TechLeap

???????????????? ???????? ?????? ?????????????? ???? ???????? ???? ???? ?????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ??????????????’?? ???? ???????? ????????????. We’ve talked about the struggles that are all too familiar to us #TechCareerTransitioners - now, it’s time for action! Today (March 21), we’re launching a closed pilot to co-create the kind of support system we wish we had—a space that grows with and for the people navigating this journey. We are creating an intimate space where career transitioners can: ? Engage in meaningful and fun ???????????????????? ? Get ????????-???????? ?????????????? while building experience together ? Cut through the noise with ????????-?????????????????????? ????’?? & ??????’???? We’re learning as we go, and we’ll be sharing insights, lessons, and real stories from those shaping it with us. ??Want in? DM us. Ke-Han Chen,Michelle L. & Keri G. ??Curious to see what we learn? Follow along—we’ll be sharing as we go. This is just the beginning.Let’s build this together. ??

?? Why Traditional Career Advice Fails Career Switchers 1?? ????’???? ???????? ???????? ?????? ?????????? ???????????? ?????????? ???????????? ???????????? ? "Just network more, and you’ll land a job." ? "Take another course, get that certificate—it’ll make you more hirable." ? "Find a mentor—they’ll guide your way." Sound familiar? We’ve all heard this advice. But here’s the truth: It’s not working. 2?? ?????? ?????????????? – ????????’?? ???????????? ???? ?????????????????????? ???????????? ????????????? ?? Networking isn’t that simple → The “Hey stranger, how about a coffee chat?” approach on LinkedIn rarely leads anywhere. The real key? Turning cold connections into warm relationships—something traditional advice fails to teach.?(Read more in Michelle's post) ?? More courses & certificates ≠ more job offers → People pour time and money into upskilling, only to realize companies prioritize experience over credentials. ?? Finding a mentor is hard → Great mentorship is rare and often inaccessible. Career transitioners are left with vague, one-size-fits-all advice, while real guidance is hidden behind hefty price tags. 3?? ?????? ?????????? What if we had a community that fills these gaps? ? Turn cold connections into warm relationships with people who get it. ? Share collaboration opportunities—projects, hackathons, and more—to grow together. ? Peer-to-peer mentorship → Why not learn from each other? Find peers who excel where you don’t, and share what you know in return. ????????’?? ?????? ????’???? ???????????????? ????????????????! - a community where career growth isn’t about one-off networking events or generic job boards. It’s about real, long-term relationships, learning together, and lifting each other up in tech. ?? Want to know more? Comment “????????????????????” below. ?? Ready to join? Comment “??’?? ??????????!” We’ll be in touch! Ke-Han Chen, Michelle L. & Keri G. #NetworkingStruggle #TechCareerTrainstioners

400+ applications. No response. ?? Thousands spent on bootcamps. ?? Resumes reworked endlessly. ?? Portfolios websites refined late at night. Still—no job, no callbacks, no clear path forward. Advice we hear: "Network more." "Take another course." "Find a mentor." ? It's not working. We’re on a mission to build something different. ?? Not another Slack group. ?? Not a passive network. ? A real community for mid-career digital product professionals. ????’???? ????-???????????????? ????????—???????? ??????. ???????? ?????? ???????? ?????????????? ?? ?? Want in? Comment "Interested." ?? Ready to join? Comment "I’m ready!" We’ll be in touch. ?? Michelle L.,Ke-Han Chen,Keri G. and Ashli Quintela

Big Update TechLeapers! See the post below??

Hi TechLeapers! Are you posting in Linkedin to get noticed and land tech jobs? Check out Josh Cons's simple yet powerful guide on getting beyond noticed on Linkedin to supercharge your efforts! https://lnkd.in/g5CEpqRJ

We are excited to collaborate with Switch for a fireside chat on upskilling with no/low-code x AI tools and updates on where we are at to make tech careers more accessible for career transitioners

?????????? ?????????????? ????????????: ?? ???????????? ??????????????-???????????????? ?????? ???????? ?????? ?????????????? ?????????????? ?????? ??? Finding problem-solution fit is at the heart of every successful product journey. That’s why we’re excited to share the Problem Framing Kit—a free resource designed to help startups, Product Managers, and Researchers thoroughly explore the problem space in the early stages of product discovery. ?? What can this kit do for you? The Problem Framing Canvas serves as your blueprint, guiding you through key stages such as: 1. Identifying assumptions ?? 2. Conducting exploratory research ?? 3. Assessing product ideas ?? By focusing on the problem space first, you ensure alignment and clarity across your team before moving toward solutions. Importantly, this process takes place before your design sprint, setting a strong foundation for ideation and development. Ready to dive into problem-solution fit? ?? Grab the kit: https://lnkd.in/gvC3MTNC Let’s build smarter, faster, and with more confidence! ??

?????? ???? ???????? ?? ???????? ?????? ?????????????? ???? ?? ???????????????????? ?? After running a successful pilot back in May for TechLeap and receiving positive feedback, we found ourselves at a crossroads—trying to figure out the next steps and how we could make TechLeap sustainable for the long term. The dream of building something meaningful together propelled us forward, and it became clear that this was worth going all in on. ?? As we explored different pathways, incubators and accelerators came up in conversations with our mentors. They saw the potential value that TechLeap’s framework could bring to the startup space. One of our pitch day panelist, who had recently been accepted into YC’s Summer 2024 batch, shared their experiences with Michelle. That conversation planted a seed, leading her to dive deeper into the program. Later that evening, I (Ke-Han) got a message from Michelle. She said, “?? ???????? ????’?? ??????????, ?????? ?? ?????????? ???? ?????? ???? ????????. We have enough documentation and work done to fill out the application—even though the official deadline has passed.” ?? She asked if it was too wild of an idea, and without hesitation, I said, “I would do anything to take a chance on TechLeap and our partnership. If it is you and I, I believe it can be possible! What is there to loose?” It felt like one of those rare moments where you have to jump, knowing it can only help you grow. ?????? ???????? ?????? ????????????? ?? ???????????????? ?????? ???????????????? ??????????: Y Combinator’s process pushed us to develop the first version of our business model, gaining clarity on our target market and what it would take to achieve product-market fit. It was a crash course in focusing on what matters most. ? ???? ?????????? ???? ???????? ??????????????????: With just 72 hours to complete the application, we embraced a fast, “lean” cycle of decision-making. It was intense but exhilarating, embodying the rollercoaster ride that is startup life. ?? ???????????? ?????? ???????????????? ?????????????? ?? ?????? ????????: Answering YC’s questions helped us identify critical flaws and opportunities for improvement, especially around scalability and sustainability. We were able to adjust our approach before making larger investments. ?? ?????????????????? ?????? ???????? ??????????: Through it all, we realized how lucky we are to have each other in this journey. The pressure was high, but the experience brought us closer together. We even managed to have fun in those late-night sessions, knowing that whatever the outcome, we were growing as founders. Taking this step was a long shot and we were ????????????????, but it opened new doors to conversations and opportunities we hadn’t anticipated. It’s pushed us to embrace the ever-changing landscape of entrepreneurship, pivoting with grace and staying true to our mission. Stay tuned as we share more about what we’ve learned from all the other pivots and adventures ??

???????????????????? ?????? ?????????????? ??????????????: ????????????, ??????????????????????, ?????? ?????????????? ?????????????? ?? Startup life is an ongoing exercise in learning, pivoting, and staying laser-focused on solving the right problems. Over the past few months, we’ve covered a lot of ground—refining frameworks, mapping user journeys, and running countless tests to validate our ideas. Behind the scenes, it’s been a constant flow of iterations. From brainstorming sessions to pivoting multiple times when our assumptions didn’t align with market needs, we’ve embraced a scrappy, ?????????????????? ?????????????? to keep moving forward. It’s not always about perfection; it’s about solving the right problem for the right user at the right time. ?? ?????? ???????????? ?????????? has been our anchor through these pivots, helping us stay close to our “why”—supporting career transitioners and helping startups fast-track product validation. Staying true to our core values has kept us grounded as we navigate the inevitable twists and turns. Listening to each other's concerns and checking the pulse of our progress early and often has been essential in finding alignment within the partnership. This journey has shown us the importance of adaptability and the willingness to make tough calls when needed. As we continue to refine our offering, I’m proud of the breadth of work we’ve covered, and we’re excited to share what’s next as we dive into our pivots in more detail. ?? Here’s to building smarter, staying resilient, and pushing forward! ?? Stay tuned for more on how we continue to evolve

???????????????? ???????? ?????????? ???????????? ????????????: ?? Sometimes, things don’t unfold as planned. After much reflection, we’ve decided not to open a case study cohort as initially envisioned. Our goal was to validate the ?????????????????????? and ???????????????????????? of our business model, and we are deeply grateful to the companies who showed interest. While our framework didn’t quite align with their needs, each conversation helped us grow. ?? As career transitioners, we envisioned a model where talents are fairly compensated, and startups can validate their ideas. Balancing these proved more challenging than expected, and we’ve yet to find the right fit. ?? In true TechLeap spirit, we’re embracing our scrappy, iterative approach. ?????? ?????????????? ??????????????: ?? ?????????????????????? ????????: It’s okay not to have all the answers. Gathering evidence and refining along the way is key. ?? ???????????????????? ?????????? ????????????????: It’s about more than speed—what we build must resonate with real needs. ?? ???????????????? ?????? ????????????: Every challenge has brought us closer to clarity and success. A special thanks to our mentors for encouraging us to build confidence and gather evidence. Your support has been invaluable. ?? Though our current offering isn’t quite there, we remain committed to our goal. Stay tuned as we share our journey applying to Y Combinator in the next post. ?? Thank you for being part of our story—we couldn’t do this without your support. ??