Crazy Wisdom

Crazy Wisdom

Patterns, Predictions, and Productivity: Mikkel Steen's Vision for Everest and Beyond

August 25, 2023 · 55 min

MP3 · Apple Podcasts · Spotify

About this episode

Introduction: Mikkel Steen, CEO of Everest (reach out directly: mikkel@everestassistant.com), discusses the modern business environment and how his company Everest fits within it.

Changing Work Environment
  • Remote and Asynchronous Work: Mikkel observes shifts towards more remote and asynchronous work and the need to replace traditional meetings with efficient alternatives.
  • Tools and Models: He mentions various tools to facilitate asynchronous work, like newsletters for team updates, to provide a better, more engaging model.
  • Opportunities and Challenges: While seeing many opportunities, Mikkel also notes the fallacy of simply replacing in-person meetings with Zoom and the challenges of coordinating different time zones.

Everest's Role and Offerings

  • Executive Support System: Everest is creating an advanced executive support system, aiming to handle various aspects of a person's life, from scheduling to purchasing, more empathetically.
  • Role of EA (Executive Assistant): Mikkel likens an EA to Robin for Batman. EAs are considered amplifiers, filters, reminders, and therapists that help in various professional and personal adjustments.
  • Therapeutic Support: Everest's EA makes people feel cared for, addressing the loneliness often felt in leadership roles.
  • Differentiation from Other Services: Unlike mere therapy, Everest's service also considers the productivity aspect and actively assists in various tasks.

Technology's Impact on Everest

  • Automation and Human Connection: Everest integrates technology to handle routine tasks, allowing more time for human interaction and understanding.
  • Coordination Costs: The reduction of coordination costs is a key focus, allowing Everest to be more efficient and proactive.

Conscious Living and Autopilot

  • Understanding Autopilot: Mikkel delves into how about 99% of decisions are made unconsciously. Recognizing and observing these patterns leads to more conscious decision-making.
  • Role of EA in Mindfulness: The support of an EA allows individuals to have more focused attention and make more conscious choices, helping them regain control over their lives.

Scaling Everest

  • Challenges in Scaling: Mikkel shares Everest's plans to scale and the complexities involved, from recognizing patterns to delivering on promises.
  • Coordination and Patterns: Mikkel speaks about the necessity to decrease coordination costs and recognize new patterns in scaling functions.

Everest's Approach to Productivity

  • Proactivity: By predicting moves and intentions, Everest allows users to become more proactive.
  • Data Utilization: Through collecting and analyzing data, Everest can engineer profiles to assist clients better.

Philosophical Insights

  • Patterns and Predictions: Mikkel discusses pattern recognition and how humans are naturally equipped for this, which is fundamental to Everest's approach.
  • Health and Prevention: He compares Everest's role to eating healthily and preventing problems rather than merely solving them.
  • Mindfulness in Decision Making: The path to more conscious decision-making involves focusing on what's essential, something that Everest facilitates by acting as a shield and aid.

Concluding Remarks

  • What's Next for Everest: Mikkel ends with a discussion about Everest's future, emphasizing scalability and the need to recognize new patterns.
  • Connecting with Mikkel: Listeners can write directly to Mikkel to connect: mikkel@everestassistant.com

This summary provides an expansive overview of Mikkel Steen's thoughts on the modern business environment, Everest's unique approach, and the integration of technology and human empathy to create a holistic executive support system. His insights on conscious living, scaling challenges, and human connection offer a thorough understanding of Everest's mission and future goals.

Episode transcript
Stewart Alsop III00:00

Welcome to the Crazy Wisdom Podcast. This podcast is for you. If you have an insane drive to find the truth of things, it's not the good answers that we seek, but the good questions. I interview a range of different guests from many different fields, all with the intention to uncover the simple truths that are hidden in plain sight. Most people don't want to go there. I go there, my guests go there, and you benefit. Please let me know if you enjoy these episodes and as always, subscribe on itunes, Spotify or wherever you listen to the podcasts. Welcome to the Crazy Wisdom Podcast. My guest today is Mikkel Steen. He is the CEO of Everest and I'll let him explain more what Everest is. But really excited to have you on the show.

Mikkel Steen00:46

Mikkel, welcome. Thank you, Stuart. Thank you for having me. It's always a pleasure. Yeah.

Stewart Alsop III00:55

So what is the most interesting thing you've learned about business and the modern business environment in the last few weeks?

Mikkel Steen01:03

Oh, that's a really good question. I think. I think there is constantly new information to actually consider in that question. I think a lot of the shifting patterns right now in terms of how we work is really interesting to think about. This is maybe not the last few weeks, but there's been a lot in my mind how more and more remote work is changing the way that we manage and the way that we motivate and the way that we engage with people. So making sure that our organizational structures actually align with the way that we work has been quite a lot on my mind.

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