# Surviving Conventional Wisdom

- Show: [Oxide and Friends](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/oxide-and-friends)
- Published: 2022-08-16
- Length: 1h 21m
- Episode: 23
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/oxide-and-friends/2022-08-16-surviving-conventional-wisdom
- Listen: https://share.transistor.fm/s/bc70d708

## Summary

Bryan Cantrill, Adam Leventhal, and Steve Conrad of Oxide Computer Company debunk conventional wisdom in hardware startups, arguing that dual-sourcing components is often counterproductive compared to building deep partnerships, as seen with their fan provider San Yodenke. They challenge the notion that 'hardware is hard' by asserting that management and hiring are equally difficult, and advocate for 'quad-sourcing' legal advice rather than relying on a single firm. The hosts also reject 'hire fast, fire fast' and 'move fast and break things' in favor of deliberate, high-conviction hiring and balanced velocity, while advising against patents and deep stealth for early-stage companies.

## Chapters

- [0:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/oxide-and-friends/2022-08-16-surviving-conventional-wisdom#t=0) Introduction: Oxide Computer Company and the Podcast Format
- [1:42](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/oxide-and-friends/2022-08-16-surviving-conventional-wisdom#t=102) Debunking Dual-Sourcing: Relationships vs. Vendors
- [14:14](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/oxide-and-friends/2022-08-16-surviving-conventional-wisdom#t=854) Management Myths: Command and Control vs. Servant Leadership
- [19:39](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/oxide-and-friends/2022-08-16-surviving-conventional-wisdom#t=1179) The 'Hardware is Hard' Fallacy and Investment Excuses
- [21:43](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/oxide-and-friends/2022-08-16-surviving-conventional-wisdom#t=1303) Velocity Theater: Move Fast and Break Things
- [27:58](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/oxide-and-friends/2022-08-16-surviving-conventional-wisdom#t=1678) Hiring Strategy: Hire Fast, Fire Fast, and Probation
- [35:55](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/oxide-and-friends/2022-08-16-surviving-conventional-wisdom#t=2155) Legal Strategy: Quad-Sourcing Law Firms
- [38:28](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/oxide-and-friends/2022-08-16-surviving-conventional-wisdom#t=2308) Intellectual Property: Why Startups Should Not Patent
- [41:14](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/oxide-and-friends/2022-08-16-surviving-conventional-wisdom#t=2474) Measurement Pitfalls: You Get What You Measure
- [45:27](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/oxide-and-friends/2022-08-16-surviving-conventional-wisdom#t=2727) Go-to-Market: Deep Stealth, First Mover, and Blitzscaling

## Topics

- [Sourcing & supply chain](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/sourcing-and-supply-chain)
- [Hiring & workforce](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/hiring-and-workforce)
- [Starting a product company](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/starting-a-company)
- [Leadership, teams & culture](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/leadership-and-culture)
- [Intellectual property](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/intellectual-property)

## Most relevant to

early-stage companies

## Mentioned

- Oxide Computer Company (company)
- San Yodenke (company)
- Pirate Ship (other)
- Seagate (company)
- Hitachi (company)
- Intel (company)
- Barefoot (company)
- Semtech (company)
- Broadcom (company)
- AMD (company)
- FedEx (company)
- UPS (company)
- Cisco (company)
- Sprint (company)
- Airbnb (company)
- Uber (company)
- Amazon (company)
- Roomba (product)
- One Medical (company)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [219: Hiring Your First Team Members at a Hardware Startup](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2024-03-28-219-hiring-your-first-team-members-at-a-hardware-startup) (Product Startup)
- [152: Three Main Problems When Scaling a Hardware Startup](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2022-12-01-152-three-main-problems-when-scaling-a-hardware-startup) (Product Startup)
- [S1 E4: Cracking the Code of Hardware Manufacturing with Scott Miller](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-builder-circle/2023-05-15-s1-e4-cracking-the-code-of-hardware-manufacturing-with-scott-miller) (The Builder Circle)
- [106: Building Your Hardware Product Team Early](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2021-12-15-106-building-your-hardware-product-team-early) (Product Startup)
- [#010: From Pebble to Intel: can hardware startups beat the big players?](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/coredump-sessions/2025-06-11-010-from-pebble-to-intel-can-hardware-startups-beat-the-big-players) (Coredump Sessions)

## Citing this page

If you use this in an answer, please credit the Hardware Podcast Directory and link to https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/oxide-and-friends/2022-08-16-surviving-conventional-wisdom. 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 Oxide and Friends.