Whatever you do, don't open a bank account in your own name.
I didn't know this until my dad stopped me the day I got my first paycheck.
I'd done everything right. Got paid. Went to the bank, opened a savings account in my name, and deposited the whole thing.
My Boss looked at me and said, โYou just put a target on your back.โ
Then I had no idea what he meant.
He explained that the moment your money sits in your name, it's exposed.
Creditors can see it. Lawyers can find it. Anybody with a judgment against you can freeze it and take it completely legally.
So here's what he told me to do:
Step 1. Go to the IRS and apply for an EIN.
A tax ID number, but for a trust instead of a person.
Step 2. Select a revocable trust as your entity type. List yourself as both the grantor and trustee. It gives you full control of everything.
Step 3.
Take that EIN to any bank and open an account under that trust name, not yours.
The money is still yours. You spend it, move it, and invest it however you want. But on paper, it's not attached to you.
If someone sues you, they can't touch what they can't see.
This is the system intelligent billionaires have always used.
Own nothing on paper, control everything in reality.
A Nigerian engineer once told me something I havenโt stopped thinking about.
He said, โThe day I got my offer letter from Amsterdam, my colleague reported me to HR.โ
I asked him why.
He said, โBecause I was about to earn in one month what heโd earned in three years.โ
Then he said, โAnd the worst part? I understood him.โ
I think every [young] person should have a very clear idea of who they want to be. The life they want to live.
Pick a timeframe. 2 years. 5 years. Who do you want to be at 25? 30? 35? 40?
Like with terrifying specificity. What sports do you play? Where do you work? Whatโs your salary? Where do you live? Whatโs your week like? Whoโs still around you? Whatโs your networth? What industry do you want to be in? What things do you no longer do?
Iโve seen so many people fumble opportunities because they couldnโt realize fast enough that they were at the doorway for the life they wanted, because they couldnโt articulate the life they wanted.
Write it down, talk about it. with friends. sometimes even with enemies. be loud, and be intentional.
I canโt count how many times Iโve been called to do something because a friend remembered that โoh, you said itโd be cool if you worked with an event/company/creative, so this thing came up and I thought of youโ.
You donโt have the life you want, because you donโt even know what it is yet.
๐๐ก๐๐ญ ๐ข๐ฌ ๐ ๐๐ฎ๐ฆ๐ฆ๐จ๐ง ๐๐ง ๐๐จ๐ซ๐ฎ?
A Summon is a public pledge.
When you want to reach someone who isn't on Kลru yet, you don't send a message into the void.
You create a Summon. You search for them by name or X handle.
You state what you'd be willing to pay for their time.
You write a brief explanation of why you want to connect. And you make it public.
That's it. No money changes hands at this point.
No commitment is made. Just a clear, visible signal that says: I am serious enough about this conversation to put a number on it.
๐ช๐ต๐ฎ๐ ๐ต๐ฎ๐ฝ๐ฝ๐ฒ๐ป๐ ๐ป๐ฒ๐ ๐?
Your Summon lives on the platform.
Other people who want access to the same person can find it and back it with their own pledge.
Every backer adds their name and their number to the same public signal.
Now instead of one person sending a cold DM โ there's a growing, visible, financially-weighted demand.
40 people. 80 people. $5,000 in pledges. $15,000.
That's not a message anymore. That's proof of market.
๐ช๐ต๐ฎ๐ ๐ฑ๐ผ๐ฒ๐ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ด๐ฒ๐ ๐๐ฒ๐ฒ?
Before they commit to anything, before they even join the platform, the person being summoned can see exactly how much demand exists for their time.
Not a notification from a stranger. A real number, backed by real people, showing exactly what the market is willing to pay for one conversation with them.
That changes the entire dynamic of the ask.
๐ช๐ต๐ฒ๐ป ๐๐ต๐ฒ๐ ๐ท๐ผ๐ถ๐ป โ ๐๐ต๐ฎ๐ ๐ต๐ฎ๐ฝ๐ฝ๐ฒ๐ป๐?
Every backer can then engage directly through Kลru's standard escrow flow.
Their payment goes into a smart contract.
The Host responds within the defined window โ funds release automatically.
They don't respond โ the backer gets every cent back. On-chain. Instant.
No risk. No chasing. No hoping. Just a guaranteed outcome either way.
๐ช๐ต๐ ๐ฑ๐ผ๐ฒ๐ ๐๐ต๐ถ๐ ๐บ๐ฎ๐๐๐ฒ๐ฟ?
Because access has always been broken in one specific way โ it rewards proximity, not seriousness.
The person who gets the reply isn't always the one with the best idea.
It's the one who already knows someone who knows someone.
The Summons Protocol dismantles that.
Anyone can create a Summon.
Anyone can back one.
The signal is public and the economics are transparent.
A first-generation builder with no network but a serious ask can generate the same visibility as someone with every warm intro in the world.
That is what fair access looks like.
Stay tuned โ a full how-to video walking through the Summons Protocol is dropping soon.
https://t.co/Z0F5QuoDVj
I have seen what separates people who learn design from people who get hired as designers.
Most people waste months learning the wrong things.
Use this roadmap to get in faster.
Month 1: Understand UX properly (not just UI)
Before touching Figma, understand how products actually work.
Most beginners jump straight into UI screens.
Your focus this month should be:
1. UX fundamentals: User flows, Information architecture, Problem framing, Design thinking, Product thinking
2. Learn how real products are built
Pick 5 apps you use every day.
Examples: Uber, Airbnb, Spotify, WhatsApp, Amazon
Break them down: ๐
๐ Why is the onboarding like this?
๐ Why is the checkout flow simple?
๐ Why is the navigation structured that way?
This will help you build product thinking, which hiring managers actually look for.
Tools to start learning:
- Figma
- FigJam
- Notion (for documenting your thinking)
Spend this month observing and documenting UX decisions.
Month 2: Learn the tools (fast) donโt sleep on it for long.
Focus mainly on Figma.
You donโt need 10 tools.
Most companies use Figma.
Learn these properly:
Core Figma skills
- Frames
- Auto layout
- Components
- Variants
- Constraints
- Prototyping ( would recommend my YouTube channel )
Also learn:
- Basic design systems
- Layout grids
- Typography hierarchy
- Spacing systems
Practice by recreating existing apps.
Examples:
- Recreate a Spotify playlist screen
- Recreate Airbnb search results
- Recreate Uber ride request flow
It will help you learn how real interfaces are structured.
By the end of Month 2 you should be able to design clean mobile screens confidently.
Month 3: Start your first real case study
Now you need to stop doing random UI screens.
You start solving real product problems.
Pick one product and redesign a small part of it. Donโt try to do much.
Examples:
- Improve Uber driver onboarding
- Redesign Airbnb wishlists
- Improve Amazon checkout
- Fix WhatsApp message search
Your case study should include:
๐ The problem
๐ Research (even if itโs lightweight)
๐ User journey
๐ Wireframes
๐ UI design
๐ Prototype
๐ Key improvements
This shows how you think, not just what you designed.
Most beginners skip the thinking part.
Thatโs why most portfolios on Behance feel empty.
Month 4: Build a portfolio that looks like a product designer
You donโt need 10 projects.
You need 3 strong case studies.
Structure them like this assuming you donโt have prior experience:
Case Study 1
Product redesign
Case Study 2
Mobile app concept
Case Study 3
Feature improvement
Each case study should show:
- the problem
- your thinking
- the process
- the final design
Use tools like:
- Notion
- Framer or
- Behance
Recruiters spend less than 1 minute scanning portfolios.
Make it easy to read.
Month 5: Start acting like a designer, not a student
This is where most people fail.
They keep learning but never enter the industry conversation.
Start doing these things ๐:
1. Post your work
Share your case studies on:
๐ LinkedIn
๐ X (Twitter)
๐ Dribbble
2. Document your thinking
Write short breakdowns like:
โค๏ธ โWhy Uberโs onboarding worksโ
โค๏ธ โ3 UX mistakes I noticed in this appโ
โค๏ธ โHow I redesigned this featureโ
This will help you build credibility.
3. Network intentionally on LinkedIn. Here is my handle: https://t.co/DUq2WxYFUY
Connect with other:
๐ Product designers
๐ UX leads
๐ Startup founders
Send simple messages like:
โHey, Iโm learning product design and would love your feedback on this case study.โ
Youโll be surprised how many people respond. Donโt just go asking people for mentorship people are busy.
Month 6: Start applying strategically
Now you start applying for roles.
But not randomly.
Focus on:
Startups
They hire junior designers faster.
Look for jobs on: Wellfound, Y Combinator jobs, LinkedIn, Otta, Remote design job boards
Also apply for internships (if there is still any) and freelance work. Continue ๐