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Ian McDonald AIJoin free

Ian McDonald AI / Free community

I built the platform.
Come build
with me.

My free community is where I share practical AI lessons, useful prompts, and the things I’m making. Bring something you want to learn, try, or figure out.

It lives on LaunchBox, the platform I designed and built. My community is one of several that call it home.

Join my free communitySee the platform I built

Free to join. Start wherever you are.

Ian McDonald, founder and builder of LaunchBox
I built this.LaunchBox
Ian McDonald Founder. Builder. Still learning.

Your first steps inside

Come with an idea.
Try something real.

You don’t need a technical background or a finished project. Start with one thing you’d like to make easier, then use the examples to find your next step.

  1. Try one small project.

    Start with the lead tracker or animated GIF lesson. Use the prompts with your own information and make something you can use.

    Choose a free lesson

  2. Show what you’re trying.

    Introduce yourself in the community. Share your result or the step where you got stuck so there’s something concrete to work through.

  3. Bring it to Launch & Learn.

    My free weekly call is a place for live walkthroughs and questions.
    Wednesdays / 1–2 PM Central / Google Meet.

    Get the call details
From my workbench
Ian McDonald AI logo from the animated GIF lesson
Give a still image some life.GIF lesson + downloadable agent skill
An opportunity tracker created with Gemini and Google Sheets
Turn research into a next action.Gemini + Google Sheets walkthrough
Join me inside

The story behind the place

I learned by building.
Then I built a place
for other people.

I’m a self-taught builder. The things I teach come from the work of making software, using it with real people, and improving it when something needs to work better.

A little more about me
  1. 2023

    I went all-in.

    In December 2023, I went all-in on building with $5,000. No computer science degree, bootcamp, or co-founder. I learned by making things and working through what broke.

  2. 2025

    I built for real users.

    I built the AI for Business platform solo. It supported more than 1,600 users and gave me hands-on experience turning AI tools into something people could use.

    See that project
  3. Today

    LaunchBox is home to multiple communities.

    I built LaunchBox so people can turn their expertise and ideas into a community under their own brand. Conversations, courses, events, paid offers, and AI tools live together. I run my own community on it, too.

Product walkthrough · No soundFull size
A recreated member journey using sample learning material in the LaunchBox interface.
LaunchBox

Have a community
of your own in mind?

Turn your workshop, expertise, or idea into a place for your people. Start a private preview on LaunchBox, with your own audience and brand.

Build my community preview

Start without a card. A free account saves your preview. Publishing and inviting members requires a paid Business plan.

Explore LaunchBox and its plans
Your community / Your brand

Start by being
part of mine.

You don’t need to build a community to join mine. Come for the lessons, questions, and things we can make together.

Join Ian McDonald AI freeWatch why I built LaunchBoxMy founder story · 3:14

Start with my community

Come see what
we can make.

Join me in Ian McDonald AI. Explore a lesson, bring a question, or share something you’re working on.

Join my free community