# Ep. 39 - Starting a Hardware Company

- Show: [Open Hardware Manufacturing Podcast](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/open-hardware-manufacturing-podcast)
- Published: 2025-05-15
- Length: 1h 21m
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/open-hardware-manufacturing-podcast/2025-05-15-ep-39-starting-a-hardware-company
- Listen: https://opulo.io

## Summary

Stephen Hawes and Lucian Chapa, founders of Opulo, discuss the realities of starting a hardware company, emphasizing the necessity of accepting failure and overcoming imposter syndrome. They share personal anecdotes about failed projects, such as a 3D scanner and wedding cake toppers, to illustrate that iteration is key. The hosts also detail their strategy for building traction through authentic social media content, specifically YouTube, and the importance of validating product-market fit by engaging directly with early users.

## Chapters

- [0:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/open-hardware-manufacturing-podcast/2025-05-15-ep-39-starting-a-hardware-company#t=0) Introduction: Stephen Hawes and Lucian Chapa on Starting a Hardware Company
- [1:26](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/open-hardware-manufacturing-podcast/2025-05-15-ep-39-starting-a-hardware-company#t=86) Embracing Failure and the Survivorship Bias of Success
- [8:50](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/open-hardware-manufacturing-podcast/2025-05-15-ep-39-starting-a-hardware-company#t=530) Overcoming Imposter Syndrome and Comparison
- [14:23](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/open-hardware-manufacturing-podcast/2025-05-15-ep-39-starting-a-hardware-company#t=863) Defining Motivation and Reward Structures
- [21:04](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/open-hardware-manufacturing-podcast/2025-05-15-ep-39-starting-a-hardware-company#t=1264) Building Traction Through Authentic Social Media
- [34:40](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/open-hardware-manufacturing-podcast/2025-05-15-ep-39-starting-a-hardware-company#t=2080) Execution: Ideas vs. Product-Market Fit
- [46:29](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/open-hardware-manufacturing-podcast/2025-05-15-ep-39-starting-a-hardware-company#t=2789) The Reality of Type 2 Fun and The Dip
- [55:55](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/open-hardware-manufacturing-podcast/2025-05-15-ep-39-starting-a-hardware-company#t=3355) Scaling Stress and Work-Life Balance
- [59:58](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/open-hardware-manufacturing-podcast/2025-05-15-ep-39-starting-a-hardware-company#t=3598) Staying Flexible and Listening to Customers

## Topics

- [Starting a product company](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/starting-a-company)
- [Validation & product-market fit](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/validation-and-product-market-fit)
- [Marketing & brand](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/marketing-and-brand)
- [Founder wellbeing](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/founder-wellbeing)
- [Leadership, teams & culture](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/leadership-and-culture)

## Most relevant to

early-stage companies

## Mentioned

- Opulo (company)
- Lumen (product)
- Formlabs (company)
- Glow Forge (company)
- Slack (product)
- Stack Overflow (company)
- Joel on Software (other)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [176: How Hardware Founders Should Represent Their Product](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2023-05-18-176-how-hardware-founders-should-represent-their-product) (Product Startup)
- [Introducing: It's only a Prototype Podcast](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/its-only-a-prototype/2025-04-09-introducing-its-only-a-prototype-podcast) (It's Only a Prototype)
- [Live From HIBT Summit: Payal Kadakia, Tristan Walker, and Perry Chen on Innovation](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2021-07-22-live-from-hibt-summit-payal-kadakia-tristan-walker-and-perry-chen-on-innovation) (How I Built This)
- [How to Validate the Market for Your New Product with Ivo Kalburdzhiev of CreatorClub](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/predictable-designs-podcast/2022-04-14-how-to-validate-the-market-for-your-new-product-with-ivo-kalburdzhiev-of-creator) (Predictable Designs Podcast)
- [Hardware Development with No Prior Experience with Kris Christopher of Grow Nanny](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/predictable-designs-podcast/2020-01-07-hardware-development-with-no-prior-experience-with-kris-christopher-of-grow-nann) (Predictable Designs Podcast)

## Citing this page

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