runonrails:

Below is an essay I wrote on why on wanted to apply and be accepted into Code Academy, a Ruby on Rails learning program based in Chicago. It’s a good reflection for me on where I was at the time I wrote the piece and where I want to go from here, which is eCommerce development work.

Top quality instruction, passionately involved community, awesome opportunity. These are the reasons that I am applying to CODE ACADEMY.

After searching for Ruby on Rails development instruction as well as design techniques, I finally found a solid educational source in your program. Reading Ruby books and blog posts is a good way to gain knowledge especially if you are a complete newbie to Ruby, as I am. However, my aspiration is to become the best Ruby on Rails developer that I can possibly be. I want to build a high-performance Rails-developing skill set so that I can redline my abilities knowing that I will get to where I want to go with speed and precision.  And to accomplish this goal I want the best quality instruction and support that is available. Having learned what CODE ACADEMY is and offers I know that CODE ACADEMY is the right engine for me to perform in the manner that I desire.  CODE ACADEMY will provide the key to unlock the door that opens into a world where I will turn my dreams into realities.

Engineering this engine and forging this key is only made possible by way of instruction. And leading, top-notch instruction is one area that CODE ACADEMY provides. CODE ACADEMY’s instructor and mentors are practicing professionals so I know that what I  learn is what the street, i.e. the real world, is using. Jeff Cohen, Ginny Hendry, Dave Hoover, JC Grubbs, Eric Meyer, Chad Pry, and Frank Pinto are devoted to their careers, committed to the program, and are all willing to share their time and knowledge so that I can become a better person. This is awesome. The instruction that all of these people are willing and able to provide is world-class and to learn from them will be very rewarding.
In addition to this, the program’s curriculum is well planned and focused. The “Learner Mode” provides the information and guidance necessary to build a solid foundation in Ruby on Rails development. The “Start-Up Mode” is where I will be able to apply the skills that I have acquired to solve a real problem and it is creating solutions to solve life’s dilemmas and conundrums that give me the most satisfaction in life. And finally, “Demo Day” is the opening night. The previous 11-weeks sculpted our repertoire of skills and techniques, and now the curtains are drawn and all of our preparation is presented to potential investors and employers. This entire program will give its students the dexterity, aptitude, and confidence to get noticed by professionals in the tech community.

Community leads me to my next reason why I am applying to CODE ACADEMY. Surrounding yourself with people who are passionate about a subject is like drinking pure, cold H2O when you are parched. It’s refreshing and it re-charges you. There’s a type of energy that encompasses people who are interested in the same ideas and work that you are. And when one is surrounded by these people, conversation and ideas flow smoothly. Creativity abounds. Being with others who are passionate about what they do, who want to help others reach their full-potential, and are eager to share what they know is, in my opinion, vital to achieving success. A passionate community provides support and it is this support that expands self-confidence and evaporates self-doubt. This type of environment is ideal, and a necessity, for achieving a high-level of success.
Becoming a student at CODE ACADEMY allows me to join a community that is filled with passionate, creative, and industrious individuals and organizations. Working with my fellow classmates, developing solutions to problems with them, and helping each other learn the material is the type of social interaction that I seek. I know that each one of us will have the desire and guts to achieve our goals and to be part of such a dedicated group is exciting. Along with us students, the programs’s creators, instructor, mentors, companies, and advisers form one large, impassioned group that is dedicated to improving people’s lives through technology development. It’s this type of environment where success is cultivated.

The third reason that I am applying to CODE ACADEMY is that it is an awesome opportunity to learn, grow, and succeed. Learning Ruby on Rails, HTML5, CSS3, software product development, presentation skills and other subjects from seasoned professionals is optimal. Asking for more would be exuding greed. The program’s curriculum, as mentioned before, is solid, and the people that I will be learning with and learning from are ideal participants. This environment will allow me to grow as an individual and partake in a life-altering adventure. The experiences that I will undergo throughout the program and afterwards will be phenomenal. Endless opportunities abound and graduating from CODE ACADEMY will prepare me to succeed in whatever path I choose to take. Can’t wait to start!

codeacademy:

MVP stands for minimal viable product. It’s the lowest common denominator for your product, while being the strongest denominator. What is the one feature you can build to sustain your product enough to get it into the hands of your customers?

How does it help?

For first-time entrepreneurs, especially non-technical ones, MVP is king. Distilling your core product down to a single entity or feature does a lot for the future of your product.

It’s the products first viability indicator, and the first cost analysis you can perform for your product. It’ll help you build the core functionality of your app at a fraction of the cost and become your first point of customer return.

MVP isn’t pretty

We have a motto here, make it work, then make it right. MVP is making it work. Get it functional, get it live, and then work to build an audience around it, don’t worry about scalability until it’s an actual problem. We often look too far down the road, worry too much about the overall look and feel of an idea, rather than the nitty-gritty functionality of it. Make it work on a small enough scale that you don’t need to worry about glaring oversights, or have to juggle too many outstanding issues. Let your MVP start small and grow naturally over time.

Take inspiration from Amazon’s original launch page. Or from the fact Groupon originally launched using Wordpress.

Getting started

I guarantee there are things you can do now to get your product or service into the hands of customers. It doesn’t need to be sexy, it just needs to work.

Outsource. I don’t mean having someone else build your product. I mean find services that already exist that you can piggy-back off of to launch your service. Wordpress for hosting, Shopify for payment. Use Delicous Stacks as your quasi-database and aggregate content from the web to start sharing. Use a Google Doc. You’d be surprised how many tools can be leveraged for business use today.

Beyond technology there’s a lot you can do to help build an audience around your product. Start by reaching out to core customers, actually offer the solution you intend to build as a personal, live service. Starting a recipe webapp? Start by finding all your favorite recipes and sharing them people. Starting a Yelp competitor? Start by finding your favorite restaurants nearby and sharing them.

MVP’s goal is to move quick, stay agile, and build from day one. Trouble figuring out what your MVP is? Ping us @codeacademy.