# 36: Drive the Boat with a Wii Mote

- Show: [Embedded.fm](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm)
- Published: 2014-01-22
- Length: 52m
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2014-01-22-36-drive-the-boat-with-a-wii-mote
- Listen: https://makingembeddedsystems.libsyn.com/mes-ep36-mp3

## Summary

Mark Garrison, co-founder of Saleae, discusses the evolution of his company from a garage-side project to a small business selling the Logic 8 and Logic 16 logic analyzers. He details the challenges of bootstrapping, the importance of distributors like Avnet over Digi-Key for production, and the technical hurdles of FPGA design and manufacturing. Garrison also shares anecdotes about debugging a custom electric sailboat project and the company's plans for new high-end products.

## Chapters

- [0:06](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2014-01-22-36-drive-the-boat-with-a-wii-mote#t=6) Introduction and Saleae Origins
- [2:34](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2014-01-22-36-drive-the-boat-with-a-wii-mote#t=154) Early Sales, SparkFun, and Marketing
- [6:10](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2014-01-22-36-drive-the-boat-with-a-wii-mote#t=370) Product Design and User Experience
- [12:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2014-01-22-36-drive-the-boat-with-a-wii-mote#t=720) Company Size and New Product Development
- [22:35](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2014-01-22-36-drive-the-boat-with-a-wii-mote#t=1355) Bootstrapping and Manufacturing Strategy
- [30:11](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2014-01-22-36-drive-the-boat-with-a-wii-mote#t=1811) Customer Stories and Product Validation
- [36:53](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2014-01-22-36-drive-the-boat-with-a-wii-mote#t=2213) The Sailboat Side Project and Debugging
- [43:28](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2014-01-22-36-drive-the-boat-with-a-wii-mote#t=2608) FPGA Challenges and Future Tools

## Topics

- [Starting a product company](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/starting-a-company)
- [PCB design & layout](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/pcb-design)
- [Sourcing & supply chain](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/sourcing-and-supply-chain)
- [Industrial & consumer product design](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/industrial-design)
- [Debugging & failure analysis](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/debugging-and-failure-analysis)
- [Validation & product-market fit](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/validation-and-product-market-fit)

## Most relevant to

early-stage companies

## Mentioned

- Saleae (company)
- Logic 8 (product)
- Logic 16 (product)
- SparkFun (company)
- Avnet (company)
- Digi-Key (company)
- Mooshimeter (product)
- Fluke (company)
- SpaceX (company)
- Pebble (company)
- Fitbit (company)
- Valve (company)
- Oculus Rift (product)
- Arduino (product)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [An Interview with Joe and Mark Garrison - Subtly Spelling SayLeeAy](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2015-02-19-an-interview-with-joe-and-mark-garrison-subtly-spelling-sayleeay) (The Amp Hour)
- [Younker Youtube Yarling](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2011-12-20-younker-youtube-yarling) (The Amp Hour)
- [Year End, 2017](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2017-12-18-year-end-2017) (The Amp Hour)
- [Otiose Ontocyclic Opiniasters](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2012-01-30-otiose-ontocyclic-opiniasters) (The Amp Hour)
- [What's In A Name?](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2010-08-07-whats-in-a-name) (The Amp Hour)

## Citing this page

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