At Factored Quality, we ensure every member of our team brings passion for and hands-on experience in product quality to maximize your ROI. 

To see this team-building ethos in action, look no further than Sam Felderman: our newest Customer Success Manager, coming from roles at Glossier and First Quality Enterprises. With nearly seven years of QC experience and management under his belt, Sam has hit the ground running in his new role, supporting consumer brands like Brooklinen and Jolie.

We took some time to talk about his background after settling into his new role here at FQ. 

Our conversation covers topics like: 

• What led Sam from a chemical engineering degree to QC
• How FQ users benefit from Sam’s DTC quality expertise
• Why Sam considers FQ a legit leader in product quality

What led Sam to a career in quality control

Having attended Villanova University to study chemical engineering, a QC career wasn’t initially on Sam’s radar. 

Yet, before his senior year, he took a Quality Engineering internship with First Quality Enterprises, which introduced him to manufacturing and suppliers. Sam stayed on as a Quality Engineer post-grad — and has been devoted to ensuring consumer product quality ever since. 

“I had no idea what quality was. I didn’t know anything about manufacturing before that. But now, I’ve been working in quality for consumer product companies ever since.” 

His responsibilities at First Quality involved working with absorbent hygiene products, mainly diapers and feminine care products. Sam ensured manufacturing outputs met the company’s stringent quality standards for its more sensitive products. 

In hindsight, Sam calls it an eye-opening exposure to how manufacturing processes operate at the ground level. 

Building a foundation of DTC quality expertise at Glossier

After 2+ years at First Quality Enterprises, Sam transitioned to the brand side of QC as a Quality Engineer at Glossier. An early pioneer in DTC beauty, Glossier has grown into a brand valued at $1.8 billion during its last raise. 

Through this shift to DTC cosmetics, Sam gained an expert-level understanding of how to predict and meet everyday consumers' product quality expectations. 

His unique journey through various industries ultimately gave Sam a multifaceted view of: 

1. Best practices for product quality
2. Its tangible impact on consumer brands

Today, he defines quality control as “ensuring the repeatability of producing high-quality products that meet consumer expectations and match intended specifications.” Across the diversity of sectors and manufacturing processes, the core principles of quality control remain consistent: making products that satisfy customers and maintaining consistent production. 

Over 4 years of experience at a DTC giant like Glossier provided vital expertise and insights — which he now brings to Factored Quality and our users. 

As a former DTC operator himself, Sam understands your brand’s needs

Sam first heard of FQ while managing product quality at Glossier. He was impressed by our mission and the opportunity to help a diverse cohort of clients with his expertise. Keeping us on his radar, Sam later reached out to our team after seeing an opening, sharing his passion for the platform and an eagerness to assist. 

Having been a prospective customer himself, Sam is familiar with the needs, processes, and pain points of brands seeking quality control. 

“Having been a prospective FQ customer myself made me excited. I've been in the shoes of the brands we're helping. When people come to us with problems, I genuinely understand where they're coming from.” 

In his early weeks at FQ, Sam focused on delving deep into customer needs to understand their challenges comprehensively. So far, he most enjoys identifying areas where Factored Quality can offer assistance — sometimes in ways clients might not have realized. 

It’s particularly gratifying to introduce smaller brands (who “know that they’re missing something, but they can’t put it into words”) to straightforward tools that significantly enhance efficiency. 

One such tool is AQL (Acceptable Quality Level), a standard method for sampling and assessing production quality. Sam loves seeing the excitement in clients’ eyes when they discover FQ’s ready-made solutions and feel like they’re in control of their supply chain. 

"Work ethic, commitment, knowledge sharing": Why Sam calls FQ a standout in quality control

According to Sam, FQ’s “special sauce” is our brand-friendly approach and the depth of our expertise. 

The Factored Quality platform brings together a wealth of knowledge and resources under one roof, making it effortless for clients to find answers to any and all quality-related questions. This all-in-one solution simplifies the QC process, especially for brands who don’t have the time and resources to tackle it themselves. 

“We at Factored Quality know the right questions to ask to uncover the core of the problem. We also have the network to solve the problems. Having all of that support under one roof makes the process so seamless, especially for brands who don’t have the time or resources to get it done on their own.” 

As for what makes FQ’s internal team special, Sam highlights a “strong work ethic, a commitment to helping one another, and a culture of knowledge sharing.” Each team member brings years across DTC brands, QC, and supply chains for a rich blend of collective expertise. 

Today, Sam’s dedication to client satisfaction coupled with his product quality expertise make him an invaluable asset to the Factored Quality team and brand community.