How did you actually learn all this?
My complete course sequence, mistakes, costs, and what worked. The unfiltered truth.
The Starting Point (2022-2023)
Zero coding knowledge, 18 years in advertising. ChatGPT made me curious. I decided to build something.
Foundational Certificates
These gave me vocabulary to think about technology: Python basics, command line, security fundamentals.
The Andrew Ng Path (7 Courses)
Machine Learning fundamentals β Prompt Engineering β Building Systems β Deep Learning β LangChain β Vector DBs
Resources
Machine Learning Specialization
course
ChatGPT Prompt Engineering
course
Generative AI for Everyone
course
Building Systems with ChatGPT API
course
Deep Learning Specialization
course
My Journey Through 7 Andrew Ng Courses on Machine Learning and AI
blog
Andrew Ng's Coursera Courses: My Dive into Machine Learning
blog
The Valley of Death (2024)
Stuck for months. Courses weren't clicking. LangChain failed. Weaviate was expensive. I almost gave up.
Full Stack Learning (2024)
React, Django, databases. Building real applications requires understanding the full stack.
Building in Production (2025-2026)
Three products launched: DIALΓGUE, STRAΕ¦UM, and a full course. Real users, real payments, real learning.
Resources
DIALΓGUE: Building an AI-Powered Podcast Generator from Scratch (And Learning a Ton Along the Way)
blog
STRAŦUM: The 9-Agent Marketing Application I Built in 75 Days (Solo, While Sick for 10)
blog
I Rebuilt My Entire AI Podcast App in 14 Days. I'm Terrified.
blog
The App Store Said Yes
blog
How I Built a 7-Module Course Solo While Working Full-Time
blog
Codex with GPT-5.4 vs Claude Code with Opus 4.6 β Why I Now Use Both
blog