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. :)
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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