A Closer Look at Automation with Wade Foster

🚨 The Forge Your Future Challenge is back – August 7–9, 2025!

Join yours truly, Mike Vardy, for this free 3-day experience to reconnect with what matters, regain control of your time, and set your future in motion. Just two hours a day for three days—no fluff, just focus. Save your spot now: https://mikevardy.com/forgeyourfuture

On this week’s episode of The Productivityist Podcast, I will be chatting with Wade Foster. Wade is the co-founder and CEO of the automation platform Zapier, which helps people automate their work by allowing connections between various apps. Wade and I will talk about how to get started with automation, and how to work your way through it. Listen up on this episode as we discuss: The correct pronunciation of Zapier, and the mission envisioned by Wade and his co-founder Bryan that pushed them to create Zapier. Instances where automation is more harmful than useful to productivity. How people start with simple tasks when integrating automation into their routines, and whether it starts from the workplace or at home. Keeping your automation efforts aligned amidst trial and errors by revisiting the original intent of doing so, and dealing with noise brought about by automation through Zapier. Wade’s thoughts on automation, or replication and delegation to another individual, to simplify tasks. The process from manual to automation or delegation, and how Wade tracks these to remind himself that it needs checking and paying attention to. How the Zapier team remains on top of updates, changes, and even systems issues with the numerous apps they integrate. Account security and privacy and how the Zapier team communicate these effectively to their clients/users. What people need to think about and do when considering automation. Plus, an XKDC comic that can serve as a good guide. Relevant Links The best apps. Better together. - Zapier - Zapier The Best Type of Automation - Productivityist 3 Lists to Freedom | Chris Ducker Case Study: Paul Jarvis - How to Build Your Email List as an Author | Zapier The Productivityist Podcast 60: Less Doing with Ari Meisel - Productivityist Workflow | Powerful automation made simple. xkcd: Is It Worth the Time? Wade Foster (@wadefoster) | Twitter Thanks for listening. Until next time, remember to stop guessing...and start going! Want to discover some of the books mentioned on the podcast? Check out Scribd, my reading app of choice. If you enjoyed the episode, please leave a rating and/or review wherever you listened to the episode. Also don't forget to check out all of our podcast sponsors found on our podcast sponsors page. If you enjoyed the episode, please leave a rating and/or review wherever you listened to the episode. And if you want to have easy access to the archives of the show and ensure you don't miss the new episodes to come then subscribe to the podcast in the app you're using.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

📘 Grab My New Book: The Productivity Diet: A Practical Guide to Nurturing your Productive Potential

If you’re looking to build a sustainable, personalized productivity practice that actually sticks, my latest book is for you. It’s available now—wherever books are sold. Learn more at mikevardy.com/lit or request it at your favorite local bookstore.