FROM PASSION
TO PRODUCT

the complete app strategy course

is this you?

motivated to get it right,
but lost what direction to take?

You're Smart Enough To Build It. But Are You Building The Right Thing?

You Don't Know Where to Start

You've been collecting ideas, doing research, maybe even starting to build, but there is way too much conflicting advice out there, you're overwhelmed.

You don't have time to waste

Even if you’ve researched and tried to piece things together, gaps remain. You worry about what you don’t know and if a mistake now will cost you later.

you need a path, not info

You second guess if you're doing the right work in the right order. The problem isn't your ability or motivation. It's that no one taught you the sequence.

start the
right way

The cost of guessing wrong isn't just money, it's also months of your life.

Replace doubt with direction
turn the idea you can't let go of
into the app you're proud of

Most courses teach you tactics. This course teaches you how to think.

You'll learn the core components of product strategy, how they connect, and when to do what. You’ll get a repeatable system for making smart product decisions which works whether you code it yourself, hire a team, or use AI.

Give me six weeks, and I will help you stop wasting effort.

“Since I am not an engineer or someone who consistently works in the tech space, everything I do has been trial and error. For a long time, I wished I had someone to come alongside me and walk me through the pitfalls, the planning, and what to do next. That is exactly what this cohort provided.”
- NaLonni Madden, Counselor & Educator

“I would love to recommend the Passion to Product course to anybody who is trying to build a product in a particular field they are passionate about because this course can help them shape up the product in a meaningful way. The conversation which I and Abbey had, was definitely a pivotal conversation.”
- Tanuj Malhotra, Founder, Bebud

learn to go from
passion to product

in just 6-weeks go from

"I have an app idea"

"I have a complete strategy to make it real."

You'll work on your actual idea throughout the course, learning and applying the theory as we go. Through live classes, hands-on exercises, and real user research, you'll develop the app strategy skills to build something users actually want and love.

By the end, you'll have a complete understanding of your market, validated your idea with real users, and know exactly how to move forward with confidence...and you'll know what to do after launch too.

“As a non-tech founder, I would have easily spent more time, money in vibe coding, and building what I thought would be a ‘simple’ prototype. This would have entailed cobbling various You Tube videos and following a mix of experts in just trying to figure it out on my own. In the end, the time, effort and the startup costs would have been way more expensive if I ended up building the wrong solution.”
- Virginia Chu, Copywriter

Week
ONE

Setting the Stage → Learn to Solve Real Problems That Actually Matter

Lay the groundwork for a product strategy that aligns with real user needs and your vision. You'll also learn how to use online research to find out what's already known before you talk to anyone. By the end of the week, you'll have a strong foundation to guide future strategic decisions that support both your mission and your team.

“The online research session was really informative and it was interesting to learn how to narrow down a group of users when your target market feels vague.”
- Joyce Matos
iOS Engineer

Week
TWO

Understand the Landscape → Survey Solutions and Hear From Real Users

Survey the existing solutions in your market to understand what's already available. Then connect directly with potential users to gather the insights that matter. You'll learn how to have conversations that reveal what people actually need, not just what they say they want.

“My favourite part of today were the tips for how to conduct the interviews and dig for information without trying to lead to the answers or bringing your ideas into the conversation.”
- Amanda Basset
Sr. iOS Engineer

Week
THREE

Size Up the Competition → Analyze Your Market and Find Your Position

Discover how to analyze your competitive landscape and understand what's already available in your market. Learn research techniques that reveal where competitors fall short and how to position your product to stand out.

“I realized that I was building features based on what I thought was cool instead of what the market actually needed and what competitors were missing.”
- Swapnil Shah
Product Manager

Week
four

Shape the Solution → Transform Your Research Into Effective Solutions For Real User Problems

Take everything you've learned and start turning it into real product ideas. You'll explore possible solutions, define your product's purpose, and identify which direction is worth building.

“I would have wasted a lot of time and money on building a MVP without validating my initial assumptions. The course helped me avoid building things that would have been thrown away later.”
- Mitchell Smith
System Engineer

Week
five

Build the Right Solution → From Design to Development Strategy

Make the decisions that define what you'll actually build. You'll scope your product, prioritize your feature roadmap, and work through the technical choices that define your development approach: platform, tech stack, and quality assurance.

“I liked the distinction between MVP and MLP — I'd heard of the former, but not the latter. A completely stripped down version might not give you a clear idea of whether people will like the fuller product or not.”
- BethAnne Freund
Knowledge Manager

Week
six

Going Live → Launch Products that Grow With Users

In your final week, you'll plan your launch and prepare your app store presence. You'll leave with a go-to-market strategy and a clear picture of how to keep growing after day one.

“Connecting the dots between user interviews and input on the one hand, to the final product or service in the app you build on the other, was huge for me.”
- Massimo Savino
Software Engineer

you're not doing this alone

Three live group discussions

Three live group discussions timed around the moments you need them most: user interviews, solution validation, and the final week. Bring your questions, or just listen, speaking is totally optional.

The community Slack

The community includes designers, engineers, and product managers building alongside you, plus select people from Abbey's own industry network. Ask a question and you'll have the whole group to talk with.

the Strategy Lab

Students who want to go deeper can join the Strategy Lab. You'll be placed in a Strategy Lab Peer Group of six to eight people who meet for forty-five minutes before each class to work through the material together. Available as an optional paid add-on when you enrol.

“Working with Abbey was incredibly helpful. During our discussions, I feel that I've experienced 'aha!' moments that bring clarity on where I should direct my efforts. My check-ins with her are a welcome moment to slow down and process during the chaos of getting a small business off the ground. Abbey's technical background and thoughtful product leadership provide a valuable perspective that many technical founders would benefit from.”
- Clark Barry, Founder, Gold Bar Sports Tech & Water Polo Exchange

what you'll get
with the course

Everything You Need To Go From Idea To Launch

A complete app strategy for your specific idea
Live sessions that show how ideation, research, competition, and validation fit together
Optional Strategy Lab for deeper discussion and accountability
Direct access to an industry expert with 10+ years experience building apps
Peer Slack network of serious builders, not hobbyists or dreamers
Proven frameworks and templates you'll use for every project
Real completed strategy packages from actual apps, so you can see what a finished strategy looks like before you build yours
Lifetime access to Up Coast Builders Network

HOW THIS WORKS

⚠️ This is a serious time commitment. Make sure you can show up.

Dates
June 3- July 8 2026
Wednesday & Saturday evenings; 5:30-8:00pm PST

Weekly commitment
8-12 hours per week for 6 weeks: classes, plus the work to produce your documents for each step

Live classes
9 classes over 6 weeks (2.5 hours each) with real-time interaction

Additional support
3 drop-in sessions with Abbey at the moments that matter most:
- when you're doing your user interviews,
- when you're validating your solution,
- and after the final class.
Asynchronous Q&A is available throughout.

Need to miss a class?
You can request a recording for missed classes for free TWICE. You can also optionally purchase all recordings.

The program works because everyone moves through it together. You can't skip ahead, and showing up matters

“I really appreciated that you set the tone about how it's a mix of diverse voices and you disarmed the techy and non-techy expectations in a way where I felt we could truly learn from each other without being intimidated.”
- Virginia Chu, Copywriter

“Learning from others' homework and live corrections and feedback on it helped me understand the topic and assignment much better. Getting my doubts and questions answered.”
- Krunal Patel, Product Manager

At Up Coast, our founder knows talent doesn’t recognize borders or bank accounts.

It’s in those who push boundaries, take bold risks, and work relentlessly to build something meaningful.

Our mission is to equip the next generation of product builders with not only the skills but also the mindset to build products and teams with purpose, positivity, and resilience, the Up Coast way.

We’re building a community, Up Coast Builders: a place where founders from all backgrounds come together to learn, share, and grow. Where you can gain the skills to make a real impact on the digital products and apps that shape our world.

If you have the drive, the passion, and the determination to commit to this intensive program, we believe cost should never stand in your way.

and that's why this program is completely

FREE

Free? Yes. Here's Why.

This program isn’t just a free course, it’s an experiment. I designed this model because I believe there’s a better way to teach, one that removes financial barriers while still being sustainable. If it works, it could change how we think about education in specialized fields.

Most programs charge thousands of dollars, but I’m trying something different. Instead of making foundational knowledge a product to sell, I’m treating it as an investment. I believe that if I help more people find success, the value will come back in other ways, such as through partnerships, collaborations, and a stronger community of skilled product builders.

This isn’t a free trial. There’s no income share agreement. The core program is completely free, with no strings attached. You'll get copies of every template we use in class, for FREE. You'll also get copies of real app strategy documents for my apps. You have everything you need to be successful, FREE.

So, how does this work long-term?

Everyone who takes this course becomes part of Up Coast Builders: a growing network of builders, founders, and product leaders. My hope is that as alumni advance in their careers, some will choose to engage with optional paid offerings in the future, such as 1-1 consulting, hands on workshops, group coaching or advanced courses that support their growth. However, the core program and the network community itself will always remain free.

When you fill in the application you will have the option to purchase additional add-ons. These add-ons are not required to be successful in this program but this is one of the primary ways I am covering my costs in order to be able to offer the course for free.

Another source of potential revenue to help pay for the course are offers from service providers I partner with and discounts for software and tooling I'm able to offer to network members via the alumni newsletter.

It’s a different model, and there’s no guarantee it will work. That’s why these first cohorts matter so much: they are a chance to prove that high-quality education can be both free and sustainable, and the people who join early will set the tone for everything that comes next.

“I first met Abbey at a conference many, many years ago, and she was very kind and welcoming, and I loved seeing her career progress as well, to her speaking at conferences and being another woman in tech. I just loved following and seeing her growth, and reached out when I heard about what she was working on”
- Kaya Thomas, Founder, Milk Diary

meet your instructor
abbey jackson

Why I'm doing it this way

I started as a nanny with no formal tech training, working part-time while on disability.

I had an app idea and the same questions you have now, and I was determined to figure it out. So I taught myself to code and followed my curiosity across different roles.

What happened next was a career that took me everywhere: Mobile Engineer at Intel working on AR glasses, Mobile Lead at Mastercard building anti-fraud systems, Founding Mobile Product Manager, then Staff Engineer at Rivian architecting the methodology the app and vehicle use to communicate (I even have a patent for this one! A career highlight 😃). I've been a Release Engineer, a Product Manager for internal customer communication tooling, a Fullstack Engineer on SAAS products, and a Product Leader working directly with founders. I've worked for big companies, scaling start ups, agencies, and even on stealth hardware projects I wasn't allowed to talk about.

I'm not a specialist, instead, my interest in the business and customer side of products has rivalled my interest in coding and meant that I've done almost every role there is which is directly involved in the shaping and building of an app. That's what has uniquely prepared me to develop this program.

Several years ago, a spinal injury and a cascade of health issues from that, started making high performance knowledge work exceptionally difficult. I was running on empty for several years...but I was coping and hiding most of my struggles from others.

Then, due to the tech layoffs, as I was reaching my breaking point, I had no choice but to make 2 short notice international moves within 8 months. Next, I caught LONG COVID. That was the final push on my health. I completely crashed into the most intense burnout one might imagine. I was forced to slow down and face the reality that my physical health meant I had to learn to think differently about work.

I took a year off and lived out of a van with my partner, skiing and biking as much as I was physically able. I finally started working on the app idea that had inspired me, as a nanny, to become an engineer in the first place. That's when I realized I absolutely love the strategy side of app development. I started thinking about all the other people out there who want to make apps, and I watched as AI tooling started making building easier and easier for non-technical people. I realized I wanted to help passionate aspiring app founders avoid the expensive mistakes that come from not validating their initial idea.

My experiences, all the way from being a nanny on disability to being a software professional who found herself without warning struggling with the cognitive demands of reading code -and suddenly had a surprisingly low threshold for stress- shaped my desire for creating opportunities for people who might not be able to access traditional paths.

I want to help people and I think this experiment is worth giving it a shot. If this works, I can create sustainable income for myself while helping a whole lot of people succeed in changing their lives, even those without enough money to access traditional tech education, and especially anyone who is struggling with the demands of life and want something new.

“Abbey was able to introduce me to and educate me about a lot of the product concepts I knew of, but did not know enough about. She changed the way I go about making apps to be much more product-focused, user-focused, and market-focused. I really hope that many people will attend her course at Up Coast Builders, as she has so much knowledge and experience to offer.”
- Matt Roberts, Founder, Light Joy & Clock Suite

“I registered for Passion to Product to better understand what was needed to make a customer-facing product. Outside of writing the code, I did not know what was needed to plan for the development of a large-scale product that we are wanting to make. After taking the Passion to Product beta class, I now have the tools to better plan for a successful app”
- Mitchell, System Engineer
“I love this course. This is my first time focusing exclusively on product discovery, and the resources have been very helpful. You're a great instructor. The direct interaction we have here has been a key factor in its success.”
- Laura Dominguez, Support Engineer
“Her suggestions were really essential into me being able to really kind of get the non-technical side, like the messaging for what I'm trying to build, and how to translate the passion for what I'm building into something that resonates to people”
- Kaya Thomas, Founder, Milk Diary
“I like being able to do homework and being like, hey, everyone, look what I did. This is what I’ve learned. We’re all here to learn. We’re here to grow as individuals, and we do want to get better.”
- Marc Balaban, Software Engineer
“Abbey comes out to be one of those authentic leaders in the space who is really trying to bridge the gap between leadership and entrepreneurship by helping out those individuals. She always comes out to be as an authentic human being on LinkedIn, and I think that's what makes Abbey, Abbey. And I wish her luck for the program.”
- Tanuj Malhotra, Founder, Bebud
“Before the course, I had an app idea. However, I was stuck in 'solution mode'. I kept jumping between features, technical decisions and assumptions. I was worried about wasting time and money building the wrong thing. Now, I have a research-backed strategy for my app.”
- Swapnil Shah, Product Manager
“When it comes to actually launching a product on an App store, i thought it would be just posting it. In the last class I learnt that there is a lot more to do before and after the product being available to the public”
- Mitchell Smith, Systems Engineer
“It’s been more really helpful to get into the details. Like yeah, I’ve heard plenty about PRDs and I’ve read a few and everything, but like, I’ve never really thought for myself about like what goes into one and all the steps that come before it.”
- BethAnne Freund, Knowledge Manager
“It is getting so easy to create apps and websites that product-market fit and marketing is, in my hopefully humble opinion, as important, if not more important, than technical skills, which means Abbey's free course is a great opportunity for you to get a head start on this and start making products that really, really work for people.”
- Matt Roberts, Founder
“I would absolutely recommend this course to a friend. Abbey has never treated this course as just a way to make money, no matter how many times I told her she could. She genuinely cares about people in this space and has a real desire to teach. She knows what she is doing, and she is not hiding it behind an overpriced paywall.”
- NaLonni Madden, Counselor & Educator
“After Class 4 I couldn't wait to interview my target market! I am really beginning to see the bird's eye view of the process and how things are fitting together. Getting the foundational part of problem research is a game changer!”
- Virginia Chu, Copywriter
“Abbey's technical background and thoughtful product leadership provide a valuable perspective that many technical founders would benefit from.”
- Clark Barry, Founder, Gold Bar Sports Tech & Water Polo Exchange
“It's one thing to know you should talk to customers. It's another to actually know how important it is, how to do it, and what to do with what you learn.”
- Massimo Savino, Software Engineer
“Solid foundational instruction. I really felt that you made sure we all understood the concepts before moving on and you were incrementally building one topic on top of another. You were clear, empathetic and professional.”
- Virginia Chu, Copywriter
“After spending upwards of $90K on a digital media marketing degree from University of Southern California, it was honestly ironic that Abbey, as professional as she is, taught the exact same concepts I learned in one of my classes. It showed me that you do not have to spend over $50K to learn these things.”
- NaLonni Madden, Counselor & Educator
“I think that one of the things that, feels really, really good, and this takes me back to my childhood, but, like, I like being able to do homework and being like, hey, everyone, look what I did. This is what I've learned. This is my experience. This is how I actually came across this insight. I really tried hard.”
- Marc Balaban, Software Engineer
“I registered for Passion to Product to better understand what was needed to make a customer-facing product...”
- Mitchell, System Engineer
“I love this course. This is my first time focusing exclusively on product discovery...”
- Laura Dominguez, Support Engineer

Are you ready?
apply now

join up coast leaders and turn the idea you can't let go of into the app you're proud of

The first official cohort will run June 3 - July 8 Weds/Sat.

When you hit the button below you will be taken to an enrolment form that is going to ask you a lot of questions.

Please plan 15 minutes to fill it out. These questions are important for me to be able to understand who the students in each cohort are and what they need from me so please take care in answering them correctly.

CLICK HERE TO JOIN US!

FAQ

Who the course is for / pre-requisites

Who is this course for?

Anyone, regardless of professional background. Even if your day job is unrelated to tech (McDonald's drive-through operator, retail worker, truck driver, yoga instructor, small business owner…) you can learn to plan, validate, and guide your app ideas.

Do I need prior tech or business experience?

No. The course is designed for people with little to no experience in tech or business. Research, strategy, and planning frameworks are taught from the ground up.

Can I participate from anywhere in the world?

Yes. Courses are delivered fully remotely, with live sessions, exercises, and Slack collaboration. Workshops are in person at the hosting conference.

Do I need coding, no-code, or AI skills to take this course?

No. This course focuses on app strategy, product thinking, research, and execution planning. Coding, whether traditional, no-code, or AI-assisted, is outside the scope. The frameworks and processes taught can be applied regardless of technical ability. However I will do my best to recommend learning resources for those that want to learn to code or use AI also.

Will I learn AI in this course?

Not directly. I don't teach AI itself. I will provide guidance on working with AI to make tasks more efficient, but the course discourages relying on AI to do the work. Students focus on building strategy, research, and planning skills themselves. AI is trained on pre-existing data, if you let AI do the work for you, you're not going to have an innovative product.

Do I need to have an app idea before starting?

Having an idea helps with exercises, but the course also teaches how to identify and validate ideas from scratch. One of the best ways to create a product is actually not to start with an idea at all but rather to first identify the people you want to help, and then build the thing that they need.

Is this course only for solo projects / entrepreneurs?

No. The frameworks and methods apply equally to team-based projects. The collaboration, research, and strategy skills you learn are applicable whether you're building solo, in a team, or helping others develop an idea.

Course structure and logistics

What is the time commitment?

Expect 8–12 hours per week for live classes, exercises, and homework, every week, for 6 weeks.

How much support will I get during the course?

Students are placed into support pods of 5–6 peers for small-group discussions, and they can interact with the full cohort and all Up Coast Builders members via Slack. Questions can also be submitted for dedicated Q&A sessions. After graduation, if additional support is needed beyond the network of peers, students can opt into paid group coaching. The course structure is designed so no one learns entirely on their own, and students finish with a complete, actionable strategy.

What makes this course different from other product or app courses?

This course is different because it focuses on deep, practical app strategy rather than superficial "launch in 3 days" hype or AI-generated products. Live cohorts are a key differentiator: students work in small support pods, participate in structured exercises and Q&A, and receive ongoing guidance from both peers and instructors. By the end, students graduate with a complete, actionable app strategy package they can actually use to execute a project properly. Studies show that cohort-based, live learning drives engagement and success with over 80% of students completing live courses compared to typical completion rates of ~15% in self-paced programs.

Outcomes and skills

Can I launch a product with what I learn?

Yes. The course equips students with a complete strategy and research foundation to launch apps. The extent of professional polish depends on the project's goals. Hobby projects can launch independently, while startups targeting larger markets will benefit from professional designers or developers as this course does not teach visual design.

Do I need design experience to take this course?

No. Though we touch on UX principles so students understand why user experience matters, this course doesn't teach design. Hobby projects can launch without a professional designer if research is done well, but for larger-scale professional apps, having an experienced designer is strongly recommended. However even people with loftier goals can be confident launching prototype versions to use for investor pitches where polished visual design is a secondary concern. Beginner design courses may be offered in the future for those who want to dive deeper.

Is there a guarantee of app success?

No. Students are expected to participate actively to benefit from the course. While not every app or business will succeed, students learn how to identify ideas lacking traction or product-market fit, and when to pivot if necessary. The skills gained improve their odds of creating something viable, but launching an app is a serious business endeavor, it's not a shortcut to viral success or overnight wealth. Dedication and passion for the work are essential.

Will this make me a product manager or app leader professionally?

No. The course doesn't grant a title or job. It does teach all the skills you would get in an entry-level product management course (like the one taught by BrainStation - which I took actually) plus a lot more, including applied frameworks, research practices, and the creation of a full app strategy package. It's designed as a transformation: students go from uncertainty to a launch-ready plan.

Having this experience on a resume or LinkedIn, plus showing the strategy and planning work someone has done, could signal to employers that someone has learned and applied app strategy and product skills.

Company, instructor, and long-term vision

Who teaches the course?

The course is taught by Abbey Jackson, founder of Up Coast Digital Products, Inc. Abbey started in tech with no formal training, while on disability working part-time as a nanny, and has since worked across nearly every role involved in building apps: from Mobile Engineer at Intel and Mobile Lead at Mastercard, to Fullstack Engineer in SaaS, Staff Engineer (and then Senior Product Manager) at Rivian, and Product Leader working with founders. She has experience in agencies, startups, Fortune 500 companies, and stealth hardware projects. Her career combines hands-on coding, product strategy, and mentorship, giving her a uniquely broad perspective on how to guide non-professional learners through app strategy, research, and execution.

Is this a non-profit?

No. Up Coast & Up Coast Builders is a for-profit business and social venture, incorporated in British Columbia (Up Coast Digital Products, Inc.). The mission is to improve tech by expanding access to app leadership knowledge and skills, so anyone can confidently build, guide, and complete their own projects. B-Corp status is a goal once eligible, because I genuinely want to demonstrate that business can create positive change in tech and that tech is for everyone. This structure allows the company to provide free programs, support students, and run hands-on cohorts without being limited by non-profit constraints.

Why is the business designed this way?

I came up with this unusual business structure because I have health challenges (a spinal injury) that limit my ability to scale or run a high-intensity business. I designed the business to be sustainable for me long-term, to allow me to teach and support people without overextending myself. Free programs are part of this design, as are structured cohorts and optional paid offerings that make it financially viable without requiring large-scale operations.

What are the long-term goals for Up Coast Builders?

Over time, the hope is that completing the course and participating in the network becomes recognized by the tech community as meaningful applied learning. This could allow learners to show that they've acquired deep skills and practical outputs. For students who want to pursue professional product roles, this could serve as a pathway to lateral moves or career shifts, but that is a future, aspirational outcome, not a promise.

What are the long-term goals for Up Coast?

Eventually, I hope to hire locally in the Comox Valley where I live, train people in product and app skills, and graduate them into higher-paying remote tech roles. This creates a cycle of mentorship and opportunity, addresses income disparities from incoming remote tech workers, and supports the mission of improving tech for everyone. This is aspirational and depends on my health and financial capacity, but it frames the long-term vision of the company beyond the course itself.

FROM PASSIONTO PRODUCT