# 40: Mwahaha Session

- Show: [Embedded.fm](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm)
- Published: 2014-02-26
- Length: 56m
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2014-02-26-40-mwahaha-session
- Listen: https://makingembeddedsystems.libsyn.com/mes-ep40mp3

## Summary

Lenore Edman, co-founder of Evil Mad Scientist Laboratories (EMSL), discusses her company's journey from a hobbyist blog to a bootstrapped business selling electronic kits for art and education. She details specific products like the LED Menorah, Watercolor Bot, and Bristlebot, explaining how they lower barriers to entry for electronics through solderless options and engaging designs. Edman emphasizes the importance of the maker community, particularly Maker Faire, and their strategy of serving educators and artists with low-cost, shield-compatible hardware like the Diavolino.

## Chapters

- [0:06](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2014-02-26-40-mwahaha-session#t=6) Introduction: Lenore Edman and Evil Mad Scientist Laboratories
- [1:30](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2014-02-26-40-mwahaha-session#t=90) From Blog to Maker Faire: The Interactive LED Table
- [7:38](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2014-02-26-40-mwahaha-session#t=458) Bootstrapping and Business Model: Kits vs. Blog
- [11:49](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2014-02-26-40-mwahaha-session#t=709) The Watercolor Bot: Hardware, Software, and Sylvia
- [19:22](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2014-02-26-40-mwahaha-session#t=1162) Eggbot and Discrete Components: Artistic Applications
- [29:50](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2014-02-26-40-mwahaha-session#t=1790) LED Menorah and Solderless Kits: Design Decisions
- [35:01](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2014-02-26-40-mwahaha-session#t=2101) Snap-O-Lantern and Breakout Boards
- [38:06](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2014-02-26-40-mwahaha-session#t=2286) Bristlebot and Throwies: Introduction to Circuits
- [43:45](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2014-02-26-40-mwahaha-session#t=2625) Business Philosophy: Bootstrapping and Community
- [48:28](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2014-02-26-40-mwahaha-session#t=2908) Competing with Adafruit and SparkFun: Education Focus

## Topics

- [Starting a product company](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/starting-a-company)
- [Industrial & consumer product design](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/industrial-design)
- [Microcontrollers & dev platforms](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/microcontrollers-and-platforms)
- [Maker community & events](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/maker-community)
- [Materials & manufacturing processes](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/materials-and-processes)
- [Validation & product-market fit](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/validation-and-product-market-fit)

## Most relevant to

early-stage companies

## Mentioned

- Evil Mad Scientist Laboratories (company)
- LED Menorah kit (product)
- ATtiny2313 (chip)
- Watercolor Bot (product)
- Bristlebot (product)
- Eggbot (product)
- Diavolino (product)
- Maker Faire (other)
- Adafruit (company)
- SparkFun (company)
- Snap-O-Lantern (product)
- Meggie Jr. (product)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [S2E51 The Hardware Academy | John Teel](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2021-12-03-s2e51-the-hardware-academy-john-teel) (Being an Engineer)
- [Episode 168: 222](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/making-it/2018-05-30-episode-168-222) (Making It)
- [Open Circuits with Eric Schlaepfer and Windell Oskay](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2022-11-14-open-circuits-with-eric-schlaepfer-and-windell-oskay) (The Amp Hour)
- [An Interview with Adam Wolf - Brick & Board Biuners](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2013-10-16-an-interview-with-adam-wolf-brick-board-biuners) (The Amp Hour)
- [An Interview with Marcus Schappi - Kit Ketch Kenophobia](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2014-03-19-an-interview-with-marcus-schappi-kit-ketch-kenophobia) (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/embedded-fm/2014-02-26-40-mwahaha-session. 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 Embedded.fm.