Navigating the crypto market and career opportunities

From: thepipeline_xyz

The Philosophy of “Wholesome Vibes” in Crypto

Pancakes_BR, a notable figure on crypto Twitter, became known as the “goat of good vibes” and “wholesome vibes” partly by accident [00:00:59]. He initially started his account with a more “aggro” and joking persona, but eventually realized it was easier and more effective to just be himself [00:01:38]. This genuine and honest approach turned out to be a significant “growth hack” for networking within the space [00:01:53]. While many in crypto are seen as “degenerates trying to make it,” he considers it a positive not to engage in constant fighting like some others [00:02:03].

Pancakes_BR’s Journey into Crypto

Pancakes_BR first discovered crypto in 2017 while working in the music industry, managing artists [00:02:51]. He followed prominent figures like Kobe and BitLord, observing the timeline from his personal account [00:03:01]. His early experience was marked by typical beginner mistakes, such as buying at the top and selling at the bottom [00:03:21].

After leaving music, he began traveling [00:03:42]. In 2021, he jokingly created the “Pancake_BR” account with the intention of being “the worst trader possible” and annoying big influencers with stupid questions, always maintaining a funny and goofy demeanor [00:04:03]. This approach garnered attention, and an early retweet from Kobe led to consistent growth [00:04:33].

Recognizing a potential opportunity, especially with increased demand for marketing and business development (BD) roles in 2021 compared to 2017, he decided to build his account to network his way into a job, despite lacking a traditional resume or university degree [00:05:06]. He spent two years networking, becoming friends with “giga brains” in groups like “Grug Hub” (which he describes as one of the highest “Alpha” group chats on Twitter) [00:05:33]. He focused on giving no “Alpha” or technical abilities, understanding it would be a long game to find a position [00:06:12]. He intentionally chose not to do “shills” (paid promotions) early on, despite being “super broke,” believing it wouldn’t be a good idea for his long-term reputation [00:06:27].

A lucky break came when he pulled a “Prime Key” from a Parallel pack drop and sold it for $50,000 at the “Pico top,” against common advice, to fund his conference circuit [00:06:40]. This allowed him to attend events like NFT NYC and meet crucial connections, including “intern” and many of his closest friends in the space [00:07:10].

Eventually, he tweeted a serious request for a job, which was retweeted by Hintai Avenger, leading to an interview and a job offer from Victor at IDEX [00:07:47]. This job “saved him” when he was down to $600 [00:08:11]. IDEX also provided significant support when he was hospitalized for six months, keeping him on payroll [00:08:17].

Currently, he continues his work in crypto while also exploring advising artists and musicians, and looking into Web2 SaaS [00:09:05]. He describes his current lifestyle as “monk mode” in Argentina, working 12+ hours a day [00:09:37].

Staying Engaged in Crypto: The Power of Community

Pancakes_BR almost walked away from crypto multiple times, but the friendships he formed, particularly with Grug, kept him in the space [00:12:00]. He realized he didn’t need to be a “creative” or “funny” person in a planned way, but rather to operate in a “flow state” by being himself [00:12:16]. This involved “reply guying” hard, being funny, nice, or “obnoxiously stupid on purpose” [00:12:34]. Even when people initially found him corny or cringe, he eventually won them over by showing there was “no way to piss him off” [00:12:50].

He acknowledges that he is not good at coin trading, having lost significant money on PancakeSwap, which is where his name originated [00:13:22]. His “one skill” is “buying a token and then it going straight down” [00:13:35]. This led him to realize that trying to make crypto his job solely through trading wasn’t for him [00:13:52]. He focused on finding how he could help companies in the space [00:13:59].

A key part of his strategy was meeting anonymous accounts in person at conferences, which built significant trust [00:14:15]. He believes that if people trust you in this space, “the opportunities are unlimited” [00:23:00].

The Value of the Crypto Community

Pancakes_BR expresses a deep love for the crypto community (CT), having made “really, really close good friends” in the space [00:19:04]. Unlike the music industry, which can be competitive, his approach in crypto never felt like competition [00:19:30].

He emphasizes that the crypto community offers significant opportunities, especially for those who are outliers with non-traditional backgrounds, like himself, who lacks a degree or a formal resume [00:20:05]. In crypto, companies often care more about what you can deliver, your ability to pivot, learn quickly, and whether you are a trustworthy person, rather than credentials [00:20:35].

He is a strong proponent of avoiding arguments on the timeline, preferring to reply in a “silly way” and never getting “tilted” [00:21:12]. Twitter Spaces, particularly during the bear market, have been crucial for building relationships with both “deep CT native people” and the Web3/NFT crowd [00:21:43].

He consciously chose not to do paid shills, even when financially struggling, believing it would harm his reputation long-term [00:22:40]. He acknowledges that some people do paid shills out of necessity, but it wasn’t his path [00:22:50]. This decision has led to unlimited opportunities because people in the space trust him [00:22:58].

Community vs. Tribalism

Pancakes_BR distinguishes between “CT” (Crypto Twitter) as a “real community” where people care about each other, and the NFT community, where “community” often feels like a marketing term [00:23:38]. He notes that while there are “bad actors” and “PVP” (Player vs. Player) dynamics in CT, he has met more genuine, nice people [00:23:44].

He stresses the importance of empathy, not getting jealous of others’ success, and taking personal responsibility for losses [00:24:13]. He believes the crypto space is currently too small for tribalism and infighting [00:53:03]. He advocates for a “we’re all on the same team” mindset, acknowledging that “rising tide lifts all ships” [00:51:56]. Successes in crypto, even from competitors, contribute to a better name for the entire industry [00:52:25].

Strategies for Getting Started in Crypto for Beginners and Career Growth

Pancakes_BR offers several key tips for those looking to enter crypto and find a job:

• Consistency and Engagement: Show up every day and stay engaged, especially during bear markets, without complaining or losing drive [00:35:33]. OGs in the space notice small accounts that stick around [00:35:28].
• Authenticity and Kindness: “Be yourself,” but avoid being an “asshole” [00:36:23]. Be genuine, kind, empathetic, and light-hearted, not taking things too seriously [00:36:34].
• Emotional Control: This is the biggest advantage for anyone in crypto, whether a trader or networker [00:36:50]. It’s crucial to avoid getting “tilted” by negativity [00:37:19].
• Twitter Strategy:
  • Make most of your timeline consist of your own original tweets; avoid retweeting too much [00:38:01].
  • “Reply guy” aggressively to important people in the space [00:38:27]. This strategy, though sometimes mocked, led him to a career in crypto [00:38:30].
  • Engage with every person who comments on your posts and reply to every DM for as long as it’s scalable [00:40:05]. This builds high engagement and establishes you as a community member [00:40:40].
• Willingness to Learn: If you lack skills, teach yourself to be useful [00:39:02]. You don’t need to learn to code; roles like community manager for a Discord server or running a Twitter account can provide opportunities to learn from the inside [00:39:19].
• Give Value for Free: Be willing to offer value without immediate expectation of return [00:41:50]. This long-term thinking can lead to significant opportunities [00:42:28].
• Networking and Trust: Don’t burn bridges [00:45:11]. Building a network and being genuine leads to trust, which is paramount [00:45:56]. Knowing people in person (even anonymous accounts) builds more trust than just hiring a random person from the timeline [00:14:15].

Impact of Community on Project Success

Pancakes_BR believes that a strong, authentic community is a key indicator of a good crypto project [00:35:33].

• Personality over Brand: People prefer to follow an authentic personality rather than just a brand [00:25:56]. Protocols that try to sound too corporate and don’t engage in the fun, meme culture of crypto are less appealing [00:26:07].
• Understanding the Culture: Companies that understand crypto culture, even by being edgy or humorous (without being hateful), gain respect [00:26:45]. Crypto is “put off by tourists or corporate” approaches [00:26:52].
• Human Element: It’s crucial for protocols to have a human being, skilled at Twitter, representing their brand [00:27:26]. This personal connection makes engagement easier [00:30:00].
• Reading the Room: Protocols need to understand the sentiment of the timeline and show empathy [00:32:06]. This comes naturally when the team is part of the community and genuinely feels the same emotions [00:33:16].
• Founder Engagement: Founders who have been part of the community for a long time and are respected have a higher chance of success and building trust [00:30:17]. It’s difficult for companies to succeed without spending time in the community [00:31:04].

Future Trends and Challenges in Crypto

Pancakes_BR shares his outlook on future developments in crypto:

• Decentralized Exchanges (DEXes): He is excited about improvements and use cases in DEXes, seeing them as “extremely important” on the technical/DeFi side of crypto [00:54:42].
• Social Applications: For mass adoption, he believes crypto needs something like “social media platforms or apps or protocols” that are genuinely fun, attracting users not because they are crypto-based, but because they are enjoyable [00:55:26]. He is bullish on this happening in the next bull run [00:56:49].
• Gaming: While many are bullish on gaming, Pancakes_BR is “a little bit more bearish” [00:57:10]. Most crypto games have focused on “play-to-earn” rather than being fun, which is not sustainable [00:57:42]. He argues it’s very hard to make a fun game, even for large, experienced studios [00:57:56]. He thinks it will take traditional gaming companies adopting crypto technology rather than crypto-native teams building the next hit game [00:58:34].
• Music Industry Disruption: Coming from the music industry, he is “extremely bullish” on crypto “completely disrupting the music industry” [01:00:29]. However, he is “very, very open about being bearish on like music NFTs as like the thing that does it” [01:00:31]. He sees more potential in protocols that can ensure artists are paid “quickly, efficiently,” as about 70% of money in music never reaches the artist [01:01:11].
• NFT Bull Run’s Impact: He has mixed feelings about the NFT bull run. While it brought many new people in, it also led to a lot of “grifting,” putting off influential mainstream individuals from the entire crypto space [01:02:27]. He anticipates an “NFT grift Bull Run 2.0” in the next cycle, potentially even bigger [01:04:14].
• Long-Term View: He emphasizes that no one is truly an “expert” in crypto, as it’s still the “wild west” [01:04:41]. The focus should be on continuous improvement rather than immediate “super cycles” or “winning” [01:05:02]. The goal is for crypto to eventually find its place in the world in a way that truly benefits people en masse [01:05:55].

Ultimately, he advises, the future of crypto lies in figuring out “what everyone else cares about in the world” and whether the technology can improve their experience [01:01:45].