In this concise "6 questions in 7 minutes" interview, Professor Pete Alexander talks with Henry Ebarb, co‑founder and CEO of Eightfold Technology. Henry explains that Eightfold builds web‑technology solutions that serve both companies and end‑users. He highlights the industry's constant evolution as its most exciting aspect, noting daily new developments. Addressing work‑life balance, Henry shares a concrete rule for his team: mute apps and defer non‑urgent communications to the next day, establishing clear boundaries. He emphasizes the importance of personal reset—taking weekends away, connecting with nature or family—to avoid burnout and to lead effectively. Henry recommends veteran entrepreneur Grant Quesada, a self‑taught business leader, as a future podcast guest. He recounts his first job helping his father, a roofer in Northern Arizona, shaping his entrepreneurial mindset. The episode closes with a plug to Eightfold.io, describing the company as a small boutique shop with a family‑like culture.
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This is Professor Pete Alexander with the Winning at Business and Life podcast, where business leaders share their insights. It is 6 questions in 7 minutes because successful business leaders are busy and rarely have more time to spare. So let's get to it. Question number 1: In a few sentences, tell me who you are and what you do.
Yeah, my name is Henry Ebarb, and I am the co-founder and CEO of Eightfold Technology. We are a group of individuals who believe that We want web technology to work for companies and the users, so we work hard to make sure that the resources that those people are relying upon work for them.
Henry, great to have you on the show. Question number 2: What's the best thing about working in your industry?
Uh, the best thing is that it's always evolving. It's rapidly changing, and it's— there's something new every day to explore. So you're never being stagnant. You're never giving a moment to just rest on your laurels. There's always something new to really round yourself out with every day, which is great. I love that.
Oh, I can hear the passion in your voice. Question number 3: I hear from other business leaders that staying in a good work-life balance for them and their team members is a challenge. What are your thoughts?
I definitely agree with that. I think especially in my industry where you have a lot of clients, we've got emails coming in from all these different brands and companies and all of these different states of being too. Some are startups, some are these big corporations. We've got a health tech corporation worth billions and we've got startups that are trying to bootstrap it themselves. And I think it's, you know, that, that work-life balance can be a bit difficult. One of my number one rules for my employees, because I always try to create a hedge of protection around them, is feel free to mute your apps and your devices when you go home. When it's the evenings and you don't want to hear from me, turn it off. If I'm slacking you, it's just because I'm putting something in your ear for tomorrow. You don't need to respond at 10 o'clock at night. If I'm sending an email, read it in the morning. Don't add to your stress. As a business owner, I'm kind of always going, and I've also gotta work around my family time, so if something's coming from me at 10:30 at night, it doesn't mean you need to deal with it. It's just me putting it out there because it's on my mind, and that's who I am. So for me, it's like, look, just start with the basics, communication. Set good boundaries and agree to those boundaries with your team, and that really does set the tone.
Wow, that's very sage advice. It sounds like, you know, Like you would, you're recommending that detox from that technology when you need to.
Correct. All the time. Take a, take a minute away, take a breath, go outside, just breathe, enjoy nature for once.
That's awesome. Absolutely. I couldn't agree more. Question number 4. What other successful business leaders like yourself should be on my podcast?
Um, somebody that I have really come to admire in recent time is a good friend that's also in the town that I'm in because I'm up north of Phoenix in Prescott, Arizona. He's a guy who has served in the military. He's got veteran experience. He's done some pretty incredible things in different parts of the world. And now he's got his own businesses, have nothing to do with that military world, and he's leading his team forward in them. And the real cool thing is, is he doesn't have any classical business training, but he's a very business-minded guy and a really strong leader. Um, his name is Grant Quesada and he's definitely an individual I'd love to just have come and be on the podcast at some point. Get to know you a little bit better as well.
Oh, I love that reference. I'll reach out to him. I can't wait to talk to him. Question number 5: What insight or advice would you give to other business leaders?
I think the core insight is that as you are leading your organization, you also need to be rested and of sound mind. And I know a lot of business leaders— part of the reason that organizations get to become toxic is because those people are not getting the rest that they need and re— invigorating themselves to take on the work week, the week's work. So what they end up doing is they burn themselves out all week long and then they spend all weekend stressing about the next week's worth of work. And what they haven't really done is had any kind of reset. And so they come back into the work week super stressed out. They've been mulling things over. If they haven't been getting responses, they become very frustrated. And so my advice is like, every once in a while, just take a weekend, get in the car, Drive somewhere, get out on a lake if you can, connect again with just your family, with the people around you, some old friend. Do something that takes you out of that mindset. Because I know business leaders, your mind is always turning. My gears are always grinding. People ask me, "How do you not lose focus?" And I say, "Sometimes I gotta let go." Just let go, and then that way when I come back and I've reset, I can then lead my team effectively without any anguish or overly emotional behavior that causes them to then have stress and anxiety and them to be like, ah, I don't think I can work for this guy. He's too much. So that would be my advice to lead your team effectively. Reset yourself so that you can come in recharged, refreshed, and feel good about the day that you're about to tackle, the week that you're about to tackle, and that your team can continue to look and say, hey, this guy is our inspiration. Let's follow him. Hmm. Wow.
Very sage advice. I think that's awesome. Question number 6, tell me about your first job.
Man, so this is kind of not a fair question, right, for me, because I grew up with a family of entrepreneurs. Well, my dad, who is probably the hardest working man I've ever met in my life, he was a roofer by trade. And I remember from being a young boy, even 12 years old, I would get up on the roof and help my dad hand him shingles and did that for a long time. And I did it until I was about 16, 17, and then I got a job in a hardware store. But I always will remember summers working with my father, helping him build his business. And he's a very successful entrepreneur. He's got a massive roofing company up in Northern Arizona. And honestly, he's a guy I admire. And honestly, that is really my first job, is handing my father shingles or helping him with roofing tiles and learning how roofs work. And I still have way too much knowledge about roofing.
Plus, you got the opportunity to bond with your dad. What, what's wrong with that?
Nothing. It's an amazing experience, to say the least.
That's great. Henry, thank you for being on the show. How can people find you?
Thank you. Uh, you can go to Eightfold.io and everything you'll need to learn a little bit more about us and what we do, and even just about myself, because we do try to present our team as this kind of, um, family feel. Uh, we're small right now. We're definitely a bit of a boutique shop, but you can go there and learn everything you'll probably want to learn. And then find ways to reach out to us.
Excellent. This is Professor Pete Alexander with the Winning at Business and Life podcast. For more insights and ideas, please go to LinkedIn, YouTube, or Facebook and search for the Winning at Business and Life podcast. Thanks for listening.
