tradecraft

I finished the program about two months ago now. I enrolled in the growth marketing program and took some product design classes. Here is my background:

After I left my job as a product marketing manager at a game company, I had to leave the country because of my visa situation. I was debating whether to leave right away or spent all my savings on enrolling in a bootcamp program. I was looking at Tradecraft versus Hack Reactor. I know everyone wants to be a coder now, I was no different. However, I know I couldn't see myself coding, so I chose to broaden my skill and get to be part of this community.

My overall experience has been amazing. I've met new friends in the program who have various background, but now want to break into tech startup. Everyone is so talented, and they work hard to achieve their goals, but one thing that stood out is we never forget to think about how we could help others along the way. Throughout this amazing network, I also got to know a few alumni who are now my mentors.

In terms of curriculum, I didn't gain much out of the growth marketing because I already have some experience with it. But Thomas (growth lead) was a wonderful resource for you to dive deeper into the area that you're interested in. I learned a lot more from product design program because it is something challenging that I had to push myself to go through. Zac and Jake (design leads) are very helpful.

Because my goal wasn't to stay in Silicon Valley right after graduation, I didn't benefit much from the job search process. However, this is not to mention that I got to know the co-founders of the company that I'm working at right now in Indonesia through Misha (co-founder of Tradecraft).

Throughout the program, you have to push yourself. It is just like a startup. It's not much structure. You get what you put in. Good luck!

I finished the Tradecraft growth track about 6 weeks ago. I'm in my mid-twenties and have had a few jobs that I fell into mostly by chance through social connections. They weren't bad jobs or companies, and had I been more proactive and intentional about pursuing career goals, I probably could have found great success at those companies.

But I wasn't, and I didn't -- I was frustrated with my work and didn't really understand why. All I knew was I needed a change.

After leaving my previous role and making (and breaking) several new life plans, including living abroad and applying to MBA programs, I stumbled upon this exact webpage and read reviews about Tradecraft.

On one hand, I wondered why anyone would pay such a high price for a three month program when there were online programs with roughly equivalent curricula for a fraction of the cost or none at all. On the other, I was struck by the almost universally perfect reviews -- the online programs couldn't match that.

Anyone considering grad school along with Tradecraft will realize that the price is roughly equivalent, but with far less commitment and time between investment and realized benefit. My fear with an MBA was finding out 2 years and $200k later that it was the wrong move. The fact is, if you want to make an investment in your career, it will cost you significant time and money. In that sense, Tradecraft is like a condensed version of grad school.

But, the emphasis of Tradecraft is very different from a typical grad school or any other three month bootcamp. The curriculum checks a box to ensure that you know enough to get the job you want (hence the lower rating). Tradecraft's real thesis is that you'll get where you want to be if you:

1) Define clear career goals for years down the road, then reverse engineer it to find out what you should work on today and tomorrow to achieve that.

2) Cultivate a network and provide value to that network - those people will help you get to your next opportunity on the road to achieving your long term goals.

3) Practice at full speed with real client projects as you learn these subjects.

That sounds simple and intuitive and can even be accomplished without a structured program, but is more easily said than done. Tradecraft greases the rails for you to build on those ideas (*note: it's still on you to do the work - there's not a lot of hand-holding here) with instructors to answer questions and discuss concepts, career coaching to encourage and guide you, and a network of hundreds of current students and grads to meet, collaborate with, and keep one another accountable.

Coming from out of state, that was crucial in my decision to enroll in Tradecraft and ultimately stay in the Bay Area. The people I've met through the program are some of my best friends (and my primary social group out here), and everyone I've met has been likeminded and ambitious in pursuing their career goals, which helps enormously in staying on track. Tradecrafters are often found at the office working late into the night, but keep the social atmosphere welcoming and fun -- you might find these same people at Temple nightclub on Friday night.

And now, after job searching for several weeks, with the majority of my promising job leads coming from the TC network, I am working in growth marketing at an awesome company with several other TC alumni.

I might have found my way to this position and mentality after wandering on my own for a while longer, but I doubt I could have done so in just three months in a new city without the guidance of Tradecraft. In a couple more months, my newfound (doubled) income will pay off my tuition debt. But, Tradecraft's valuable network, mentors, and other resources will continue to be available to me into perpetuity, as long as I make the effort to be available and valuable to them as well.

If that kind of network and experience sounds helpful to your career, I strongly encourage you to apply and have a conversation with Nick about Tradecraft.

I had been researching programs to help me get into design as a full-time career. Previously, I was working in sales at tech startup in SF but I couldn’t see myself doing it long term. I heard about Tradecraft at a Design Details Meetup. It winded up being the best professional decision I’ve made since moving to the bar area. Here’s why I had a great experience: 

Real Projects
My projects at Tradecraft were activities I could actually use in my portfolio. I had the opportunity to work on real problems with engineers and founders. I learned how to manage a team of designers. All of this was critical for landing a job post-TC.

Intense Curriculum
Having played around with a few online curriculums, I determined that I wanted a full-time, immersive program to help make this career move a reality. At Tradecraft, there was enough traditional class work to have an understanding of my craft, but there were also tons of supplemental materials for a deeper dive on certain topics.

Incredible Team
The small cohort sizes helped me build a relationship with multiple members of the Tradecraft team. They really helped me understand what I can do to provide value and feel good about my career and my story. In addition to the staff, I was surrounded by a bunch of really smart driven people both in my cohort, and in the cohorts before and after my time there. I still lean on the community for feedback and support.

I hope you got something out of this review, but as I look to the other reviews on this site, I feel like I’m echoing a lot of what was already said. In closing, if you are seriously considering Tradecraft, I hope you are willing to invest the time and energy into getting the most out of this program. Do as much work as you can ahead of time. Just like anything in life, you get out of it what you put into it. With Tradecraft, there’s no limit to the value you can extract if you’re willing to do the work! 

By the end of my senior year of college I knew that I wanted to be designing experiences for users. I was intrigued by the tech scene in the Bay Area and wanted to be part of the innovation that was happening there daily. While graduating with a liberal arts degree gave me all the desirable “soft skills”, what I lacked was the marketable “hard skills” that would land me a junior level design role. I signed up for Tradecraft after doing a bit of research but still not really knowing what I was signing up for.

It was a dive into the deep end. I was a new grad, with work experience that extended no further than random summer internships and on-campus tutoring jobs, looking to take on a highly technical role at a startup. Tradecraft was the transformative experience I needed: not only did I become a stronger designer, I was able to confidently talk about my design skills and understand myself as an employee and coworker on a deeper level.

Tradecraft gives you the tools, resources, and mentorship to excel. I now have the most amazing mentors, friends, and support network. Just a short two months after graduating from Tradecraft I found myself on a three person design team at a startup doing way more than I ever could have dreamed of right out of college.

 

I was a graphic/visual designer for both marketing and product teams throughout my career. I decided to invest in myself and "level up" by focusing on UX/product design. I researched a lot of programs out here in the Bay Area and heard about TC from a friend. After reading reviews and speaking to the staff, I knew this was the right move for me. As soon as I was accepted to the program, I quit my full-time job and went all in -- I've never looked back since. I feel extremely grateful for the opportunity. 

Here are some key points that reflect my time at Tradecraft:

• Curriculum: The curriculum is no joke. The material covered is thorough -- a deep dive into areas of product design that is needed to fully understand the process. It's intense and a lot of work, but necessary in order to be successful and make your time here worthwhile.
• Client Work: I love the idea of gaining experience in what you just learned. At Tradecraft, students are encouraged to be a part of projects that you can use in your portfolio. It's a great way to learn about working with a team and clients throughout the entire design process.
• Community: From track leads and mentors to the students, nothing compares to the amount of support and love from the TC community. My cohort is my second family/tribe. We remain close, even after graduation.

This review focuses specifically on the value I received from Tradecraft as a student who transitioned from a seemingly unrelated job and industry into product design and tech. 

TC is awesome, and I could wax on forever about the experience generally, but I want to be useful to the folks like me who sat wringing their hands for months, waffling on whether a non-artsy business strategy person could transition into UX/product design. SPOILER: you definitely can, and TC is a great way to do it. 

Here are the things I found most useful in the context of career transition:

1. Client work that is relevant and gets shipped: Employers care about this. Being able to point to a real, functioning product on your portfolio and in interviews makes you more credible, especially when you don't have a design-related job title on your resume.

2. Great curriculum and instructors: Class sizes are small, which means that you can (and should) really take advantage of the expertise of the excellent instructors and staff. This won't be the case with a lot of online and other, larger offline design courses. This type of close instruction was vital to me as a someone who came in knowing very little about design.

3. Strong emphasis on building your network: TC pushes you to meet meaningful milestones in building your network. The mentorship opportunities and the career development curriculum get students out of the studio and into coffee shops, chatting with people in the industry. This is SO IMPORTANT when you're looking for a job, especially if you're coming from a different industry without many tech or design contacts. I've made "networking" (i.e., true relationship building) into a habit that I'll carry with me forever.

4. Community: Transitioning into a new career is hard. Don't get me wrong, for all the good stuff I have to say, I definitely cannot say that it was easy. The community of support that TC provides was there through the good times and the hard ones. They're there to celebrate the wins, to commiserate over the losses, to share ideas and articles, to practice whiteboarding challenges and interviews, and to go on long bike rides. The community is dope. That's valuable no matter what.

I went to tradecraft in 2015. Did i get a job within 3 months of graduating? Yes. Do i still work UX? Yes. I accomplished my goals through being self taught and hard work. Tradecraft did not provide any curriculum or support it promised. This school will only accept you if you are already capable of landing a job in UX. All of the guest speakers and projects are brought in by the students. The mentors are other students. Tradecraft claims they partner with real companies so you can work on real projects for those companies. This is not so. It is difficult for students to accept the scam for what it is bc they have to pay such a high price for it and they need it to count for something on their resume. 

A little over a year ago, I was unsatisfied with my job at a company where I had no room to grow. After talking to some alumni they all reaffirmed the positive reviews about Tradecraft. So I decided to take the leap and it was one of the best decisions of my life.

I wanted to surround myself with motivated people because I knew it would accelerate my learning. Moving into the Bay from out of town, I didn’t have a lot of connections. TC quickly became my network and welcomed me into a great community of people who continually motivate and keep each other accountable. “Mentor Talks” are also set up every week with established designers, product managers, growth marketers, and founders who come in to share their insights and help us get a sense of what it’s like to work in Silicon Valley.

Tradecraft is set up to emulate the environment of a real life startup. The instructors cover a wide range of topics, give you practical feedback, and push you to get out of your comfort zone. Getting to work with real companies was invaluable for building my portfolio. It gave me a lot to talk about in my interviews not just in terms of design decisions, but how I manage my workflow and collaborate with others. 2 months after the program, I was able to land a contract position mostly by talking about one of the projects I had worked on during the interview.

Ariane, the head of career development is an awesome coach. She taught us how to pitch our previous experiences into a marketable story, how to negotiate offers, and helped us prep for interviews. One of the biggest differentiators between Tradecraft and other programs was the career support they give even after you’ve landed your first job. Ariane, Russ, Nick, and the rest of the staff invest in you to help find the right company for you whether its your 2nd, 3rd, etc role. They’ve cultivated a large community that lift each other up from Directors of Design who were in the very first cohort to fresh grads jumping into the job market.

Is Tradecraft a guarantee to land a job in tech immediately? Of course not. Like others have said, you'll need a lot of hustle and a bit of luck. The staff won't hold your hand but they will set you up with the resources and knowledge needed to contribute to a team while guiding you to properly network your way to more opportunities. I’m really grateful for this community of ambitious, driven, and talented people who have my back. 

I transitioned from a background in social science research to product design in less than 6 months. I had taught myself design for about a month before Tradecraft, but ultimately turned to bootcamps to speed things up. After extensive research (LOTS of phone calls with alum, combing through coursera reviews like this one, etc.), Tradecraft became the obvious choice. 

Why? 

1. Learning in the Valley 
   Learning design in an area with a strong, talented network of TC alum, job openings, design events and meetups betters your odds of getting hired. 
    
2. Real problem solving = Powerful stories
   The messy realities of working on client projects is a sizable part of design that's left out in other programs. Employers want to know how you handle real-world situations like tight deadlines, competing stakeholder inputs, and unclear requirements. With your experience at TC, you have a safe space to figure out all this out (and highly experienced mentors to guide you!). The lessons you learn not only color your portfolio, but builds employers' trust that you'll succeed at their company.
    
3. Career development
   Transitioning careers is not easy. I had tried on my own with little success, largely because I didn't know how to properly network and apply for jobs. TC offered practical methods for both.

Like others have mentioned, you get what you put in. A hunger to learn is a necessity as nothing is handed to you.

Truly though, I can't imagine a better place to have learned design than at Tradecraft, surrounded by some of the smartest, most hard-working staff and peers I've met (and befriended). 

I graduated from the Product Design Track in Jul 2017 and found a role as a product designer at an SF-based tech company within 2 months of graduating. That said, I want to be very clear that I do not mean it in a how-to-get-rich-quick kind of way - Tradecraft is NOT a hack to getting the growth/product design role that you want. But for the candidate with the right attitude, willingness to put in the time and effort into the painful task of carving out one's path from scratch in growth/product design, this is THE place to be. 

Your time is short and you want to know what exactly you're getting if you sign up for Tradecraft, so here's a summary of what Tradecraft offers that other product design bootcamps do not. Also I can only speak for the product design track, so keep that in mind: 

• Hands-on Design Projects: Plenty of startups, tech companies big and small, approach Tradecraft looking for a design solution to their problem. Here you have the opportunity to dive into the deep end from Day 1, and work on design projects that could eventually get shipped. Tradecraft is a safe environment for you to take risks and ask questions that you might otherwise think twice to ask in the actual work environment.
• Stellar Staff: Special shoutout to Zac, Ariane and Nick - 3 of the many staff members who keep this machine well-oiled and relevant. They are up to date on what skills the industry requires, are great resources to tap into and will provide much needed honest feedback where and when required. Trust me when I say, you WANT to surround yourself with people like them especially when you're trying to find your footing in a new field - they've helped so many students through this process and will know how to help you best. 
• Relevant Coursework: You don't know what you don't know - so the course material is geared to help you become more aware of what you need to know, allowing you to spend more time educating yourself rather than fumbling through mounds of articles or books that promise to make you a designer overnight. 
• Focus on the Process: If you're anything like me, you would go into this programme thinking you're going to be awesome at pixel-pushing by the end of it. I would say that Tradecraft focuses on helping you practice and solidify your design process, which is fundamental to creating design worth shipping. If you want to become a better designer, during the programme you will need to put in time and effort into refining your aesthetic sense and find ways to express that. Many of us did daily design challenges and set aside time to help critique each other's work so that we become not just better at design, but also better at giving and receiving design critique. 
• Alumni Network: You would've never met so resourceful, supportive and tightly-knit a community like the Tradecraft Alum. We continue hanging around Slack long after we've graduated, to share the latest and greatest in product design, help and be helped on projects we're all working on. I don't know what school/college you're from, but I'm sure your alumni network doesn't even come close. 

Lastly, I cannot reiterate enough the fact that all of the above will be for nothing unless you take the initiative:
- to network with the staff, mentors they bring in for talks and your peers,
- to set aside time every day to get better at your new field.
- to ask questions: this is a safe environment to learn what you need to know. 

 

Enrolling at Tradecraft was one of the best decisions I ever made. I came to Tradecraft after being laid off from the company I had been at for 11 years – 8 of which I was doing graphic design. The months in the program were difficult and demanding but that's where the magic happens. With the fast paced curriculum learnings, real world projects, and amazing faculty’s support all under my belt, I was able to land a contract at a high-growth startup a few months shortly after wrapping up all projects. I am currently the only designer and I am astonished how the curriculum and project structure prepared me for startup life as a sole designer. I was given learning moments at TC so I could build my resiliency and design thinking to really thrive in tech environments. I love the work I’m doing now and I am surprised at how my time at TC changed me as a person to nurture me into a better designer.

I had an amazing experience with Tradecraft. The program was effective, dynamic, and super hands-on. The staff is brilliant and provides lots of guidance along the journey. If you are looking to learn details on how to use the tools (i.e. Sketch), this might not be your choice. The staff expects you to learn on your own for basic skills, but spend the time teaching many valuable things that you won't be able to learn from the internet (makes a lot of sense to me). The real-world experience of working with silicon valley start-ups was extremely valuable to me. It gave me opportunities to collaborate with the client and team, to work on all phases of product design from research to validation. Also, TC offer career development sessions every week to help you on everything about job hunting. Luckily I was able to land a job almost right after finishing the program. It wouldn't happen without TC. Last, the program is pretty intensive and offers huge amount of resource from technical knowledge, practical experience, to networking. Absolutely highly recommended. 

Tradecraft helped me change to the UX field in a fantastic company! If you want to change your career path to product design/research, Tradecraft would be a top choice. 2 resons:

1) Real projects

Real project experience is very important to start a career in the UX field because of competition. At Tradecraft, most projects are real - you will work with real companies to solve real problems. I learned a lot through those projects and those projects became my strong showcases during my job hunting process.

2) A long-term Relationship with Tradecraft

Career transition can be a process taking from months to 1 year. My relationship with TC continues after my graduation. In other words, you can keep getting career development support and keep doing real projects there after you graduate. This can be very cheerful for 3 reasons: you have constant accesses to keep getting more experience; an easy access to career consulting services; you can keep building your network while you are job-hunting.

My reason for considering an accelerator school was this: I was living in San Francisco, three years removed from being in the military, and working at a job I felt placed a ceiling on my growth. Projecting outwards, I realized there was a likelihood that job mobility would be an issue if I didn't expand my network and skill-base. It was an unfortunate, but true, realization that a military background rarely fits into tech-based Bay Area job descriptions. I needed a quick way to overcome that obstacle and demonstrate I belonged. 

Enter Tradecraft. 

When I signed up, my focus was strictly on skill-building. In my head, I'd walk out a master of all things data analysis & growth marketing. That's a naive expectation, since no one person or school can speed you up that fast on multiple topics in 3 months & send you out in the world at an advanced level. But what ends up happening are three things: 

1. You get exposure to a business lexicon (terms, concepts, practical examples, etc..) that prepares you to be a reliable voice in any business conversation. No more worrying about having buzzwords sail over your head. You may not be an expert, but you'll be able to hang. That's half the battle in my opinion. 

2. You build a network. If I stayed at my previous job, I'd have a very narrow group of folks I could reach out to for advice, referrals, and recommendations. You enter a community willing to help push you along as you move up in your career. 

3. You learn the art of selling yourself. Tradecraft helps you identify your strengths and build out a compelling story from there to help with job interviews. They build your confidence and give you blueprints on how to reveal yourself to potential employers. Interview cycles often range from 4-5 interviews and include difficult homework assignments. This is an important edge Tradecraft provides that shouldn't be overlooked.

A month after graduation, I was able to land a job with a well-known ride-sharing company. I used my network to get my resume to the recruiter. I used my interview prep as I went through 3 interviews + 1 panel. And during my homework assignment, I used 4 growth marketing cirriculum topics to build a presentation (all topics which I hadn't been familiar with 12 weeks prior). Tradecraft was an incredible advantage for someone in my position, and I'm doubtful I would have reached a similar outcome without having gone through their program. 

After a decade in financial sevices, I made the tough decision to pivot towards a career in technology.  I was always interested in innovation, and the most fun I had in my career was through builidng teams or establishing new initiatives.  As I began interviewing, I realized the pivot was deeper than I had realized.  I had a lot to learn about how tech companies are orgnanized, how they they operate, what language they speak, and about what roles best fit my goals.

Tradecraft gave me 2 things I needed to make this transition: 1. thoughtful and introspective career coaching.  2. hard skills training.

Tradecraft's talent team dedicates both classroom and one-on-one time to help you identify the roles and verticals that make sense for this stage of your career.  You are challenged to reflect deeply on possions you've held -- what you loved, what you dreaded, what you achieved, what mistakes you learned from.  My time there helped me better idenitfy not only the role I wanted next, it also helped me clarify my north star: the professional and personal goals to strive for this year, next year, and beyond.  

The growth marketing track gave me invaluable training in branding and messaging, data analytics, and project managment.  The business development track improved my presentation skills and provided a framework to craft and evaluate business models, value propositions, and strategic solutions for customer and enterprise clients.  Both tracks allow you to lead and participate in strategy consulting projects for early stage companies -- further refining your skills and expanding your network beyond tradecraft.

Lastly, all this is possible at Tradecraft becasue it's operated by a team that cares about people.  The managment team and personnel invest time in each individual, allowing them to help you craft an experience that is uniquely yours.  I learned a lot from Tradecraft's curriculum and consulting work, but I learned so much from the smart, experienced, and thoughtful team they have in place. 

Their efforts did not end upon completion of the program.  They worked hard to guide me through my job search and sent me leads throughout the vast Tradecraft network they have built -- and in turn sent me the lead that became the job I'm currently in.  I'm at a company today whose culture I fit in perfectly with, working within a role that challenges and excites me every day.  I have Tradecraft to thank for guiding me here.

 

With these types of programs, I'm very results-driven. Bootcamps are here to help you find a job, and Tradecraft succeeds in this area for the vast majority of its members. Tradecraft makes it clear from the outset that the program is self-driven, and you get out what you put in. The resources are there, but you need to take advantage of them in your own way that works for your own, unique background. This is the program for self-motivated learners, and not for those who crave structure.

The best part of Tradecraft is the people you meet. The network is there to support you even after your job search, and can be an asset for the rest of your career. People say that the tech world is smaller than you think, and this is even more true for the design world. Cohorts get really close throughout the experience, and we all still keep in touch. Overall, I really enjoyed my Tradecraft experience.

The first thing you learn in TC is that it is a kitchen and not a restaurant. Before any mentor can help you, you need to have a clear goal of what you are trying to achieve. The program is then shaped by your goals and ambition. I echo what others say in their review: make sure you figure out what you want to get out of it first before you dive in. This way, you can better tailor your experience. 

Besides the curriculum, the mentors and the network are the most valuable assets of the program! They provide great advice and guidance whenever possible. Don't be afraid to send that cold email or attend this networking event by yourself. It will help you get to where you want to be!

One year ago, I was unsatisfied with my career, and I knew I had to make a change.  I was working in marketing and wanted to make the switch to product. More specifically, I wanted to work in product at a behavioral health startup.  After thinking through my options, I decided that studying product design would be a step in the right direction. I chose Tradecraft because of its reputation (it was recommended to me by an expert in the digital health space), my interactions with its alumni (several were happy to hop on a call with me), and its location (the Bay Area has a large number of behavioral health startups).

On my final day at Tradecraft, just three months after I relocated to SF from NYC, I was offered a product management role at a behavioral health startup, where I am working now -- and loving it.  

The greatest value Tradecraft provided me was a structure to do the things I knew I should do.  I spent three months as part of a group of motivated people who were taking similar risks to reinvent themselves. Being in that environment gave me the momentum and social context to work hard and take action. It also gave me a platform for networking and outreach, which was the most important factor in getting my current role.

A key differentiating factor in Tradecraft is its incorporation of client projects and the ability for students to source these projects for themselves. When I first arrived in SF, I reached out to a variety of behavioral health startups, and one of them agreed to work with me as part of a client project.  This enabled me to work directly with the startup, gaining a deep understanding of their product and customers. When a product management role became available, I was a logical candidate, having already proven myself over several months. Many other Tradecraft alumni have had similar experiences. The Tradecraft Alumni network is also a strong differentiating factor. Almost without exception, Alumni were happy to grab coffee or hop on a phone call to give me advice and mentorship, and many Tradecraft alumni have found full-time jobs from these relationships.

The one area that could be improved is the curriculum. I expected to walk away after three months with a more rigorous set of hard skills. What I did learn, I likely could have learned on my own. It may be unreasonable to expect to gain a significant level of hard skills after such a short time, but I think Tradecraft could definitely improve the level of organization and intensity in this area. That said, I did leave with foundational awareness of the various areas of product design (conscious incompetence) and the ability to learn more after the program was over.

All in all, Tradecraft was an important stepping stone in what has been a very positive and fulfilling career transition. I would highly recommend that anyone considering a transition into product design or management consider Tradecraft. However, it is important to have reasonable expectations and know that your success is very much impacted by your own initiative, effort, and as is often the case, a little bit of luck.

Tradecraft was a game changer for me. I had wanted to switch careers into Product Design for some time, but never found the momentum or the guidance learning on my own.

  Through the program, I was able to gain:

• design instructors who put together a comprehensive design course
• projects with early stage startups to build my portfolio
• career guidance on each step of the interview phase, from coffee meetings to interview prep.
• and most importantly, the network of people. From our design events with seasoned designers to the new design students in our program, you will find a close knit community.

What struck me the most about Tradecraft was the continued support after my 3 months in the program. The instructors have office hours set aside for alumni should they need design help in their current jobs. The staff checks in to make sure everything is going well. The students in my cohort and I have developed a friendship beyond the program itself.   If you are looking to change or further your career in design with a group of people invested in your success (while having a good time), then choose Tradecraft!

I discovered Tradecraft (TC) completely out of the blue while listening to a podcast about entrepreneurship. When people say timing is everything, I believe it, especially through this experience. 

At that time I was closing an e-commerce company I had started. I was looking for my next move and considering a multitude of options. In the midst of that, I found out about TC. I wasn't sure what to expect and was initially attracted to it because of the network it could provide me as a newbie in SF. My first meeting was with Misha. I told him that I was looking to get into a startup, but wasn't sure how. I had a very non-traditional background and a lot of "startup" skills, but mastery in none. I didn't even know what half the job titles meant or if I qualified for them. He suggested I do the Growth Marketing and Business Development tracks. And so I did. 

I would say my experience at TC was a rollercoaster both personally and professionally. The curriculum is good for people who have no background in growth. I came from delegating tasks to actually understanding what the people I hired to do were doing, and it was a LOT! I constantly felt like there was something more I should know, learn, and try. The projects are what you and your team make of them. I jumped on as many as I could, even if it was just to observe. Because of that, my projects touched everything we learned in curriculum. Business development is a great track for anyone, especially those interested in entrepreneurship because it teaches you what makes a successful startup, how to understand your customers and the process of building a company based on value. Of course, it also touches on a number of purely sales-focused skills. 

On a personal level, let's just say that TC will test you as a person as much as it will test your skills, so be ready for it! In the end, everything will turn out how you want it to no matter how much you think it won't. 

And I can't forget to mention the awesome TC tribe! I came to TC for a network and a job at a great startup, and I got both through the friends and connections I made. This community could help me with pretty much anything in my life. I made life-long friends, had inspiring conversations, got intro'd to great people, and helped people in ways I never thought I could or would. So, if you're considering coming to TC, my advice is to figure out what you want from it, take steps to make it happen and it will.