upside

Today is the fourth episode in our December series called “Rewind.”

Amanda DoAmaral is the founder and CEO of Fiveable, which is based in Milwaukee Wisconsin.

Fiveable is an online streaming and content platform helping high school students study and master their AP exams. Started just two years ago, Fiveable offers live and pre-recorded videos, study guides, as well as community building resources.

After teaching in Oakland for several years with Teach for America, Amanda DoAmaral began Fiveable as a way to help her old students who needed guidance in studying for their AP exams. In only a couple years, Fiveable has grown to include teachers from various types of backgrounds and boasts a 92% pass rate from their students.

Since we chatted in November 2019, Fiveable has raised more than $3.8M in funding.

We discuss:

- TFA training and lack of teaching preparation
- Teaching in Oakland and decision to leave
- Start of Fiveable
- Business growth
- Live streaming vs. pre-recorded videos
- Teachers/streamers on Fiveable
- SAT/ACT prep
- Measuring success
- Dealing with seasonality of APs
- Fiveable’s tiny team

Learn more about Fiveable: https://fiveable.me/
Follow Fiveable on Twitter: https://twitter.com/thinkfiveable

Follow upside on Twitter: https://twitter.com/upsidefm
Advertise with an upside classified: https://upside.fm/classifieds

Show Notes

Today is the fourth episode in our December series called “Rewind.” 

Amanda DoAmaral is the founder and CEO of Fiveable, which is based in Milwaukee Wisconsin.

Fiveable is an online streaming and content platform helping high school students study and master their AP exams. Started just two years ago, Fiveable offers live and pre-recorded videos, study guides, as well as community building resources.

After teaching in Oakland for several years with Teach for America, Amanda DoAmaral began Fiveable as a way to help her old students who needed guidance in studying for their AP exams. In only a couple years, Fiveable has grown to include teachers from various types of backgrounds and boasts a 92% pass rate from their students.

Since we chatted in November 2019, Fiveable has raised more than $3.8M in funding.

We discuss:
  • TFA training and lack of teaching preparation
  • Teaching in Oakland and decision to leave 
  • Start of Fiveable 
  • Business growth 
  • Live streaming vs. pre-recorded videos 
  • Teachers/streamers on Fiveable
  • SAT/ACT prep 
  • Measuring success 
  • Dealing with seasonality of APs
  • Fiveable’s tiny team 
Learn more about Fiveable: https://fiveable.me/ 
Follow Fiveable on Twitter: https://twitter.com/thinkfiveable 

Follow upside on Twitter: https://twitter.com/upsidefm 
Advertise with an upside classified: https://upside.fm/classifieds 

What is upside?

Named a top 27 business podcast by Fortune, upside examines startup investing outside of Silicon Valley.

Every Wednesday, we speak with an early stage founder. We interview them as if we are angel investors considering the company as an investment opportunity.

Each show has three segments:

1.) Intro: independent research of the company
2.) Interview: interview with the founder
3.) Debrief: breaking down the opportunity

Sometimes, we share Coffee Chats interviewing venture capitalists, community builders, and later-stage founders.

Subscribe and see why Business Insider called our podcast "Almost as Good as Getting an MBA."