Nate Desmond

Automate Anything: The Non-Coder's Guide to AI Automation

Growth Marketer & AI Enthusiast

We'll use AI to build a fully automated reminder system... to give you the skills to automate anything you need!

Become your team's automation hero

We'll cover common pitfalls to avoid, how to iterate on AI responses, and ways to gradually build up complex projects.

Structure effective prompts to get AI to write your code

Rather than trying to write code yourself, learn how to get AI to do all the work for you - including debugging!

Debug Apps Script code using AI-assisted troubleshooting

Master the art of making your automation truly hands-free using Google Apps Script triggers.

Set up  triggers to run your scripts automatically

This course is specifically designed for people who've never written code before.

No prior coding experience needed

"Despite being a student in Harvard’s Master’s in Data Science program, I've struggled to understand the concepts that make LLMs so impressive. This class gave me the answers." - Tony "Ishan takes a black box, rips it apart to understandable compartments, and clearly communicates what is going on. Highly recommend." - Joe, CFO ______________________________________________________________________ The current cohort completed recording on January 17th, 2025 but you can still enroll to participate asynchronously: •&nbsp;Get lifetime access to all recorded sessions, including interactive Q&amp;A segments•&nbsp;Connect with peers in our dedicated private Discord community•&nbsp;Master the material through comprehensive quizzes and training resources•&nbsp;Receive direct instructor support via email or Discord whenever you need help•&nbsp;The option to attend a future live cohort for free______________________________________________________________________ Why This Course Stands Out: You already know how vital AI is to your career—it's in every conversation, project, and strategy session. But diving into AI feels daunting with limited time for self-study or complex programming. That’s where this course comes in. Skip the endless prep work and gain an intuitive, hands-on understanding of AI and transformers in just a few hours—without needing an advanced degree. No other course offers such an interactive, fast, and in-depth technical understanding of AI using an actual GPT-2 model, all using an easy-to-learn spreadsheet interface. ______________________________________________________________________ Perfect for Busy STEM Professionals:Whether you're a developer, technical manager, or executive, this course demystifies AI and teaches you exactly how Large Language Models (LLMs) like GPT-2 work, with no prerequisites beyond a STEM background. It’s ideal for: • Software/Web Developers seeking an easy introduction to machine learning. • Science &amp; Tech Professionals navigating AI transformations in their fields. • Technical Sales/Marketing crafting messaging for AI products. • Product/Project Managers overseeing LLM-powered solutions. • Executives/Leaders guiding AI strategy in their organizations. ______________________________________________________________________ What You’ll Learn:Using a unique spreadsheet implementation of GPT-2 (the predecessor to ChatGPT), we’ll break down each model component with crystal-clear explanations. In just a few sessions, you’ll be able to: • Understand how LLMs work—as quickly as possible. • Explain every key component—tokenization, embeddings, attention, and more. • Gain AI literacy—so you can confidently lead and manage AI-driven teams. • Build a foundation for further AI projects—and even more advanced learning. ______________________________________________________________________ Why Spreadsheets?You don’t need to be a coder or a calculus expert to understand AI—just the right approach. This course uses an innovative, no-code, spreadsheet-based method to teach LLMs. It's fast, interactive, and designed for busy professionals like you. By breaking down complex AI principles into easy-to-follow spreadsheet exercises, you’ll gain a lasting, foundational understanding of how large language models work. This is knowledge you can carry across into any model, any programming language, and any project. ______________________________________________________________________ Hands-On Learning, No Programming Required: By the end of the course, you’ll have a working, detailed understanding of how transformers power LLMs like ChatGPT, Claude, and Llama. Plus, you'll have a spreadsheet tool you can explore and tweak to deepen your understanding further. ______________________________________________________________________ See it for Yourself: Still unsure? Watch the FREE lightning lesson:"Inside the Brain of an LLM: How it Works in 30 Minutes" to see how accessible AI learning can be: https://maven.com/p/eeea6f/inside-the-brain-of-an-llm-how-it-works-in-30-minutes ______________________________________________________________________ Join the Community of Learners: • “I could’ve read 20 papers on this and not gotten nearly the understanding I got from this hands-on course.”— Class Participant from Adobe • “Highly recommend this course for anyone wanting to build a foundation in LLMs. Ishan’s interactive approach makes complex concepts incredibly clear.”— Matt, Business Intelligence Analyst ______________________________________________________________________ Practical Details: • Course Access: All sessions are recorded and available to stream after the course concludes, so you’ll never miss a thing.• Reimbursement: Your company may cover this course if you're building or transitioning into AI at work. ______________________________________________________________________ New for this cohort! We've dropped the requirement for Excel. We have a browser based alternative. Some exercises may use Google Sheets and/or Python.

Skip the mountains of prep work and learn how AI works in just a few hours

Provide a brief description for each module as a way to sell the value of what students will be learning throughout the course.

First Module

Second Module

Third Module

Course syllabus

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Tuesdays & Thursdays

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May 7, 2022

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Weekly projects

Course schedule

Executives, engineering managers, and product managers leading and coordinating technical AI teams leveraging LLMs

Developers without formal training in machine learning that want to quickly understand the LLM technology in their projects

A gentle introduction to LLMs for professionals pivoting their career to AI from traditional software engineering or other STEM fields

Anyone who can read a spreadsheet that is motivated and deeply interested in how the next wave of computing works

Who is this course for

What you’ll get out of this course

This course breaks down complex AI concepts into easy-to-follow steps using Excel, making it accessible for anyone with a STEM background.

Understand how LLMs work as quickly as possible

Precisely understand in detail the architecture and function of the GPT2 model, including tokenization, embeddings, attention, multi-layer perceptron, and layernorm.

Recognize and explain every component of an LLM

You'll gain a solid understanding of how LLMs function, enabling you to confidently engage with engineers and technical stakeholders.

AI Literacy for managing technical teams

Build a foundation that equips you with the essential knowledge to explore advanced AI topics, undertake AI projects, or pursue further coursework.

Prepare yourself for further exploration, projects, or coursework in artificial intelligence

Master AI Concepts with a Real LLM Implemented Entirely in a Spreadsheet. No Complex Math. Just Clarity. 

Jan 8—17, 2025 (On-demand)

Ishan Anand

December 4-13, 2024

Imagine landing interviews within weeks, not months, while spending less time on applications. You're an ambitious, accomplished high performer who KNOWS that outsourcing and automating can work.&nbsp; But you haven't gotten around to it... You're held back by: → Constant job stress from balancing applications with your current workload. → Overwhelmed by the thought of tailoring countless resumes and cover letters. → Procrastinating because the job search feels like a never-ending task. → Fear of losing money by missing out on better job opportunities or wasting time on ineffective searches. → No clear plan to efficiently navigate the competitive job market. → Not knowing where to start with AI, automation, or how to effectively leverage your time. LET ME GUESS... → You KNOW that hiring VAs works, you’ve seen other people do it, you just don’t know how to get started. → You feel overwhelmed by the idea of a job search. You’re applying to openings - but nothing is happening! → You hear people tell you to match your resume to the job but you’re not sure how to do that efficiently without spending hours and risking burnout → You already spend time on searching and applying to jobs, you just don’t know how to optimize your time spent. HAVE YOU EVER... → Let the fear of leaving your comfort zone stand in the way of huge career and earnings value? → Watched your friends or colleagues seemingly get new jobs all the time, wondering how they get offers so easily? → Watched other professionals that aren’t even talented as you, make more money just because they job hop? ARE YOU… → Mid-career or Early-career professional? You have at least 2-5 years of experience or more and are looking to advance or shift your career path. You’re eager to move up the ladder or find a role that better aligns with your skills and aspirations. → Currently Employed or Underemployed? You are working full-time or part-time but are passively or actively seeking new opportunities. You need a discreet and efficient job search process that fits around your current job responsibilities. Or you’re working in a role below your qualifications or in a temporary position and want to secure a more stable or challenging job. → Tech-savvy Professional? You’re in a tech-related field, you’re comfortable with technology, and you see the value in using AI and automation tools in your job search. → Corporate Role? You’re in tech, business, finance, marketing, HR, or other corporate functions where job application processes can be rigorous and competitive. → Urban Location or Remote? You’re living in or near major metropolitan areas where competition for jobs can be fierce, and standing out to employers is crucial, OR you’re interested in working remotely and need a broader strategy to apply for jobs across different regions or time zones. THEN YOU'RE IN THE RIGHT PLACE! - You'll learn the exact systems, strategies, and process to automate your job search. - You'll skyrocket your salary, job opportunities, and career growth. - You'll overcome your fear of "putting yourself out there" and create career reputation value with new titles. Your time and mental energy is finite and you are protecting it for more valuable dollar-per-hour tasks by outsourcing the grunt work. Many see outsourcing as just a way to optimize the earning value of their time, but it’s so much more than that. With the right strategy and approach, you can leverage automation and outsourcing to improve your quality of life, spend more time with family, hobbies and special interests AND make more money in your field.&nbsp; Now YOU get to choose&nbsp; You may be thinking: How do I stay motivated to keep applying? How can I find the time? How many applications is it going to take for this to be over? What if I don’t land a job quickly? Will hiring VAs actually help me? Can I manage this process on my own? All of these questions were in my head when I started hiring VAs a few years ago. I thought VAs were only for businesses. It was too corporate and professional. I didn’t know if it would be worth it for tasks that I could do myself. I couldn’t see the dollar value of my time or energy. I used to be in your shoes, overwhelmed and unsure. But by shifting my approach to positioning myself as a vendor of my skills while leveraging AI and VAs, everything changed. And I wanted to sell those skills to employers at the highest market value. And thanks to AI-driven automation and strategic use of outsourcing, everything changed. - I was consistently landing high-quality job offers by streamlining your application process. - I reclaimed my time and reduced stress by delegating repetitive tasks to virtual assistants. - I gained more mental bandwidth for strategic career planning as AI handles the heavy lifting. - I achieved a better work-life balance by freeing up time to spend with family and on personal pursuits. - I created a lifestyle and career that aligns with my goals by finding roles that truly fit my needs. - I maximized my earning potential by securing top-paying positions through optimized job search strategies, increasing my earnings by hundreds of thousands of dollars over the last few years…&nbsp; I'm finally teaching you how to do the same. In this course, I will share everything that I have learned with you during my outsourcing journey, including my systematic approach to generating dozens of interview requests month after month, finding jobs, nailing interviews and more, and reclaiming your time to never worry about jobs ever again while you build the life you want. Ready to transform your job search, start receiving six-figure offers within weeks, and reclaim control of your career?&nbsp; Don’t miss out on this opportunity to transform your job search — join the next cohort today and reclaim your time and career. *please note - seats are limited to preserve the quality of instruction*

Automate Your Job Search With AI, Never Worry About Your Next Opportunity

Live sessions will be recorded and posted with the course materials.

Evening Live Sessions

I want you getting job offers ASAP so I've built the course with assignments so that by the end of the course you're fully live and automated

You’re motivated and proactive, tired of repetitive job search tasks, and ready for an efficient, stress-free approach.

You’re tech-curious and eager to leverage AI to optimize your applications but need guidance on where to start.

You’re efficiency-focused, balancing a job search with other responsibilities, and want a method that fits into your busy life.

You’re ready to take control of your job search with a clear plan and the right tools to secure your next career move.

This course is for you if:

You'll learn how to customize your resume and cover letters and application questions to match job descriptions with precision, all in a fraction of the time.

Unlock the power of AI and automation to stand out in a competitive market, increasing your chances of landing interviews by 50%.

You'll discover how to use virtual assistants to handle tedious application tasks, saving you 10+ hours a week so you can focus on acing interviews and enjoying your personal time.

Master the art of applying to more jobs without the stress and burnout.

You’ll learn how to navigate the job market without risking your current position, using AI tools and VAs that work seamlessly in the background, ensuring your search is both effective and confidential.

Gain the confidence to conduct a discreet job search, secure interviews, and land offers without disrupting your current job.

You’ll get all the tools I personally use to run this process: including scripts, job postings, SOPs, tracking tools, and management systems.

Unlock the exact systems and strategies that will skyrocket your job search success.

You’ll learn the comprehensive system from preparing your application materials to converting interviews into job offers from a professional process builder who knows the ins and outs of hiring and getting hired.

Get the inside scoop from an industry leader in process design.

l wrap up everything you've learned and guide you through a clear, streamlined plan of action that saves time, gets results, and puts you on the path to your next great opportunity.

Leave this course equipped with the exact skills you need to land high-paying job offers and advance your career on your terms.

Say Goodbye to Job Search Stress: Automatically Land Interviews in Your Inbox by Harnessing the Power of AI and Virtual Assistants.

January 2025

Andrew Sponsler

December 2024

March 2025

While most people are still struggling with basic AI prompts, top product leaders are using AI to take back time, ship faster, and unlock career-changing opportunities. The 100,000+ people who read my newsletter know that I don’t like to waste your time. That's why I’ve distilled my most powerful AI tactics into this intensive weekend bootcamp.&nbsp;Over 2 days of live, hands-on training, you'll learn how to: 1. Build your personal AI co-pilot. You’ll get the advanced AI prompts, tools, and workflows that save me 10+ hours weekly. No more generic AI responses - you'll have an AI co-pilot who truly understands what you want. 2. Use AI to advance your career. From writing cold emails that get replies to crafting your promotion narrative - you'll learn how to unlock AI as your career coach and personal storyteller. 3. 10x your productivity at work. I'll show you my exact AI system for extracting insights from messy feedback, crafting influential documents, and communicating effectively. You'll get back hours of your life every week. 4. Create AI prototypes fast. We'll build 3 functional demos using Claude, v0, and Cursor. You'll learn how to turn basic requirements into prototypes that wow stakeholders - no coding required. 5. Craft AI products users love. I'll share the best insights from deep dives with 30+ AI founders and product leaders. You'll learn to identify winning AI use cases and ship successful AI products. This is not an AI theory course. You’ll walk away with the exact tools, prompts, and workflows I use to balance a demanding product job and a creator business that reaches 300K+ people.&nbsp;My goal is to take you from AI novice to AI-powered product leader in a single weekend. What makes this course different ✅&nbsp;Extremely practical: No fluff, no theory – just battle-tested AI workflows you can use immediately. ✅&nbsp;Built for busy product leaders: Everything is optimized for people who want to save time and get results now. ✅&nbsp;Learn from AI insiders: Get the best-curated insights from my interviews with leaders at OpenAI, Perplexity, and more. ✅&nbsp;Immediate ROI: Get back 10+ hours every week using my personal AI systems from day one.

Advance from AI novice to AI-powered product leader in 48 hours

Busy product managers and founders who want to get back 10+ hours a week and build better AI products.

Designers, data scientists, and marketers who want to get more done with practical AI workflows.

This course is not for those seeking AI theory or technical ML concepts. We're laser focused on practical applications only.

Learn advanced AI prompt techniques and get the most out of the 20+ AI tools and workflows that are already working for me.

Skip months of trial and error with my personal AI prompts, tools, and workflows

Create an AI partner that gives you personal, tactical advice on advancing your career, getting unstuck, and solving challenges at work.

A customized AI co-pilot built for your specific needs

Transform your daily workflow with tactics and prompts to turn feedback into insights, craft influential artifacts, and communicate like the best.

12+ workflows to use AI to save time and get more done at work

Move beyond basic requirements to deliver functional demos that wow stakeholders using Claude, v0, Cursor, and other AI tools.

3 prototypes that’ll give you the confidence to build with AI

Get exclusive lessons on identifying winning AI use cases and launching successful products from the best in the industry.

Proven playbooks for crafting AI products from leaders at OpenAI, Perplexity, and more

My library includes 20+ up-to-date prompts I use weekly as a product leader and creator. It's your cheat code to get more done in less time.

[BONUS $150 value] My personal AI prompt library, annual membership to my newsletter, and private community access

An extremely practical AI bootcamp to 10x your productivity, prototype ideas fast, craft great AI products, and advance your career

Peter Yang

Product lead at Roblox (ex-Reddit, Meta). 100K+ trust my AI deep dive AI guides

Cohort 1

Most of the stuff out there for getting into AI is created by people who haven't worked in AI. Compiling lists of links and resources can be helpful, but nothing replaces real stories of people who have navigated the journey of getting into AI firsthand. We've each:• Developed the technical and soft skills necessary to get into AI• Built networks and leveraged LinkedIn and other social platforms to connect with people and jobs• Hired people into AI jobs and can tell you what each of us has looked for, with tips for resumes and interviews Over the span of&nbsp;5 sessions, each with a Q&amp;A hosted John Kraski, you'll be guided through an individual journey into AI, starting from different vantage points:• Pascal Bornet started in finance• Cassie Kozyrkov started in neuroscience• Carly Taylor started as a chemist• Noelle Russell started as an educator• Brian Evergreen started as a musician Then each instructor will share about their experiences hiring into AI roles, with actionable tips for resumes and interviews. Each instructor will share what they would do if they were starting out today without their network and without any work history, and how they would approach getting into AI if they already had a job in another field or function. Each instructor will then be asked 5 questions selected from questions submitted in advance by course students. All sessions are recorded, so no matter where you are, no matter what time-zone you're in, you can learn how to get into AI.

New year, new career. Get into AI in 2025. 

For professionals who didn't study computer science but want to get into AI

For computer scientists looking to stand out and grow

For mid-career professionals looking to pivot into AI

We will dive deep into decision criteria that led to different career choices, with practical recommendations for how you can be thinking through your next step in 2025.

How to decide where you want to work in AI

Each of us took different paths to develop the skills that we leveraged to get into AI at top companies. We will share the combination of resources, studying, and skill-building it took for each of us to reach our goals, and where we would start if we were starting today.

How to develop the right technical and soft skills

You could be the best data scientist, the best product manager, or the best solution architect in the world, and it wouldn't matter if no one knows it or you. We will share how we developed our networks and the roles they played in our careers.

How to build the right network

Standing out for a job well done or for the momentum you might be building toward an initiative can be a tricky balance. We'll share how we got visibility to grow within our different organizations, how we raised our hands for extras assignments, and some of our lessons learned.

How to stand out (the right way)

Sometimes the loudest people on the internet about the future of jobs in the era of AI are people who don't understand AI. We will provide our honest perspectives on where job functions aligned with our areas of expertise are headed and what we recommend.

A glimpse into the future of jobs in the era of AI

As we share our career stories, you will hear real-world examples of actual projects for top companies, revealing what it actually takes to implement AI and simplifying what is often opaque to people outside of AI.

Real-world examples of AI jobs and projects

Gain insights from the passion and experiences of like-minded professionals who are investing in getting into AI.

Network and learn from leaders and fellow participants

Learn from leaders who got into AI at Microsoft, Amazon, Google, and other top companies. We will share actionable tips for 2025.

Lightning Lessons

Automate Anything: The Non-Coder's Guide to AI Automation