Live 1-on-1 sessions · teaching AI building

Learn to build real things with AI, live, 1-on-1.

Screen-share sessions with me, Zach. We take your idea from “I wonder if…” to something running, and you leave knowing how to do it again.

Book a session

Free 15-min intro, no coding needed

See what you’ll learn

Shipped:WindOpJust Curves4 client sites

Stylized portrait of Zach Gladfelter
Teaching live on ZoomFree 15-min intro available

What you’ll learn

Leave every session with something real, not just vocabulary.

Each session starts from something you want to make. Pick an area, or bring your own idea and we’ll fit it in.

Build · flagship session

Build web apps with AI coding tools

Go from idea to a running app with modern AI coding assistants, and learn to read and fix what they generate so you are never stuck when the AI is wrong.

You’ll leave with:

  • A working app
  • A reusable prompt template
  • A deployed demo
Foundation

Prompting & agent workflows

Write prompts that hold up, chain steps together, and set up AI agents that finish the job.

You’ll leave with:

  • Prompt template
  • Workflow map
Automate

Automate the boring stuff

Turn repetitive tasks (email, spreadsheets, research, file wrangling) into scripts that run themselves.

You’ll leave with:

  • A working script
  • A scheduled workflow
Ship

Ship & deploy for real

Hosting, domains, HTTPS, databases and the launch checklist nobody mentions.

You’ll leave with:

  • A live URL
  • Launch checklist
Safety

Use AI safely and cheaply

Choose the right model, keep API costs sane, protect keys and private data, and know when not to trust the output.

You’ll leave with:

  • Safety checklist
  • A budget cap plan
Foundation

Never coded? Start here.

We begin with what you want to make and learn only what you need, in plain language. No prerequisites.

You’ll leave with:

  • A personal roadmap

Who it’s for

If you have an idea and no idea where to start, good.

You don’t need a technical background. You need something you want to exist.

  1. 01

    Beginners

    Curious about AI but unsure where to start. We begin at zero and build confidence fast.

  2. 02

    Founders

    Prototype your idea yourself, then know what to hand off and what to keep in-house.

  3. 03

    Creators

    Bring AI into your creative work and automate the admin, so you spend time making things.

  4. 04

    Developers leveling up

    Already code? Learn agent workflows, AI-assisted habits and how to ship faster.

How it works

Four steps. Only one of them is long, and it’s the fun one.

  1. 1
    ~2 min

    Pick a time

    Grab a slot that suits you. Not sure yet? Start with the free 15-minute intro.

  2. 2
    ~3 min

    Tell me your goal

    A short form asks what you want to build or learn, so I show up prepared.

  3. 3
    60–120 min

    Build it live, together

    We share screens and build your thing in real time. You drive, I guide, and every step gets explained so you can repeat it alone.

  4. 4
    Right after

    Leave with something real you can run

    Your build is working, and you get my notes plus a recording to rewatch.

You’ll leave with

  • A working buildRunning on your machine or live online
  • Session notesWhat we did and why, written down
  • A recordingTo rewatch, on request
  • Clear next stepsSo you keep going without me

Pricing

Pay for the time you use. Nothing hidden.

Pick the format that fits your goal. Not sure? Start free.

Intro call

15 minutes

Free

  • Say hi and share your goal
  • Find out if we’re a fit
  • No prep needed
Book free intro

Single session

60 minutes

$75

  • Live 1-on-1 screen-share
  • Build or learn one focused thing
  • Notes & recording follow-up
Book a session
Save

4-session pack

4 × 60 minutes

$270

  • Build momentum across weeks
  • $67.50 per session (vs $75)
  • Notes & recording each time
Book the pack

Included in every session

  • Live 1-on-1 screen-share
  • Jargon-free explanations
  • Session notes afterwards
  • Recording on request
  • Clear next steps

What an hour costs

  • Single session$75/hr
  • Deep-dive (2 hours)$65/hr
  • 4-session pack$67.50/hr

Intro call is free. Rates are simply each price divided by its hours.

Not the right fit? Tell me in the first 15 minutes and we’ll reschedule or refund. Prices in USD.

Book

Pick a time. Your idea takes it from there.

Choose a slot below. You’ll get a confirmation email with a calendar invite and a video link.

Booking opens soon

The scheduling calendar isn’t live just yet. Email me and I’ll find a time for us directly.

I reply to every email personally, as soon as I can.

Email me to bookPrefer a form? Send a message instead

Trouble with the scheduler? Use the direct link or email me.

Portrait of Zach Gladfelter

About

Hi, I’m Zach.

I help curious beginners, founders and creators turn ideas into working software with AI.

  • Co-founder & CTO of Unknown Projects LLC in York, PA
  • Built WindOp, Just Curves and the open-source AI Chat Terminal
  • Teach jargon-free and learn-by-building, never lecture-first

How I teach

Patient, plain-English, and hands-on. You drive, I guide. If I say a word you don’t know, stop me. That’s the job.

  • Python & Node.jsautomation & APIs
  • Next.jsweb apps
  • PostgreSQL & SQLitedata that sticks around
  • AI agentsworkflows that finish jobs
  • DevOpsshipping safely
  • Music productionan ear for detail and finishing

I also produce music and engineer sound. Mixing a track and shipping an app are the same craft: iterate, listen closely, and know when it’s done.

Book a session to turn your idea into something real

Projects

I teach what I ship. Here is the receipts pile.

Real products, real client sites, real code on GitHub.

Live product

WindOp

Windows-native AI desktop assistant

An AI assistant that lives on your PC and operates it alongside you. Built by Unknown Projects.

  • Tauri
  • Next.js
  • Rust
Visit windop.app
windop.app
Screenshot of the WindOp website homepage
justcurves.app
Screenshot of the Just Curves homepage
In development

Just Curves

Dating app

A dating app where being plus-size is the premise, not the disclaimer.

  • Next.js
  • PostgreSQL
  • Prisma
Not public yet
unknownprojects.net
Screenshot of the Unknown Projects homepage
Co-founder & CTO

Unknown Projects

Software studio · York, PA

The company I co-founded to design, build and ship software products, including WindOp and Just Curves.

  • Products
  • Client websites
  • Hosting
unknownprojects.net
Open source

AI Chat Terminal

Multi-model chat for the terminal

Talk to OpenAI, Anthropic and OpenRouter models from your terminal, with retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) over your own files.

  • Python
  • RAG
  • CLI
View on GitHub

Client sites I’ve shipped

Real businesses, live today, built with Unknown Projects.

FAQ

Questions people ask before booking.

Getting started

Who is this for?

Curious beginners, founders with an idea, creators, and developers who want to work with AI more effectively. If you want to build something and would like a patient guide, it’s for you.

Do I need to know how to code?

No. Plenty of my students have never written a line of code. We start from what you want to make and learn only what you need. If you do code, we skip the basics and go deeper.

What if I’m not sure this is right for me?

Book the free 15-minute intro call. We talk about your goal and whether these sessions fit. Not the right fit? Tell me in the first 15 minutes and we’ll reschedule or refund.

What do I need to bring?

A computer with a stable internet connection, a way to join a video call and share your screen, and an idea of what you’d like to build or learn. Rough is fine.

Sessions

What will I actually leave with?

Something real you can run: a working build, my written notes, a recording on request, and clear next steps for continuing on your own.

How long is a session?

60 minutes for a single session, 2 hours for a deep-dive, and 15 minutes for the free intro call.

What tools will we use?

It depends on your goal. Typically an AI chat assistant, an AI coding tool, and a code editor or browser. I’ll recommend options (including free ones) after your intro call or goal form, so you’re not paying for tools you don’t need.

Will sessions be recorded?

Yes, sessions are recorded on request so you can rewatch them, and I send written notes afterwards. If you’d rather not be recorded, just say so and I’ll skip it.

Can I keep working with you after the first session?

Yes. The 4-session pack is built for that: four 60-minute sessions at a lower per-session price, spread over whatever weeks suit you.

Booking & payment

How does payment work?

After you book, payment is handled through a secure link (Calendly with Stripe or PayPal). The intro call is free. If a paid session isn’t the right fit, tell me in the first 15 minutes and we’ll reschedule or refund.

What if I need to cancel or reschedule?

Use the link in your Calendly confirmation email to reschedule or cancel. Please give at least 24 hours’ notice when you can. If something comes up last minute, email me and we’ll sort it out.

Still unsure? Book a free 15-minute intro call.

No prep, no pressure.

Contact

Ask me anything before you book.

Not sure which session fits, or whether your idea is doable? Send a note. I read every message myself.

Rough is fine. I’ll ask follow-ups.

Only used to reply. See the privacy note.

Book a session