Shows
A-Team (Alex & Andra)Behind The Scenes: Learnings From Our First PodcastIt's a wrap! Season 1 of our A-Team Mini Series has come to an end. In this episode, we share some behind the behind the scenes along with Cory (our video producer). This was filmed back in May 2023 and so much has evolved since we filmed this already. When we filmed this, we were just starting out on YouTube, had no idea what our channel would turn into. At this stage, we hadn't pitched any sponsors so far, but knew there was a way we could partner with software companies and share some of our Top Picks with viewers of...
2023-11-2944 minA-Team (Alex & Andra)We tried investing in Arc Browser and this is What Josh Said…This is the story of how we tried investing in Arc Browser (Chrome competitor built by the team at The Browser Company). In this episode, we bring you along the journey of getting on Josh Miller's radar (CEO) and give you a look into the DM's and phone calls with him that led to more than 3 failed attempts at investing.If you're also a fan of Arc Browser, or are just interested in seeing what it takes to invest in a startup that doesn't want your money, this is sure to bring a smile to your face...
2023-11-1651 minA-Team (Alex & Andra)Answering Your Angel Investing Questions (FAQ)Watch this before you start angel investing 👀 When we first had the opportunity to angel invest in a tech startup, we knew nothing about "how to angel invest". This led us to speaking to many angel investors, venture capitalists, and watching dozens of videos on the topic. Since then, we've gotten tons of questions from others who are looking to learn more about angel investing. This episode covers the most frequently asked questions about angel investing and how to become an angel investor. Grab a coffee & enjoy!Video Version Available on YouTube: efficient.link/youtubeReview Us...
2023-11-0154 minA-Team (Alex & Andra)Business Partnership, Setting Boundaries, Splitting 50/50, What If We Broke Up?Video Version Available on YouTube: efficient.link/youtubeReview Us on Apple Podcasts: efficient.link/ateam/reviewSPONSOR 🫶↳ efficient.link/s/gelt (Skip the waitlist)SOFTWARE MENTIONED 🚀↳ Gelt: efficient.link/s/gelt (Skip the waitlist)↳ Learn more about the best software: efficient.app/top-picksABOUT THE EPISODE 🤔↳ I WILL NEVER get another business partner! 🤬(An unwavering decision that Alex made 6–7 years ago after 2 failed partnerships)I learned that even with the best intentions from all parties, resentment can (and will) build—it's almost guaranteed. 🫱❌🫲
2023-10-1754 minA-Team (Alex & Andra)Angel Investing, Rent vs Buy, & the Frugality DebateVideo Version Available on YouTube: efficient.link/youtubeReview Us on Apple Podcasts: efficient.link/ateam/reviewSPONSOR 🫶 GET 1 FREE MONTH OF SUPERHUMAN↳ efficient.link/s/superhumanSOFTWARE MENTIONED 🚀↳ Motion: efficient.link/r/motion (Get 7 days free)↳ Superhuman: efficient.link/s/superhuman (Get 30 days free)↳ Learn more about the best software: efficient.app/top-picksABOUT THE EPISODE 🤔↳ In this episode, Alex is in the hot seat as we discuss some of the tensions that have come up in our relationship as we invest our money in startups...
2023-10-0351 minA-Team (Alex & Andra)From paying this app $20/mo to giving them $35K (Angel Investing Story)Video Version Available on YouTube: efficient.link/youtubeReview Us on Apple Podcasts: efficient.link/ateam/reviewSPONSOR 🫶 GET 1 FREE MONTH OF SUPERHUMAN↳ efficient.link/s/superhumanSOFTWARE MENTIONED 🚀↳ Motion: efficient.link/r/motion (Get 7 days free) ↳ Superhuman: efficient.link/s/superhuman (Get 30 days free) ↳ Sandhill Markets: efficient.link/r/sandhill (Get $588 off your first year) Invest in secondaries like SpaceX and OpenAI ↳ Learn more about the best software: efficient.app/top-picksABOUT THE EPISODE 🤔↳"How we invested in Motion"Visit efficient.app to lear...
2023-09-1954 min
A-Team (Alex & Andra)Failed Job Offer, Moving in 3 Days Later, Work Together...or Date? & San Francisco vs AustinVideo Version Available on YouTube: efficient.link/youtube Review Us on Apple Podcasts: efficient.link/ateam/reviewSPONSOR 🫶 Sign up for Divvy (It's FREE): efficient.link/s/divvy↳ Divvy is an expense management solution that we've been using for 3+ years in our business. Divvy allows us to create virtual and physical cards to put on file with every single vendor and subscription. It has helped us catch credit card fraud when someone stole our credit card and went on a shopping spree at Walmart and Home Depot. Divvy instantly returned our funds and we were able...
2023-09-051h 00A-Team (Alex & Andra)Working and Angel Investing with your Spouse (A-Team Mini-Series)Video Version Available on YouTube (efficient.link/youtube) Review Us on Apple Podcasts (efficient.link/ateam/review)A-Team is a mini-series featuring husband and wife team Alex & Andra. We're married, work together, and invest in startups. Follow along as we build the tools to overcome paralysis by analysis in life and in business. Join us in building efficient.app in public, struggles, unlocks, finances and all, and see what it's actually like being partners in business, and in life. 🦾Podcast hosted on Transistor (efficient.link/r/transistor)
2023-08-2801 min
If Not Now Wen PodcastOptimizing Life - Interview with Andra VomirIn today’s episode of If Not Now Wen, we’re excited to talk with special guest Andra Vomir. Andra is a co-founder of Efficient App, a lifestyle business that helps teams find and integrate their software stack and streamline and map their operational processes to the software. Also known as “The Efficient Girl”, Andra is passionate about helping businesses save dozens of hours a day with automation.
Andra is also a partner at Efficient VC where she angel invests in the B2B SaaS products that she’s found to be game-changing for herself an...
2023-03-2847 min
Analysis Paralysis by Efficient App018 - How His Construction Business Scaled (Case Study)In this episode, we speak to Brian Marek who runs Northtowns Remodeling, a small construction company out of Buffalo, NY. Being in business for over 38 years, Brian embodies the person that anyone who is undergoing a home remodel would wish for. He’s responsible, keeps his word, and genuinely cares about each and every customer.It was so clear how much cared and how hard he was working for his customers. We also saw how there was only so much one business owner could do in a day.Brian was spending hours working on custom pr...
2022-12-0548 minAnalysis Paralysis by Efficient App017 - Thinking About Hiring Us? Your Questions Answered!The automation and software integration space is still relatively new. The world is changing, and maybe you, like many others, are crossing the chasm realizing that the future of business is dependent on streamlined automated processes.In the future, we predict that just like how companies have a Legal Team or an Operations Manager, companies will also have Automation Experts to string together all the different of software/apps used, so that day-to-day tasks are as weightless as possible.Our company is the beginning of that — our customers look at us as their automation team. I...
2022-11-1225 minAnalysis Paralysis by Efficient App016 - Why Businesses Are Moving Away From SalesforceWhy are companies switching away from Salesforce? Are there better CRM's on the market for a greater bang for your buck? Listen to hear our thoughts on why Salesforce isn't the best choice for many businesses and what to choose instead.Full blog post: https://efficient.app/post/salesforce-alternativesRequest pricing: https://efficient.app/pricing
2022-10-0619 min
The 8 Billion EffectEp #17 - What To Do If You're Feeling Like a Burden, A Catch-Up with CEO of Mindfull Aus, Matt Runnalls (Part 4/4)In this episode, Jackson catches up with Matt to hear what he’s been up to since we recorded 6 months ago. Matt talks about the personal development he’s done personally that is driving Mindfull Aus to the next level, and also gives us insight into an exercise we can all do when we’re feeling like a burden on the world.
To reach out to Matt, visit his Facebook page: facebook.com/mindfullaus
Reach out to us: connect@the8billioneffect.com // @the_8billioneffect
2020-05-1800 minThe 8 Billion EffectEp #16 - What To Do/Say When Someone Is Struggling with Mental Health with CEO of Mindfull Aus, Matt Runnalls (Part 3/4)This is part 3/4 of a 4 part series with the CEO of Mindfull Aus, Matt Runnalls.
In this episode, we discuss how to help those who may be struggling with mental health, including exactly what to do if they disclose they are having suicidal thoughts. Matt also tells us what’s on the horizon for Mindfull Aus and talks about some of the mentors that have inspired him.
Tune in to Ep #17 for part 4/4 where we catch up with Matt 6 months after this recording.
Find Matt here: facebook.com/mindfullaus
Reach out to us: connect@the8billioneffect.com // @the_8billioneffect
2020-05-1800 minThe 8 Billion EffectEp #15 - Challenges of Being A Mental Health Advocate with CEO of Mindfull Aus, Matt Runnalls (Part 2/4)This is part 2/4 of a 4 part series with the CEO of Mindfull Aus, Matt Runnalls.
In this episode, we get a glimpse into how Matt prepares his mental state for the day with his morning routine. His routine includes a ‘brush n prime’ that you will hear about and many other great tricks. Matt also talks about the challenges of being a mental health advocate. We discuss the pressures that come from being "the person" that many people feel comfortable opening up to.
Tune in to Ep #16 for part 3/4 next.
Find Matt here: facebook.com/mindfullaus
Reach out to us: conn...
2020-05-1800 minThe 8 Billion EffectEp #14 - Great emotional pain, depression and suicide with CEO of Mindfull Aus, Matt Runnalls (Part 1/4)This is part 1/4 of a 4 part series with the CEO of Mindfull Aus, Matt Runnalls. We recorded this episode over 6 months ago in Australia, but the topics covered in this episode are probably more relevant today than ever: feeling like an emotional burden, misconceptions around depression and how to spot when others may be needing help.
The episode starts with a quick touch base of where Matt is now (May 2020) and then deep dives into his story of how he started his not-for-profit organisation, Mindfull Aus, to help people feeling the way he once did.
As a young man, he...
2020-05-1700 minThe 8 Billion EffectEp #13 - 50,000 pieces of trash collected with 1 PIECE ArmyIn this episode, we discuss the early stages of 1 PIECE Army, Jackson's emerging movement that is having an impact on our social connectedness and planet. 1 PIECE Army is a movement whereby members pick up trash, take a selfie, and upload it to a members-only WhatsApp group.
So far 1 PIECE Army is in 12 countries, 6 continents, and at the time of recording, just hit 50,000 pieces of trash collected in less than 12 weeks since it started.
Jackson is putting out a call to arms for 1 PIECE Army: he’s looking for a google sheets expert, social media experts, designers, journalists, and any photographers/vi...
2020-05-1000 minThe 8 Billion EffectEp #12 - A Covid Catchup About The Past And The FutureWhat happened in the 6 months after we quit our jobs and began to live more inline with our values and core purpose? In this episode we deep dive on our adventures, learnings and struggles over: remote work contracts, change of travel plans due to COVID, getting to safe isolation, and our predictions of the pre/post COVID world. Links mentioned: 1. The amazing co-working/co-living space Andra lived in when in San Francisco: https://www.outsite.co/2. Our email: connect@the8billioneffect.com 3.Our instagram: @the_8billion effect
2020-05-0300 minThe 8 Billion EffectEp #11: How To Awaken As A Great Leader with Eyal Halamish (Part 3/3)This is part 3/3 of our episode with Eyal Halamish, and the final episode of our 10 part "Should I Quit My Job" series. In the wake of devastation from his business collapsing, Eyal had to wake up and learn to lead with his heart and not his head. He was a 26 year old super kid, CEO, that had potentially grown up too quickly but these trials led him into a great awakening as a leader. A huge key to Eyal’s success moving forward was being vulnerable and asking for help. He says ‘Don’t just ask for...
2020-05-0100 minThe 8 Billion EffectEp# 10: How to Quit Your Own Ego & Bad Leadership Style with Eyal Halamish (Part 2/3)This is part 2 of our 3 part series with Eyal Halamish.The episode jumps right in with Eyal explaining ‘how we fix democracy’ and his theories on policy, government and technology working together to benefit the public and our leaders.He then continues telling the story of his journey as a leader at OurSay, the platform that he built. He explains their 'quick' wins within their first 6 months of business: features on ABC Q&A, meetings with former Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard, Google and Fairfax Media partnerships, and their website getting over 10 million hits.He w...
2020-04-2300 minThe 8 Billion EffectEp #9: Quitting Your Corporate Job to Create Your Own Start Up In Politics with Eyal Halamish (Part 1/3)Eyal not only quit his high paying corporate consulting job in the mining and energy industry to create his own brilliant start-up in the political sphere with some friends, but a few years into it, he also quit his own leadership style that was driving the business into the groundIf that's not enough, once he rebuilt his start-up from the ground up to be a success story, he stepped down as CEO to work as an Investment Director of Australia's Victorian Government in New York.He has learnt many things along the way about...
2020-04-2100 minThe 8 Billion EffectEp #8 - Doug Stevenson: Try As Many Careers As Possible Before 30[WARNING - Apologies for the poor sound quality in the first 15 mins… There are a few episodes where the sound has let us down and we are working to rectify this in future episodes. We appreciate the support as this is amateur recording that we are learning to enhance. But we will not let it get in the way of great conversations we had with our amazing guests!]Doug is a powerhouse guy who has quit many jobs in order to fulfil a promise he made to himself 8 years ago when he was 23. His promise was to tr...
2019-11-2000 minThe 8 Billion EffectEp #7 - What Happened Within 30 Days of Quitting Our Jobs?This is Part 6 of the 10 part series - Should I Quit my Job?:In this episode, we reflected on our journey of what happened since we both quit our jobs in the month of September. We share what’s happening now and where we’re off to next.We both agreed it has been insanely liberating, yet still, we do not endorse people to just ‘go out and quit’ without a solid plan in place if you are not in a stable position to do so. But if your intuition is telling you that there’s somethin...
2019-11-0300 minThe 8 Billion EffectEp #6 - The Magic Pill of ChoiceThis is Part 5 of the 10 part series - Should I Quit my Job?:If the TIME you have left in the world is the Pepper on the table of life, always there to remind you to spice it up a little and live your life to the fullest…. Then CHOICE is the Salt. The choice is yours always. Like salt compliments every meal, every aspect of your life should be defined by your choices.Giving yourself the ability to choose what YOU want for your life can have many different layers. There is no right or...
2019-11-0200 minThe 8 Billion EffectEp #5 - Is Your Job Making You Sick?This is Part 4 of the 10 part series - Should I Quit my Job?:Is it possible that a job could make you sick? Absolutely. Both mentally drained and physically unwell. In today’s episode, we deep dive into our personal experience dealing with the results of being physically and mentally drained by a job. We didn’t enjoy it and therefore it was making us sick, short-tempered and even burnt out.It seemed we were spending more money just to earn more money…. A big portion of our wage was being spent on our health just to...
2019-11-0100 minThe 8 Billion EffectEp #4 - Doubting Whether You Should Quit Your Job or Not?This is Part 3 of the 10 part series - Should I Quit my Job?:Self-doubt can be extremely crippling when trying to make the right decisions for your future especially if you’re in a toxic work environment. What makes it even harder sometimes, is that everyone else is doubting you and having their 2 cents worth of input on your life.Allowing other people to guide you too much into the direction that ‘they believe would be best for you’ and not what is ‘actually best for you’ can be really harmful to both of you and your r...
2019-10-3000 minThe 8 Billion EffectEp #3 - Am I Being Micromanaged or Just Being Entitled?This is Part 2 of the 10 part series - Should I Quit my Job?:Being micromanaged can be one of the worst feelings ever in a job. It can make you feel like the walls are caving in and you have nowhere to go.Even worse, it can make you start underperforming, creating the very thing your manager was trying to avoid with micromanaging you in the first place!But when you’re being micromanaged, it’s not always easy to see the forest from the trees. It’s not uncommon to wonder if you...
2019-10-2600 minThe 8 Billion EffectEp #2 - Do People Quit Their Jobs or Their Bosses?This is Part 1 of the 10 part series - Should I Quit my Job?: The famous line you hear in many companies is 'People don't quit their jobs, they quit their bosses'.... What do you believe? Have you quit a job before? Or a boss? Or both even? Listen in as we debunk this one sentence from our own experiences over the next 20 minutes. If you are currently unhappy at work, have a think. Is it your job or your boss you want to leave behind?Imagine the improvements to the economy and the world's happiness l...
2019-10-2300 minThe 8 Billion EffectEp #1 - Should I Quit my Job?We are two friends who just quit our jobs and decided fulfilment is more important than money in our careers right now and if you are unhappy, overworked, undervalued and stressed out then maybe we have a few similarities.We live in a time where we are always connected to the ever-burning candle of the digital age. Our mission to unplug mentally by connecting digitally and sharing stories of our experiences and why we are now seeking deeper meaning from our next chapters.After this introductory episode, we will be showcasing a 10 part series of...
2019-10-1400 minAnalysis Paralysis by Efficient App015 - Coworking & Startups w/ Chirag GuptaToday I'm here with Chirag Gupta who runs a coworking space calls NoD Coworking. He developed the space to be an area that people could come together to network and pool their resources, stemming from a passion for helping others. Having always liked the idea of starting an accelerator/incubator, I had some questions around the business model and how difficult it is to get a space started and self-sustaining.In this episode, we discuss:How important documenting your process is when getting started with a new ventureWhat the day-to-day looks like running a coworking spaceHow...
2019-03-1342 minAnalysis Paralysis by Efficient App014 - The CRM Deep-Dive MastermindOn this episode of Analysis Paralysis, I was invited to The Marketing Automation Discussion podcast for a CRM mastermind with host Alex Glenn, and CRM experts Scott Gellatly and Mark Colgan.In this episode, we discuss:What to look out for when considering ‘Free’ versions of a CRMCRM Strategy - when and how to consider CRM in your stackThe necessary considerations around CRM-triggered automationHow to set up your CRM for successPricing for the two main CRMs we will highlightAnd the business models of each of these CRMs so you know which will be best for your busi...
2019-02-091h 30Analysis Paralysis by Efficient App013 - Automate Your Business Using Zapier with Nathan LeeIn today’s episode of Analysis Paralysis, I'm talking with Nathan Lee, not related to the prior episode guest, Jon Lee. Nathan is an up and coming podcaster that loves automation and is working on a new podcast series built around Zapier and automation.We discuss why Zapier is such a great tool for those looking to get into automation for their business. If you are unfamiliar with Zapier or looking to get more involved with automation, this is a great episode for you!
2019-01-0232 minAnalysis Paralysis by Efficient App012 - Copper CRM Founder, Jon Lee (Former CEO)In today’s episode of Analysis Paralysis, I’ll be talking with Jon Lee, the Founder and CEO of Copper. Since it first launched back in 2013, Copper has been one of the fastest-growing customer relationship management systems on the market with over $87m in venture backing. They’re also now the #1 recommended CRM for G Suite.Serial entrepreneur by trade, Jon started Copper (formerly ProsperWorks) to give every company tools they will actually use to help them prosper. Jon started in investment banking at Merrill Lynch, moved to run a large operations team at Yahoo, and later founded...
2018-12-0543 minAnalysis Paralysis by Efficient App011 - Airtable All The Things w/ Dan FellarsToday I'm here with Dan Fellars from Openside and we're talking about all things Airtable. Airtable is user-friendly database software, think of Google Sheets and Excel, but with a bit more structured in that it can actually be used at a mass scale for business processes.In this episode, we talk about how you can leverage automation and the ever-evolving cloud software tools available to build custom solutions, all without the traditional development overhead.Links from the show:LinkedIn (Dan - Guest)Openside (Company - Guest)Airtable (Database)
2018-11-071h 07Analysis Paralysis by Efficient App010 - Talking Copper (Formerly ProsperWorks CRM) w/ Brittany PerezWanting to run or work for a startup is a common goal nowadays. New companies are launched all the time, led by founders who hope to move quickly and grow fast. But as we all know, not all are successful. Why is this? Why do some succeed and others fail?Brittany Perez, who leads the account management team at Copper, is familiar with these questions. She left a comfortable position at a well-known company (Intuit) to work at Copper, and since joining the team, they’ve grown from 28 employees to hundreds, and have raised just under $100M in...
2018-10-031h 12Analysis Paralysis by Efficient App009 - How Customer Experience Shapes Your Brand w/ Coby PachmayrBrand. A term that means so many different things to so many different people. Most simply think that a company's brand is their logo and color scheme. For Coby Pachmayr, it is so much more. With a background in systems engineering and automation, Coby started Idea Spring, a branding and marketing agency with the unique focus on solving business problems through ongoing customer experience improvements.On this episode, Coby explains how your brand is shaped and defined by the product, service, and customer experience that you are delivering. All of which are areas that directly affect your...
2018-09-051h 45Analysis Paralysis by Efficient App008 - Pivoting a Successful Marketing Company w/ Jaime NacachOn this episode of Analysis Paralysis, I am talking to Jaime Nacach. He runs a successful marketing company and fell in love with automation after using it inside of his existing company. Naturally, that has led to him building a side company solely built around automation and Jaime has been going through the process of transitioning into an automation-focused business solutions company.This episode hits very close to home with me as I recently went through somewhat of a similar transition in my own business. Advice was given around how to value and charge for this service...
2018-08-081h 27Analysis Paralysis by Efficient App007 - From Assembly Line Automation to Automating Small Businesses w/ David ZisnerOn this episode of Analysis Paralysis, I am talking to David Zisner. He was an electrical engineer that worked at Intel for 15 years doing assembly line automations. He is now consulting and doing automation for small to medium size businesses.We talk about how it's important to focus and specialize on specific software solutions, in his case, the CRM Pipedrive, versus being a jack of all traits. We even finish off the call discussing chat bots, AI, and some of the crazy things Google is doing to push the industry forward and some of the backlash that...
2018-07-181h 12Analysis Paralysis by Efficient App006 - Getting Automated w/ Kelsey BratcherThere are podcasts for just about every topic you can think of, but very few, if any, around the emerging area of business automation. Our guest, Kelsey Bratcher, saw this void as an opportunity and started the Get Automated podcast. On this episode, I speak with Kelsey about many different things surrounding software, automation, and efficiency. We discuss how we got started in automation; the differences between ProsperWorks CRM and InfusionSoft; the best tools available for automating your business; and how you, as a small business owner, can start automating your business right now. Make sure you...
2018-07-042h 06Analysis Paralysis by Efficient App005 - Speaking to My Old Business ClassI was invited to an entrepreneurship class by an old professor of mine at Canisius College to talk to the students about my entrepreneurial journey and answer questions about business and starting your career after college. Should you start a business based on passion? How do you get started at all? Should you even start a business right out of college?If you aren't interested in hearing about my background (as the first episode was dedicated to that), feel free to jump ahead to the 11:30 mark.I also recorded this speaking engagement so if you...
2018-06-201h 04Analysis Paralysis by Efficient App004 - The Future of CRMThere are countless Customer Relationship Management systems currently on the market. From the big players like Salesforce, to the more emerging players like ProsperWorks. It seems that every day, a new one enters the space. It is clear that CRM is an important part of a business and that they aren't going away anytime soon.On this episode, I talk with Sai about what the future of CRM looks like, what his experience has been like being a Salesforce developer, and if he would ever consider moving from the giant that is Salesforce over to something like...
2018-06-061h 32Analysis Paralysis by Efficient App003 - Selling Value Over ServiceOn this episode of Analysis Paralysis, I am talking to one of my mentors, Ajaz. He is a great salesman and consultant that has given me a lot of guidance over the years. I figured that not everyone has a mentor so I wanted to record this call with him to share with others to hopefully get something from this. Discussing sales and difficulties I was recently going through with clients and overall, how to sell value over an "hourly rate" type model.
2018-05-0235 min
Analysis Paralysis by Efficient App002 - How to Sell Your ServicesThis guy Tim reached out to me recently, he had listened to the first podcast and he was telling me about his story and it really resonated. We set up a time to talk and we just had a discussion about where he's at right now, where he wants to be going, what he is struggling with. A lot of that is about being able to sell yourself. You have a passion, a hobby, something that you are good at ー how do you convince people that it is worth buying?
2018-02-0724 min
Analysis Paralysis by Efficient App001 - PivotIt's impossible to start a business early on in your career and not pivot along the way. Over the past 8 years in business, I have grown a lot, evolved, and developed new skills that I could have never envisioned when opening up the company my freshman year of college. On this episode, I take you through my history of pivots from the web development world, to online marketing, IT support, and now business process consulting & automation. The longer you are in business, the more you learn, and the more opportunities you realize are available. How do you take advantage...
2018-01-0329 min
Analysis Paralysis by Efficient App000 - All In My HeadTrailer for Analysis Paralysis, a new podcast around business process consulting, CRM, automation, and efficiency, by Alex Bass.
2018-01-0303 min