tl;dr: After selling 2,500 units of Jamcorder (an automated MIDI piano recorder), the founder found hardware was far easier than expected—software (200K lines across firmware, app, and tooling) was by far the hardest part. He credits the smooth hardware experience to intentional simplicity: a single-PCB, single-screw design with 25 mostly off-the-shelf components, no USB-C, and no complex features. Key takeaways include keeping BOMs simple, aiming for 70%+ gross margins, partnering with Chinese suppliers via Alibaba, and holding QA and inventory in-house.