SparkFun is 20 years previous this 12 months! We’re fortunate sufficient to have a bunch of workers which have been round for over 10 of these years, and we wished to share their reflections on their time right here with you. Immediately you may be listening to from Jennifer Mullins. Learn under to see her full solutions!
Inform us about your background.
I’ve had so many superb alternatives over the previous 11 years with SparkFun beginning with my first function as part of our Buyer Service crew to in the present day (sporting many different hats in between) having the ability work alongside a really unbelievable group of parents as our Gross sales, Assist and Providers Supervisor.
It’s been so unbelievable through the years to see the fervour for what we do, the thoughts blowing creativity from each a part of all of the groups that make SparkFun what we’re, and the evolution of the individuals (previous and current) and the way we proceed to maneuver ahead as an organization.
It has been a wild {and superior} trip!
I’m fortunate sufficient to have grown up right here in Colorado and my husband and I get pleasure from this superior state we dwell in with our two children. Round chasing children to their sports activities and college and social actions, juggling our jobs and all the opposite enjoyable grownup issues, my husband and I benefit from the typically beautiful climate right here each time we will by getting out for some wind remedy each time we will. My love for my Harley landed me the nickname of GhostRider just a few years in the past from Glenn, our CEO. I dig it!
What’s your favourite undertaking you’ve got labored on at SparkFun?
Being in roles by my time with SparkFun which have been centered across the admin and customized assist realm of SparkFun I haven’t been deeply concerned in most of the tasks SparkFun has launched into the world. Most positively have loved so very lots of them, however can’t declare a pivotal function myself. I did make my try in my very own electronics undertaking years in the past for Halloween that 12 months to put in a reasonably ridiculous system of a number of LilyTwinkle boards, tons of LilyPad Rainbow LEDs and a most likely borderline unsafe quantity of battery packs onto the within of a rockabilly type costume. After selecting the brains of our Tech Assist crew, and a few of our extra inventive people with our Engineering crew that labored with the LilyPad line, I went off to make my first SparkFun fueled creation. For years we had huge Halloween events within the workplace, and at all times had ‘finest costume’ contests after all together with a class for costumes that included SparkFun merchandise.
Brimming with confidence from the parents I’d gotten assist with I set off to begin placing my tremendous flashy LED costume collectively. A couple of days of engaged on it forward of Halloween and I used to be placing collectively the final set of LEDs (reasonably late at night time would possibly I add) and realized that I possibly smelled one thing that will or might not been much like one thing on fireplace. If you happen to’ve ever smelled burning electronics, what I imply. In my late night time haze managed to wire up my energy backwards and managed to virtually soften certainly one of my poor LilyTwinkle boards. In my frantic flailing to determine what was fallacious I singed my costume, burned my hand, and didn’t find yourself with a completed flashy LED costume. At the same time as a strong fail, it was nonetheless a ton of enjoyable and a terrific story to share with the crew the subsequent day.
What is the coolest factor you’ve seen a buyer make with our merchandise?
Actually I don’t suppose I might presumably sift by the tons of of tasks I’ve seen through the years and choose a favourite. I’ve been capable of speak to and assist folks that have made automated pet doorways to IronMan and Marvel costume replicas, autonomous garden mowers to livestock monitoring programs…and a lot extra! It’s fairly actually certainly one of my favourite issues about SparkFun that we now have so many individuals prepared to share their creations with us.
What introduced you right here?
My world earlier than SparkFun landed me a handful of random jobs earlier than I ended up working for a neighborhood property administration firm. I had been there for just a few years and whereas I liked the work I had a buddy who had began working at SparkFun the 12 months prior and continuously raved at what an superior place it was. Once I obtained the decision a brand new place had been posted I jumped on the chance and haven’t seemed again since!
How has SparkFun advanced through the time you’ve been right here?
One of many issues I’ve at all times really liked probably the most about SparkFun is that we’re continuously evolving. From studying and supporting new applied sciences, to processes to assist our clients starting from strategic B2B companions to hobbyists. By the years there was a continuing theme of not simply taking SparkFun for what we’re in the present day, however trying again at who we now have been, who we’re in the present day and the place we need to be.
Do you keep in mind your first day?
My first day at SparkFun was becoming a member of our Buyer Service crew eleven years in the past, who additionally occurred to share house in our previous constructing with our Tech Assist crew. I used to be so nervous to be transferring from my prior jobs in property administration to stepping right into a world of electronics I knew subsequent to nothing about. I used to be fortunate sufficient to have just a few superb associates that already labored with the crew although! The instant acceptance and inclusion into an extremely tight knit crew was completely unbelievable. From day one I at all times felt like I belonged and had an necessary function with the crew and the corporate.
Every time we introduced on a brand new teammate we’d do the entire introductions to all the management crew, tour of the constructing, and usually ended up with the ability to take a tour of the power led by Nathan. It was truthfully overwhelming (in the easiest way) to see all the loopy superior tasks across the constructing, seeing our manufacturing gear on the manufacturing ground and the rows and rows of all of the doodads and thingamajigs I had no thought what I used to be even taking a look at. The fervour for what we do from so many individuals was simply as superb then as it’s now.
On my first day my supervisor on the time ordered lunch for the entire crew so we might all get a while to get to know one another, and since I had some associates at my superior new firm we wrapped up the day having fun with a celebratory brew after hours at certainly one of our native craft breweries down the road from the workplace. Finest first day ever.
What’s your favourite spot within the constructing?
Oh man, that’s powerful! At our present HQ you’ll be able to by no means go fallacious with the view from the rooftop patio. The view of the mountains and that magical outside escape has positively been a favourite for in workplace crew conferences and infrequently simply having fun with being out within the daylight through the years.
There are simply so many various issues all through the constructing which might be so enjoyable to see. After greater than a decade I might nonetheless simply sit and watch the manufacturing and kitting groups hammering out merchandise for hours. Going and poking in on Engineering and the Product groups to see what enjoyable issues they’re tinkering with, and that additionally occurs to be the place a few of my favourite workplace doggo’s have been through the years. The transport crew rolling carts by aisle after aisle ensuring all of the issues get despatched into the wild. Wandering adventures wherever all through the constructing are at all times positive to carry new issues to see and nice conversations.
How would you describe SparkFun’s tradition?
As with so many different components of what makes SparkFun who we’re, our tradition has advanced by the years. We’ve had our ups and downs (as each firm or crew does) however one factor that has at all times been on the coronary heart of our tradition is our individuals. Everyone seems to be at all times prepared and welcoming to work collectively and assist one another nevertheless we will. Constant pleasant faces (and doggos) throughout all of our groups and the drive to ensure we’re constructing SparkFun to be one of the best we will be.
What’s the finest a part of the work you do?
So, so many issues, however high of the checklist is the individuals! Inner and out.
My direct teammates are such a tremendous group of parents. Having the chance to assist assist and develop our crew, the enterprise relationships we now have, and the corporate as a complete is most positively part of my life I’m so pleased with and grateful for. Being part of our Enterprise Improvement crew and with the ability to work straight with so many various individuals and tasks offers me the chance to additionally bask within the awesomeness of all the different inside groups at SparkFun as properly.
Tech Assist and Engineering (and may’t overlook our SparkX crew) to assist discover and construct all the most recent and biggest new merchandise and discovering options for our clients, Provide Chain and all of the loopy hoops they bounce by to ensure we now have components on the cabinets, Advertising and marketing to assist us get SparkFun out into the world and amplify our presence throughout so many various channels, Operations cranking out tons of upon tons of of merchandise each single day (manufacturing → transport), and naturally our Admin and SWIT groups ensuring all of the gears holding spinning internally. So many issues we do on daily basis have a direct hyperlink that permits us to work so carefully with a lot of SparkFun.
And the surface people and the purchasers we work with. Simply, wow. Getting past how unbelievable the issues are which might be created utilizing SparkFun merchandise, on daily basis is a brand new puzzle and an answer to seek out. I get to work with inside and exterior people on daily basis discovering options to their wants and fixing issues.
