Jack Smith automates tasks to be more productive at Hustle Con

TL;DR

Jack Smith advocates using automation and process optimization to attack bottlenecks in repetitive tasks, using computer power or low-cost labor to save time. He demonstrates hiring an office manager by replacing a Craigslist ad with a multi-step filter (web form → automated SMS → video submission) that screens for ability to follow instructions and personality.

Key insights

• Automation or process optimization should only be applied when a clear bottleneck is identified; otherwise the time spent automating may exceed the time to do the task manually.
• Most startup office manager ads on Craigslist are identical and yield hundreds of irrelevant emails, creating a bottleneck in filtering candidates.
• The key attributes sought for an office manager — good personality, communication skills, ability to follow instruction — cannot be judged from a cold email.