I'm Back – A Quick Update & Lessons Learned
Xion Apex Academy

Xion Apex Academy @creator_x

About: On a mission to make building things easier, fairer, and more global. I share what I learn, ship what I can, and invite others to build with me.

Location:
Randburg, South Africa
Joined:
May 12, 2025

I'm Back – A Quick Update & Lessons Learned

Publish Date: Jul 24
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Hi everyone!

Hope you’re all doing well. 👋

I don’t have a ton to share (since I took an unplanned break), but I’ve spent a lot of time reflecting.

But wait — before I get into it, how are you doing?

What are you working on? Any interesting projects you're building?

Please don’t forget to drop a “hi” in the comments — I’d love to hear from you.


🎥 A Random YouTube Video Changed My Perspective

During one of my doom-scroll sessions, I stumbled across a video by The Coding Sloth titled:

"How to Program Apps That Make Infinite Money"

Shoutout to The Coding Sloth — seriously, give it a watch.

He talks about:

  • Building MVP apps that follow 3 key principles
  • Picking the right monetization model
  • Choosing the best stack for your skillset

This video hit home and got me thinking seriously about one of my long-running projects: Xion Nexus.


⚠️ The Rise and Fall of Xion Nexus (Kind Of)

I’ve been working on Xion Nexus for a long time.

It became too big, too bloated — and honestly, full of flaws.

That was a tough pill to swallow.

I’d invested hours and hours, but I always knew it needed a serious upgrade.

So I stepped back and started doing my homework:

  • Lurking on edtech forums
  • Browsing Reddit threads
  • Reading research papers
  • Watching the AI boom unfold (a whole other post on that later)

Eventually, I decided to take one working piece of Xion Nexus and rebuild it — from scratch.


🛠 Tech Stack Shift – React ➡ HTML, CSS ➡ Tailwind

I initially started the rebuild in React, but I switched to HTML for simplicity.

I also ditched traditional CSS and dove into Tailwind CSS.

Was it easy? No.

Was it worth it? 100%.

With the help of videos, books, AI tools, and some trial and error and learning from my students — I managed to design something I’m actually proud of.

It’s still evolving — but it’s leaner, cleaner, and has real purpose now.

🚀 Introducing: 4IR Quest

This is the new project: 4IR Quest.

It’s a career assessment and learning tool designed to help users explore emerging Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) technologies.

Key Features:

  • Personalized learning paths
  • Real-world career maps
  • Hands-on project kits (can view the curriculum)
  • A touch of gamification (earn XP while you learn!)
  • Demo labs for users to test before purchase
  • School Demo labs for school to run pilot programs

We also introduced:

  • Project Labs — a sandbox space to experiment
  • School Project Kits — for younger learners to gain skills & build real-world portfolios

This isn’t just a learning site. It’s a tool to to connect people in how to use 4IR in their careers.

🛍️ Bonus: Building an Online Store

I’m also building a small online store using Fungies.io (shoutout to them — awesome platform).

Still getting the hang of it, but it’s fun, and it’ll help distribute:

  • Project kits
  • Digital tools
  • Add-ons for 4IR Quest users

💭 Final Thoughts (for Now)

Letting go of Xion Nexus in its original form was tough.

But stepping back gave me the clarity I needed.

Now I finally know why I’m building — and who I’m building for.


🔜 What’s Next?

I’ll be sharing:

  • A short 30-second demo video check out this by clicking the link Demo Video
  • More insights on: ✅ Gamification strategies ✅ Building my store with Fungies


Want to test 4IR Quest early?

Drop a comment below or send me a DM — would love to connect with fellow devs, makers, and educators.

Thanks for reading, and thanks for all the amazing content you all continue to share — it really helps motivate me during the rough days.

Catch you all soon!

– Creator X 💡

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