In this episode of the Open Hardware Manufacturing Podcast, Stephen and Lucy dive into the intricate process of deciding what to work on next. They explore the challenge of prioritizing tasks in a landscape where everything seems important, while sharing insights on how to navigate this complexity within the framework of a company's structure.

They emphasize the significance of customer feedback and interviews as a guiding compass. They also touch on the importance of understanding customer challenges rather than just their suggestions, and how this can lead to innovative solutions that may not have been initially considered.

Key topics include:

• The role of customer interviews and how they can shape product development
• How to discern between urgent and important tasks
• Strategies for gathering and utilizing community feedback
• The importance of having a clear mission to guide decision-making
• Balancing incremental improvements with larger overhauls
• Insights into the operational side of decision-making

Mentions in this episode:

• YouTube - Bill Hader quote - https://youtu.be/NHHZSNw9J2o?t=26
• Book - Death by Meeting - https://www.amazon.com/Death-Meeting-Leadership-Solving-Business/dp/0787968056
• Blog Post - The Three Machines by Brad Feld - https://feld.com/archives/2017/01/the-three-machines/
• Comic - XKCD Is It Worth the Time? - https://xkcd.com/1205/

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Join the conversation and share your thoughts at hardware.cafe.

Do you have any questions, comments, or topic suggestions? Email us at podcast@opulo.io. We'd love to hear from you!

To learn more about what we do, visit Opulo.io.

To see everything else we do, including social media, visit Opulo.start.page.

O.H.M. Podcast Merch is now here!

Intro song:

• Complicate Ya - Otis McDonald (Creative Commons Attribution License)

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of the Open Hardware Manufacturing Podcast, Stephen and Lucy talk about what it’s really like to advertise in the open hardware world. From running social media ads to trying out print campaigns, they share what worked, what didn’t, and what they learned along the way.

They touch on things like figuring out who your audience actually is, why selling machines like the Lumen pick and place takes patience, and how good messaging and customer feedback make all the difference. Instead of chasing quick wins, they dig into how brand awareness can matter more than immediate sales.

You’ll hear them cover:

• Marketing vs. advertising and why the difference matters
• How to understand what customers need (and how to show you can solve it)
• The tricky part of measuring ad results
• Social media, search ads, sponsorships, and where they fit
• Examples of ad campaigns that hit the mark, and ones that missed

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Join the conversation and share your thoughts at hardware.cafe.

Do you have any questions, comments, or topic suggestions? Email us at podcast@opulo.io. We'd love to hear from you!

To learn more about what we do, visit Opulo.io.

To see everything else we do, including social media, visit Opulo.start.page.

O.H.M. Podcast Merch is now here!

Intro song:

• Complicate Ya - Otis McDonald (Creative Commons Attribution License)

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of the Open Hardware Manufacturing Podcast, Stephen and Lucy talk about the role education plays in engineering and open hardware. They share their own experiences, what they gained from pursuing degrees, what they learned outside of school, and how both shaped their careers.

They get into the cost of formal education, the value of personal projects, and the lessons that only come from real-world work. Join them as they explore when a degree is necessary and when practical experience can be just as powerful.

You’ll hear:

• The ups and downs of earning an engineering degree
• How different educational paths influenced their careers
• Why side projects matter for learning and growth
• Ways to balance classroom learning with hands-on experience
• Thoughts on job hunting with or without a degree

---

Join the conversation and share your thoughts at hardware.cafe.

Do you have any questions, comments, or topic suggestions? Email us at podcast@opulo.io. We'd love to hear from you!

To find out more about what we do, check out Opulo.io.

To see everything else we do, including social media, check out Opulo.start.page.

O.H.M. Podcast Merch is now here!

Intro song:

• Complicate Ya - Otis McDonald (Creative Commons Attribution License)

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.