Daily execution of practicing consistent, reliable, predictable, effective, thoughtful, compassionate, and yes, even courteous communication.

So, you want to become a coder. That’s great! No, really. There is much about coding that makes it worth pursuing. Getting started, however, can be a daunting task. Even with all the enthusiasm and energy you have for learning, you might find certain obstacles are presenting themselves to you, making it difficult to gain momentum.

“Don’t find customers for your product. Find products for your customers.”
— Seth Godin
In this short essay, I’ll be walking you through a method, pioneered by Amy Hoy and Alex Hillman, for making sure that you’re building products that real people want. You’ll learn how to find customers, analyze their pains, write a pitch using their language and create a feedback loop to keep you in lockstep. Each section will be accompanied by a case study where we’ll explore how I’ve used these methods to create Extra, my new social media automation app.

TELL ME!

So, what do hiring managers in tech want to hear about instead?

For the most part, they want to learn about what you think about their product and how you can help them improve and beat out their competitors.

"They want you to come into an interview and be able to talk about that," Syed says. "Here it's like you need to research the hell out of the company. Understand the competitors. Understand where the industry's going. Understand why someone would want to be a part of this company. That kind of ties into 'Okay this guy's really passionate about our product. He really wants to be here. Let's take him seriously.'"

Discover seven sure-fire ways to find more freelance design clients, and build your personal brand on the side.

Yesterday’s graphic designers are today’s UX designers. Will tomorrow’s UX designers be avatar programmers, fusionists, and artificial organ designers? Yes, according to the illustrious roster of design leaders we spoke with here.

A Common Standard
Fair and secure work relationships need a contract. Not having one is dangerous for both parties and can lead to misunderstandings, false expectations and ultimately lost time and money.

But starting new work by discussing worst case scenarios can be a tough way to kick things off. That’s why a standard is needed.

AND CO and The Freelancers Union have created a standardized service agreement to help strong, fair work relationships get off the ground quickly.

The world is crowded with startups and almost all of them searching for a financial infusion from outside investors. It takes much more than a great idea and an impeccable work ethic to separate yourself from the pack and attract serious investors. You will likely only get one shot at your pitch and it is important that capitalize on that opportunity to maximize the chances that your startup will get the funding you need to get your company off the ground.