Job Title:
Founder of moonlearning.io, theSolo.io and prettycheaphouses.com (in the making)
Place of Work:
At my tiny desk at home
Industry or specialization:
I like making stuff—digital products that I enjoy and find helpful, a lot around learning and teaching. Ranging from online courses (moonlearning.io), ebooks, or any other digital products—whatever sparks my curiosity and feels worth building.
What got you into Web Design/Development/working on the web?
It’s funny—my LinkedIn makes my career look so planned: product design, branding, UI, and now digital products. But for a long time, I was utterly lost. When I studied product design, it was all about physical products—chairs, lamps, nothing to do with the web. The field I love now didn’t even exist when I graduated.
I always liked the web and played around with Dreamweaver early on, but without coding skills, job options were limited. I ended up in advertising—mainly to move to Berlin. Great people, wrong field. I switched to branding, which I enjoyed, but it still involved a lot of strategy and endless debates over a single word or colour—it just wasn’t the kind of work that energised me or played to my strengths.
Things finally clicked when a branding client asked if I could design a website for them. I initially said no since I had no experience with it, but they encouraged me to sit with their dev team—and I loved it. The mix of creativity, tech, and constraints just made sense to me. Back when bootcamps were still new and had a strong, hands-on approach, I joined one of the first ones in San Francisco to understand better how things worked under the hood. That knowledge helped me grow as a digital designer and to approach my work with a more technical perspective.
A few years ago, I came across the indie hacker scene and was really impressed. I love the creative freedom and just diving right in, and while I don’t see myself as an indie hacker — I would love to, but I simply don’t have that strong developer approach I associate with it—their mindset stuck with me. The idea of building solo felt exciting and natural. When the pandemic hit and client work slowed, I leaned into that spirit—learning video recording, editing, creating UI courses, and exploring no-code tools. I started building something on my own, using my existing expertise in UI design, Figma, and CSS. That’s when I found my happy place—where all my passions aligned.
It was a long road, but completely worth it.
What does a typical day or week look like for you? What sort of things do you do?
I work solo—it’s what I love. I keep things simple so I can focus on designing and making things without distractions. I’ve found that, for me, when work and free time naturally overlap, my days feel more whole—not just the weekends or holidays. I don’t want to wait for Friday to feel good about life—I want to be excited about Mondays too. And most of the time, I am.
I try to weave together what matters to me each day: my work, time with family and friends, and space for myself—like doing sports. It’s not always perfectly balanced, but it works well for me.
From the outside, my work hours might seem shorter than a typical 9-to-5. But since it’s just me—no meetings, no distractions—I get a lot done in less time. It also works the other way around: I take my laptop everywhere, squeeze in a few hours at cafés, and genuinely enjoy working a bit on weekends or holidays. I actually don’t like putting my projects down for long breaks. Over time, I’ve realised I’m more productive this way. When you’re not grinding yourself into exhaustion Monday to Friday, work starts to feel more like a creative outlet than something to escape from.
But that’s just my rhythm. I know it’s not for everyone. Some people thrive with clear boundaries between work and life—and that’s just as great. If you’re lucky enough to shape your work around what feels natural for you, that’s the real magic.
What types of web technologies do you work with most often?
I mostly work with Figma—that’s where I’m strongest in UI design—but I also love tinkering with CSS. Lately, I’ve been exploring tools like Cursor, Replit, and anything else that helps me better understand the coding side of things, especially the parts I’ve always found challenging.
In the past, I’d often hit a wall and stay on the design side, but AI tools are making it easier to push past that. They open the door to experimenting and building more on my own. Still, for me, it’s not about getting AI to write all the code—it’s about using it to understand why something works, explore different approaches, and actually learn along the way. It’s not outsourcing; it’s collaborating.
That said, there’s something I feel strongly about—especially when encouraging this dive-in-and-figure-it-out mindset. It’s not the right approach for every kind of product. When something involves sensitive data or critical systems, I believe it should be handled by people with the right expertise. Just because you know how to use the GPS doesn’t mean you know how to drive the car safely.
What is your favorite thing about your job?
The freedom and creativity! It’s like having a giant playground where I can experiment, build, and bring ideas to life. I love my work, but it’s been a long journey to get here so I appreciate it a lot.
What do you wish you could change about your job?
Nothing—since I work solo, I can change anything I don’t like about my work.
Where do you see your section of the web development/design/etc industry going?
Tricky question. In the near future, I think UI design still has a solid place because, out of all the AI tools I use, design is the one thing they don’t fully replace—yet. It feels like a bit of a magic skill that still sets things apart. But honestly, it’s 2025, and everything moves so fast. I think it’s naive to assume we can predict anything.
What technology and/or skill do you wish you learned before you entered the industry?
I wish I had learned proper backend programming and more about machine learning—I greatly respect those fields! I’ve tried, oh have I tried, but while design comes naturally to me, backend logic feels like a total brain-twister. Not giving up, though!
It also reinforces my bias about “full stack”—I think there are very few truly great full-stack developers. When you’re deep into design and front-end, your brain tends to work so differently from backend logic… but hey, I’d love to be proven wrong on this one!
What are you looking to learn or what skill are you looking to build next?
I just finished my book, TheSolo.io—all about building, launching, and growing digital products as a company of one, whether you code or not. It’s been a real passion project. Working solo has brought me so much joy, and I genuinely believe we’re entering a new era where tech, no-code, and AI tools make it possible for almost anyone to launch and run a digital product on their own. That doesn’t mean everyone should, but I do think it’s time to rethink the traditional narratives around funding, growth, and exits—there are so many more ways to build now.
Right now, I’m still primarily focused on moonlearning.io. And just to bust the myth—passive income is a lie! Sure, automation helps, but it still takes a lot of care, iteration, and love to keep things running smoothly. Thankfully, I’ve automated enough to carve out space for a new side project that I’m really excited about.
It’s called PrettyCheapHouses.com—a little passion project born from my slightly obsessive habit of scanning property markets wherever I go. I’ve always loved imagining how old, run-down homes could be transformed into something beautiful. I have a soft spot for architecture. But with today’s prices, those dreams often hit a wall. So I thought, why not build a tool that searches for those hidden gems the way I would?
Using AI and image recognition, I’m training it to scan real estate platforms across Europe—looking for unique, affordable properties with potential. It’s still early days, but the goal is to curate those finds for fellow dreamers like me. Let’s see where it goes, but I’m genuinely excited to build this—it’s a fun technical challenge for me too.
What questions should I have asked that I didn’t? (Please also answer it :-D)
maybe—what’s the last thing that inspired you?
I recently listened to a podcast with Sir David Brailsford, where he shared a concept that really stuck with me: focus on the pedals, not the podium. It’s a principle from sports psychology, and the idea is simple but powerful—if you’re constantly fixated on winning, you’re not present in the work it actually takes to get there. Real progress comes from focusing on the small, consistent actions—the next turn of the pedal—not the prize at the end.
What I like about this mindset is that it’s not just about being more effective—it’s also about being more grounded. Whether it’s work, learning, or building something new, staying focused on the process makes it more likely you’ll get to the podium—but just as importantly, it helps you stay motivated even if you never do. The outcome isn’t guaranteed, and that’s okay. It’s about showing up, moving forward, and finding meaning in the doing—not just the result.
What would you tell someone to do who’s looking to get into the industry? How should they best prepare themselves?
There are a thousand ways to get into this industry—you don’t have to follow the corporate or startup path. Some routes are just louder than others, but that doesn’t mean they’re the only ones. The key is figuring out what makes you tick and how you thrive because how you build is just as important as what you build. Don’t get too impressed by the noise—big talk doesn’t always mean big impact. Take a step back and decide on what works for you and then go for it and don’t ask for too much advice, focus on the pedals, not the podium)
Anything else you’d like to tell future designers, developers and web people?
Reclaim the joy of making. If you’re working in a company, push for smarter ways of working—set boundaries around meetings, and question whether every email really needs a CC (I have a lot of feelings about CC’d emails!). Advocate for real focus time.
As designers and engineers, we need space to think and create. Great products don’t come from squeezing deep work into the tiny gaps between calls and notifications.
Meetings have their place. Emails are fine (though I’d argue at least 50% aren’t). Slack is great—until it’s not. The key is not letting these tools run your day. Be firm about protecting your time. Your work hours are also your lifetime, so don’t let others waste them.
Is there a way people can get in contact with you to ask questions etc?
Absolutely! I’m most active on LinkedIn these days, but you can find me on all major social media platforms—and, of course, through my pages and products:
moonlearning.io – Courses on UI design, Figma, and coding.
theSolo.io – Helping people build, launch, and grow digital products with or without coding, as a company of one.
prettycheaphouses.com – Coming soon! A passion project using AI to find hidden real estate gems across Europe.