours to under 7 hours per unit and his commitment to maintaining personal values over corporate compliance in previous roles.

## Chapters

- [0:49](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2021-04-16-s2e18-side-hustles-asking-dumb-questions-not-compromising-your-values-nate-post#t=49) Introduction: Nate Post and Blue Collar Blades
- [2:11](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2021-04-16-s2e18-side-hustles-asking-dumb-questions-not-compromising-your-values-nate-post#t=131) Career Path: From Framing to Medical Devices
- [8:19](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2021-04-16-s2e18-side-hustles-asking-dumb-questions-not-compromising-your-values-nate-post#t=499) Innovation Through 'Dumb Questions' and Unconventional Thinking
- [14:08](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2021-04-16-s2e18-side-hustles-asking-dumb-questions-not-compromising-your-values-nate-post#t=848) Operator Perspective: Workstation Design and Ergonomics
- [21:40](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2021-04-16-s2e18-side-hustles-asking-dumb-questions-not-compromising-your-values-nate-post#t=1300) Volunteer Coaching: Utah Underwater Robotics Association
- [29:49](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2021-04-16-s2e18-side-hustles-asking-dumb-questions-not-compromising-your-values-nate-post#t=1789) Blue Collar Blades: Process, Materials, and Scaling Production
- [45:23](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2021-04-16-s2e18-side-hustles-asking-dumb-questions-not-compromising-your-values-nate-post#t=2723) Mentorship and Leadership: Fostering Independent Decision Making
- [49:24](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2021-04-16-s2e18-side-hustles-asking-dumb-questions-not-compromising-your-values-nate-post#t=2964) Compromising Values: A Lesson on Integrity and Employment

## Topics

- [Leadership, teams & culture](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/leadership-and-culture)
- [Design for manufacturing & NPI](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/design-for-manufacturing)
- [Prototyping & iteration](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/prototyping)
- [Starting a product company](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/starting-a-company)
- [Careers & education](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/engineering-careers-and-education)

## Most relevant to

early-stage companies, companies scaling up

## Mentioned

- Edwards Lifesciences (company)
- GE Healthcare (company)
- Blue Collar Blades (product)
- Utah Underwater Robotics Association (other)
- BYU (company)
- Harbor Freight (company)
- Pipeline Design & Engineering (company)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [Episode 263: Making as Therapy](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/making-it/2020-06-05-episode-263-making-as-therapy) (Making It)
- [Episode 190: Keeping it Fresh](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/making-it/2018-11-09-episode-190-keeping-it-fresh) (Making It)
- [25: Q&A](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/thoroughly-considered/2017-03-30-25-q-a) (Thoroughly Considered)
- [113: I Wasn’t Expecting Therapy Today](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/thoroughly-considered/2024-06-27-113-i-wasnt-expecting-therapy-today) (Thoroughly Considered)
- [Product Design with Simone Giertz](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2022-06-07-product-design-with-simone-giertz) (The Amp Hour)

## 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/2021-04-16-s2e18-side-hustles-asking-dumb-questions-not-compromising-your-values-nate-post. 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.