Part Two: Architects, Achilles and Launching a Startup Odyssey

The Battle Cry

Achilles was more than a killing machine, he was a paradox. He fought alongside armies towards a common enemy but when confronted with conflicts against his code of moral honor; he went against leadership. Achilles followed his own warrior's compass. Though mythologized among the ranks of Greek Gods, we nevertheless see in Achilles what it means to be human—the ability to express the entire range of human emotions.

Just as Achilles exemplified peak performance and defiance, Sullivan and Wright stood face to face with chaos, their vision never surrendering to adversity. What makes them both badasses is their Odyssey-like compass of snubbing destiny for vision. When fate tried to tell them, "You're not gonna make it!" They said, "Fuck off we're building anyway!"

Perhaps, personally, I long for a kinship across time with them. The reason being that for fifteen years, as a public educator I tried to innovate within a rigid system that refused to budge. Every attempt at change was met with resistance until the message became clear: You will not change the system. The system will change you. So I left, determined to build from outside and above the current conventional model. Now, I’m uncovering unconventional ways to add value, engaging directly with the market—trial and error.

Learning Producers is guided by its relentless Writer’s Compass. We've developed the habit of making writing our gauntlet, delivering it to our readers, clients and partners. While well aware that most companies daring to innovate are doomed to fail, we also know suffering does not equal legitimacy. Still, it's no coincidence we are based in Chicago, the former stomping grounds of Sullivan and Wright. We honor them by relishing the opportunity to challenge the sterile, conventional approaches to discussions and methods of learning.

The last ten months have been an adventure in itself, being powered on one hundred percent bitcoin. This digital currency mirrors our own journey: volatile, unpredictable, risky, but with freedom and adaptability. It’s not just about the sacrifices though, it’s the principles behind them. As we speak, we are finalizing and set to publish, "The Writing Experience Playbook". A material for navigating the challenging process of authoring and publishing a piece. It distills this warrior ethos into a guide for writers—because in our world, reading may be peace, but writing is war.

Living in a world we do not understand—What guides you?