# An Interview with the SparkFun Team - Efficacious Engineering Ensemble

- Show: [The Amp Hour](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour)
- Published: 2013-08-07
- Length: 1h 30m
- Episode: 157
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2013-08-07-an-interview-with-the-sparkfun-team-efficacious-engineering-ensemble
- Listen: https://theamphour.com/the-amp-hour-157-efficacious-engineering-ensemble/

## Summary

The SparkFun Engineering Team, including Mike Hord, Jim Lindblom, Chris Taylor, Mike Gruson, Pierce Melcher, and Tony Kloppenstein, discusses their open hardware philosophy, company culture, and product development processes. They detail their transition from tech support to engineering roles, the management of a large product catalog, and their aggressive open-source stance against counterfeiters. The team also covers their educational outreach, including a national teaching tour, and specific engineering challenges like dealing with counterfeit ATmega chips and managing in-house PCB assembly.

## Chapters

- [0:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2013-08-07-an-interview-with-the-sparkfun-team-efficacious-engineering-ensemble#t=0) Introduction: SparkFun Engineering Team
- [3:14](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2013-08-07-an-interview-with-the-sparkfun-team-efficacious-engineering-ensemble#t=194) Company Culture and Diversity
- [4:28](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2013-08-07-an-interview-with-the-sparkfun-team-efficacious-engineering-ensemble#t=268) Tech Support and Product Catalog Management
- [9:06](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2013-08-07-an-interview-with-the-sparkfun-team-efficacious-engineering-ensemble#t=546) Documentation and Tutorial Development
- [13:20](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2013-08-07-an-interview-with-the-sparkfun-team-efficacious-engineering-ensemble#t=800) Education Department and National Tour
- [18:57](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2013-08-07-an-interview-with-the-sparkfun-team-efficacious-engineering-ensemble#t=1137) Workplace Culture and Values
- [27:31](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2013-08-07-an-interview-with-the-sparkfun-team-efficacious-engineering-ensemble#t=1651) Product Design and Innovation
- [32:13](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2013-08-07-an-interview-with-the-sparkfun-team-efficacious-engineering-ensemble#t=1933) In-House Manufacturing and Tools
- [40:30](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2013-08-07-an-interview-with-the-sparkfun-team-efficacious-engineering-ensemble#t=2430) Quality Assurance and GitHub Integration
- [44:22](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2013-08-07-an-interview-with-the-sparkfun-team-efficacious-engineering-ensemble#t=2662) Open Source Philosophy and Counterfeits
- [53:20](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2013-08-07-an-interview-with-the-sparkfun-team-efficacious-engineering-ensemble#t=3200) Selling Third-Party Products
- [1:02:19](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2013-08-07-an-interview-with-the-sparkfun-team-efficacious-engineering-ensemble#t=3739) Supply Chain and Counterfeit Parts
- [1:07:31](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2013-08-07-an-interview-with-the-sparkfun-team-efficacious-engineering-ensemble#t=4051) New Facility and Logistics
- [1:15:51](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2013-08-07-an-interview-with-the-sparkfun-team-efficacious-engineering-ensemble#t=4551) Community Support and Education Grants
- [1:21:02](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2013-08-07-an-interview-with-the-sparkfun-team-efficacious-engineering-ensemble#t=4862) Antimov Competition and Future Events

## Topics

- [Open-source hardware](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/open-source-hardware)
- [Leadership, teams & culture](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/leadership-and-culture)
- [Manufacturing partners & offshoring](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/manufacturing-partners)
- [Design for manufacturing & NPI](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/design-for-manufacturing)
- [Careers & education](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/engineering-careers-and-education)
- [Sourcing & supply chain](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/sourcing-and-supply-chain)

## Most relevant to

early-stage companies

## Mentioned

- SparkFun (company)
- ATmega328p (chip)
- Arduino (product)
- GitHub (tool)
- Eagle (tool)
- Makey Makey (product)
- Papilio (product)
- Mojo (product)
- Leap Motion (product)
- Oculus Rift (product)
- Google Glass (product)
- Radio Shack (company)
- Micro Center (company)
- EEV Blog (company)
- Chris Gammell's Analog Life (company)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [176: Let's Go Light It Up](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2016-11-16-176-lets-go-light-it-up) (Embedded.fm)
- [293: Skateboard Tricks (Repeat)](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2021-12-23-293-skateboard-tricks-repeat) (Embedded.fm)
- [293: Skateboard Tricks](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2019-06-27-293-skateboard-tricks) (Embedded.fm)
- [3: Plenty of Candy, No Guns](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2013-05-29-3-plenty-of-candy-no-guns) (Embedded.fm)
- [The Spark Gap - Episode 15](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-spark-gap/2014-09-24-the-spark-gap-episode-15) (The Spark Gap)

## Citing this page

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