# 338: Working With People Is Terrible

- Show: [Embedded.fm](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm)
- Published: 2020-07-24
- Length: 1h 26m
- Episode: 338
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2020-07-24-338-working-with-people-is-terrible
- Listen: https://makingembeddedsystems.libsyn.com/338-working-with-people-is-terrible

## Summary

Christopher White, an embedded software engineer and co-host of Embedded.fm, discusses his 25-year career spanning Cisco, the startup Procket, and medical device companies like Reliant Technologies and Sawtooth. He details his work on multicast routing, OSPF, and custom silicon routers, explaining how high-intensity startup culture led to burnout and a return to academia for a physics master's degree. White also reflects on his transition to consulting, his time at Fitbit, and the importance of finding a work arrangement that fits one's personal needs rather than following a standard corporate path.

## Chapters

- [0:06](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2020-07-24-338-working-with-people-is-terrible#t=6) Introduction and Personal History
- [6:02](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2020-07-24-338-working-with-people-is-terrible#t=362) Education at Harvey Mudd and Cisco Internship
- [18:44](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2020-07-24-338-working-with-people-is-terrible#t=1124) Career at Cisco and Multicast Routing
- [28:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2020-07-24-338-working-with-people-is-terrible#t=1680) Startup Life at Procket and OSPF Implementation
- [40:36](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2020-07-24-338-working-with-people-is-terrible#t=2436) Burnout, Physics Degree, and Reliant Technologies
- [58:40](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2020-07-24-338-working-with-people-is-terrible#t=3520) Medical Devices at Sawtooth and Consulting
- [1:11:02](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2020-07-24-338-working-with-people-is-terrible#t=4262) Fitbit, iOS Development, and Final Reflections

## Topics

- [Careers & education](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/engineering-careers-and-education)
- [Embedded firmware](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/embedded-firmware)
- [Founder wellbeing](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/founder-wellbeing)
- [Microcontrollers & dev platforms](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/microcontrollers-and-platforms)

## Most relevant to

large enterprises, early-stage companies, companies scaling up, makers and hobbyists

## Mentioned

- Cisco Systems (company)
- Procket (company)
- Reliant Technologies (company)
- Sawtooth (company)
- Fitbit (company)
- Harvey Mudd College (other)
- San Jose State University (other)
- OSPF (other)
- LISP (other)
- 12ax7 (other)

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- [Gotta Update My Dog](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2016-04-29-gotta-update-my-dog) (The Amp Hour)
- [Solutions Software Engineering with Matthew Sanabria](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/oxide-and-friends/2025-05-07-solutions-software-engineering-with-matthew-sanabria) (Oxide and Friends)
- [An(other) Interview with Jon Oxer](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2017-06-26-an-other-interview-with-jon-oxer) (The Amp Hour)
- [Engineering Careers with Circuit Break & James Lewis](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2024-06-14-engineering-careers-with-circuit-break-james-lewis) (The Amp Hour)
- [An Interview with Elecia White - Wirewove Worshipping Wookieist?](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2014-03-05-an-interview-with-elecia-white-wirewove-worshipping-wookieist) (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/2020-07-24-338-working-with-people-is-terrible. 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.