Breakeven Brothers

What have you wanted to know about building bots? Why is there often a negative stigma around bots in current times?

Bradley shares his experience building various bots, including one that tracked the population of a gym, one that automated chatting with Peloton customer support to get a faster delivery, and most importantly, one that helped earn free Chipotle meals. The Brothers expand further on Bots, discussing the value of automating mundane tasks and the potential applications of bots in different industries. Recent developments in AI models also means that integrating AI models into bots unlock even further opportunity and value-add it can have for many industries, including accounting and finance.

The conversation also touches on recent AI developments, namely the release of Meta's Llama open-source AI model. The Brothers dig deeper into the pro's and cons of utilizing open-source AI models, and even further on how there are numerous options to leverage the Llama model, such as via cloud providers or running locally.

Lastly, Bradley gives an update on his job search, sharing some insights into interviewing for the first time in over a year.

Chapters
00:00 Introduction and Weekend Recap
02:11 Building Bots: Automating Mundane Tasks
12:34 Optimizing Processes with Bots
16:20 From Gym Populations to Peloton Delivery: Bot Success Stories
18:16 Building Bots
29:53 Integrating AI Models into Bots
36:40 Automating Tasks with AppleScript
40:57 Running the Lama AI Model
47:48 The Impact of OpenAI's Llama 3.1 Release
49:32 Challenges Faced by Closed-Source Models
52:06 The Changing Dynamics of Remote Work
58:22 Navigating the Job Market as a Software Engineer

Articles/Links
Brad's Interesting Bookmark:
Tool for optimizing AI prompts

Bennett's Interesting Bookmark:
Why Meta’s Llama 3.1 is a boon for enterprises and a bane for other LLM vendors
The first GPT-4-class AI model anyone can download has arrived: Llama 405B

Creators & Guests

• Bradley Bernard - Host
• Bennett Bernard - Host

In this episode of the Breakeven Brothers podcast, hosts Bennett and Bradley discuss their recent life updates, including Bradley's job offer at ____ and their experiences at various conferences. They delve into the challenges of job searching, the importance of networking, and the evolving landscape of marketing and AI in the tech industry. The conversation highlights the significance of community in professional growth and the need for continuous learning in a rapidly changing job market. They also share personal recommendations for books and resources that have inspired them.

Bookmarks
Brad: X: Optimizing your mobile app paywall
Bennett: Getting your fire back
People
Creators & Guests

• Bradley Bernard - Host
• Bennett Bernard - Host

In this episode, the Brothers discuss the idea of blending real-life transactions with video games, using the example of a mod in the game Oblivion that allows players to order pizza. They explore the immersive experience of certain games and the potential for integrating real-world transactions within them. Furthermore, they also touch on the concept of being authentic online and the challenges of catering to algorithms while staying true to oneself. They share their experiences with Twitter and the use of AI tools for content creation, emphasizing the importance of authenticity and quality over quantity. Ben and Brad explore the use of AI in writing and the potential drawbacks of relying too heavily on algorithms, and the power and benefit of building a supportive community that shares knowledge to help others.

Brad: X: iOS 18.1: App intents, developer integration for Apple Intelligence
Ben: Being Heumann: An Unrepentant Memoir of a Disability Rights Activist by Judith Heumann

Ben and Brad discuss what it's like to leave Big Tech and be a solopreneur, as well as discuss how programming should be a must learn for accounting professionals.

Chapters
00:00 Introduction and Backgrounds
11:58 Considering Leaving Big Tech
24:00 Leaving on Good Terms and Professionalism
27:19 If It Doesn't Work Out, You Can Always Go Back
29:50 The Journey of Entrepreneurship
36:17 Accounting and Data Engineering
39:03 Python as a Tool for Accountants
48:03 Automation and End Goals
52:30 Challenges and Opportunities in Accounting Technology
55:26 Embracing New Tools and Technologies
57:50 Documentation and Collaboration in Accounting Automation
01:01:01 Trying Different Options and Taking Ownership
01:04:02 The Fight for Intelligence, Scale, Speed, and Pricing
01:07:15 Sharing Knowledge and Building Bridges

Articles/Links
Bennett's Blog Post:
Programming as an Accountant — Bennett Bernard, CPA

Brad's Interesting Bookmark:
Context caching for the Gemini API

Bennett's Interesting Bookmark:
221 How To Build The First 1 Person $10M Accounting Firm (youtube.com)

Creators & Guests

• Bradley Bernard - Host
• Bennett Bernard - Host

In this episode, Bennett and Bradley discuss their thoughts on attending conferences, including strategies for how to get the most of your experiences and how to make genuine connections. They also discuss small but often overlooked strategies that turn one's career from successful to exceptional with just a little extra effort.

• (00:00) - Introduction and San Diego Trip
• (03:01) - The Importance of Attending Industry Conferences
• (11:22) - Preparing for Conferences and Setting Goals
• (18:47) - The Benefits of Technical and Social Conferences
• (25:13) - Speaking at Conferences and Career Opportunities
• (30:47) - Balancing Preparation and Authenticity in Presentations
• (34:13) - Mastering the Art of Public Speaking
• (37:37) - Taking Notes and Following Up at Conferences
• (43:45) - The Difference Between Success and Exceptional Success
• (50:19) - The Importance of Effort and Going the Extra Mile
• (58:38) - Finding Joy and Fulfillment in Challenging Work

Bennett's Interesting Bookmark:
Reusable Components in Django with Stimulus and Tailwind CSS - Part 1 | TestDriven.io

Creators & Guests

• Bradley Bernard - Host
• Bennett Bernard - Host