# S6E39 Sam Holland | Informal Engineering Collective, the Hardware Handbook, & Donut Hole-Der

- Show: [Being an Engineer](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer)
- Published: 2025-09-26
- Length: 55m
- Episode: 39
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2025-09-26-s6e39-sam-holland-informal-engineering-collective-the-hardware-handbook-donut-ho

## Summary

Sam Holland, co-founder of Informal.cc, explains how his freelance collective connects startups with a network of 450 contractors to handle hardware design, manufacturing, and go-to-market strategy. He details the creation of the Informal Hardware Handbook to educate first-time founders and discusses his passion project, the Donut Hole-Der, which serves as a marketing Trojan horse to engage Dunkin' and teach engineering processes. Holland also advocates for Onshape as his preferred CAD tool due to its cloud-based collaboration and low hardware requirements, while sharing strategies for accelerating product development through lean teams and parallel workflows.

## Chapters

- [0:14](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2025-09-26-s6e39-sam-holland-informal-engineering-collective-the-hardware-handbook-donut-ho#t=14) Introduction: Sam Holland and Informal.cc
- [1:16](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2025-09-26-s6e39-sam-holland-informal-engineering-collective-the-hardware-handbook-donut-ho#t=76) Sam's Engineering Origins and Early Career
- [7:26](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2025-09-26-s6e39-sam-holland-informal-engineering-collective-the-hardware-handbook-donut-ho#t=446) Building the Informal.cc Contractor Collective
- [19:41](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2025-09-26-s6e39-sam-holland-informal-engineering-collective-the-hardware-handbook-donut-ho#t=1181) The Informal Hardware Handbook and Education
- [29:34](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2025-09-26-s6e39-sam-holland-informal-engineering-collective-the-hardware-handbook-donut-ho#t=1774) Why Onshape is the Preferred CAD Tool
- [35:43](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2025-09-26-s6e39-sam-holland-informal-engineering-collective-the-hardware-handbook-donut-ho#t=2143) Strategies for Low-Cost and Fast Engineering
- [41:21](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2025-09-26-s6e39-sam-holland-informal-engineering-collective-the-hardware-handbook-donut-ho#t=2481) The Donut Hole-Der and Marketing Strategy
- [50:29](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2025-09-26-s6e39-sam-holland-informal-engineering-collective-the-hardware-handbook-donut-ho#t=3029) Staying Inspired and Automation Tools

## Topics

- [Starting a product company](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/starting-a-company)
- [Industrial & consumer product design](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/industrial-design)
- [EDA & CAD tools](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/eda-and-cad-tools)
- [Scaling production](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/scaling-production)
- [Marketing & brand](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/marketing-and-brand)

## Most relevant to

early-stage companies

## Mentioned

- Informal.cc (company)
- MakerBot (company)
- Vimeo (company)
- Onshape (tool)
- SolidWorks (tool)
- Fusion (tool)
- NX (tool)
- Pro E (tool)
- Zapier (tool)
- Make.com (tool)
- Airtable (tool)
- Slack (tool)
- QuickBooks (tool)
- Gusto (tool)
- Dunkin' (company)
- Burrito Pop (product)
- Donut Hole-Der (product)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [Sam Holland (Co-Founder, Informal)](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/just-gonna-send-it/2026-04-15-sam-holland-co-founder-informal) (Just Gonna Send It)
- [VC-Backed Hardware Design Collaboration is the (All) Spice of Life](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/moores-lobby/2023-05-30-vc-backed-hardware-design-collaboration-is-the-all-spice-of-life) (Moore's Lobby)
- [163: 2023 Trends in Product Development for Hardware Products](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2023-02-16-163-2023-trends-in-product-development-for-hardware-products) (Product Startup)
- [180: Hardware Startup Tips for Non-Technical Founders](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2023-06-15-180-hardware-startup-tips-for-non-technical-founders) (Product Startup)
- [S3 E1: Mastering Tech Adoption and The Hardware Development Workflow with Jon Hirshtick](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-builder-circle/2025-09-30-s3-e1-mastering-tech-adoption-and-the-hardware-development-workflow-with-jon-hir) (The Builder Circle)

## 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/2025-09-26-s6e39-sam-holland-informal-engineering-collective-the-hardware-handbook-donut-ho. 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.