Each episode of Optimize Automate Outsource is aimed at helping you find the tools you need to be more effective in the things that matter to your life. This episode features articles, practices Ari and Nick are applying in their own lives, and a few services. Listen in to the conversation to hear how job flexibility/workplace flexibility is becoming more of a draw for talent, how the presence of your smartphone in the room can lead to cognitive limitations, how email can be used as a task manager, and more.
If you’re trying to build a company you know how competitive the job market is right now. People with the talent and attitude you need are in high demand - so you need every advantage you can get. Surveys are showing that one of the things job seekers are looking for is job or workplace flexibility. Is there any way you can provide that? If so, you might have the edge in getting the talent you need. Ari and Nick talk about an article that reveals the findings of the survey and discuss situations in which it may not apply, so be sure you listen.
There is still a lot of debate and theory about the usefulness of stem cells. But the prevailing scientific belief is that stem cells could be the key to all kinds of genetic therapies and treatments. In this episode of OAO Ari and Nick discuss one company that is offering to be your stem cell “bank” (for lack of a better term) so that, should the science catch up with the theory you may be able to treat some of the health issues you face as you age with your own stem cells. It’s an interesting idea. Find out more on this episode.
Would it be helpful for you if you could schedule reminders, send follow-ups and create calendar events with just a few keystrokes, directly in your email? Gopher is a new service discussed on this episode of OAO that is entirely based on native email. There are far too many features to be listed in this paragraph and the applications for its use are far-reaching, so take a few minutes to listen to Ari and Nick discussing the app.
One of the things Nick has long felt he needs to work on is what he calls his monotone way of speaking. He feels he’s a good communicator but would benefit greatly from learning better voice inflection and expression. What’s he doing to correct the issue? He’s taking Italian lessons. So much of the language is dependent on tone of voice and inflection, he’s finding it very helpful. Hear the entire story on this episode and maybe you’ll discover a solution to YOUR monotone voice. :)
Find out more about what we’re doing at Leverage at
You may have heard of this concept before, but since so many applications and forms require you to provide a physical address, services have popped up that allow you to get a “virtual mailbox” that qualifies. Sounds a bit confusing, but it works. On this episode, Ari and Nick also discuss a new virtual mailbox service, robotic furniture that is very practical and space-saving, alternatives for security deposits for tenants and landlords, department-store-like kiosks that can be placed anywhere, and much more. Be sure you listen to hear some of the latest services and apps that can make your life more effective.
If you live in a small or micro apartment, or even a tiny house one company has come up with a solution that can save you tons of space and make your living situations more practical. Ori has created a number of different furniture pieces that convert from one form to another at the touch of a button. It’s a great idea that is starting to get traction and could be the solution to space issues in many living situations. Find out more from this episode.
There are many services that offer renters the opportunity to purchase a bond that will cover damages to a property, but a new one is out that is pretty special. It’s called Trustbond and has some interesting features. Now you can free up your money to work for you instead of sitting in a bank account somewhere “just in case.” Find out more about how it works as well as pricing on this episode of OAO.
There’s a new project on Kickstarter that gives a new meaning to the phrase, “Dancing Shoes.” These shoes truly are dancing shoes because in combination with a smartphone app they can teach you how to dance. You choose the beat, the app does the rest in conjunction with vibrating sensors in the shoes. It will teach you a variety of styles, track your progress, teach you visually, and more. Find out more about Rhythm Shoes on this episode.
Bodega has come up with a novel idea - the next generation of vending machines. Just picture it, you live in a college dorm and need some kind of necessity item right away. You simply walk to the lobby, open a door, and take the item you need. The kiosk you opened registers who you are, what you took, and charges your card automatically. If it’s an item that isn’t in stock, it can integrate with Amazon to have it sent to you immediately. Find out how it works on this episode.
Find out more about what we’re doing at Leverage at
There are so many ways technology is making our lives better and one of the reasons Ari and Nick do these OAO episodes is to make you aware of what’s becoming available. On this episode, they highlight a new service that uses A.I. to predict successful cancer treatment for individual patients, another that uses A.I. to match job seekers with the best companies for them, apps that find you the best rideshare rate on-demand, and ways you can better assess potential candidates for team fit. As mentioned, it’s amazing what tech is accomplishing for us. You can hear the details about these apps and more on this episode of Optimize Automate Outsource.
Over 150 cancer therapies are currently on the market and there’s never been an easy way to decide which drug will be best for individual patients. Until now. Oncobox applies personalized genetic profiling to help oncologists decide which drug to use for a particular patient. Its success rate is staggering, making the right course of treatment up to 3 times more effective so far. It’s cost-effective and a great application of A.I. You may want to tell your oncologist about this is you’re suffering from cancer. Find out more on this episode.
There’s a new service available for job seekers with an 88% approval rating so far - it’s called Leap. The thing it does differently is that it uses your profile and the profile of its partner companies to match you with a team not only based on your skills and experience but also based on its assessment of how you’d fit into that company’s culture. If Leap thinks you’re a match, it makes a direct recommendation to the company’s hiring department and guarantees you’ll hear back from them. Check this one out. It could save a lot of time and loads of headaches.
If you serve as a driver for Lyft and Uber (and many people DO work for both companies) there’s now an app called Mystro Driver that connects to the API of both apps so that you can see what rides are available, which would be most profitable for you to take, and lots of other cool features. The claim is that you can earn 30% more, are able to drive safer, and never miss the trips you want most. It sounds promising, so be sure to listen for details.
If you spend your day writing for a living you know the power the written word can have on people. Sales letters, responses to clients, marketing materials - all of them require that you be effective in the words you use. Now there’s a service that analyzes your writing and makes suggestions based on the type of emotion you want to elicit from the recipient, and it charges on a per-use basis, 50 cents per query. Find out more from Ari and Nick on this episode of OAO.
Find out more about what we’re doing at Leverage at
Most of us use much more electricity than we realize. In this episode of Optimize Automate Outsource, Ari shares his experience using a new electricity usage monitor and how its recommendations have cut his electricity bills significantly. Ari and Nick also speak about a new on-demand parking service, an air purification system that uses free radicals to clean the air, a kids meal delivery service, and more so make sure you set aside the time to find out about these new services and apps.
Ari recently began using The Sense, an electricity usage monitor that detects when the appliances and devices in your home are being used. It can make recommendations about their usage and give you ideas for cutting your utility consumption. In a short matter of time, Ari's family has been able to reduce their electricity bill to just $60 per month. The applications for a device like this are pretty significant and can make a huge impact on the planet. Listen to hear more about Ari's experience and find out how you can get your own The Sense app.
Carpooling is a great idea both for financial and environmental reasons. But it's not always easy to arrange when you only have your circle of connections to draw on in order to make it happen. That's where a new carpooling app, Chariot comes in. You can connect with others who are going in the same direction as you and over time, establish a set schedule and route that the group takes for your daily commute. You can even give input regarding the route and times to ensure it is user-friendly for everyone involved. This app is a great idea and is very affordable. See if it makes sense for you by listening to this episode.
Yumble is a new meal delivery service created especially for kids. Not only is it a neat way to get food delivered to your home without the pain and hassle of shopping, but the meals are designed to be appealing to kids especially. Even if you don't particularly want to use the service on an ongoing basis it's a great way to get ideas for kid-friendly meals. You can hear how Ari likes the service and what he recommends about it, on this episode.
If you live in a major metropolitan area you know how difficult it can be to find a parking spot near the places you need to go. There is a new app called DropCar that enables you to schedule someone to meet you at your car when you are in a crowded area, and they will either sit with your car or drive it around until you are done with your appointment. It's a great idea when parking is at a premium and can save you some serious cash. You can hear Ari's review of the app and his experience in using it in this episode.
Find out more about what we’re doing at Leverage at
This episode of Optimize, Automate, Outsource has a wide variety of interesting apps and resources as usual, so listen up to hear Ari and Nick chat about a great language app Nick’s been using (it includes gamification), how you can create parent-child relationships between Trello cards using a new service, how healthcare professionals can become “on demand” workers, the automation of IPOs, robotic scanning of documents and more. Oh yeah, and Nick tells about his sponge roller water bottle too - it’s all on this episode.
If you haven’t heard of Duolingo yet you really do need to check it out. It’s an entirely free app that can teach you foreign languages in fun and interactive ways. Ari has used it in the past to brush up on his French and Nick is using it presently. What’s fun about it is that you can learn as you play games - and you can even hear words in your language of choice spoken to you if you’re having a hard time pronouncing them. This is a powerful and effective app and serves as a demonstration of how technology makes learning easier and fun.
One of the things that users have complained about in terms of features that Trello doesn’t offer is the ability to “nest” one card under another, creating parent-child type relationships. There are so many uses for that kind of functionality, it’s surprising that the Trello team hasn’t created it yet. So somebody finally got fed up and did it for them. It’s a new service called Hello Epics and Nick and Ari chat about how it works and why it’s so helpful, on this episode.
On demand work is becoming more and more prevalent throughout the world, and now it’s become a reality for healthcare workers. If you set up a profile on ShiftDoc you are able to choose your availability, pay, and location so offices in need of help can see if you’re a good fit. You upload your credentials so your skills and education can be verified, and then you can be requested to work for offices in need, or apply to work at offices that have posted “help wanted” listings. It’s pretty impressive how the system works. Check it out on this episode.
There’s a new service called Ripcord that solves the most challenging conundrums of managing your important documents. Here’s how it works. Ripcord uses robots to scan your records and place certified digital copies of them in the cloud. The process makes them safe and accessible - and your paper copies can be destroyed for good. And you won’t have a human being looking at your records as they are being scanned because a robot is doing the work. You have to check this out if you deal with records management issues. Ari and Nick explain it on this episode.
Find out more about what we’re doing at Leverage at
What if you developers out there could get qualified, accurate feedback about the software code you write, anytime you need it? It’s possible through a new on demand code review service from Pull Request. It will enable you to add another layer to your quality checks to ensure that the code you’re about to make live is right and works as it should. You can hear about how the service works and the benefits it will add to your workflow - along with Ari and Nick’s thoughts about it and a handful of other new services, on this episode of Optimize, Automate, Outsource.
In high-competition niches, it’s important to stay abreast of everything your competition is doing. You want to know the changes they are making to their service as soon as possible so that you can pivot your offerings and stay competitive. It’s not a big deal to check out their website from time to time, but it’s also not the best use of your time. That’s why services like BlitApp exist, to automatically take screenshots of websites on a designated schedule. You’ll hear about how BlitApp works and why Ari likes it a bit more than similar services, on this episode.
Whenever you’ve been on a product or services website you’ve likely seen the chat bubbles at the bottom right of the screen that you can use to ask questions. It’s a convenient feature that allows for immediate engagement between service providers and prospects using automation. One of the more powerful of those chat services is called Intercom. On this episode, Ari and Nick discuss how they are using a new feature of Intercom called “Operator” to create a powerful “Q & A” training tool for the Leverage staff that helps new employees or those unfamiliar with a particular process get their questions answered automatically. This one is a great time saver.
You’ve seen laser engravers before, or at least the result of one. But they’ve never been as simple and accessible to the general public as this: Cubio. It’s a cube shaped, ultra-small device that enables you to engrave any design on almost any surface. It connects to a smartphone app and uses pictures you take with your smartphone camera as the template for the patterns you engrave. You’ve got to check this one out - it’s got all kinds of applications.
Most of us are familiar with time tracking apps. But now there’s a solution for teams and agencies that enables managers to easily keep track of their team’s time that doesn’t cost an arm and a leg. In fact, it’s entirely free. With Clockify you can manage as many team members, projects, and workspaces as you need. It’s simple to use and very effective. You can learn more about this powerful service on this episode of Optimize, Automate, Outsource.
Find out more about what we’re doing at Leverage at
Don’t you just HATE it when earbuds hurt your ears? Now there’s a better way. On this episode of Optimize, Automate, Outsource Ari tells about the new custom molded earbuds he received from Hello Ear. In short, he loves them. The company uses a picture of your ear to craft a set of earbuds for you that fit perfectly and feel good. Really, they feel good - no more pain when you listen to our podcast! Find out more about getting your own custom molded earbuds on this episode.
Ari and Nick have not had a regular use for traditional bank checks for years. But when they come across the need for one they’ve resorted to going to the bank to get a certified or cashier’s check. Now there’s a new option - Checkbook.io enables you to send checks from your own bank account via their online dashboard, and you can even set it up to send checks for you at regular intervals. Find out how to use it on the off chance you need a bank check by listening to this episode.
Datanannas is a service that enables you to get tweak suggestions for the prospecting and cold emails you write - B2C or B2B. It’s a great tool to provide feedback and make your emails more effective. It gives tips regarding the length of your email, the variables you use, the customization and personalization of your writing, and more. The company has added services to help you dial-in and maximize your marketing campaigns and prospect follow-up.
You may have seen the chat bubble we use on the Leverage website. It’s an integration from a company called Intercom and it enables us to connect directly with prospects who reach out to us through the app. But it has tons of other features we use internally that make our team communication more effective, including sending of private messages to filtered groups and teams within our company. You won’t believe all the stuff this thing can do, so listen to find out more.
Many couples struggle financially, not because they disagree on what should be done with their money but because they forget to communicate about things that are actually done There’s a new app called Honey Due that makes communication about finances effortless. You can hear how it could be used to keep couples “in the know” with each other on this episode of OAO.
Find out more about what we’re doing at Leverage at
Ari is flying solo on this episode - Nick is once again out of the country, visiting one of the 17 time zones the Leverage team is spread across. But the resources Ari has to share are pretty interesting, nonetheless. He highlights a new service that is essentially an employment board that offers jobs for felons - the 70 million people who have been formerly incarcerated and find it difficult to get a job as a result. He’s also going to introduce you to a service that enables you to get compensated for delayed or canceled flights, and tells you how you can use another free service to track the places in your shared accounts where you might be vulnerable. It’s all on this episode of Optimize, Automate, Outsource.
It’s a normal thing for employers to be skeptical of hiring people with a criminal record. But many times, though the people in question have served their time and have truly reformed, their past haunts them still. A new service called 70 Million jobs is a job board for those formerly incarcerated and is an opportunity for companies to give offenders a second chance and the ability to change the course of their lives going forward. It’s a great idea and one Ari highlights on this episode.
Anyone who flies routinely has had the experience of a delayed or canceled flight. Airlines are quick to give you the very least they can in order to pacify you - when in reality what is fair is often much more. That’s where “Service” comes in - it’s a service that tracks your flights with an eye toward finding places the airline should have done right by you but didn’t. And they go to work on your behalf. Find out how you can use this service to get compensated for the inconveniences you’ve experienced as you’ve traveled.
With the advent of “social selling” it’s vital that you know as much about your leads as possible before you make contact. The more the person on the other end of the interaction is able to feel that you care about them in a personal way, the more likely it will be that you are able to build the rapport that will fuel a long-term relationship. That’s why Zapier has created its “lead score” integration, a way for you to find out details and history of your leads easily and automatically. It’s a great tool that Ari describes on this episode.
Almost every business online is sharing resources via Dropbox, Google Drive, Box, or some other group sharing service. But did you realize that there are built-in vulnerabilities that are easy to lose track of over time? Marshal is a fast, easy way for companies of any size to uncover sensitive data exposed and unprotected in their cloud. It sifts through your online sharing accounts and within minutes will alert you to exposed Social Security Numbers, credit card numbers, email addresses, and phone numbers — and it will tell you whether those files are being shared or have public links enabled. It’s a free service so everyone should check it out.
Find out more about what we’re doing at Leverage at
You’ve heard it said that money can’t buy you happiness - and that’s right. But it appears that money can buy time, which in turn can contribute to greater amounts of happiness. On this episode of Optimize, Automate, Outsource, Ari discusses an article that reveals that those who spend as little as $40 a week buying back the time it takes to do various tasks (picking up dry cleaning, cleaning the house, etc.) are finding their happiness levels rising. Why is that? Ari discusses it on this episode.
One of the problems with fine art is that while the average person may enjoy it, they only get to do so in a museum or through inheriting it from a rich family member. The cost of purchasing fine art is far outside of most people’s budget. That’s where The Depict Frame comes in. It’s a digital frame that provides realistic looking fine art for the average person. A one-time purchase could fill your home with the finest of fine art. You should check it out on this episode.
A difficult aspect of building a digitally based business is keeping a growing team in the know when it comes to activity that’s taking place. It’s imperative that notifications work, and work effectively. There’s a new service called Hall Monitor that enables you to build custom reports of your varied online activities and send that report to Slack channels you designate so everyone on your team knows what’s going on. Brilliant. Find out more on this episode.
There are all kinds of gadgets out there that are trendy and fun. But every now and then one comes along that truly makes sense. Soundbrake is one of those. It’s a noise-cancelling gadget that does much more than block out everything outside your headphones. It actually detects the sounds around you according to your custom settings and pauses your music when something is going on around you that you need to know about. Find out how it works on this episode of OAO.
Every podcast out there is trying to reach its ideal target audience and once that audience is found, the value begins to flow. But does it ever flow back the other way? You have an opportunity to make it happen right now. If you’ll go to iTunes and leave a rating and review for OAO, then send us a message with a screenshot of your review, we’ll give you access to our Leverage Lab for one month, for free - just to say thanks.
Find out more about what we’re doing at Leverage at
For those who really love their pets and can’t imagine being without them, there is an amazing new technology you'll love. You can now pay to have your dog’s DNA collected so that in the event of the loss of your pet you can have a genetically identical clone of your pet created. Really, the technology to do it is here. Find out more about cloning your pet on this episode.
Ari’s friend, Ben Greenfield, of Ben Greenfield Fitness Systems, has been on a quest to create the perfect energy bar - and now he’s got it perfected and available to the public. It’s not Paleo, it’s not Vegan. It’s just a clean, hypoallergenic and guilt-free energy bar packed with ingredients that support energy, muscle gain, and fat loss - and no unhealthy chemicals. Ari introduces it on this episode.
Elon Musk has been leading the charge for a while to get a high-speed transportation system established in various parts of the world. Just this past week he announced that it’s been verbally approved for his company to begin construction of a Hyperloop route between New York City and Washington, D.C. that would make the travel time about 30 minutes. Wow. Find out the details on this episode.
No more searching for a parking spot or garage. No more circling the block waiting for someone to pull away from a parking meter. Now you can use your phone to have a valet driver meet you at your destination and they’ll either sit with your car and bring it back to you when you’re ready or park it for you. You can even have the valet driver get your oil changed or tires rotated while you’re occupied with other things. Yep, it’s real. Check it out on this episode.
On this episode, Ari announces the next Leverage certified coaching cohort will launch in November of 2017. It’s your opportunity to add productivity coaching to your resume and help others not only get more organized but clear out the space that enables them to make a bigger impact in their world. On this episode Ari explains how you can get in on this world-class training, so be sure you listen.
Find out more about what we’re doing at Leverage at
Text analysis: What in the world is THAT? Let’s consider a use case: Imagine you have a blog or social media channel where your followers or clients interact with you regularly. Someone on your team is tasked to respond appropriately to those inquiries and comments. What if you could automate a classification of those comments and instantly redirect them to the right team member? You just skipped a step in the existing process. You just saved time and increased effectiveness. That’s what text analysis can do for you. Find out about Monkey Learn, a new test analysis and machine learning platform on this episode.
Most of us wanted a motorized something to zip around on as a kid - you know, something we could ride around the neighborhood to the envy of all the other kids? Technology is improving those options for the next generation - and with digital tools that enable kids to be protected through appropriate parental oversight. You can find out about the newest generation of motorized kids' vehicles and the apps and safeguards that go with them on this episode of OAO.
What if you could finally outsource your customer service desk to a trained, intelligent, remote team and only paid based on the actual cases that were solved to the customer’s satisfaction? And what if the per-case price was very reasonable (like $3.50 per case)? Imagine no more. It exists in the new service DreamSupport.io - and on this episode, Ari and Nick cover what it does, how it works, and why you might want to check it out.
On this episode, Ari refers to an article he read recently titled, “7 Lessons from 100+ Failed Startups.” As you might imagine, there are some very predictable reasons why many of the startups failed, such as running out of funding. But the most common reason is one you would think founders would be aware of by now. It’s so simple, it’s crazy that it’s still an issue. Want to know what it is? Ari and Nick chat about it on this episode.
If you are a business coach or consultant one of the main areas of value you can bring to any client is helping them optimize, automate, or outsource their workflows. It’s exponential in its impact - and now you can be certified as a Leverage coach and begin helping your clients in this vital productivity step. Find out how you can join the Leverage coaching cohort, on this episode.
Find out more about what we’re doing at Leverage at
On this episode of Optimize, Automate, Outsource, Ari and Nick have another handful of apps and services to point out for your consideration. They cover a new free encryption service for website owners, an always-on communication device, a new “wait in line” service in New York, and a video-based daily catch-up app for teams. Oh, and don’t forget about the online legal services company, UpCounsel. You’ll find all of them on this episode of OAO.
Online legal services may sound a bit risky, but consider this: UpCounsel works directly with former big law partners, senior associates, and general counsels who average over 14 years of experience from top-ranked law firms and Fortune 500 companies. The lawyers who work for them (and you) have graduated from some of the best law schools in the world. They regularly verify the lawyers in the network and their active client review system provides full transparency, allowing new clients (you) to select the right attorney and receive high-quality work. It’s something you should consider, especially because you won’t be paying for the 60% costs associated with the overhead of a typical law firm. Find out more about it on this episode.
It may sound cool. It may sound lazy. But it works. And the people working it are not only making a living, they are also able to do their own work while they wait in line for you. The service is called “Same Old Line Dudes” and it’s designed so you can hire someone to wait in line for you, say for those in-demand concert tickets, the release of the new iPhone, or whatever. It’s a great idea that many people are already taking advantage of.
You don’t have to have that excuse anymore. Let’s Encrypt is a free, automated, and open certificate authority service provided by the Internet Security Research Group (ISRG). They provide the digital certificates needed in order to enable HTTPS (SSL/TLS) for websites, for free, in the most user-friendly way possible. It’s also automatic, secure, transparent, open, and cooperative. If you haven’t encrypted your site yet, you should check this out!
Sonnet enables your smartphone to send all kinds of messages WITHOUT any coverage or satellite service. It’s the world's most advanced off-grid communication device. With it, you can send text messages, voice recordings, images, and GPS locations on your phone without cellular coverage, satellite, or Internet access. It’s dust-tight and water resistant and can be used for 24 continuous hours. Amazed yet? Listen to hear more about this amazing and affordable device.
Find out more about what we’re doing at Leverage at
As they guys do on every episode of Optimize, Automate, Outsource, this episode features them sharing a handful of resources they’ve come across that may help you increase your productivity and success. But before they get into the apps and services, Nick has an update on his recent trip to the team villa in St. Martin, why he went, and what the Leverage team hopes to use the property for in the months and years ahead. It’s a great perk for the team and they’re even trying out the AirBnB approach for the property while it’s not in use. Find out more, on this episode.
What might you be able to accomplish - in terms of automation and productivity - if you could turn tweets, emails, documents, webpages, or anything else you can think of into actionable data, automatically? That’s what Monkey Learn does. Its powerful API can automate many of your business processes and save you hours of manual data processing. It even has Zapier and Google Doc integrations. You can find out more about Monkey Learn on this episode of OAO.
There’s more to being a coach than simply knowing how to do something. You need to be able to get inside the head of the person you’re coaching, know how to talk to them in a way that moves them to discover their own limitations and begin to move forward. The Leverage Certified Coaching program is designed to help you not only master the Leverage approach to productivity, but also help you develop the coaching tools you need to truly help clients. Find out about our upcoming certification event on this episode.
Ari has spoken about Meekan before as an integration inside of Slack. But now there’s an even simpler way to use the app - as a Google Calendar plugin. Imagine it, with the click of a button you can immediately assess the best times for a meeting between those involved in an email conversation and have times recommended to you. It’s an incredible time saver. The app integrates across platforms so you should have no trouble using it with any connected individual around the world. Find out how to check it out, on this episode.
For those who travel regularly from Los Angeles to San Francisco, there’s a new way to commute. You can book passage on Cabin, a sleeper bus service between the two cities. The ride comes with a comfortable travel cabin of your own, tea service, free wifi, and a staff to ensure your ride is comfortable and safe. Find out more about it on this episode of OAO.
Find out more about what we’re doing at Leverage at
Every kid hates making their bed - OK, maybe not every kid, but most kids. Stop the hate - the smart duvet is here. It’s an automated blanket/comforter for your bed that not only makes the bed for you via an inflatable membrane, it also controls the temperature of the bed in two zones, one for your side, another for theirs. Nick was pretty impressed with this one, so he’s going to look into it. At the very least it could save you some time each morning. Just press the button on the smartphone app and go. Smart Duvet. Wow.
The Taga bike 2.0 is on Indiegogo right now and it’s a pretty amazing thing to see. Ari is thinking about getting one to take the kids to school in the fall. Essentially, it is a modular, adaptable bike that you can modify to fit your needs. What does that mean? You can carry cargo, or kids, pets, add on a stroller, and it is a 3-wheeled bike - so it’s stable. It’s also able to fold up so you can easily store it. What more do you want? Check it out on this episode of Optimize, Automate, Outsource. It even comes with a water gun accessory. Wow, this one is almost as cool as the smart duvet.
It’s been a pity that so far most co-working spaces have focused mainly on the “work” part and not the “co” part of what they do. Yeah, they have events and “get to know you” things and such, but they’ve been lacking in helping people live their own life the way they need to live it - but still get work done. No longer. Co-working spaces all across the U.S. have listened to their members and have begun providing daycare services in a variety of options. Ari and Nick chat about it - and you can hear it on this episode.
21.co is a new service you can sign up for that enables you to become a “specialist” of sorts who is available to answer specific questions related to your self-defined areas of expertise. You fill out a profile, check the boxes regarding what you’re qualified to answer questions about, and the app begins sending you user-submitted questions - and you get paid for answering. It’s pretty cool, so check it out by listening to this episode.
Aresenal is a new app that connects to most DSLR cameras and takes the headache and learning curve out of things like aperture, focus, and other settings that you’ve never taken the time to understand. With Arsenal you can take some truly stunning photos with the click of a button. Ari is amazed at how easy and amazing it is. You should be sure to check it out before you go on your next vacation.
Find out more about what we’re doing at Leverage at
To start off this episode, Ari and Nick chat about their experience with a new sponsor, InsideTracker, a service that provides blood analysis services for those who are interested in optimizing their health from a blood chemistry perspective. Ari and Nick chat about their results, the tweaks they’re making as a result, and why they think it’s helpful for most people to do blood analysis work regularly. If you’d like to try out InsideTracker, you can get 15% by using the link in the show notes for this episode.
We’ve all had the experience of taking a quick photo with our smartphone and needing to get it touched up. But how many of us know a professional graphic artist who can do that for us quickly and in a cost-effective manner? That’s where Tweak comes in. It’s an app that allows you to submit a photo for correction or touch-ups and a professional graphic artist will do the work and return the photo to you, pronto. Imagine what this could mean for systems and timelines when creating photos for eBay listings, Amazon, your website, etc. Get the picture? ;)
Ari and Nick met the team from Gooten at a recent event they attended and were very impressed with what they’re offering. It’s nothing new to have your logo printed on promotional or swag items, but there’s always been an issue with what kind of items can be created and the minimum quantities you have to order. No more - Gooten allows you to put your image on just about anything and in quantities as low as one. It’s a great idea and not as pricey as you might imagine. Check it out.
Imagine this scenario: You’re a wellness practitioner - maybe a chiropractor, yoga instructor, or fitness trainer - and you want to travel. But you have to be able to service clients wherever you go. That’s where Renly comes in. It’s like AirBnB for fitness and wellness professionals. You can find a location, agree to terms with a facility owner, and begin receiving clients at that location - and it's possible to do all around the world. Find out more on this episode.
Motorized shades have been around for quite a while. But now you can get the same functionality and even have it automated via your smartphone without having to buy an all new set of shades for your home. Axis Gear is a device that you install on your existing shades that syncs with your app and controls the opening and closing of your shades. It’s a great idea and is about to launch. Find out how you can get yours, on this episode of Optimize, Automate, Outsource.
Find out more about what we’re doing at Leverage at
Pulsed Electromagnetic Stimulation (PEMS) has nearly 50 years of medical/neurological applications and scientifically-proven health benefits and on today’s episode of OAO, we discuss a new device - the Elf Emmit that has come on the scene to help you align your body with your mind. It sounds a bit odd and requires that you wear a funky headband with a cable running to your smartphone, but if it works, it’s really cool. Pulsed Electromagnetic Stimulation devices may be something you should put on your radar, and you can check out one such device on this episode.
Most travel adapters are bulky and don’t always work like you expect. But those days are gone with the advent of Micro, a mini-travel adaptor that’s got Ari very excited. On this episode of OAO, the guys talk about this new device and why it’s an extreme upgrade from the traditional travel adapters that have been around for years. And this one has a surge protector fuse to keep your devices safe. If you travel internationally you’ll want to see this.
How many times have you paid a medical expense out of pocket only to forget that you need to file the claim with your medical insurance company? There’s a new service called Get Better that tracks down the claims you’re owed by your medical insurance provider and takes steps on your behalf to get that money for you, saving you the time of doing it yourself. This episode the guys talk about Get Better and a handful of other apps and services.
FRND is a new service that contracts with healthcare providers, insurance companies, senior living facilities, and more to perform certain healthcare services for patients in the comfort of their own homes. It’s a great way to cut costs, keep people out of waiting rooms and hospital ERs, and make healthcare more personal. And, healthcare providers like RNs can find flexible work that doesn't keep them stuck in an office all day. Nick and Ari discuss FRND and a whole lot more on this episode, so be sure you listen.
The concept of co-working spaces is already a great example of the sharing economy in action. It was only a matter of time until it became even more shared. Desk Pass is a monthly coworking subscription that has agreements with co-working locations in Chicago, New York, Los Angeles, and Denver. Sign up and get affordable, flexible access to over 100 different co-working spaces in those cities. Sounds like a winner. Find out more on this episode.
Find out more about what we’re doing at Leverage at
This episode of OAO is a bit different because we have some observations to share about the lessons we learned at our recent Leverage team retreat. It was great to be eyeball to eyeball with each other. We discovered many things that could make our relationships and workflow better. Now that we’re back we’re seeing great results, already. We hope the insights we learned can help you as you build your own optimized, automated, and outsourced empire.
Here at Leverage, we pride ourselves on moving quickly. We make fast decisions and take action rapidly. But at our recent team retreat, we saw how much faster things go in-person. Simple things - like the time it takes to give input and receive feedback are dramatically impacted in positive ways when you can be face to face, even for a short amount of time. So yes, you can and should build and effective remote team, but do what you can to get together in person as you are able. You’ll find the benefits are bigger than you think.
Neither Nick or Ari have any intention of building the company so that it can run without them entirely - in other words, they don’t plan on replacing themselves through the automation they’ve put in place. BUT, thinking as if you DO want to replace yourself can help you put some incredible time-saving systems and automation in place that will benefit your company. The guys chat a bit about that concept and how it can improve your workflow and increase effectiveness, on this episode of Optimize, Automate, Outsource.
You’ve seen those construction dumpsters outside your local construction site, right? Those are usually expensive and you pay for them according to the time you have them. But there’s a new option that is very inexpensive ($29 each) and you can keep them as long as you like. When you’re ready, you call to have it picked up for a one-time fee. And these bags (yes, bags) are the size of a regular construction dumpster. Seriously. Find out more on this episode.
It was only a matter of time - and it sounds unbelievable, but you can now get your eyes checked via an app, have it write your prescription, and order your glasses. Amazing. You never have to go see the eye Doc if you don’t want to. Surely there are limitations depending on the condition of your eyes but this is truly revolutionary. Find out more about it on this episode.
Find out more about what we’re doing at Get Leverage at
Ari often refers to one of his favorite blogs, “Barking Up The Wrong Tree” and on this episode, he starts the show referring to an article there entitled “How to Make Life Magical,” and as you can tell my the title, it’s about how to live a magical life. But this particular list is all science-based, so it merits attention. In typical style, Ari and Nick’s banter is almost as interesting as the article itself - almost.
Human performance is a large part of what’s behind the quest to live a magical life - and one of the current barriers being undertaken in a quest to increase human performance is the quest to break the 2 hour marathon barrier. Currently, Dennis Kimetto of Kenya holds the world record for the fastest marathon at 2 hours, 2 minutes, and 57 seconds. But Nike is pouring tons of resources into pushing past that 2-hour mark. On this episode Ari and Nick chat about their efforts.
As Ari and Nick chat about the attempts Nike is making to break the 2-hour marathon barrier, Nick brought up the video of the 2008 Beijing Olympics Men's 4 x 100m Freestyle Relay. He says it’s one of the greatest races of all time and highlights how Jazon Lezak, a veteran swimmer from the USA used the wake of his opponent, Alain Bernard to propel himself forward, leaving him a reserve of energy from which to draw to edge out Bernard in the final second of the race. Pretty cool stuff - and you can hear the guys talk about it on this episode.
-
We are offering a very special membership to our exclusive #LeverageLabs to new listeners who go to our Leverage Podcast or OAO Podcast and subscribe to or download our podcasts, take a photo and send to us via social media. #LeveragePodcast... Send us your photo and we will mention the lucky new members on the podcast each week...
All episodes, show notes, and resources can be found at www.leveragepodcasts.com
Welcome to this episode of Optimize, Automate, Outsource - as usual, we have some great apps and products for you to check out.
One of the problems with time tracker apps is that they typically don’t allow you to differentiate the reasons behind your jaunts to Facebook, Youtube, etc. But now there’s one that has solved that problem. There’s a new app called Timing that enables you to categorize your activities according to projects you create so you can see how productive you've been and exactly what you've been working on. It even includes a pretty impressive timeline feature that indicates exactly when you did what. There are some other cool bells and whistles that make it a time tracker worth checking out - including client billing, auto-categorization, and more. Find it in the resource links for this episode.
You’ve likely heard of Bulletproof Coffee - in fact, we’ve chatted with Dave Asprey, creator of Bulletproof coffee on The Leverage Podcast previously. The point of the coffee is to give a boost to brain power, which we can all use from time to time. Dave’s ingenuity has opened the door to other companies getting in on the brain-boosting-coffee act - and one we’ve come across lately is not aimed at the coffee itself, but at the creamer you put into it. It's Know Brainer, the thinker’s coffee. There are a variety of flavor choices, all which contain brain-boosting clarified butter and 1 tablespoon of MCT oil. You can also find special varieties for lactose intolerant needs, and more. A link is in the resources section for this episode.
We’ve all missed important calls before due to getting absorbed in our work - but it doesn’t have to happen anymore. On this episode, we point you to a new service called Callr, which automatically connects you with your scheduled conference calls at just the right time. It doesn’t matter which conference calling service you use or what calendar you prefer - Callr can handle it. You may want to check this one out - it’s in the featured links section for this episode.
People who are on Paleo-type eating plans know that bone broth is a staple, and it’s not always easy to have it available when you travel, visit family, etc. So the folks at LonoLife have come up with a way you can take your bone broth with you without sacrificing your eating plan. They have slow-simmered bone broths that are gluten-free, low-calorie, and low-fat in K-cup, tub, and stick forms. Sounds pretty useful, right?
There’s a new company that takes a pre-fab approach to construction to provide additional space without the difficulties involved with typical construction. Cover takes the hassle out of building custom backyard studios, bedrooms, etc. by using a versatile building system that integrates with their design optimization software. No more coordination with architects, planning departments, and contractors - they do it all for you. It’s an amazing concept and makes a lot of sense. If you need space, Cover may be your answer.
-
Go to beta.getleverage.com to sign up for the waitlist of our new project management software!
We are offering a very special membership to our exclusive #LeverageLabs to new listeners who go to our Leverage Podcast or OAO Podcast and subscribe to or download our podcasts, take a photo and send to us via social media. #LeveragePodcast... Send us your photo and we will mention the lucky new members on the podcast each week...
All episodes, show notes, and resources can be found at www.leveragepodcasts.com
This episode of Optimize, Automate, Outsource features yet another list of links for you to consider to help you do more with the life you have. One of the most important aspects of that for any business owner is the task of process automation and optimization - and you know why, right? There are hundreds of things happening in the average business that are process-oriented and as we often say, many of those can be automated. We found a software service that enables process automation on a new scale, including connections with Zapier - which you know we love. Nick is quickly becoming addicted to this app so find out all about it on this episode.
We’ve tried plenty of call solutions in the past - including Ringcentral and Skype. For everything we tried, they were either too buggy and ineffective or had far too many features, which proved cumbersome for what we needed. But when we came upon a cool new app that integrates with Slack we found exactly what we were looking for. Nick and I talk about how OttSpot works and the ways it’s enabled us to do some process automation in our application systems, on this episode. This thing has heightened our team’s interaction and productivity to an even greater degree - which we like. Lots.
One of the new devices Nick and I chat about on this episode is called Nightingale - it’s a nighttime noise-maker that is designed by acoustic experts and audio engineers and claims to be the most effective sleep system on the market. When I hear a claim like that I have to ask, “Why?” Here’s what I discovered: Nightingale can be customized to your particular room’s architecture and acoustics by placing a unit on either side of your room - and it’s this two-unit system that makes the difference. They call it a "sound blanket." And besides all that, it’s IoT integrated. Find out more about Nightingale as we talk about it on this episode.
Lately, Nick has been intrigued by the work of an organization called “Defy Ventures,” and for good reason. The folks at DV “harness the natural talents of currently and formerly incarcerated men, women, and youth and redirect them toward the creation of legal business ventures and careers.” It’s an amazing idea and Nick took part in one of their “shark tank” type events recently as one of the “sharks.” Can you imagine? Anyway, on this episode, he shares the inspiring experience and tells why he’s planning to join the DV team at another event soon. This is good stuff being done that seems to be pretty effective. Take a listen.
A new tech item we discuss on this episode is ORBI Prime, which claims to be the first 360° video recording eyewear. So picture this, it’s a pair of glasses you wear that has 1080p cameras integrated into it - even in the back. So you can capture and share 360° videos and images simply by wearing glasses - which you’re likely going to be doing anyway. It’s made from lightweight polycarbonate, is able to record up to 90 minutes of video, has built-in WiFi, is water resistant, and yada, yada, yada. This is a fun sounding toy/tool/tech item you’ll want to know about, so be sure you listen.
-
We are offering a very special membership to our exclusive #LeverageLabs to new listeners who go to our Leverage Podcast or OAO Podcast and subscribe to or download our podcasts, take a photo and send to us via social media. #LeveragePodcast... Send us your photo and we will mention the lucky new members on the podcast each week...
All episodes, show notes, and resources can be found at www.leveragepodcasts.com
Go to beta.getleverage.com to sign up for the waitlist of our new project management software!
We are offering a very special membership to our exclusive #LeverageLabs to new listeners who go to our Leverage Podcast or OAO Podcast and subscribe to or download our podcasts, take a photo and send to us via social media. #LeveragePodcast... Send us your photo and we will mention the lucky new members on the podcast each week...
All episodes, show notes, and resources can be found at www.leveragepodcasts.com
Go to beta.getleverage.com to sign up for the waitlist of our new project management software!
We are offering a very special membership to our exclusive #LeverageLabs to new listeners who go to our Leverage Podcast or OAO Podcast and subscribe to or download our podcasts, take a photo and send to us via social media. #LeveragePodcast... Send us your photo and we will mention the lucky new members on the podcast each week...
All episodes, show notes, and resources can be found at www.leveragepodcasts.com
Go to beta.getleverage.com to sign up for the waitlist of our new project management software!
We are offering a very special membership to our exclusive #LeverageLabs to new listeners who go to our Leverage Podcast or OAO Podcast and subscribe to or download our podcasts, take a photo and send to us via social media. #LeveragePodcast... Send us your photo and we will mention the lucky new members on the podcast each week...
All episodes, show notes and resources can be found at www.leveragepodcasts.com
We are offering a very special membership to our exclusive #LeverageLabs to new listeners who go to our Leverage Podcast or OAO Podcast and subscribe to or download our podcasts, take a photo and send to us via social media. #LeveragePodcast... Send us your photo and we will mention the lucky new members on the podcast each week...
All episodes, show notes and resources can be found at www.leveragepodcasts.com
We are offering a very special membership to our exclusive #LeverageLabs to new listeners who go to our Leverage Podcast or OAO Podcast and subscribe to or download our podcasts, take a photo and send to us via social media. #LeveragePodcast... Send us your photo and we will mention the lucky new members on the podcast each week...
All episodes, show notes and resources can be found at www.leveragepodcasts.com