Introducing IndieDojo: the bootcamp for indie hackers & bootstrappers
You’ve learned to code, now learn everything else
TL;DR: We’re launching IndieDojo, a one-week bootcamp in Kyoto, Japan this November that teaches you the basics of becoming a successful bootstrapper, from design to marketing to launching.
The Genesis
Last March I attended my first ever coding camp in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria.
Now I had always been a little skeptical of such camps: after all, why do you need a bootcamp to learn how to code? Isn’t that what Google and Stack Overflow are for?
But by actually attending a camp, I realized I had been missing the point all along: bootcamps are not just about learning new skills, but also about meeting amazing people who will inspire you, help you when you struggle and push you further than you think is possible. Another advantage: bootcamps also give you time to focus exclusively on one thing.
One of the people I connected with was Maciej, the organizer of the camp, and we made a promise to try and organize something together one day.
A Non-Coding Bootcamp
Fast forward a few months later, and I’ve been chatting on and off with Maciej about organizing something. Maybe another coding bootcamp? I could teach React, GraphQL, or another trendy technology?
But then it hit me: although there’s already tons of bootcamps that teach you coding, there aren’t any that teach you everything else.
And by that, I mean all the skills needed to actually build, launch, maintain, and improve a product; and hopefully even earn passive income while doing so.
Sure, you can find product development podcasts, design blogs, and marketing forums. But very few resources bring everything together in one place. Moreover, none of these offer the personal connections that bootcamps provide or help you with finding time to focus on your product.
Becoming an Indie Hacker
Both Maciej and I are big fans of Indie Hackers, a site that features inspirational interviews with successful bootstrappers. And we know many people out there wish they could follow the same path.
The problem is, it’s not that easy. Even if you know how to code and manage to build a product, you still need to get the word out, get your pricing right, set up user acquisition channels… And come to think of it, how do you even know if you’re working on the right idea in the first place?
Nobody can answer these questions for you, but Maciej and I thought that just maybe, we might be able to create a workshop where we’d share our experience and point you in the right direction.
And this is how IndieDojo was born.
The Program
Practically speaking, the bootcamp will take place over six days:
- Day 1: Idea Validation
- Day 2: Design Basics
- Day 3: Design in Practice
- Day 4: User Acquisition
- Day 5: Marketing
- Day 6: Launch Day
The idea is to take you through a speed run of the key aspects of building and marketing great products, culminating in actually launching something on the last day, whether it’s a product, feature, or marketing campaign.
Destination: Japan
And where will this take place, you might ask? We wanted to hold the camp in an interesting location, so we decided to hold the inaugural IndieDojo event in Japan, the birthplace of Nintendo, Sony, and countless other innovators.
More specifically in Kyoto, Japan’s old capital and one of its most gorgeous cities, especially in November when the red maple (or kōyo) leaves are on full display. You’ll work hard during the day, enjoy amazing Japanese food at night, and then sleep in a beautifully restored traditional Japanese house, complete with sliding doors and tatami mats.
Enter the Dojo
If this sounds interesting at all, go check out IndieDojo. Even if you don’t attend the event, you can sign up for our mailing list below to get a free eBook I wrote that looks at how major companies like AirBnB or Facebook pick and use their color schemes.
What’s more, we’re also hoping to livestream the whole camp. That’s right, even if you can’t come to Japan you can still be part of the dojo!
So stay tuned for more news coming very soon, and start warming up for some intense kumite!
