Sam Goldheart

Hi! I’m Samantha Goldheart, but most people call me Sam. I started at iFixit way back in March 2013 as a Technical Writer, I eventually ended up leading the Tech Writing team. As Lead Teardown Engineer I traveled the world to help iFixit be the first to tear down new products like the Xbox One, the first “Plus” iPhone, and the first Apple Watch. I also spent time as a Repairability Assessor, grading products for Greenpeace and electronics manufacturers. As a Blog Writer I specialized in channeling frustration at the state of repair into punchy editorial pieces. These days I’m a full-time mom, so I tend to do more advisory work and special projects, while still helping out on teardowns and editorial content.

Despite going to high school with the premier robotics team of its time, I wasn’t very mechanically inclined outside of the occasional electrical or construction work. I enrolled in Cal Poly’s Graphic Communications program as a way to get an “applied” Graphic Design degree—something more encompassing than just art. I ended up gaining an amazing set of skills—leadership, web design, bookmaking, and even printing press maintenance—that prepared me for basically any role I’d have in the future. When I graduated with a B.S. and a packaging minor, my grandmother was diagnosed with cancer, so I moved home to help take care of her. I got a temp job retouching breast implant product images and felt I wasn’t exactly helping the world. It turns out my eclectic mix of product photography, love of writing, and my (albeit limited) mechanical familiarity were the perfect match for iFixit and a technical writing job.

I spent two years as a Technical Writer before assuming leadership of the team as Technical Writing department head. I spent seven years as the Tech Writing Manager, filling roles such as Lead Teardown Engineer, Blog Writer, and Repairability Assessor. In 2019, I helped restructure my department to better specialize our teams, and give myself more time for my new family. After maternity leave, I came back to iFixit to continue writing blogs and working on teardowns both remotely, and in person.

While I love a good electronics teardown (explaining the Magic Leap comes to mind), I’m usually fixing on a slightly larger scale. In 2018 my spouse and I started a massive remodel on our home (completed just in time for baby!), so I did a ton of design, planning, electrical work, window installation, framing, and drywall installation, not to mention painting, flooring, and all the million other microdecisions you don’t think about until you get there!

As for my work at iFixit, I feel the most powerful when we’re convincing manufacturers that repair will benefit everyone, including their bottom line. It feels great to have Microsoft acknowledge repairability in a presentation, and for Apple to start rolling out DIY repair. We’ll still need to pass the Right to Repair to get certain tractor monopolies in line, but I’m happy with our progress so far. It’s also great to get notifications from happy fixers using guides I made years ago. The more we can spread repair, the better off we’ll all be. Let’s get fixing!

Despite wanting to be a vet, zookeeper, or writer, as a kid, I was most fond of art. That’s carried through my life in drawing, sculpting, sewing, and costume making. I love cosplay, so I’m often sewing my own costumes and making fun props—but I haven’t won as many iFixit costume contests as you’d expect, the competition is stiff! It does come in handy when you rip clothes, or need to pull together a Star Wars costume for a spontaneous Galaxy’s Edge trip.

In April 2020, I became a mom, and raising my kid has been even more fun than tearing down iPads (hard to imagine, I know). We haven’t been traveling as much as I’d like, but at least I’ve banked a few great trips thanks to teardowns, and we took a lot of photos. We have two cats, love our little beach community, and keep ourselves busy by doing yet more remodeling!

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