# S6E29 Joshua Tarbutton | Lessons From the Military Applied to Engineering

- Show: [Being an Engineer](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer)
- Published: 2025-07-18
- Length: 50m
- Episode: 29
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2025-07-18-s6e29-joshua-tarbutton-lessons-from-the-military-applied-to-engineering

## Summary

Joshua Tarbutton, founder of Bravo Team, discusses applying military leadership principles to build a product development firm that restores dignity and psychological safety for engineers. He details the company's rapid scaling from a solo consultancy to a 50-person firm, highlighting the critical role of a major partnership with Siemens and the challenges of managing cash flow during the COVID-19 pandemic. Tarbutton also shares how the company pivoted to manufacturing face shields during the crisis and emphasizes the importance of core hours and vulnerability in fostering an innovative engineering culture.

## Chapters

- [0:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2025-07-18-s6e29-joshua-tarbutton-lessons-from-the-military-applied-to-engineering#t=0) Introduction: Joshua Tarbutton and Bravo Team
- [2:50](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2025-07-18-s6e29-joshua-tarbutton-lessons-from-the-military-applied-to-engineering#t=170) Military Influence on Leadership and Culture
- [5:24](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2025-07-18-s6e29-joshua-tarbutton-lessons-from-the-military-applied-to-engineering#t=324) Founding Bravo Team and Early Survival
- [11:48](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2025-07-18-s6e29-joshua-tarbutton-lessons-from-the-military-applied-to-engineering#t=708) Restoring Dignity and Psychological Safety for Engineers
- [26:50](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2025-07-18-s6e29-joshua-tarbutton-lessons-from-the-military-applied-to-engineering#t=1610) Scaling Challenges and Key Customer Partnerships
- [36:31](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2025-07-18-s6e29-joshua-tarbutton-lessons-from-the-military-applied-to-engineering#t=2191) COVID-19 Pivot: Face Shields and Cash Flow Crisis
- [42:32](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2025-07-18-s6e29-joshua-tarbutton-lessons-from-the-military-applied-to-engineering#t=2552) Stress Management and Company Structure

## Topics

- [Leadership, teams & culture](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/leadership-and-culture)
- [Scaling production](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/scaling-production)
- [Pricing, margins & unit economics](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/pricing-and-unit-economics)
- [Founder wellbeing](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/founder-wellbeing)
- [Starting a product company](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/starting-a-company)

## Most relevant to

companies scaling up

## Mentioned

- Bravo Team (company)
- Siemens (company)
- Stanley Black & Decker (company)
- ANSYS (tool)
- Simutech Group (company)
- Pipeline Design & Engineering (company)
- Entrepreneurs Organization (company)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [Creating Manufacturing Environments Where Engineers Can Thrive w/ Josh Tarbutton](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-manufacturing-executive/2025-12-02-creating-manufacturing-environments-where-engineers-can-thrive-w-josh-tarbutton) (The Manufacturing Executive)
- [How I Built Resilience: Live with Stewart Butterfield and Steve Holmes](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2020-05-09-how-i-built-resilience-live-with-stewart-butterfield-and-steve-holmes) (How I Built This)
- [On-Demand Labor, Operations, and Finding a Co-Founder with Veryable CEO Mike Kinder](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/manufacturing-happy-hour/2021-09-21-on-demand-labor-operations-and-finding-a-co-founder-with-veryable-ceo-mike-kinde) (Manufacturing Happy Hour)
- [386: Not Managing Robots](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2021-09-02-386-not-managing-robots) (Embedded.fm)
- [How I Built Resilience: Live with Alli Webb and Andy Puddicombe & Rich Pierson](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2020-05-30-how-i-built-resilience-live-with-alli-webb-and-andy-puddicombe-rich-pierson) (How I Built This)

## Citing this page

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