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Should I join an On Deck program?
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Should I join an On Deck program?

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Startups
No-code
TL;DR: If you’re looking to expand your network globally and you have time, you should probably join an On Deck fellowship program.
 
On Deck runs some of the best virtual fellowship programs out there. I joined ODNC1 (No-code fellowship) back in Jan 2021 and it continues to have a net positive impact on my life, which I’ll explain in detail in a bit.
 
Now, I get asked a lot about whether I should join an On Deck program. The first thing I ask is what program are you joining? On Deck offers a lot of programs for Founders, Professionals, Investors and Sector Focused. You can learn more about On Deck on their website.
 

Should you join an On Deck program?

Join if…
 
If you want a global network
  • If your alma mater or companies have very local country networks and you want to expand your network to a globally distributed community
  • Or if you to work and interact with people from all over the world while sitting in your home country and still get some level of global exposure
 
If you can take advantage of the community program / put in enough hours
  • Fellowship programs have intense onboarding of 4-8 weeks. The people who are able to spend the most time and are willing to connect with other benefit the most
  • Don’t think of these programs as courses where you will be spoon fed instructions and you can coast without doing much work. It should not be considered as a certification course where you just do it for the brand. The value diminishes considerably
 
If you don’t have a network of builders/founders/professionals/investors right now
  • If you’ve already built an organic network through Twitter/LinkedIn/offline, then you might not need to enroll in such a program
  • Or if you have a strong alma mater that you can reach out for any help, then you needn’t join
  • On Deck offers a global network though of mostly people who live on the internet, so that is different from other networks for example my ISB network
 
If you want to increase your job/collaboration opportunities
  • If you throw a stone online, you’ll probably be able to hit someone who has done a program from On Deck
  • This is helpful when you have to apply for jobs/gigs/opportunities — you can form an instant connection with someone who has graduated from an On Deck program
 
If you want to have a good time and meet interesting people
  • On Deck runs some of the best virtual events out there and through that you can form meaningful relations with people online
  • I compare my On Deck experience with business school at ISB, because of the kind of virtual parties that we had
 

You are confused between two programs

The flagship programs are the On Deck Founders and ODX (YC-esque incubator) programs. These are generally the highest signal programs and if you’re a founder in the space, I would highly recommend joining this program in addition to applying to YC.
 
The Professional programs add a lot of value and give you a strong network to leverage. Companies also sponsor their employees to take these programs, so if you’re an employee see if it can be covered in your company’s L&D budget.
 
OD50 is a job search program. I would only recommend this program if you work at a traditional big company and want to break into startups. If you’ve worked previously at startups, then you should consider another program.
 
Investor programs are when you are a newbie investor. You’ll need to also see whether this applies globally or not.

How has the On Deck program helped me?

I joined mostly because of the network and less for the learning opportunities because I had already developed skills in no-code prior to the program. Thanks to KP for inviting me to join.
Here is a thread of posts covering my experience week-by-week
Tangibly how this helped me was to be part of a network of very strong peers AND who are active online (very different from my ISB network)
I’ve since then worked on projects or joined communities that were downstream impact of me joining On Deck
  • Foster - got to know about this community from Louis Pereira (ODNC1) and got writing assignments through it
I’ve been able to use some of the perks available for my projects.

Is it worth it?

  • Everyone’s value assessment is different, what you do during the program matters, and how much you value your time

What should you do now?

As next steps:
  • firstly see if you have enough time to make the most of the program
  • you should speak to a bunch of people who have done the same program as you had done, and preferably within the last year
  • speak to people in your geography to understand the value from the program
  • see if you can get the cost reimbursed by your company’s L&D budget
  • if I know you personally, feel free to reach out and ask me for a recommendation
 
If you found this information valuable, give me a follow on Twitter @kavirkaycee and Buy me a coffee
 

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