above, me wearing a 50 lb toolbelt, showing the electricians where the data ports should go.
The dream
![]()
I have taught web development classes for years at Compasspoint Nonprofit Services, AcademyX, Roudpeg, Easel Solutions and Adobe and even sat on a panel at SXSWi. And as long as I have been teaching people to build websites, I have been dreaming of opening my own web school; a place where people could learn to make websites or make them better.
The need
Social networking, blogging, tweeting and creating and maintaining websites are now common job requirements, and the skills needed to do these things are increasingly complex. Add mobile browsing, tablets and touch screens to the equation, and there is so much to make sense of.
As the learning curve steepens, access to live, caring, competent instruction wanes. Traditional options for in-person classes are being replaced with video tutorials and impersonal online classes. Our classes will be in-person, customized and taught with a hands-on approach. Even Compasspoint Nonprofit Services, the first place I ever taught a web class, is closing its computer lab. There is an unfilled need for nonprofits, small businesses, freelancers and entrepreneurs to find caring and personal help; and for people who make websites to re-tool quickly.
The answer
MIGHTYminnow Web School
Opening in Spring 2012 at 1440 Broadway in Oakland, we will:
- provide a furnished computer lab and a growing variety of web-related classes
- help people get their small business websites up, in a few days or over a weekend
- support web professionals with constantly updated offerings
- provide jobs and freelance opportunities in downtown Oakland
- continue to support the non-profit sector through an ongoing partnership with Compasspoint Nonprofit Services
- provide discounts for non-profits and unemployed people
- provide a testing lab with multiple mobile devices, tablet computers, operating systems and browsers so that people can see what their website looks like in all these varying circumstances
The pitch
The lease is signed, the deposit is paid, the chairs are here, but we have a lot more to do. Desks, computers and software alone will cost about $27,000 if we fully furnish the lab for 12 seats right at the start (we may have to do it in increments). So we are turning to you, our community, to help fund the initial phase of the school. And in the spirit always creating a win/win, we are using the perks to give as good as we get. There is something for everyone!
The highlights
For perks, we have the requisite pens and cups, but we have a few that fall further outside of the box. Although they may be shipped to you *in a box*.
SEO (Search Engine Optimization)
Everyone who contributes at least $25 to this campaign will get a link to their site from MIGHTYminnow.com on a new "supporters" page. This is good for your website and makes your search engine ranking rise.
Full day web classes and "Website Weekends"
Pay now for a Dreamweaver, Wordpress, jQuery, HTML or CSS class later, and get a handy discount while you are at it. Or spend a weekend with us just getting a Wordpress site live for your business, band, art portfolio or passion. A *tentative* schedule for the first few weeks of classes is located on MIGHTYminnow.com/classes. Feel free to also request/suggest a class.
Custom training
Rent the classroom, the equipment and the trainer with for a full day class tailored to your team's needs, accommodating up to 12 students including a customized class outline.
Fruit and Fashion
![]()
The FruitGuys Fruit and Veggies
Contribute $50 dollars, get a beautiful box of organic fruit and veggies (see what I got this week) shipped to your door, courtesy of The FruitGuys.
Prairie Underground Hoodies
Contribute $160-185 dollars, and get a beautiful, organic cotton, made in Seattle designer hoodie from Camilla and Davora of Prairie Underground.
The partnerships
What does fashion and fruit have to do with MIGHTYminnow Web School?
MIGHTYminnow has a long relationship with the girls from Prairie Underground and we have developed and improved their site since its inception. We also work regularly on The FruitGuys site and Almanac. Both companies have been pleased with us and both are fans and supporters of our new school (and we use both of their products!). When we decided to do social funding wanted to offer perks that would appeal to folks that didn't need web training, so we put our heads together with the girls from Prairie Underground and The FruitGuys and came up with these unique and wonderful perks!
Other Ways You Can Help
Lots of people need websites, and if you don't need help now, maybe you know someone who does? Or maybe you know someone who likes beautiful clothes? Or maybe someone who eats? Or drinks out of cups? Help us spread the word about our campaign, and help your friends to get these wonderful perks and discounts! There is a sharing toolbar up above for your convenience - please share this opportunity. Just sharing it with your network could really help my campaign!
Top ways to help:
- Contribute to the campaign
- Spread the word to your networks
- Sign up for our mailing list
- Plan to take a class