From Dev to Architect+
Take control of your future with AI tools
and drive impactful solutions that elevate your career
Click for a RARE opportunity to work with me 1:1 to level up your skills and career in the age of AI
AI Changes Everything
The question is: will it replace you, or multiply your impact?
I've been through a lot in this industry.
But lately, whenever I talk to developers, I see the same thing in their eyes:
Fear.
“AI is going to take my job.”
“AI turned my team’s code into spaghetti.”
“Management's using AI as an excuse for layoffs… and I don’t know how to stand out.”
New technologies require new skills. Change elevates those who learn to adapt.
That's what Developer to Architect+ is all about.
It's a guided mentorship designed to help you step beyond writing code and into the role of a Modern Architect --
a professional who uses AI with precision, judgment, and creativity.
I'm calling this role Architect+ because it involves so much more than architecture.
And mentoring folks in this role only makes sense in one context: building software.
What This Means for You
You'll transform from developer caught in the AI storm, to an Architect+ who thrives.
Imagine:
Waking up excited again to solve hard problems.
Being the person your team looks to when AI tools misbehave.
Designing systems that perform, while others collapse.
Enjoying career security, confidence, and control of your time again.
This is what happens when you stop reacting to industry change--
and start mastering the new elements of software architecture in the AI age.
Why Mentoring, and Why Now?
I’m Joel 👋 a 30-year software craftsman and mentor.
When I look back on my 30-year career, almost every major breakthrough happened alongside a mentor.
Someone who had walked the path and could show the real tradeoffs, the real shortcuts, the real mindset.
Now I’m paying that forward—because this AI transition is bigger than anything our industry has seen.
Proof Mentoring Works
S
"Sensai"
("Teacher" or "master") — a term of profound respect, honor, and trust bestowed on Joel by a Japanese dev team, after spending a week on-site in Tokyo integrating custom software.
Yahoo! Japan Team
[Joel] took personal time to work with me to help better my understanding of design patterns and improve code structures … I've since used this knowledge throughout my work here and now have a better foundation to stand on for future projects.
Scott Brooks
Solopreneur
The one-on-one pairing sessions are incredible. … The biggest thing Joel taught me? Creativity isn't some mystical thing - it's actually methodical. This one insight alone has completely changed how I approach problems at work.
I literally have a calendar reminder set for every 21 days to go through the material again because there's always something new I catch.
Jawahar Jasthi
Full Stack Developer
I really appreciate [Joel's] nuanced approach that cuts through the hype and focuses on the opportunity by building intuition.
CM Slouthouber
Architect+ Digest subscriber
[Joel] brings an admirable mixture of creativity and hard work to every problem he approaches.
Norm Walsh
CEO and former developer
Joel's newsletter kept my faith high in my own software career.
Matias F.
Developer
Developer to Architect+ Is NOT an "Online Course"
It's a journey of transformation.
We will build real software together: See the FAQ section for specifics.
You'll be there for each architectural decision, every technology choice, all the times we reject the default suggestion given by AI tools in favor of a better approach.
You might even witness mistakes (that's where the real learning happens).
By the end, you'll have:
Portfolio-grade code you can showcase
The confidence and judgement of an Architect+
Personal mentoring and community support to accelerate your growth
What's Included
🧠 Architect+ Boot Camp: Live Group Sessions
5+ Weekly ride-along design and coding sessions (recorded in case you miss one).
Learn how real software gets built alongside AI tools -- warts, wisdom, and all.
($3,600 value)
💡 Architect+ On-Ramp: 1:1 Mentoring Sessions
Three private zoom calls where we tackle your greatest challenges directly--
architecture fundamentals, code, career strategy, or even interview practice.
This is white-glove mentorship tailored to your situation.
($1,000 value)
💬 The Architect's Circle: Private Community
A space to hash out design decisions, ask questions, and stay accountable.
No fluff—just high-signal conversations with peers who take this seriously.
($1,200 value)
💻 Insider GitHub Access: Private Repository
Access to the private repository where we will build our software together.
Includes license to use all the code in your personal projects.
($1,000+ value)
What Makes This Different?
Conventional AI training will teach you which prompts to use, or focus on tool-of-the-week.
This one teaches you how to think like an architect who commands AI effectively.
You won't just gain skills -- you'll gain judgment and experience.
You'll step off the path of getting replaced by AI, and start wielding it.
You Also Get These Transformational Bonuses
🧩 Systems/Thinking Workout
Problem it solves: "How can I become a thought leader?"
Develop the mental habits and tools that senior engineers use to stay irreplaceable.
($800 value)
📅 AI Codegen Day One Productivity Kit
Problem it solves: "I don't have time to learn everything from scratch."
Jumpstart your productivity with real-world annotated code examples showing exactly how to make AI generate production-grade modules -- without getting lost in vibe-code hell.
($1,000 value) Includes transcripts and a live challenge.
🚀 Portfolio Power Pack
Problem it solves: "How do I get an edge with potential employers?"
Learn how to turn your project into a professional showcase piece.
Includes an Action Guide and combined with live contribution opportunities, you finish the program with a portfolio that sells itself.
($500 value)
🛡️ Career Armor Bundle
Problem it solves: "What would I do if I need to find a new job?"
Includes a Salary Negotiation lesson that could pay for itself many times over.
($500 value)
🎁 Surprise Bonuses
You'll find out about these after you join. :)
(Value: $Priceless)
Total Value: Over $8,000
All 1:1 sessions will be personally delivered by Joel.
There is a practical limit of 12 students.
The offers below are only valid while space remains.
You get:
Architect+ Boot Camp
Architect+ On-Ramp
The Architect's Circle membership
Insider GitHub Access
plus ALL the bonuses
Many employers offer an annual professional development benefit.
If you have available funds for this purpose, use them here.
Receipt and certificate of completion available.
2 or 3 INSTALLMENTS
$599 × 2
or
$399 × 3
* initial payment & additional 30 days apart
You get:
Everything from the One-Time Payment plan
with convenient split payments
I don't often take 1:1 clients
Mentoring changes lives.
Since I left corporate, it's rare for me to work with 1:1 clients.
Grab this opportunity before the window closes.
Your personal assurance from Joel:
"I put my name on everything I do."
Kind of old-timey and old-fashioned for a motto?
Sure, I'll take that compliment.
I grew up in the Midwest, so I put my heart and soul into everything I do, including mentoring, so I'm proud to offer one of the strongest guarantees with this offer.
I put my reputation on the line with every student I take on. That's the strongest guarantee possible, but even so, I offer two more layers of guarantee:
100% Satisfaction Guarantee
Try Developer to Architect+ for 14 days, risk-free.
If you don’t feel like you’re already becoming the architect your team needs,
I’ll refund you every penny -- and you keep all the materials you’ve received.
After that, you’re protected by my “win–win guarantee”:
If you do the work and still don’t get results, I’ll team up with you personally until you do.
Frequently Asked Questions
Ask yourself this: What’s the cost of staying the same for the next year and more?
If you’re feeling stuck, uncertain, or left behind by AI, this is your chance to turn that energy into transformation -- with a mentor who’s been through it all before.
You don’t need to be a software architect already -- that’s the whole point.
If you have a few years of development experience and can follow along with code examples, you’ll be fine.
Architect+ is about upgrading how you think, not testing how much you already know.
Plan for about 90 minutes per group session, plus whatever time you want to spend exploring and building on your own. 1:1 meetings are generally an hour.
Everything is recorded, and you’ll have lifetime access to replays — so if life gets in the way, you can catch up anytime.
Most students treat it as a weekly growth habit, not a new full-time job.
There will be some welcome and orientation meetings shortly after joining. We'll get started proper on the first week after the cart closes, except…we're not savages here, so we take time off around the usual holidays.
I've set a minimum of 12 group meetings, because I'm not sure how long building this piece of software will take -- your input may well influence the project! But it is highly likely to go on for some additional weeks.
During that time, you’ll get weekly live sessions, ongoing community access, and your monthly 1:1 mentoring calls.
You’ll keep access to recordings, handouts, bonuses, and software license to use the code in personal projects forever.
I'll keep the community running afterward for as long as I can — so you can continue refining your craft.
No problem. Everything’s recorded, and summaries are provided after each session.
You can review them at your own pace or re-watch sessions when you’re applying the material on real projects.
Think of this as a library of progress, not a race.
No AI experience needed.
It would be helpful if you've used AI coding tools like GitHub Copilot, Cursor, Claude Code, and so on, but not a requirement.
The main focus is on using tools like the above to construct all different kinds of software, and architectural implications of using these tools.
That said, the project we will build, itself uses AI, for example making calls to a LLM as part of a workflow. You don't need to have any experience with building AI into software. See the next question for more specifics.
This offering is fundamentally about making you become a thought leader in modern software, which includes making effective use of AI tools.
That means using AI code generation tools, not necessarily building AI into your apps. (There are different courses teaching that, like my LinkedIn Learning course on AI Orchestration ☺️)
That said, the software we will build is a Siri-like personal assistant, capable of running 100% locally and with stronger privacy guarantees than any cloud solution could provide. So you will get some exposure to AI libraries and the like.
And this offering includes a software license for your personal use of this agent.
P.S.
Every developer you know is about to face the same AI-driven shake-up.
Most will freeze or fumble.
Some will muddle their way through.
But very few will evolve --and lead.
This program exists to move you into that final group.
You’ll gain real architecture skills, mentorship, community, and come away with a portfolio that demonstrates your mastery.
Spots are limited because I'm personally mentoring every student, and that doesn’t scale -- and that’s the point.
Join now and take your place as a Modern Architect+. Click the button below.
Crafted with love by mjoel at dubinko dot consulting ("I put my name on everything I do")