upside

Interview begins: 7:02
Debrief begins: 51:37

Amanda DoAmaral is the founder and CEO of Fiveable.

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.

We discuss:
- Ad: Business calling and texting anytime, anywhere with Tresta (6:02)
- TFA training and lack of teaching preparation (9:47)
- Teaching in Oakland and decision to leave (12:27)
- Start of Fiveable (20:30)
- Business growth (23:27)
- Live streaming vs. pre-recorded videos (26:00)
- Teachers/streamers on Fiveable (27:10, 41:17)
- SAT/ACT prep (32:19)
- Measuring success (33:13)
- Dealing with seasonality of APs (37:10)
- Fiveable's tiny team (46:53)

Fiveable is based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Learn more about Fiveable: https://fiveable.me/
Follow upside on Twitter: https://twitter.com/upsidefm
Advertise with an upside classified: https://upside.fm/classifieds
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This episode of Upside is sponsored by Tresta. Tresta is a mobile app that lets you do business calling and texting from anywhere. With Tresta, you can set up your business phone number, download the app, and start calling and texting UNLIMITED right away.

Tresta is the best business phone app on the market, whether you’re a founder or freelancer / just starting your business, or you’re already established. Growing your network and your business is all about communication. You’ve got to be available, no matter where you are. Tresta offers the call management features that empower you to communicate smarter and more efficiently, like auto attendants, call recording, user groups, and more. And you don’t need any special equipment – just the smartphone you’re already using. Tresta is easy to configure, so you can set everything up yourself – all online.

It’s just $15 per user per month, with no contract, so start your free 30-day trial today at https://tresta.com/upside

Show Notes

Interview begins: 7:02
Debrief begins: 51:37

Amanda DoAmaral is the founder and CEO of Fiveable.

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.

We discuss:
  • Ad: Business calling and texting anytime, anywhere with Tresta (6:02)
  • TFA training and lack of teaching preparation (9:47)
  • Teaching in Oakland and decision to leave (12:27)
  • Start of Fiveable (20:30)
  • Business growth (23:27)
  • Live streaming vs. pre-recorded videos (26:00)
  • Teachers/streamers on Fiveable (27:10, 41:17)
  • SAT/ACT prep (32:19)
  • Measuring success (33:13)
  • Dealing with seasonality of APs (37:10)
  • Fiveable's tiny team (46:53)
Fiveable is based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Learn more about Fiveable: https://fiveable.me/
Follow upside on Twitter: https://twitter.com/upsidefm
Advertise with an upside classified: https://upside.fm/classifieds
--

This episode of Upside is sponsored by Tresta. Tresta is a mobile app that lets you do business calling and texting from anywhere. With Tresta, you can set up your business phone number, download the app, and start calling and texting UNLIMITED right away.

Tresta is the best business phone app on the market, whether you’re a founder or freelancer / just starting your business, or you’re already established. Growing your network and your business is all about communication. You’ve got to be available, no matter where you are. Tresta offers the call management features that empower you to communicate smarter and more efficiently, like auto attendants, call recording, user groups, and more. And you don’t need any special equipment – just the smartphone you’re already using. Tresta is easy to configure, so you can set everything up yourself – all online.

It’s just $15 per user per month, with no contract, so start your free 30-day trial today at https://tresta.com/upside

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."