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[ my public key: https://keybase.io/adbrex; my proof: https://keybase.io/adbrex/sigs/2Gz1NXKhaku16ynIdmU37-axgQdFmMXrfFci7nDJUdE ]
Why don’t prospective employees of early-stage startups get the same access to analysis/info that potential investors do?
There are probably a number of reasons for it, but this information asymmetry feels like it's starting to shift.
Plug: We're trying to help solve this just a bit by releasing due-dillegence 'memos' for startups
see: https://medium.com/the-spectrum/notion-breakout-jobs-memo-1-8ca346f97242
But there is a long way to go...
1) Focusing too much on making money: A side project doesn't have to be a business and probably shouldn't to start with. Once it reaches a certain level you can try to make it a business afterwards.
2) Not enough focus on learning: Side projects only focused on making money don't provide enough motivation (see #1) to keep things going when the resistance sets in (no customers). Focusing instead on learning new technologies through the project can provide an extra boost of continued motivation.
3) Not setting up milestones and getting feedback: Without getting the right amounts of dopamine hits, in the form of feedback from peers and mentors
As an experiment in addressing these challenges, we @ Bridge.Academy are hosting a side project challenge:
https://medium.com/the-spectrum/announcing-the-bridge-academy-tournament-725998fc5126
Here's a list of some of the initial ideas we've received so far. Please leave yours in the comments below or apply with one here.
https://apply.bridge.academy/b/lxshok/view
- PredictIT: An ML model that predicts the winner of a match between two teams by taking in the players’ performances over the past six months on different parameters.
- Knowtable: A fully-encrypted note taking app built made for Mobile.
- Credible: A Blockchain powered solution for Consumer credit reporting agency.
- MailMonkey: An email marketing/newsletter subscription service that allows the creator to truly own the email address captured.
- TweetTheBook: A web app that fetches the most “tweetable” quotes from any book depending on how many times they have been tweeted.
- PersonGraph: A web app that fetches the best blogs, tweets, articles from the internet for any individual in real time.
- AI.DAO: A DAO which gives out grants for AI Research to deserving fellows.
At my day job (Bridge.Academy), we found that many of the incoming developers entering our program shared the same experience so we decided to do something about it and formalize the process of picking up a new technology you are trying to learn and applying it through a side-project with a program we're calling "The Bridge Tournament".
It's designed to give you that extra bit of motivation to take your side project idea off the shelf, pick up a brand new technology and start building the damn thing.
Here’s how it works Each month new applicants to join Bridge.Academy participate in a tournament in order to demonstrate their ability to quickly pick up new skills through working on a project of their choosing.
Applicants receive points based on their progress. The more impressive your pace of improvement, the higher your score will be and better your chances of winning.
The Process Submit your application · Due this Sunday. You’ll describe yourself and your project. Vote on projects · Monday. Other applicants & Bridge Mentors will also vote on your application. Applicants will only see some of your responses. Submit weekly updates · Due every Sunday. You’ll submit a progress update once a week. Vote on updates · Every Monday. Get points from other applicants based on your progress. The more impressive your work, the higher your score will be.
More on the process here: https://medium.com/the-spectrum/bridge-academy-alpha-cohort-...
You can read more about how the tournament works and find links to apply here:
https://medium.com/the-spectrum/announcing-the-bridge-academ...