Episode 19: How to Become an Engineering Consultant with Chris Gammell

In this episode of the Hello Blink Show, Harris and Shawn interview electronics engineer, Chris Gammell. Chris shares his insights into how he manages his clients and education for his businesses. Chris works as a hardware engineering consultant designing boards for clients as well as teaching through workshops and YouTube videos. He is a co-host of the Amp Hour Electronics Podcast and organizes several Meetups, such as the Hardware Happy Hour in Chicago.
Listeners will hear Chris's advice as he delves into his wisdom from his principal companies, including getting initial clients for consulting, billing, and managing his time.
One Powerful Quotation:
* 3:10 - Chris: “When it comes down to it, I usually say you know get your name out there somehow…it could be a YouTube channel, it could be a Twitter account, it could be a wide range of things, but it has to basically be as what I say is who thinks of you as the second person to call…if you can start to build those second connections, that is the most powerful thing you can do.” --
Key Topics:
* 1:18 - Shawn opens the show by asking Chris about his background and why he wanted to start his own consulting business.
2:36 - Chris goes into how he acquires clients and why he believes you should build that second connection.
5:05 - Chris explains his hourly billing and deliverable process. Check out Website - Steve Friedl's Tech Tips: So you want to be a consult-ant…? (http://unixwiz.net/techtips/be-consultant.html).
6:22 - Chris shares his latest workings with RF/firmware as part of his consulting expertise.
7:21 - Shawn inquires with Chris about finding tutors for learning about RF/firmware.
9:56 - Harris asks Chris his thoughts about diversifying in the areas of his personal brand.
13:43 - Shawn curiously asks Chris how he transitioned himself into managing contract work with his other roles.
18:07 - Shawn shares the sentiments with Chris and asks why he avoids academia learning.
23:02 - Chris expresses his intrinsic motivation and how he likes to freestyle his work. He also describes how this lead to the creation of the Hackaday Supercon from Maker Faire.
29:00 - Chris agrees with Harris’ remarks on the rise of hardware and explains why he believes sensor technology is the future.
30:20 - Shawn and Chris discuss designing neural networks for anomaly detection and machine learning on microcontrollers.
35:00 - Chris shares how his inbound client leads come from his podcast and referrals. He notes how this process is more open ended and conducive for his business.
36:44 - Shawn asks a follow up question to Chris on how often he declines client leads and manages their interests.
39:03 - Harris inquires with Chris on if he has experimented with value based pricing for projects. Chris delves into why that strategy is more applicable to software than hardware by proof of the end customer value.
43:13 - Harris asks if Chris believes in strategic advising and selling prototype hardware sets the tone for lead generation.
55:53 - Shawn and Harris wrap up the show, and Chris shares his contact information to listeners.
List of Resources
Website - The Amp Hour Electronics Podcast (https://theamphour.com/)
Website - Contextual Electronics (https://contextualelectronics.com/)
Website - Analog Life LLC. (https://analoglife.co/)
Website - Steve Friedl's Tech Tips: So you want to be a consult-ant…? (http://unixwiz.net/techtips/be-consultant.html)
Book - The Start Up of You: Adapt to the Future, Invest in Yourself, and Transform Your Career - Reid Hoffman (https://www.amazon.com/Start-up-You-Future-Yourself-Transform-ebook/dp/B0050DIWHU)
Website - ABB (https://new.abb.com/us)
Website - Supplyframe (https://supplyframe.com/)
Website - Hologram (https://www.hologram.io/)
LinkedIn - Brock LaMeres (https://www.linkedin.com/in/brock-lameres-ba724629/)
LinkedIn - Thomas Lee (https://www.linkedin.com/in/thomastlee/)
Website - Hackaday Superconference (https://hackaday.io/superconference/)
Website - Maker Faire (https://makerfaire.com/)
Website - Tiny ML (https://tinyml.org/home/)
Website - Embedded FM - A Little Bit of Human Knowledge With Daniel Situnayake (https://embedded.fm/?offset=1587682860044)
LinkedIn - Daniel Situnayake (https://www.linkedin.com/in/situnayake/)
Website - OpenMV Camera (https://openmv.io/)
Website - The Engineering Commons (https://theengineeringcommons.com/)
Book - Value-Based Fees by Alan Weiss (https://www.amazon.com/Value-Based-Fees-Charge-Youre-Worth-ebook/dp/B0062O8UBY/)
Article - Saas Pricing by Patrick McKenzie (https://training.kalzumeus.com/newsletters/archive/saas_pricing)
Website - Tindie (https://www.tindie.com/)
LinkedIn - Ryan Cousins (https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryanlcousins/)
Website - Krtkl (https://krtkl.com/)
Website - Punch Through (https://punchthrough.com/)
Website - KiCad Forum (https://forum.kicad.info/)
Website - Hardware Happy Hour (https://hardwarehappyhour.com/)
Guest Contact Information:
Website - Chris Gammell (https://chrisgammell.com/)
LinkedIn - Chris Gammell (https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrisgammell/)
Twitter - Chris Gammell (https://twitter.com/Chris_Gammell)
YouTube - Contextual Electronics (https://www.youtube.com/user/contextualelectronic)
Host Contact Information:
shawnhymel.com (https://shawnhymel.com/)
kennyconsultinggroup.com (http://kennyconsultinggroup.com)
LinkedIn - Shawn Hymel (https://www.linkedin.com/in/shawnhymel/)
LinkedIn - Harris Kenny (https://www.linkedin.com/in/harriskenny/)
Twitter - Shawn Hymel (https://www.twitter.com/ShawnHymel)
Twitter - Harris Kenny (https://www.twitter.com/harriskenny)
Special Guest: Chris Gammell.

In this episode of the Hello Blink Show, Harris and Shawn interview electronics engineer, Chris Gammell. Chris shares his insights into how he manages his clients and education for his businesses. Chris works as a hardware engineering consultant designing boards for clients as well as teaching through workshops and YouTube videos. He is a co-host of the Amp Hour Electronics Podcast and organizes several Meetups, such as the Hardware Happy Hour in Chicago.

Listeners will hear Chris's advice as he delves into his wisdom from his principal companies, including getting initial clients for consulting, billing, and managing his time.

One Powerful Quotation:

3:10 - Chris: “When it comes down to it, I usually say you know get your name out there somehow…it could be a YouTube channel, it could be a Twitter account, it could be a wide range of things, but it has to basically be as what I say is who thinks of you as the second person to call…if you can start to build those second connections, that is the most powerful thing you can do.” --

Key Topics:

1:18 - Shawn opens the show by asking Chris about his background and why he wanted to start his own consulting business.

2:36 - Chris goes into how he acquires clients and why he believes you should build that second connection.

5:05 - Chris explains his hourly billing and deliverable process. Check out Website - Steve Friedl's Tech Tips: So you want to be a consult-ant…?.

6:22 - Chris shares his latest workings with RF/firmware as part of his consulting expertise.

7:21 - Shawn inquires with Chris about finding tutors for learning about RF/firmware.

9:56 - Harris asks Chris his thoughts about diversifying in the areas of his personal brand.

13:43 - Shawn curiously asks Chris how he transitioned himself into managing contract work with his other roles.

18:07 - Shawn shares the sentiments with Chris and asks why he avoids academia learning.

23:02 - Chris expresses his intrinsic motivation and how he likes to freestyle his work. He also describes how this lead to the creation of the Hackaday Supercon from Maker Faire.

29:00 - Chris agrees with Harris’ remarks on the rise of hardware and explains why he believes sensor technology is the future.

30:20 - Shawn and Chris discuss designing neural networks for anomaly detection and machine learning on microcontrollers.

35:00 - Chris shares how his inbound client leads come from his podcast and referrals. He notes how this process is more open ended and conducive for his business.

36:44 - Shawn asks a follow up question to Chris on how often he declines client leads and manages their interests.

39:03 - Harris inquires with Chris on if he has experimented with value based pricing for projects. Chris delves into why that strategy is more applicable to software than hardware by proof of the end customer value.

43:13 - Harris asks if Chris believes in strategic advising and selling prototype hardware sets the tone for lead generation.

55:53 - Shawn and Harris wrap up the show, and Chris shares his contact information to listeners.

List of Resources

Website - The Amp Hour Electronics Podcast

Website - Contextual Electronics

Website - Analog Life LLC.

Website - Steve Friedl's Tech Tips: So you want to be a consult-ant…?

Book - The Start Up of You: Adapt to the Future, Invest in Yourself, and Transform Your Career - Reid Hoffman

Website - ABB

Website - Supplyframe

Website - Hologram

LinkedIn - Brock LaMeres

LinkedIn - Thomas Lee

Website - Hackaday Superconference

Website - Maker Faire

Website - Tiny ML

Website - Embedded FM - A Little Bit of Human Knowledge With Daniel Situnayake

LinkedIn - Daniel Situnayake

Website - OpenMV Camera

Website - The Engineering Commons

Book - Value-Based Fees by Alan Weiss

Article - Saas Pricing by Patrick McKenzie

Website - Tindie

LinkedIn - Ryan Cousins

Website - Krtkl

Website - Punch Through

Website - KiCad Forum

Website - Hardware Happy Hour

Guest Contact Information:

Website - Chris Gammell

LinkedIn - Chris Gammell

Twitter - Chris Gammell

YouTube - Contextual Electronics

Host Contact Information:

shawnhymel.com

kennyconsultinggroup.com

LinkedIn - Shawn Hymel

LinkedIn - Harris Kenny

Twitter - Shawn Hymel

Twitter - Harris Kenny

Special Guest: Chris Gammell.