As I’m about to graduate from the Founder Institute in San Diego, here are some of the takeaways I’ve had:
- Unparalleled productivity. I’ve started a company before, I’ve purchased online courses, and I nearly completed my MBA, but the Founder Institute was as productive of a semester as any I’ve had.
- Access to mentors and investors. This is easily the best access I’ve had to CEOs and investors with relevant experiences and the willingness to provide feedback and meet to help with specific problems. This alone is worth the price.
- Support from peers in the same situation. Unlike many incubators, the Founder Institute allows you to keep your day job. While this makes for some inconsistencies in execution, and creates its own challenges for the entrepreneurs, the group of peers struggling with the same issues makes this a lot easier.
- The cost is trivial. I’m used to getting grants and student loans for tuition, so paying the $900 fee initially caused me some hesitation. Now that I’m nearly done, I can say I would do it again without a doubt.
Bottom line: If you live in San Diego and you are interested in starting a company, apply for the next semester. There is nothing else quite like it in the county.
