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When You Think It’s a Tech Event but Walk Into a Financial Pitch: My Primerica Experience

As a coding bootcamp student, I’m always on the lookout for tech events to network, learn, and stay inspired. So when I heard about an event that promised opportunities to “change your life financially and professionally,” I thought it might be a workshop on financial tech innovations or a talk on budgeting as a freelancer. Excited, I grabbed my laptop, notebook, and my hydroflask, ready to soak up the wisdom.

I walked into a room filled with smiling faces, stacks of pamphlets, and a stage with “Primerica Financial Services” emblazoned on the banner. My heart sank. This wasn’t a tech event. It was a financial pitch.

The presentation started innocently enough, with a polished speaker talking about financial independence and achieving dreams. But as it went on, it became clear this was less about personal finance tips and more about recruiting. Primerica’s model involves selling insurance policies while encouraging agents to recruit others into the system—a classic hallmark of multi-level marketing (MLM).

The audience was encouraged to “take control of their financial futures” by becoming insurance agents, but the focus felt more on recruitment than real financial education. Alarm bells went off for me, as the model resembled something closer to a pyramid scheme than a legitimate career path.

To make matters more complicated, my cousin works for Primerica as an insurance agent. He’s enthusiastic about the company and swears by its mission to help families secure financial stability, although he has yet to. I wanted to support him and remain open-minded, but as someone who values transparency, I had questions.

Why were the details about commissions and earnings so vague? Why was the emphasis placed on recruiting new agents rather than developing financial expertise? And why were so many Primerica “success stories” framed as rare achievements rather than typical outcomes?

Walking out of that event, I couldn’t help but feel disillusioned. Primerica might technically sell real products such as life insurance policies, but its business model left a sour taste in my mouth. For people looking to build genuine careers in finance, it felt like there were better, more transparent paths to success.

I still admire my cousin for his dedication, and I know he believes in what he’s doing. But for me, Primerica isn’t the solution for financial or professional growth. Instead, I’m focusing on building my coding and design skills, chasing opportunities in tech, and creating a future grounded in transparency and real value.

Among the listed positions, I find the roles of User Experience and Web Design most appealing to me. Specifically, I find the role of UX/UI Designer the most intriguing and aligned with my skills and interests. This position is pivotal in crafting visually appealing and user-friendly interfaces that enhance the overall user experience. A UX/UI Designer combines research, design principles, and technical skills to create products that are not only functional but also intuitive and enjoyable for users.

I am particularly drawn to this role because it allows me to blend creativity with problem-solving. My experience with design tools like Figma and Affinity Photo, makes me a good candidate for this position. Additionally, my eye for detail and ability to empathize with users helps me design interfaces that cater to their needs and preferences. However, I recognize that I need to strengthen my skills in areas such as HTML and CSS, conducting user research, usability testing, and applying accessibility standards.

Most entry-level UX/UI Designer Job Listings required proficiency in design tools such as Figma, Sketch, and Adobe XD. Must have experience in wireframing, prototyping, and user flow diagrams. Acquired knowledge of user research and usability testing. Familiarity with design systems and style guides. Lastly, basic knowledge of HTML/CSS.

Analyzing the skills I currently have, I am a match in skills due to my proficiency in design tools, wireframing, and prototyping. I have strong visual design skills and I am familiar with HTML/CSS. I have a gap in my skills due to my limited experience in conducting user research, usability testing, and working with comprehensive design systems. I must also become more proficient with HTML/CSS.

Steps I could utilize to bridge the gaps would be to practice HTML/CSS so that I am more proficient. Master User Research by taking courses on platforms like Coursera, LinkedIn Learning or even Youtube, to understand techniques such as interviews, surveys, and persona development. Next I could gain experience in Usability Testing by practicing usability testing through mock projects or by volunteering for real-world projects in online communities. I need to learn Design Systems and this can be done through studying existing design systems such as Google’s Material Design or IBM’s Carbon Design. Then I could create a small-scale design system for a personal project. It is necessary for me to build a comprehensive Portfolio to showcase end-to-end case studies that include user research, wireframes, prototypes, and usability feedback. Finally, I need to network with professionals. I should join UX/UI communities, attend webinars, and seek mentorship to gain insights and feedback on my work and also advice regarding a career in UX/UI Design. By addressing these gaps, I will be well-positioned to secure a role as a UX/UI Designer and contribute to creating user-centered, visually engaging digital experiences.

This week, I explored the critical components of the UX design process and how various deliverables contribute to creating user-centered solutions. Here’s a detailed discussion on common deliverables, their purposes, and how they enhance design projects.

Common deliverables in the UX process include User Research, User Personas, User Flows, Wireframes, Prototypes and Usability Testing. While designing and coding a Client Blog, User Reseach, User Personas and User Flows were utilized. In order to understand the client, a simple questionnaire was used to gather insight about the client’s needs. Based on user research, a user persona was not drafted but discussed. The discussion enabled me to empathize with the client to ensure that design decisions were grounded in the client’s needs. So of course a User Flow would naturally follow. We mapped out the steps the client takes to achieve specific goals regarding the blog website. We were able to identify potential painpoints for the client which allowed for a more simple process when designing and ensured the blog would be functional for the client’s usability. 

The UX Process enhanced the design within my client blog project. Implementing a structured UX process significantly enhanced the design of my projects by ensuring that the project was client-centered and data-driven. The UX process allowed for continuous feedback and then continuous refinement of the blog. This lead to more effective designs. This approach reduced the risk of time-consuming and tedious redesigns later on in the development cycle. This approach also ultimately improved client satisfaction and engagement.

In conclusion, enhancing a client’s blog by applying the UX process is highly beneficial. For instance, conducting research on the blog’s target audience (client) revealed what topics resonated most with the client and how they preferred users to consume that content. Understanding user demographics and behaviors can guide content strategy which is great for the client. Developing a persona helped in tailoring content and design to meet the specific needs and interests of the client. By integrating these UX methodologies, the blog could not only improve its layout and functionality but could also create a more meaningful and engaging user experience that keeps users returning. Overall, implementing the UX process could lead to a more effective design that truly addresses the users’ needs, ultimately achieving the client’s goals more efficiently.

Dark patterns in User Experience altered my perception of websites and businesses negatively. Dark patterns are design strategies that manipulate users into making choices they probably wouldn’t make otherwise, which could lead to experiences of confusion and frustration. One of my classmates presented a Current Event regarding the dark pattern: Forced Continuity. Forced Continuity is making it difficult to cancel subscriptions, via complex processes or hidden cancellation links. California passed the 2024 “Click to Cancel” Amendment which stipulates that California consumers must be allowed to cancel in the “same medium” they used to sign up for the subscription. Suppose a consumer subscribes to a service online. In that case, the consumer has the right to cancel the subscription online without the difficulties of complex processes like sending an email or calling a number to cancel the subscription. Obstruction, another dark pattern, is the deliberate process of making everything more difficult than it has to be. The “Click to Cancel” Amendment does away with both Forced Continuity and Obstruction dark patterns. 

Aside from Forced Continuity and Obstruction, I have had my fare share of experience with a particular dark pattern design known as Nagging, while using a website or app. Nagging is basically repetitive intrusions that continuously interrupt people while they’re trying to accomplish an online task. Nagging could be pop-ups, auto-playing audio or video or anything that distracts a person from their intended action. Nagging is very annoying and I’ve dealt with Nagging while trying to watch Youtube videos or any streaming services with commercials like The CW app, just the normal BET without the +. 

I believe the benefit of using dark patterns in web development only yields benefits for the web developer and the business or company utilizing that web design. Dark patterns do not benefit the user in any way. For example, the dark pattern design of Social Proof. Social Proof is using fake testimonials or misleading indicators of popularity to strongly persuade users toward a certain choice. This specific dark pattern is a practice heavily used on social media outlets such as TikTok, Instagram, Facebook and Youtube; with quickly dieing fads such as “Flat Tummy Tea”, “Pink Sauce”, and “Oil Pulling Mouthwash”, just to name a few. 

What is the aim of dark patterns? Is it to create deceptive feelings within a user? When users encounter manipulative designs, they may foster a loss of trust. If a user feels like a brand or site is untrustworthy, they’re less likely to return or even recommend the product, service or site. That deception in turn could also lead to the user feeling skeptical, frustrated, and confused. 

Dark patterns have yielded short-term gains for businesses, products, services and sites but it also yielded lasting negative effects for said businesses, products, services and sites. People are becoming more aware of dark patterns and with that awareness, breeds advocacy. People are beginning to advocate for better practices online, for good patterns in UX. The “Click to Cancel” Amendment is testament that people are beginning to advocate for themselves. Progress is being made toward better practices online, and for that, I am grateful.

The three websites I chose on awwwards.com are, 

Nod-coding-bootcamp

Viva-La-Labia

awwwards.com

Nod-coding-bootcamp won site of the day on October 15, 2024. The colors of the website and the topography drew me to this website. At first, it was giving Google but doing way less. There were four simple navigation buttons, two of the navigation buttons being CTAs. One call-to-action was to contact the company and the other was to apply for the program the company was offering. The “coding bootcamp” was aligned to the center so my eyes went there first. I love the animation of the centered text. The text is interactive so if you hover over it, the text moves. 

Viva-La-Labia won site of the day on October 17, 2024. The name of the website drew me in. Viva means to live in Spanish, and labia are parts of a female’s anatomy. Being a female, I was intrigued. I immediately assumed this could be a website focused on women. There is one navigation button on their homepage which is a CTA prompting you to want exactly what their selling. Upon further inspection, the image of a ring with a blueberry muffin wrapper is an interactive 3D button. Depending on which page you’re led to, the interactive button leads you to their contact information, to input refunds, their terms and services, and their policy information. On the other page, there are videos of the creators making the product they are selling. The background of the website isn’t neutral but it’s not over the top as well. The font is PP Hatton which is beautiful, but given the color schemes of the background and the color palette of the font being, HEX #6d1d28, which resembles burgundy. The text is difficult to read overlining the background with hues of purple, pink, and blue. 

I chose the website we were using as my last website. Awwards.com is brilliant in the sense that people can rate up-and-coming or brand-new websites. I love the mobile navigation button at the top of the screen of the website when you click on other websites to see how they are rated. Two main navigation buttons that they have once clicked on a website are at the top right corner, which are the options to Go Pro or to Submit a website. Their color scheme is okay. It’s in neutral earth tones that don’t overstimulate and take over the purpose of their website which is to showcase other websites. I think it’s a cool website for graphic design and front-end development. 

The exercises we needed to complete on codepen are what I found challenging this week. I particularly had trouble with the child selector, adjacent sibling selector, and general sibling selector. The issue I had difficulty with was the code not displaying on the web page. No matter what code I inputted for those selectors, they would not show up on the web page. I Googled a few things which helped a little. I played around with the code until I reached my desired results. Also kind of just gave up once I saw the code showing up on the web page, I turned the assignment in, making a note of that in the comments.

In the YouTube video “How to Code in 2022 – From Zero to Career-Level” by LearnCode.academy gives this amazing guide full of valuable information for beginners looking to begin a career in coding. I realized while watching this video, that is so vital to gain experience with coding by simply practicing with coding projects. The video basically formed this like roadmap and it really emphasized how important the basics are like HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. He also covered strategies for building a strong portfolio. What I enjoyed most about this video was the different pathways a person could take in order to have a coding career. Yes, being educated in a school was the main one, but he also touched on coding bootcamps and self-learning. I thought it would be cool to research if there were any free bootcamps in existence, (besides the one I’m currently in), and any bootcamps where self-learning was incorporated. I discovered www.freecodecamp.orgLinks to an external site.. 

Quincy Larson is a teacher who founded freecodecamp.org. I am currently learning and becoming aware that if coding is something I truly desire, first I need to get a grasp of HTML (HyperText Markup Language) and CSS (Cascading Style Sheets). This really is essential for anyone looking to get into web development. Mr. Larson’s site is perfect for this and it’s free. All you have to do is sign-up with an existing email, Google, or GitHub account. If anyone decides to sign-up with the site, Mr. Larson will email you every Friday with 5 links about programming and computer science. This site is perfect for self-learning code with over 11,500 tutorials to choose from. Anyone is able to learn HTML and CSS using this website, as well as other coding concepts and techniques. This site also allows for online community engagement, which sometimes transitions to reality, working with a coding community in person and real-time. On Freecode, students can participate in discussions, they can ask questions, and get answers, but most importantly students and instructors can share their codes which can greatly enhance the self-learning experience of web development and coding. 

Learning HTML and CSS did seem difficult when I first began the Codetalk Bootcamp. Self-learning doesn’t seem as daunting as it did before. I’m beginning to comprehend that with consistent practice and utilizing the correct resources, I can gain confidence and I can acquire skills that can lead to really amazing opportunities in web development, coding or even graphic design. I’m currently learning to be very patient with myself, like I am with others. I celebrate my small wins in this coding bootcamp but most importantly, I make the effort to be present and enjoy the journey of creating and designing on the web. I hope I cultivate this journey into a passion for coding!

The most interesting topic from this week, or the topic I enjoyed doing the most, was creating the Class Projects folder using Terminal and creating a website using Visual Studio Code. What I liked most about both activities is that I was able to code and actually see the effects of the coding in real-time. I also loved that the things I learned in PluralSight, I understood even more because I was utilizing the skills in reality. Taking notes on HTML and CSS is drastically different when actually coding HTML and CSS. When using the Terminal, I learned that “mkdir” is a path used to direct where the file is stored. While using the Visual Studio Code to create a website, we used selectors like <p> for a paragraph tag. We used <br> to place a break or spacing in the paragraph.
Something I found challenging about these topics was just remembering the correct format of the coding. For instance, when using HTML, and it’s a doctype, has to be expressed like <!DOCTYPE html> then indented on the next line would be <html> then a parent tag and a child tag. I currently find it challenging to remember to keep all of my documents in lowercase format and using dashes instead of spaces. 

Basic Instructions for accessing the Terminal on a MacBook Chrome would be to go to the Launchpad. Search for the black app that kind of looks like a face winking at you. Open the Terminal. A black screen with green text will come up. Creating a folder on the desktop, enter %cd desktop then press return. Next label the folder you created as for example “Class Projects”, type class projects after the %cd desktop. And now there’s a folder labeled as “Class Projects” on the desktop. More steps can add folders inside the “Class Projects” folder. 

Image 1: LIFEWTR Bottle Design
Similarity: All of the bottles share a consistent brand look but have different patterns.
Proximity: The design elements are grouped closely, which makes it feel unified.
Figure/Ground: The bold designs (which are actual art) stand out against the transparent background of the product’s picture. In reality, the art stands out against the opacity of the water bottle. The art is what makes me want to buy LIFEWTR.

Image 2: “A Moment” Poetry in Motion Poster
Similarity: The text colors use the same shades which can create harmony
Continuity: The flow of the poem naturally leads the reader from the title to the body of the poem
Proximity: The title and body have a connection because of how close they are
Figure/Ground: The text stands out from the background because they contrast

I purchase LIFEWTR because of the designs. I feel that LIFEWTR effectively communicates their intended message through graphic design. Art is life and so is water. The poetry design does this also but slight adjustments could be made to the design. The Symmetry/Order for the poetry poster could be more balanced, it is off-centered visually. Also speaking of Hierarchy, the poster could have given more attention to the author of the poem. The Metro logo is a lot bigger font than the author’s name.

To describe the aspects of web development and technology I am most excited by, I needed to research what exactly web development/tech was. I utilized two websites to assist me with information: https://www.webfx.com/web-development/tech/ and https://clutch.co/resources/web-development-glossary-75-essential-terms. I was familiar with a few web development terms such as HTML, Browser, and Javascript. I had no idea that Cascading Style Sheets is abbreviated as CSS. I’ve seen CSS written on the blackboard when we’re in class and I just now, know what it means. I won’t claim my inquiry into tech terms makes me an expert, but I am enjoying acquainting myself with this contemporary knowledge.

The aspects that most excite me are interactivity, open source, the experience of web development and technology from the user’s end, and data security.

I love the interactivity of using web applications that respond in real-time. For example, I’ve used Facebook Messenger to connect with my paternal family in Belize. I thoroughly enjoy using the video chat feature to keep in touch with my father, siblings, and other relatives. We send pictures and videos while we simultaneously talk to each other on camera. My 9-year-old nephew is constantly using video effects such as changing his background or placing a filter on his face. When I was a substitute teacher and a paraeducator in various schools, I noticed the students would go on Kahoot! Which is an online game that can be used to help children study. From the perspective of either title I’ve held, I loved when Kahoot! was part of the lesson plan for the day. Almost every student I’ve come across, has greatly enjoyed studying for a quiz or exam by playing Kahoot! The students loved that they were able to have usernames, they enjoyed the background music, the timer to answer questions, but most of all progressing to the spot of first place. In order to claim first place, students had to answer each question correctly and quickly. Reading comprehension and response time was vital in succceeding in this game. Kahoot! is really amazing and such a wonderful web application that is interactive and maintains student engagement.

In school I was taught when writing a research paper or anything of the essay writing nature, to use browsers like AOL, AskJeeves, Google, and Bing. I remember repeatedly being scolded along with my classmates to never use Wikipedia for such matters. I’ve grown far beyond the student matriculating in primary and secondary schools. Anytime I watch a movie or a show, I’m instantly going to Wikipedia. Wikipedia has the plot line for most of the shows and movies I watch. Yes, I love spoilers! Unless it’s a book, then I hate spoilers. The thing about Wikipedia is that it’s an open-source software. In my opinion it’s great that Wikipedia’s code is accessible to the public. The downside of that, is the information on Wikipedia may not always be accurate due to the code being public. Anyone can simply add information that may not be accurate. Open source in itself is wonderful because it allows developers and the public to contribute to each other and learn from each other. Which could create a space for community and continual learning through a collaborative nature.

As an adolescent one of my first introductions to social media was Myspace. Myspace was just like other social media platforms such as Facebook, Vine, and Instagram and now we have TikTok. I miss the social aspects of Myspace. Just like the other platforms, the user had their own page. What set Myspace apart from the rest, was that a user could change the background of their page, add music, graphics, text & font styles to their pages and each always contained the top eight people of the user’s friendlist. When adding any of the aforementioned aesthetics to a page, a user could simply copy a code and paste it onto their page and then upload it. The code would show up as the user’s choice of music, or the graphic or font they preferred to use. During this era of the world wide web, some user’s would make their own coding and have unique backgrounds or graphics that you couldn’t just copy and download. Myspace is a wonderful example of web development and technology from the user’s end. People were coding before it was a mainstream concept and I love that the most about Myspace.

Most of us in the world desire to exist in an environment where we can operate without fear of threats, whether that’s spiritual, mental, physical, or digital. Focusing on digital security which encompasses the protection of personal and sensitive information. I’m beginning to notice a growing trend in web applications utilizing two-way authentication or two-factor authentication (2FA) to access accounts and user information. 2FA is a security process that requires two different forms of verification before granting access to an account or system. Forms of authentication could involve a password, PIN, a mobile device, email, and/or one-time code. I personally use 2FA when signing into my Gmail, Facebook, and even my CalFresh account. Securing web applications against threats is ever-growing, so developing even more strategies to protect user data and privacy is beyond crucial. 

During this course, my goals are to build proficiency by strengthening my skills in web development vernacular and concepts, creating projects, and developing a portfolio that showcases my abilities and demonstrates my experience. After the course, my goals are to seek employment by exploring job opportunities in web development, continue receiving an education by pursuing my Master’s Degree & Ph.D in Psychology, and networking by connecting with other professionals in the web development field, and lastly, applying and incorporating all the knowledge I’ve gained from this course, into a lifestyle and psychology career for myself that is full of integrity and mutually benefits all.

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