A year ago, I got a letter from my state telling me to shut down the bootcamp I’d spent years building. I had two options: walk away from the mission I care about most—helping people become instructional designers—or figure out how to become a fully licensed, state-approved career school. This video is the behind-the-scenes story of what that decision actually looked like: the doubt spiral, the pressure, the financial uncertainty, and the tradeoffs we had to make to keep supporting students while we worked through a 6–12 month licensing process. I break down what it took to get approved, including forming Peck Academy, building formal curriculum documentation (standards, competencies, learning objectives, assessment plans, syllabi), creating a catalog and enrollment agreement, setting up long-term record keeping, and getting our curriculum reviewed by an independent advisory committee of experienced IDs and hiring managers. The biggest takeaway is that this wasn’t just about “compliance”—it forced us to mature the business, increase transparency, and add legitimacy for graduates. We’re now officially licensed, launching Peck Academy, and offering the Instructional Design Professional Certification program with a clearer, more student-friendly structure (including prorated refunds and a stronger framework for long-term quality).