Other than buying a few resources like books or subscriptions for apps and tools, it costs nothing to get started.

If you apply for Level 2, you’ll pay a one-time $500 fee if you’re accepted into the closed community as an apprentice. That covers the cost of supplies, access to tools, and the time to mentor you. After that, you’ll actually get paid for gigs you work part-time or full-time as you choose. The more you grow and hone your craft, the faster you’ll level up to more gigs and more pay.

This program is largely self-paced, so you can grow and get paid as quickly as you can learn and level up your skills. Most apprentices will be making at least $40/hour within the first 6 months of their journey.

I’m not a fan of labels honestly. They can pigeon-hole you into roles.

UX/UI has a connotation of being about ‘screen making’ and pushing pixels.

Design is too generic because basically we all design something on a daily basis in life.

Product Design is too specific because it isn’t just about digital products, it can be about experiences, services, startups, new models and frameworks, etc.

I’m a huge fan of low/no-code but it’s just another tool. I think it’s powerful because it speeds up the work and thinking and allows you to iterate and innovate faster on ideas.

Overall I would say this is a tech apprenticeship. You’ll learn about design, but you’ll also learn how to experiment, build things, take feedback, work with others, tell stories, and learn other new technology.

This is about you. It’s about developing your ability to adapt and learn anything.

I want to help you spot the latest thing, figure it out and master it, yet know when it’s time to move on and grow into what comes next.

I’m not an educational institution. When have certificates ever given anyone anything of real value?

If you’re asking this, or your parents are, I get it. There’s lots of snake oil out there and people can claim to be experts these days at all kinds of bullshit.

I’ll just say that I don’t pretend to know anything. I have experience in the finance, healthcare, and tech industry from over 20 years of working in agencies, startups, and Fortune 500’s.

I’ve been hired, promoted, fired, tired, and learned how to handle a lot of weird work situations. I’ve gained clients, kept some, fired others, and built a few different businesses over the years.

I’m passionate about mentoring others and helping them prepare for a weird, wild future that most people won’t be ready to handle. I want to teach others how to build resilience, how to keep their sense of curiosity and play, and how to experiment with their lives and work.

Totally cool, thanks for sharing.

I’m not trying to get votes or build something popular. I hate politics so nothing I do is meant to be political. If you think it is political, maybe it’s your own filter? If you don’t agree with me, this might not be the right thing for you.

I’m trying to invest my time in taking bets on people who need/want support and are willing to put in the effort to be mentored and grow. That takes some combination of curiosity, low ego, ownership, and persistence that not everyone has.

This is going to sound like a canned response, but I’ve found that you get out what you put in.

Whenever I’ve been driven, open to feedback, and leaned into something long enough, it’s paid off both personally and professionally for me.

I can’t guarantee that anyone will make money, how much they’ll make, or if they’ll be successful.

I do promise to do my best to build client funnels, find meaningful work, and set up all apprentices in the community for success.

There are always factors in the world, economy, etc. that we can’t control. Work could dry up, tech could shift, meteors could hit when we least expect it.