tradecraft

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.

It happens more often than you think, and at any stage of life: dissatisfaction with the status quo. Sometimes you arrive at this point knowing what's caused it, ready to seek change. Sometimes you might not be so lucky, leaving behind a litany of choices the have defined your windy road. But that's okay, that's what Tradecraft is here for.

Tradecraft is the place you stop by on your journey down the beaten path that gives you a chance to really take a good look at yourself and your goals to find out what the best next direction for you is. It's a stop for travelers, not a destination. It is as much a journey about getting to know yourself and your north star as it is about growing a new set of skills to get you where you want to go.

At the center of that is your own responsibility and choices, you take them and you make them. Wherever you're trying to go, whatever you're trying to do, Tradecraft is the place where you'll find home, family, direction, and certainty in the face of ambiguity. All you need is to equip your willpower and make the decision to open the door.

Narrative description aside, I've made tons of friends here even as a huge introvert. The network is amazing, the instructors always push you with a gentle but stern hand, and the work experience is invaluable. The cost of the program is almost more for you to really make the decision to commit, and it's worth it compared to alternatives when looking at cost efficiency and time.

Misha and instructors can be an amazing advocate for you, and Ariane (head of careers) will be your bastion. I continue to keep in touch, and will for a very long time as the strength of the network grows and takes over the world, one amazing mind at a time.

Best way to get the most out of this experience: challenge your limits, come with a goal in mind (but stay adaptive), bring that sheer willpower that thirsts for more, and make it count. It's up to you to bring it.

TC has nonetheless been one of the best decisions I've made for myself in my career. I came from a tech background but wanted to transition to design but had no portfolio pieces to show for to make a career change. TC will be great fit if you want to get hands on experience on working with startups and working on real problems. The design instructors Zac and Jake are top notch and gave me such invaluable feedback throughout my time there. You'll make amazing friends and be part of a wonderful community / support system even after you graduate and are on the job hunt.

I was looking for a place to learn skills and I found community

Tradecraft is not for everyone. If you want to just show up for a few hours a day, learn a functional skill and leave - then stop reading.

If you want to grow as a person, as a professional and find yourself amongst a community of wonderful people, then this can be an incredible place for you.

I found that this helped me understand my potential, helped me focus my learning on the relevant skills and gave me a context to create some of my closest relationships.

Even just a year ago, before I went through Tradecraft, I never would've imagined myself to be in the role I am now! It definitely wasn't easy, but I owe a huge part of the help to Tradecraft and the network I've built there.

Having gone through the program, I know that each one of these reviews you see here are genuine and spoken with the best intention to inform you of each TC alum's personal journey and experience.

I knew what I wanted to get out of Tradecraft when I applied, which I think is the most helpful mindset to have going in. I wasn't as interested in the hard skills, firmly believing I could learn them myself by practicing and from online resources. I came into TC wanting to work on "real" projects with startups. And I got what I wanted. But what I got that I didn't know that I wanted was the self-motivated mentality that TC really instills in you. I felt like an entirely different person while going through the program: goal-driven, inquisitive, motivated to constantly go above and beyond, and, most importantly, confident in myself. This was thanks to my instructors, my peers (whom I can now call my lifelong friends), and the atmosphere TC creates.

Don't expect Tradecraft to bring the job to you. Expect to grow into an individual with skills to leverage your network and resources to accomplish what you set your mind to.

I first got introduced to the field of UX when I was working as a product manager, and I quickly realized that I really enjoyed the creative thinking and problem-solving aspects of the design process. After several months of taking online courses and reading articles and books in my spare time, it became clear to me that trying to learn UX on the side was not ideal, both in terms of learning different concepts/tools as well as practical application. This led me to start looking into different UX and product design programs.

I knew that I wanted a full-time, in-person program where I could be in an environment amongst peers with the same passion for design, so that I could learn from them as well as be challenged by them. I also wanted opportunities to work on real projects for real companies/products, so that I could be confident about the work that I put on my portfolio. After debating between several different programs and doing extensive online research, I decided that I needed to talk directly with people who had completed the different programs. I got in touch with people who had graduated from GA, Designation, and Tradecraft - after hearing honest feedback about each person's experience, it helped me get a sense of the pros and cons of each program. I ultimately decided on Tradecraft - not only did it check off my boxes of being a local, full-time, in-person program with real projects, the TC graduates I spoke with also had a great experience with the program.

Tradecraft is not a guarantee for a job, it's a way to streamline and accelerate your education. On top of the design curriculum and projects focused on design work, we also had career workshops to learn how to break down our previous experience to build our "story", as well as learn practical skills in networking and job hunting. Additionally, we had many mentor talks where designers, product managers, marketers, and other talented people working in established tech startups would come in to talk about their experiences and the work they were currently doing. By being fully immersed in the work and the community, you'll be able to quickly learn new tools and skills that will help you build a portfolio and prepare you for the job hunting/interviewing process for a designer role. Once you start the program, be ready to hustle! Tradecraft will provide you with SO many resources, but it's on you to manage your time wisely and put in the work to make yourself successful.

Good luck!

 

I was a graphic designer at a major corporation for 3.5 years and felt stuck doing the exact same routine every day. I knew I needed to make a career change and go back to Marketing, but I had zero experience in it since graduating from college. Once there were rumors of my team being laid off, I started searching for marketing bootcamps or evening MBA programs. 

I had previously worked with General Assembly, so I thought their Digital Marketing course was the obvious choice. However, once I checked out their reviews on Coursereport, I discovered Tradecraft and decided to apply to TC for 3 reasons:

Mentor & Alumni Network

My first week at Tradecraft, I attended a mentor talk with the Head of Product at Medium, Sam Duboff. I was impressed by the questions asked and fielded by Nick DeWilde (the host) as well as fellow Tradecraft students. Every mentor talk was a great success when it came to networking, whether it was with the speaker themselves or other Tradecraft alumni. Many Tradecrafters found mentors or even jobs after meeting a speaker!

Since Tradecraft has been around for more than 2 years, there are about 550+ alumni, and they're all willing to help. Whether it be a question about a marketing project or advice for the job search, you can easily find a TC alum ready to ping or grab coffee with!

Projects with Real Companies

The part-time consultant work was the biggest reason why I chose Tradecraft after General Assembly. I had experience in marketing strategy as a graphic designer but didn't have any real-world experience as a marketer, therefore I didn't have the background for even an entry-level marketing position. Our instructor, Thomas, would bring in early-stage tech startups who needed marketing assistance, whether it be a product launch, a landing page teardown, or a complete marketing revamp.

In my 3 months at Tradecraft, I worked with 4 companies, varying from mobile apps, a network for contractors/freelancers, insurance, and AI. I would not have been able to achieve this by myself. I probably could've learned the skills through Udemy or Coursera, but the opportunity to take what I learned in the classroom and apply it to actual clients was something I couldn't pass up. 

Growth Marketing Curriculum

Thomas is the Growth Marketing instructor and is insanely good at what he does. With his assigned course reading and homework assignments, I was able to get a jumpstart on all the necessary skills to be a successful growth marketer. While applying for jobs, I was surprised at how much I had learned in such a short amount of time, and how confident I was in my skills. Albeit, not sure why I'm surprised, Thomas makes sure that all his students succeed and is willing to go the extra mile if you struggle with the material or want to go a step further in a particular skill/technology. I will say that you get out of his course what you put in it. 

Conclusion = Best decision I could've made!

From the very first day of Tradecraft, I knew I'd made the right decision. It's fast-paced, the energy is palpable, as if Misha and Nick had replicated the startup environment within their school. I got a job offer on my very last day at Tradecraft at a startup going out for Series A, and I definitely owe it to Tradecraft!! 

Tradecraft was one of the most transformational experiences of my life.  

First some facts:

• I moved to San Francisco the day before beginning TC
• Within 2 weeks of graduating, I had a job as a Growth Marketing Lead at a startup

I have always been lost with my career goals.  I never really understood how to effectively apply for the jobs I wanted, or what skill set those jobs needed.  Over the course of three months, Tradecraft introduced me the world of startups, taught me everything I could ever need to nail an interview, honed my marketing skills, taught me how to plan for the future, and most importantly taught me how to focus on my own goals.

Success in life is never guaranteed, but TC taught me how to work smarter and dream bigger. The difference between tradecraft and other programs is the community is incredible, with connections all over the startup world.  The people I met at Tradecraft are incredible: motivated and intelligent.  

If you have any hesitation about coming, don't! Thomas, Misha, Russ, Ariane, Nick are incredible.