SparkFun is 20 years outdated this yr! We’re fortunate sufficient to have a bunch of workers which have been round for over 10 of these years, and we needed to share their reflections on their time right here with you. Right now you may be listening to from Chris McCarty (you might know him as One Chris Two Chris Pink Chris Blue Chris). Learn beneath to see his full solutions!

Inform us a bit about your background.

I’m the Product and Provider Advertising Supervisor right here at SparkFun and have been for the final couple of years. Earlier than that, I served in a litany of roles, together with Product Advertising Assistant, Catalog Curator, and Assistant Supervisor of Receiving, however it began 12 years in the past once I was employed as a Packager after simply shifting to Colorado. I’m initially from California, San Francisco to be actual (Go Niners!), and I’ve a penchant for writing, constructing big mecha fashions, portray small miniatures, and working a slew of various tabletop role-playing video games!

What’s your favourite mission you’ve labored on at SparkFun?

That is tough for me as a result of there are fairly a number of to select from. I as soon as 3D printed a set of open-source dungeon tiles with included lifting and traps for the sport I used to be working on the time. I additionally tore down an IR-controlled mild results wristband from an Worldwide gaming occasion I attended in 2016. If I had to decide on my favourite, it might doubtless be my LED Skateboard mission because it was the primary construct I ever accomplished whereas working at SparkFun. I had a customized RTFM deck made (which I nonetheless personal) and outfitted it with a number of weight and light-weight sensors that may activate Tremendous Brilliant LEDs once I stepped on the board at evening. It allowed me to skate round Denver fairly shortly in the dead of night with out worrying about massive cracks or rocks on the bottom!

What is the coolest factor you’ve seen a buyer make with our merchandise?

It will doubtless present my age (then once more, this complete put up will present that very impact), however again once I first began at SparkFun, the Discovery Channel present Mythbusters was nonetheless on the air and there was a single shot of the late, nice Grant Imahara standing in entrance of a stack of crimson SparkFun containers. After just a little extra investigating into the present, you’d see crimson boards and different SparkFun merchandise popping up everywhere in the present in builds that he and the Construct Group have been engaged on. It was superb to see our product included into tasks and builds to assist show whether or not an city legend or rumour with fantasy or reality.

What introduced you to SparkFun?

I left California in 2008 when the primary “as soon as in a lifetime” financial downturn hit. I used to be truly a retailer supervisor at Blockbuster Video on the time, however as everyone knows, the times of video rental shops have been close to over by that point. When my retailer lastly shut its doorways for good, I made a decision to maneuver out of state. I moved round just a little earlier than finally deciding on Colorado after falling in love with the state on a visit. I felt like I wanted to start out contemporary someplace and work from the underside up. That is when I discovered SparkFun, a pal of mine knew a (nonetheless present) co-worker of mine, John Trepke, who helped me get a job in Receiving as a Packager. Due to this begin, I really feel like I can take a look at nearly each product we’ve got in our catalog and know the way it works and what kind of shenanigans individuals could make with them!

Who’s SparkFun?

SparkFun is for anybody who needs to make. SparkFun is anybody who seems to be at a $5000 product and confidently says, “Nah. I could make that for 1 / 4 of the worth and repair it myself with out shopping for a brand new one in a yr.”

How has SparkFun advanced in the course of the time you’ve been right here?

After being with SparkFun for over a decade, I might be mendacity if I did not say it has modified considerably. I’ve seen individuals come and go. I’ve seen merchandise disappear into the ether (I nonetheless miss the helical GPS antenna). However I’ve additionally seen advents of recent tech like GNSS RTK, new wi-fi capabilities, and 3D Printing!

Do you keep in mind your first day?

It was a little bit of a tradition shock! SparkFun in 2011 was like an entire new model of skunk-works. We have been experimenting with new applied sciences that have been simply being launched to the patron market. Assume SparkX dialed as much as 11. If I recall appropriately, I arrived a bit early, and my boss on the time introduced in breakfast burritos for the crew to get pleasure from. I used to be run via my every day and weekly duties and proven find out how to function the packaging machine (which was all nonetheless guide on the time). Probably the most outstanding reminiscence I’ve about my first day was how loud it was, and it wasn’t due to any equipment; everybody was speaking like they actually knew one another, and that is as a result of they did. It wasn’t lengthy earlier than I joined within the dialog and pranks. Heck, I believe it was my second week right here that I used to be pranking one in every of my bosses by hiding in an enormous field.

Favourite spot within the constructing?

There’s a deceptively snug orange chair exterior of my workplace. I like sitting in that chair as a result of I can speak and meet up with my crew. We often do not discuss work once I sit there. We discuss ourselves and one another. It even has a enjoyable ice cream sandwich plush buddy to maintain you firm!

How would you describe SparkFun’s tradition?

Oh, wordsmith time! Rhapsodic. The eagerness and emotion that individuals put into their work right here has by no means modified. Folks work for SparkFun as a result of they get pleasure from creating this that may change how individuals work together and be taught from electronics. This all interprets to our tradition, and we work right here as a result of we imagine in making electronics extra accessible to anybody who is likely to be .

What’s the finest a part of the work you do?

I’m able to work with each division out and in of the constructing. That is one thing that I realized I beloved from an early stage in my profession right here once I simply delivered mail to everybody. I like realizing who’s engaged on what, when a board can be completed being produced, and any points we’d have buying one thing so simple as a voltage regulator. As SparkFun’s Product Advertising Supervisor, it is my job to know what’s being labored on and when will probably be launched. Info is essential in my place, and I’m joyful to share it with everybody contained in the constructing and all of you studying this weblog!

We have been celebrating our long run workers all yr – take a look at the opposite interviews we have performed: