You don’t need a big team or big tools to build big results.
As a freelancer, you’ve got more freedom, creativity, and control than most people working in-house. The trick is knowing how to use it.
In this practical session, Chris Hodgson will show how a DIY mindset has powered nearly a decade of innovation at Discover eLearning. From winning early contracts with lean, home-grown solutions (for example, LearnDash builds for clients such as BPF, CEF, and CTSI) to building custom tools when off-the-shelf options didn’t fit the brief or the budget.
You’ll see how small-scale ideas can lead to big opportunities and how thinking differently can help you create high-value solutions that stand out.
What you’ll get out of it
You’ll hear the story behind Fire Mods — an open-source enhancement toolkit for Articulate Rise — why Chris built it as a smarter, low-cost alternative to premium plugins, and how it’s grown from a popular GitHub script into a web app now gaining major traction.
He’ll also share a live demo of how eLearning developers and freelancers can use Fire Mods to elevate their builds, extend functionality, and even contribute to its development.
Expect practical inspiration, creative ideas, and a few “why didn’t I think of that?” moments.
Who should attend
This session is for freelancers and digital learning professionals who want to get more from the tools they already have, experiment with new approaches, and embrace a DIY mindset that drives creativity and business growth.
About the speaker
Chris Hodgson is an award-winning Digital Learning Solutions Developer and Managing Director of Discover eLearning Ltd, a UK-based consultancy recognised for delivering innovative, high-quality digital learning experiences. His work with clients across education, industry, and the public sector has earned national recognition, including a Gold Learning Technology Award.
Through Discover eLearning, Chris continues to help organisations and support other developers within the eLearning community to achieve meaningful results by combining creative design with advanced technical solutions.
