# Sam Holland (Co-Founder, Informal)

- Show: [Just Gonna Send It](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/just-gonna-send-it)
- Published: 2026-04-15
- Length: 50m
- Episode: 14
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/just-gonna-send-it/2026-04-15-sam-holland-co-founder-informal

## Summary

Sam Holland, co-founder of Informal, explains how his company connects hardware founders with a network of over 500 contractors to navigate the gap between prototype and production. He details his career trajectory from MakerBot to Mevo, highlighting the critical importance of hands-on experience, prototyping with tools like 3D printers, and the cultural differences in manufacturing between the US and China. Holland emphasizes that successful product development requires balancing speed with rigorous testing, using specific examples like a burrito holder and a toilet camera to illustrate the complexities of industrial design and engineering.

## Chapters

- [0:40](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/just-gonna-send-it/2026-04-15-sam-holland-co-founder-informal#t=40) Introduction: Sam Holland and Informal
- [5:43](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/just-gonna-send-it/2026-04-15-sam-holland-co-founder-informal#t=343) Career History: MakerBot and Mevo
- [12:22](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/just-gonna-send-it/2026-04-15-sam-holland-co-founder-informal#t=742) Getting Hired: Portfolio over GPA
- [22:06](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/just-gonna-send-it/2026-04-15-sam-holland-co-founder-informal#t=1326) Manufacturing: China vs. US Proximity
- [36:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/just-gonna-send-it/2026-04-15-sam-holland-co-founder-informal#t=2160) Weird Projects: Burrito and Donut Holders
- [40:15](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/just-gonna-send-it/2026-04-15-sam-holland-co-founder-informal#t=2415) Complex Products: Throne Toilet Camera
- [43:18](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/just-gonna-send-it/2026-04-15-sam-holland-co-founder-informal#t=2598) Advice for Aspiring Hardware Engineers

## Topics

- [Prototyping & iteration](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/prototyping)
- [Manufacturing partners & offshoring](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/manufacturing-partners)
- [Industrial & consumer product design](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/industrial-design)
- [Scaling production](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/scaling-production)
- [Careers & education](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/engineering-careers-and-education)
- [Materials & manufacturing processes](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/materials-and-processes)

## Most relevant to

companies scaling up

## Mentioned

- Informal (company)
- MakerBot (company)
- Mevo (product)
- Stratasys (company)
- Vimeo (company)
- Logitech (company)
- SendCutSend (company)
- Thomas Net (other)
- Alibaba (other)
- Throne (company)
- Donutholder.com (product)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [S6E39 Sam Holland | Informal Engineering Collective, the Hardware Handbook, & Donut Hole-Der](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2025-09-26-s6e39-sam-holland-informal-engineering-collective-the-hardware-handbook-donut-ho) (Being an Engineer)
- [Samuel Feller | Product & Project management, Kickstarter, & DIY Product Launch](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2022-10-28-samuel-feller-product-project-management-kickstarter-diy-product-launch) (Being an Engineer)
- [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)
- [An Interview with Joe Grand - Pancyclopaedic Prototyping Polymath](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2011-09-13-an-interview-with-joe-grand-pancyclopaedic-prototyping-polymath) (The Amp Hour)
- [Concept to Market in One Year with Allen Walton of SpyGuy.com [Part 2]](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/predictable-designs-podcast/2020-02-18-concept-to-market-in-one-year-with-allen-walton-of-spyguy-com-part-2) (Predictable Designs Podcast)

## Citing this page

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