From: thepipeline_xyz
The crypto space, often perceived as a “Wild West” environment, places immense value on community and networking for both individual career growth and project success [02:20:21]. Building and maintaining genuine relationships, coupled with a positive reputation, are crucial for long-term engagement and opportunities [02:56:00].
Cultivating a Positive Online Presence
Pancakes, a prominent figure on Crypto Twitter known for his “wholesome Vibes,” initially started with a more aggressive persona but naturally evolved into being himself, finding genuineness to be a “growth hack” for networking [01:17:14] [01:53:57]. His approach emphasizes:
- Authenticity Being genuine and honest is key to building trust and connections [01:53:57].
- Avoiding Conflict Not engaging in constant arguments, common in the “Cutthroat” crypto space, sets one apart and fosters a positive environment [02:13:28] [03:11:00].
- Humor and Lightheartedness Using self-deprecating humor and responding to negativity in a silly way can be endearing and prevent others from getting tilted [03:02:00] [03:17:00].
- Consistency and Engagement Regularly tweeting, especially by directly replying to other accounts, can significantly boost visibility and followers [03:32:00] [03:52:00]. Engaging with every comment and DM, particularly when starting out, helps establish oneself as a community member [04:05:00] [04:08:00].
The Foundation of Crypto Community
The crypto community, especially on platforms like Crypto Twitter (CT), is seen as a genuine place where strong friendships are forged, contrary to the competitive nature of other industries [01:04:00] [01:09:00]. For individuals without traditional degrees or resumes, crypto offers a unique opportunity to prove oneself through active participation and demonstrable skills [02:14:00].
Key Aspects of Community
- Trust and Reliability Being a trustworthy person is paramount in crypto, as companies prioritize this over traditional credentials [02:08:00] [02:58:00]. Maintaining a positive reputation in crypto opens unlimited opportunities [02:58:00].
- Empathy and Reading the Room Understanding the collective sentiment on the timeline, especially during significant events like market crashes or FUD (fear, uncertainty, and doubt), allows for appropriate and empathetic engagement [03:29:00] [03:32:00]. Protocols with teams that genuinely understand the culture and audience tend to be more successful [02:45:00].
- Long-Term Thinking Choosing not to engage in short-term “paid shills” (promotions) to preserve one’s reputation is a long-term strategy that leads to better opportunities [02:56:00] [04:12:00].
Community in Project Success
For new applications and protocols, community building is critical for finding product-market fit and achieving growth [01:53:00].
- Humanizing the Brand People are more inclined to follow a personality than a brand. Protocols that allow a human being, especially one who is already adept at Twitter, to represent their brand behind the logo are more effective [02:59:00] [02:45:00].
- Cultural Understanding Successful protocols understand the culture of crypto, engaging in humor and even edgy content that resonates with the audience [02:45:00]. Tourists or overly corporate approaches are often met with skepticism [02:52:00].
- Founders as Community Leaders Engaged founders and leaders who are grateful for community support and actively lead initiatives create a strong sense of belonging and trust [02:28:00].
Overcoming Tribalism
A significant challenge in crypto, especially during bear markets, is “infighting” and “tribalism” [03:47:00].
- “Us Against the World” Mentality Despite internal competition, the crypto space as a whole should foster a mindset of collective growth. Rising tides lift all ships, and the success of any project contributes to a better reputation for crypto overall [04:50:00] [05:17:00].
- Collaboration Over Competition Maintaining good relationships, even with competitors, is advised. There’s no reason for “bad blood” when everyone is trying to make a living and collectively figuring out a nascent industry [05:12:00].
Future Prospects and Mass Adoption
For future prospects for community members in crypto and mass adoption, the focus should shift beyond niche financial applications to areas that appeal to everyday people [05:09:00].
- Social Platforms Creating fun and engaging social media platforms or apps that attract users because of their inherent enjoyment, rather than just their crypto integration, is seen as a viable path for mass adoption [05:26:00].
- Music Industry Disruption Crypto has the potential to disrupt the music industry, particularly in ensuring artists are paid quickly and efficiently, addressing the issue where a large percentage of money never reaches the artist [05:08:00] [05:11:00]. However, this is seen as more likely through protocols rather than NFTs [05:31:00].
- Gaming While gaming is a large social activity, creating truly fun crypto-native games is challenging, as even traditional multi-million dollar studios struggle with consistent hits [05:57:00]. Integration of crypto technology by existing gaming companies is more likely to succeed than new crypto-native game development [05:34:00].
The NFT bull run brought in many new people, but also led to “grifting” and a negative perception among some powerful mainstream figures, highlighting the need for responsible development and avoiding bad actors [01:02:27] [01:04:00]. The ultimate goal is for crypto to find its place in the world in a way that genuinely benefits people at scale, requiring continuous improvement and humility from its participants [01:04:44] [01:05:54].