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I cannot emphasize enough that the real-value of On Deck is not just the events and investors you are going to get access to, or those fireside chats, but the c

by gajus 6y ago

I cannot emphasize enough that the real-value of On Deck is not just the events and investors you are going to get access to, or those fireside chats, but the community. On Deck hand picked highly ambitious people with positive attitudes, who are in similar stages of their lives and have shared goals. It is like being in a room with a ton of sharp, likeminded people such as yourself, and everyone is looking to help one another to build the next big thing. Truly inspiring and accelerating experience. Happy to answer any questions about my experience in On Deck.

TuringNYC 6y ago
Thank you for offering to share you experiences -- I wanted to apply but i'm curious - how does this work for those who are currently employed (traditionally)...but planning to co-found their own company and go-full time with their venture soon? What is the right time to apply, now as they are contemplating their business or later when they go-full time on their venture?
- gajus 6y ago
  About half the people in my cohort were full-time employees in other companies. I was dedicated to start a startup, and I already had some prototypes that were gaining traction (gitspo.com), but wasn't set on a specific direction. Whether it makes more sense for you to do it now or later depends on your personality and what you want to get out of the community. You will definitely have plenty of opportunities to network with potential cofounders by joining now. However, you should dedicate at least an hour (more like two) every day to attend fireside talks, dinners, etc. I feel like I bonded the most with people who participated semi regularly in all events, and it seems like the same group of people benefited the most from On Deck. In terms of privacy, On Deck has pretty strict guidance about not publicly disclosing who are the members, unless they explicitly opt-in.

by gajus 6y ago

TuringNYC 6y ago

Thank you for offering to share you experiences -- I wanted to apply but i'm curious - how does this work for those who are currently employed (traditionally)...but planning to co-found their own company and go-full time with their venture soon? What is the right time to apply, now as they are contemplating their business or later when they go-full time on their venture?

gajus 6y ago
About half the people in my cohort were full-time employees in other companies. I was dedicated to start a startup, and I already had some prototypes that were gaining traction (gitspo.com), but wasn't set on a specific direction. Whether it makes more sense for you to do it now or later depends on your personality and what you want to get out of the community. You will definitely have plenty of opportunities to network with potential cofounders by joining now. However, you should dedicate at least an hour (more like two) every day to attend fireside talks, dinners, etc. I feel like I bonded the most with people who participated semi regularly in all events, and it seems like the same group of people benefited the most from On Deck. In terms of privacy, On Deck has pretty strict guidance about not publicly disclosing who are the members, unless they explicitly opt-in.