As I turn 40 this year, I’ve been reflecting on the journey of building Frontend Masters. Looking back at my turning 30 post, I can see how four key skills from my twenties created the foundation for everything we’ve built in the last decade. What started as a solo venture (with contractors) has grown into something far beyond what I initially imagined.

The Foundation Years: Four Key Skills from My 20s (Two Decades Ago 😅) that Built the Business in my 30s

1. Technical Mastery: Building deep technical skills as a front-end developer from age 20-30 paid off tremendously. It helped me build a high-quality Frontend Masters platform that customers love for its performance and made communication with our technical audience much clearer.

2. Community Building: Speaking at over 60 conferences — and running conferences of my own — created lasting relationships with the world’s best instructors, many of whom still teach on Frontend Masters today.

3. Content Creation: Writing 200+ blog posts became my most valuable career skill. I still write all the copy for the Frontend Masters website, course announcements, and newsletters, reaching over 500,000 people multiple times each month. Writing is one of the most valuable skills you can have.

4. Business Acumen: Understanding the importance of recurring revenue and LTV (lifetime value) early on was crucial, giving me the stability needed to plan confidently around hiring and growing the business.

Focusing on building a variety of skills early on in your career (especially writing), regardless if you have a specific vision of how they’ll be used in the future, is one of the best investments you can make.

The Building Years: Ages 30-35

The early thirties were challenging as I worked to transition from a solo operation to running a company — while raising four kids! I remember the uncertainty of the future and how I’m going to make it work. My family depended on it working and that was a lot of pressure.

Building something bigger than yourself is a challenge to say the least. There are hiring challenges like investing money into a hire that doesn’t work out, product challenges like continuing to produce the courses people love, and personal challenges like taking care of my family. Despite the difficulties, by age 35, I built the business into everything I dreamed of.

Credit is due to the amazing team we’ve built over the years!

However, this success came at a cost to my personal health. I was putting every ounce of energy into the business and not taking care of myself.

The Health Adventure Years: Ages 35-40

At 35, while the business was thriving, my health had deteriorated - I even experienced bad back pain that would wake me up at night. I dedicated the next five years to improving my health, creating a personal health checklist and gradually increasing my healthy habits and activities. The results speak for themselves: my VO2 Max improved from 37 to 45, and I’ve received lots of compliments on my physical appearance. I know my wife certainly likes it! 🙃

This renewed focus on health has transformed not just my physical capabilities, but my entire approach to business and life. With increased energy and mental clarity, I’ve been able to tackle new challenges and push beyond what I thought possible. Here’s what I’m most proud of accomplishing in 2024:

2024 Things I’m Proud Of

Physical Milestones

• Ran over 550 miles in 2024, which improved VO2max from 41 to 45 (measured by DEXA scan, the gold-standard for body composition and fitness assessment)



• Performed standing back flips on stage, and even did one on stage in front of 1000+ people!



• Learned front flips
• Did daily cold plunges
• Incorporated HIT training (plyometrics to jump higher)

Frontend Masters Milestones

Platform Improvements

• Fully redesigned course player with interactive Q&A, downloadable certificates and course recommendations
• Redesigned homepage with key quotes on teaching from our teachers

  

• Enterprise SSO implementation — allowing larger customers more flexibility to manage their teams
• Strengthened the entire UX and product design by integrating Kirrie, our product designer

Growth & Community

• Launch of “Frontend to Fullstack” newsletter reaching 500k+ people with all the latest industry news
• One year of our Boost blog with over 150 posts
• Produced short-form videos posted on Instagram and TikTok which people love

The benefits of prioritizing my health have rippled through every aspect of Frontend Masters. With improved energy and focus, I’ve found myself making clearer decisions, having more patience in challenging situations, and bringing a more balanced perspective to leadership.

Lessons Learned: The Importance of Hard Conversations

A common question on a major birthday is “What advice would you give to your younger self?”

My biggest piece of advice to my younger self would be to face difficult conversations sooner. I’ve learned that life is limited by the number of hard conversations you’re willing to have. I used to avoid conversations like having to fire someone or approaching a family member to try to resolve a conflict because I wanted to be liked, but I’ve come to understand that being decisive and direct isn’t just about personal growth - it’s essential for effective leadership.

Your team needs to know where they stand and where the company is headed. Clear communication, even when it’s difficult, builds trust and momentum. While these conversations might be uncomfortable and sometimes result in tears or tough decisions, they’re crucial for building an excellent business and creating a better life for yourself and your family.

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2025 Things I’d Like To Do

While 2024 was amazing and it’s going to be difficult to top, here’s some things I’d like to do in 2025:

Physical Development

• Recently, I added HIT workout plyometrics to jump higher — I’d like to be more consistent with them (this is my favorite workout which kills me) in order to journey towards touching the rim of the basketball hoop at 5’9”
• Started up weekly Tennis with my tennis partner and he’s kicking my butt 🤣 — I want to continue to improve
• Ran 585 miles in 2024 along with a half marathon in 1:51:55 (8:32/mile) — I want to run even more this year and beat that time
• Continue with gymnastics/calisthenics and learn new skills like round off back flips, 360 back flips, hand stand push ups, muscle ups, and more
• Already this is a massive list, but I’d like to learn to swim better in order to someday do a triathlon
• I’ve limited my alcohol consumption to ~2 drinks per week — I want to continue to reduce that to ~1 drink per week (only on dates with my wife)

Family & Business Goals

• I’ve got big ambitions for Frontend Masters — we plan to expand our core offering in a big way. I want to continue to empower our team to do more, hire and grow the team, and continue to grow the community around Frontend Masters
• Show up for my kids in their school when they need help, show up to their sports games, and be a good role model for them
• Prioritize dates with wife, walking, running, playing pickleball, dancing, and activities with her
• Deepen connections with my family and find a way to connect with friends more often

Happy new year everyone! 🎉