.NET/SQL Mentorship and Training Program

Ever wish you could have an experienced .NET/SQL developer peeking over your shoulder, ready to offer advice and guidance while you work on your next big project?

Introducing the .NET/SQL Mentorship and Training Program

A few years ago I had the bright idea that I should branch out from the front-end development work that I'd been doing for nearly 10 years, and learn a little more about the .NET Framework and SQL Server.

My husband (and business partner) Chris Reynolds and I had a nicely established routine of “who does what” on Web and software projects. But more and more often I was running into situations where I had to wait on his busy schedule to move a project forward with what I knew were pretty basic .NET/SQL tasks.

I'm a smart girl. Surely I could figure this out, I thought.

So one week while he was out of town, I decided to take the quiet time and teach myself some of the basics. I had a little Web app in mind that I knew would take Chris less than a day to crank out, and I figured that’d be a simple enough place for me to start.

These weren’t big hairy audacious goals. I just wanted to handle some simple Web form processing and be able to post, get, and sort entries from a SQL database. Easy, right?

No. It was awful.

You know that nerve-wracking, pulling-your-hair-out, beat-your-head-against-the-wall feeling you get when you’re learning a new programming language or framework, and you're trying to solve a problem that you know should be so easy, but everything you do just creates errors out the whazoo and nothing you try works, and while you sort of understand why it doesn’t work, you have no idea how to actually make it work?

That was me.

• We have stacks of .NET and SQL training and reference books, but since I wasn’t really sure what I was looking for, finding help there was like wading through a haystack looking for needles.
• I tried Google searches for the different error messages I was getting, but I wasn’t 100% sure how to describe the problem or what keywords to use to find a working solution.
• The “advice” I found on online forums always seemed to devolve into flame wars about who’s method was better, and at least half the time I could never get the code examples to work anyway.
• I certainly didn’t want to reveal any confidential project details in an online forum, or broadcast my n00b questions where a potential client might find it later. (That'd be embarrasing.)
• I had neither the time nor the patience to sit in a classroom for a week, so I tried various online video tutorials and training. Once I spent an hour watching a “how to” video, only to find out in the last 10 minutes that it didn’t really solve the problem I had in the first place.

What I needed was concrete advice and guidance about my unassuming little .NET/SQL app. Someone who could answer specific questions in real-time, so I didn’t have to waste hours struggling with what I knew was a relatively simple task.

What I needed was an experienced developer who could alert me to programming pitfalls before I made a huge mess – and who could explain the “why” of different methods so I really understood what I was doing, and not just the “how” without any context.

What I needed was my smart developer husband.

Fortunately for me, he came home a few days later. In the following months when I needed help learning .NET and SQL, I just walked down the hall to his office and got an answer on the spot.

Now maybe you’re lucky enough to live with an experienced developer and .NET/SQL coach. Or maybe not. Either way don’t get too jealous about my sweet setup, because I can offer you the next best thing.

Only 4 spots available for 2012

About the same time Chris started training me on the .NET Framework and SQL Server 2008, he started coaching and mentoring other developers, too. (Most of them far more experienced than I was.) We setup a great system so he could serve as an ad hoc advisor to answer questions and be “on call” to help with .NET/SQL projects.

But as he's added more and more coaching clients, it’s become increasingly difficult to fit everyone in between other projects, and still provide the personalized in-depth instruction that Chris enjoys providing.

So in 2012 we’re going to try something different. We’re creating the .NET/SQL Mentorship and Training Program and opening up just 4 client spots for .NET/SQL coaching with Chris. Once these spots are filled, we won’t be taking any more coaching or mentoring clients for the entire year.

If you've worked with Chris already, you know how much faster and easier it is to have an experienced developer working with you side-by-side – someone who's been in the trenches and who can help you jump the inevitable hurdles that appear in any development cycle. (On the other hand, if you haven't worked with Chris yet, know that one of his clients said she learned a thousand times more in one hour of coaching with Chris, than any amount of video training or classroom time.)

Whatever your plans are for 2012, I’m sure that having a .NET/SQL coach and mentor on your side will accelerate your progress dramatically. And I hope that being one of Chris’s coaching clients in 2012 is something you’ll seriously consider.

Who the .NET/SQL Mentorship and Training Program is For

Chris’s coaching clients include individual developers and small development teams from a variety of programming backgrounds. Regardless of where you’re starting (and depending on your needs), you can expect in-depth and personalized training related to SQL Server 2008, ASP.NET VB, ASP.NET Web Services, VB.NET, and Visual Studio.

Chris frequently works with developers who:

• Are experienced in other programming languages and platforms, but who are new to the .NET Framework and/or SQL Server 2008.
• Know the basics of .NET and SQL, but who need to take their skills to the next level.
• Want to spend less time troubleshooting unfamiliar .NET and SQL errors, and more time releasing finished Web applications.
• Need help navigating the complexities of application structure and design, security concerns, performance and scalability issues, and real-world business scenarios.

If having an experienced .NET/SQL developer work with you side-by-side to get your next project off the ground (or wrap up a project that’s been struggling for a while) makes sense, then keep reading to find out what’s included.

What's Included in the Program

When you join the .NET/SQL Mentorship and Training Program, every month you'll get the following:

• One-on-one coaching and mentoring with Chris Reynolds to provide guidance and help as you develop your .NET and SQL projects.
• Real-world business scenarios and advice from a developer who’s been there — the stuff you won’t hear in any classroom or online tutorial about creating and running successful Web applications — including potential pitfalls and important details about user behavior, security and performance issues, and marketing and business strategies.
• Personalized sessions tailored to what you need to cover, and focused on your specific project. No theory or lab exercises here. Just you and Chris, working side-by-side and hands-on.
• Scheduled Web conferences with Chris once a week, at a mutually agreed upon day and time. Web conferences let you and Chris work together on the same computer screen – so you have an experienced developer peering over your shoulder as you work. We’ll block out 2 hours for every session, but we’re not watching the clock. If you need more time you to learn and accomplish your goals for that week, Chris will be ready to work with you.
• Replay recordings of each Web conference, available for you to reference anytime.
• Unlimited email and instant messenger support from Chris in between your scheduled sessions.
• As a bonus, if you need help with front-end development for XHTML, CSS, interface design, or even marketing issues, Larissa Reynolds (me) will be on hand to help with that, too.

What’s Expected From You

Since we’re taking on only 4 new coaching clients in 2012, we’re looking to work only with developers and teams who are ready to make a commitment. Before you join the .NET/SQL Mentorship and Training Program, know that it requires the following:

• You’re committed to attending your scheduled coaching calls each week. Chris is setting aside time to focus on your skills and your project, and expects you to do the same.
• You’re committed to spending time and working on your project in between coaching sessions. The .NET/SQL Mentorship and Training Program works on the same theory as any database – you get out of it what you put into it.
• You’re a serious action taker. If Chris asks you to write sample code or try a new method, you do.
• You have a specific project to work on. You don’t need to know all the details, but you do need to have something in mind that you'd like to accomplish. The Mentorship Program does not have a structured curriculum and there are no lab assignments. “Hello world” is not on the agenda. Customized training to help you develop your application or Web service is.
• You’re at least a little familiar with object-oriented programming. If you’re new to the .NET Framework and/or SQL Server that’s perfectly fine. (That’s what we’re here for.) But if you've never even heard of an “If...Then” statement, then this program won't be a good match for you.

Cost and Fees

Rather than nickel and dime you with hourly fees and keeping track of every 10-minute question that you might have, we’ve put together a comprehensive package to help you get the best bang for your buck.

That way you and Chris can stay focused on making sure you learn what you need to learn, and do what you need to do to accomplish your project goals.

Sign up now and go month-to-month, or secure your spot for 6 months at a generous discount.

Getting Started

Six months from now you could be in the same boat you're in now — with a great idea or a half-finished application, still struggling to learn the .NET and SQL skills that you need to get it done.

Or, you could sign up for the .NET/SQL Mentorship and Training Program and work with Chris one-on-one to make rapid progress in the next 6-12 months and ship your project.

Yes, ship it. Finished. Launched. Live. Six to twelve months from now. Wouldn't that feel great?

If you’re ready to work with an experienced .NET/SQL programming coach and mentor who:

• Will give you concrete, personalized advice and hands-on help to learn the .NET/SQL skills you need
• Will provide you with expert guidance about performance, security, and critical business issues for your Web-enabled application
• Will share with you the behind-the-scenes reality of what it really takes to run successful, scalable Web applications and services
• Will hold you accountable each and every week to developing your skills and making progress with your next big .NET/SQL project

Then sign up right here and now. Can you imagine what you’ll be able to accomplish with an experienced .NET/SQL developer by your side next year?

Personally, I can’t wait to see your results.

Cheers,

Larissa Reynolds
Co-founder, Idea Catchers Group, LLC

P.S. What we’re offering here is the use of Chris's time and the benefit of his expertise. Since time cannot be replaced, we do not offer refunds for coaching services or the .NET/SQL Mentorship and Training Program. That means I don’t have a magical money-back guarantee to offer you either.

That said if you decide the Mentorship Program isn’t working for you, you can cancel anytime. But what I really hope is that you’ll make the commitment to invest in yourself (and your team) and get started now, while we still have a few spots available.

P.P.S. Want to know how this has worked out for others? Here’s what a few current and previous coaching clients have said about working with Chris to learn .NET and SQL:

What Clients Are Saying

I didn't want to just start at the beginning, learning ASP.NET with someone who would ignore the skills I brought from other development environments. I've actually been really surprised at how well Chris has understood my background and exactly the level of skills I have. He picked that up right away from our initial conversation. His ability to tailor lessons for ASP.NET to my skill level has been ideal.
I get a thousand times more out of just one hour of coaching with Chris, than with any crazy amount of video training or classroom time. As long as he doesn't get too busy to work with me, I recommend him highly!

— Lois T., Hospitality Data Solutions

I didn't start out as a Web person. My original background is marketing — I fell into the Web design and programming side of things by accident! And trying to explain to another programmer what I think is happening with our website – or what needs to happen – there's always been a disconnect there. You guys have been so willing to work with me on the issues we’re facing, and help me review the options of how to move forward. That's made it so much easier to say "Okay, let's go ahead and have an ongoing partnership." I've been really pleased with the whole process.

— Mick Ahrens, Urbanity Studios

Initially, I wasn't real comfortable with the idea of a coaching program, because I didn't know if the instruction would be high quality, or if it would fit what I needed. But it turned out to be one of the most professional services I've ever dealt with. You either had an answer off the top of your head, or occasionally when you didn't have an answer for me, you were able to get it very quickly.
What I also appreciated is that you really understood the landscape of .NET and SQL and Web applications in general. You understood the options that were available. Not only did you give me the options, you gave me strong recommendations about how to move forward. You’d say “Look, you could do it this way, but that's not the way I would do it. I would do it this way and here's why.” And I learned very quickly that I could rely on that advice, because it had already been thought through on your end.
One of the great surprises was that not only was I able to get instruction and advice on the programming side, but of the full picture of building a Web service – whether that was server choices, marketing strategies, security considerations, performance and scalability concerns – you were knowledgeable on all of that.
I would highly recommend your coaching services to anyone that wants to learn .NET or SQL, whether they're beginners or intermediate level or even advanced. And the reason I would recommend you guys is that you're honest, you want to do a good job, you take it very seriously, very professionally, and you're highly competent.

— Jack V.
San Francisco, California

Ready to get started? Sign up today while we still have spots available.