A Curious Mind in a Disciplined World

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For as long as he could remember, Tommy loved taking things apart. Remote controls, old toys, his dad’s desktop—if it had screws, it didn’t stand a chance. Growing up in a modest home in a small town, he didn’t think of this as “design thinking”; he just wanted to know how things worked.

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“I was that kid who couldn’t let a broken thing stay broken. I needed to fix it, or at least figure out why it broke in the first place.”

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But as high school came to an end, Tommy’s path seemed less about creativity and more about practicality. He didn’t have a clear idea of what he wanted to do, but he knew one thing: he wanted to challenge himself. So, while his peers filled out college applications, Tommy filled out a different kind of paperwork—he enlisted in the Marine Corps.

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Discipline Meets Problem-Solving

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Marine life was a world away from tinkering in the garage. It was regimented, demanding, and physically grueling. But it also taught Tommy something priceless: how to tackle challenges head-on, how to work in a team under pressure, and how to lead with clarity.

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“The Marines taught me that even the toughest problems can be broken down into smaller, solvable pieces. That mindset stayed with me, even after I left.”

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Transitioning to Civilian Life—And Finding Design

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When Tommy’s military service ended, he found himself in an unfamiliar position: starting over. The structure he’d thrived in was gone, and the possibilities seemed endless but also overwhelming. He tried a few different paths, but none seemed to click. That’s when he stumbled across a random tutorial about web development.

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Something lit up inside him.

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At first, he dabbled in code, building rudimentary websites and experimenting with layouts. But the more he explored, the more he realized it wasn’t the coding that thrilled him—it was the design. How do you take something complicated and make it simple? How do you build an interface that feels effortless for users?

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Tommy didn’t have formal training or a design mentor, but what he did have was the discipline to figure it out. He threw himself into learning—YouTube tutorials, design blogs, and hours spent analyzing websites he admired. It wasn’t glamorous, and it wasn’t always easy.

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“My first designs were embarrassingly bad. But every time I failed, I got better. And I didn’t stop failing—or learning.”

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StreamPro.io—The First Big Leap

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Tommy’s self-taught journey led him to his first major opportunity in 2014: co-founding StreamPro.io, a platform that helped live-streamers enhance their content with overlays and widgets.

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Designing for Real People

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The idea was ambitious. Live-streaming was growing fast, but the tools available to creators were clunky, confusing, and lacked personality. Tommy’s job was clear: make something beautiful, intuitive, and customizable.

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To do this, he didn’t just rely on guesswork. Tommy immersed himself in the live-streaming community, talking to creators about their frustrations and needs. What he learned shaped every design decision he made..

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“Design isn’t about what looks good to you—it’s about what feels good to the people using it. That’s something I learned firsthand with StreamPro.”

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The platform quickly gained traction, and within a year, it was acquired by a larger company. For Tommy, this was more than a career milestone—it was validation that empathy, combined with good design, could drive real impact.

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Silicon Valley—Designing at Scale

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With StreamPro’s success behind him, Tommy moved to Silicon Valley, where he joined some of the biggest names in tech, including Adobe, Framer, and Dovetail.

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Wearing Many Hats

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In startups, Tommy often found himself as the sole designer, responsible for everything from early wireframes to polished user interfaces. At larger companies, he shifted to creating scalable design systems that could support massive teams and millions of users.

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But it wasn’t just the technical challenges that shaped him during this time—it was the people. As he worked alongside engineers, product managers, and other designers, Tommy became a mentor, sharing not just his skills but his philosophy:

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“Great design isn’t just about pixels. It’s about people—how they think, how they feel, and how you can make their lives just a little easier.”

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A New Mission—Empowering Designers Worldwide

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After years in Silicon Valley, Tommy began to notice a gap in the design world. Many designers were skilled at using tools like Figma or Sketch, but they struggled with something deeper: decision-making.

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How do you decide what problem to solve? How do you choose between two good ideas? How do you know when a design is “done”?

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These questions drove Tommy to pivot from designing for companies to teaching designers how to think.

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UX Tools and Making UX Decisions

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In 2017, Tommy acquired UX Tools, a platform dedicated to helping designers develop practical, real-world skills. Under his leadership, the platform became a go-to resource for design challenges, tutorials, and community support.

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But his biggest contribution came in 2020, when he launched his flagship course: Making UX Decisions.

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What Makes the Course Special?

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Making UX Decisions isn’t about teaching designers how to use tools—it’s about teaching them how to think critically and solve problems effectively.

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• Real-World Scenarios: Students work through challenges based on actual design problems.
• Interactive Learning: Hands-on exercises encourage collaboration and creative thinking.
• Actionable Takeaways: By the end of the course, students leave with skills they can immediately apply.

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Since its launch, the course has enrolled over 2,400 students, many of whom credit it with transforming their approach to design.

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“This course isn’t just about UX—it’s about confidence. I want designers to feel equipped to tackle any challenge that comes their way.”

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Sharing His Journey with the World

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Beyond his course, Tommy has become a familiar face in the global design community. Through platforms like YouTube, TikTok, and LinkedIn, he shares tutorials, case studies, and candid reflections on his own journey.

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Why His Content Stands Out

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Tommy’s content is raw, relatable, and real. He doesn’t just share his wins—he shares his failures, his doubts, and the lessons he’s learned along the way.

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With nearly 1 million followers across platforms, Tommy’s impact isn’t just in the content he creates—it’s in the conversations he starts.

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“The best part of content creation isn’t the numbers—it’s the connections. When someone messages me saying, ‘This helped me land a job,’ that’s everything.”

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Lessons from Tommy’s Journey

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Tommy’s story is packed with insights that can inspire and guide designers at every stage of their careers:

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1. Start Before You’re Ready

You don’t need to be perfect to start. Every mistake is a step forward.

• Action Tip: Commit to sharing one unfinished project each month—it’s a great way to learn and grow.

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2. Listen First, Design Second

Empathy is the foundation of great design.

• Action Tip: Spend time interviewing users before jumping into any project.

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3. Invest in Your Growth

Whether it’s a course, a mentor, or a new tool, learning is a lifelong journey.

• Action Tip: Dedicate one hour a week to developing a new skill or refining an old one.

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What’s Next for Tommy?

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Tommy’s mission hasn’t changed—it’s only grown. He plans to:

• Expand UX Tools with advanced resources and challenges.
• Launch mentorship programs to guide aspiring designers.
• Explore the intersection of AI and design, helping designers adapt to the future.

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“Design will always evolve, but at its heart, it’s about people. That’s what I want to keep teaching.”

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Final Thoughts: Turning Curiosity into Impact

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Tommy Geoco’s journey—from dismantling gadgets as a kid to dismantling design problems as an educator—is proof that success isn’t a straight line. It’s about curiosity, resilience, and the willingness to share what you’ve learned.

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For Tommy, design is more than a career—it’s a way to make life better, one decision at a time.

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“Your path doesn’t have to look like anyone else’s. Just keep moving forward, one step at a time.”

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Join Tommy’s Journey

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1. Enroll in Making UX Decisions: Transform your design approach with hands-on learning.
2. Explore UX Tools: Discover challenges and resources to level up your skills.
3. Follow Tommy: Connect on YouTube and LinkedIn for practical insights and inspiration.
4. Level Up with Usefreelance kit: Streamline your freelance career with tools and resources.

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Your dream design career is waiting. Start building it now.