Meet Rashid.
UX Designer, Front-end Developer & AI Enthusiast
My journey
I’ve completed two online Computer Science courses from Harvard, a professional certificate from Meta on Front-end technologies, a Generative AI course from an early employee at Open AI and I'm on track to earn a UX Design certification from Google. My academic background also includes a Business degree from the reputable Tec de Monterrey.
From Software Development to AI, my professional journey has been shaped by insatiable curiosity and commitment to lifelong learning. It all began in 2011, when I was introduced to Adobe Photoshop and the limitless world of design. As I dived into branding, keynote presentations, and cool illustrations, I found myself selling ideas as much as I was creating designs. Learn more about my learning path →
Starting from 2014, I delved into automation tools like Zapier, starting with Google Sheets and progressing to lead generation funnels, REST API’s, and Chrome extensions. My current focus is on applying AI with tools like Chat GPT-4 and Midjourney.
I've explored both no-code tools and front-end technologies to build a myriad of software tools and technologies. My design process starts in Figma, where I strive to find the perfect balance between aesthetics and functionality. These designs form the blueprint for the web experiences I generate with CSS and JavaScript. Although proficient in front-end libraries like React, I am continually expanding my knowledge, currently diving deeper into Javascript, APIs, React, REST APIs, and exploring generative AI tools from Open AI, Meta's LLaMA, Google's Bard, and Midjourney.
Becoming a digital worker
My career unfolded in 2016 where I pivoted from a digital agency role to online sales of health products, plunging into sales funnels, Facebook Ads Manager, and Google Ads, investing over a million dollars in ad campaigns between 2016-2017.
Automations and sales funnels
While exploring sales funnels, I got myself immersed in automation tools like Zapier and Google Sheets, eventually transitioning to Airtable, Typeform, and Sendgrid. This evolution led me into the dynamic world of E-commerce with Shopify and Stripe. It also paved the way for me to broaden my knowledge in APIs.
Building remote teams
In 2017, inspired by "The 4-Hour Workweek", I built a team of sixty remote freelancers mainly from LATAM countries and learned how to establish effective work processes and create thorough documentation. I also began implementing Agile and leverage task-management tools like Todoist, Asana, and Trello.
Journey into Product Development
In 2019, sparked by the growing remote work trend, I conceived the idea of tudelega - a platform that aimed to transform the way work was done in Spanish-speaking countries. Instead of hiring a UX Designer, I chose to learn and design software interfaces and front-end components using Figma myself. I mastered the intricacies of product development, including prototyping, wireframing, user flows, mockups, user research, and usability testing.
Over time, I built functional design components, which soon evolved into responsive webpages with micro-interactions. I then discovered Sharetribe, a low-code marketplace framework, and built an offshore team of developers from Serbia and India to bring tudelega to life. My journey into Agile and Git methodologies helped me manage the team effectively. My focus was on becoming a product developer, building roadmaps, having one-on-one meetings, and more. For more details about tudelega, click here.
Community Building
The COVID-19 pandemic hit in 2020 and we were secluded from the outside world. During this time, I started a local community for Wellness and Yoga, hosting daily gatherings in parks and events. Later, I co-founded Dialogos with my wife, another community that focused on inviting experts to talk about interesting subjects and speak with their communities through shared points of view. Both initiatives quickly gained popularity, drawing attention from the press and support from local authorities.
Simultaneously, I developed a platform that successfully managed over one million COVID-19 tests across the Dominican Republic, Quintana Roo, and Mexico City. This platform empowered a diverse team of over 100 medical workers, laboratory personnel, and hotel managers, providing a digital solution to the burdensome manual processes.
Starting a Startup
As remote work began to flourish, I conceptualized a marketplace where people could offer their available time through video calls, in a way that they could leverage their online following into scheduling a call with them and thus, providing a tool to transfer knowledge. I quickly pivoted my approach and started building this idea, where we aimed to democratize talent, making it universally accessible and enabling people to capitalize on their unique talents. The platform would operate as a transaction facilitator between service providers and users, building a trustful community and lowering transaction costs.
I faced significant challenges with developers and finances, pushing me into a tough decision to pause the development and empower myself with a deeper understanding of computer science. It led me to take two online courses from Harvard: an introductory course to computer science and a subsequent specialization. The learning journey involved delving into languages like JavaScript, CSS, and HTML.
Tool Building
My professional growth continued as I delved into no-code development, experimenting with front-end frameworks like Bubble, Webflow, Glide, Softrr, and Flutterflow. I started crafting web experiences that were not only visually appealing but also user-friendly and intuitive. I could now create client portals with user login, user profiles, custom views and limitless custom applications.
When Chat GPT-4 was introduced in November 2022, it sparked my interest. I found myself drawn towards the world of AI and began dedicating most of my time to experiment with this new technology, all while persisting in my computer science studies.
Becoming a Developer
2023 was a significant year for me. Not only did I marry my lovely wife, Cordelia, but I also had the opportunity to contribute as a Product Developer to two AI-centric startups. One is nulearn.ai, which aims to revolutionize personalized education through AI, and the other is healthaid.ai, a health-focused startup leveraging Large Language Models like Bard and Chat-GPT4 to provide personalized health advice.
Affihub may be on hold, but my dream to create meaningful tools remains as strong as ever. Through my exploration of AI, I realized that despite the potential for many jobs to be replaced by automation, home services and labor remain resilient sectors. This insight led to the pivot of my startup into ayudalocal.com
Meet Ayuda Local
Ayudalocal.com is envisioned to be Mexico's premier home services marketplace that connects customers with reliable and professional service providers for various tasks, including cleaning, plumbing, and home maintenance. The platform is currently in pre-launch development but promises to give home services a personal touch and help professional service providers find reliable work. Visit case study
More about me
While the journey hasn't been smooth, it has shaped me into a versatile and resilient tool maker. Now, I am ready to bring these tools to life, contribute to various projects, and help others realize their ideas. Learn more →