Builder Buddies #2

Friendly advice from Eliot Couvat.

December 20, 2022

Gm Buddy! Happy to see you once again.

If you navigated enough through web3 websites, Discord servers and Twitter profiles, you've probably noticed that Gm is an almost mandatory prompt for any interaction in the space. It has become a ritual among members of the web3 community, promoting a feeling of camaraderie and good vibes.

So, remember: GM as much as you want. You'll probably will make someone smile and feel welcomed.

With that being said, let's jump right into this week's story featuring Eliot Couvat, himself a true master of web3 newsletters. Let's do this!

One Story

Builder Buddies (BB): When and why did you start exploring web3 as a career path?

Eliot Couvat (EC): I joined crypto in 2020, 2 years ago, mostly because I felt really aligned with Web3's values, such as Ownership. 

The second reason is I believe we're in the dawn of a new era. Growing up, I always admired people like Steve Jobs, Bill Gates, Elon Musk, and Jeff Bezos, who have leveraged the internet revolution to build empires. I always thought if I could be at the right place at the right time, I would do everything I could to get the most out of it, exactly as they did 20 years ago. Crypto will revolutionize millions of individuals' lives, and it's exciting to work in a space with people that'll build and shape the world we'll all live in in the future.

BB: What resources and/or skills would you recommend to someone entering web3?

EC: Crypto is 100% an employee market. All Web3 startups are looking for individuals who know how to:

  • Write online

  • Shape stories

  • Leverage Web3

  • Onboard people

  • Build communities

Whatever skills you decide to master, what's most important is you master at least 2 of them. Having 2 complementary skills make you an unstoppable force.

  • Web3 + Languaging

  • Branding + Copywriting 

  • Community building + Content creation

If you can pick 2 skills from the list above and master them, you're irreplaceable.

BB: What investment (of time, energy, or money) brought you the most return?

EC: Investing in my personal brand has been the best decision I've made. By regularly posting on Twitter and publishing new articles, I was able to build a strong personal brand which made me earn my first dollars online and become a valuable asset for any Web3 company.

In 1.5 years, and because of my online presence, I was able to self-publish a book and sell 1000+ copies, create multiple Web3 courses, and get featured in mainstream publications.

We're living in an amazing time for curious, creative people who are willing to connect with others and share their ideas online. If you're willing to put in some hard work in developing your brand, you can take advantage of this temporary arbitrage opportunity.

BB: What were your main struggles while entering web3?

EC: My main struggle was understanding the Web3 space. After some time in crypto now, I now realize you can get a good grasp of what's happening in the Web3/DAO space by following only a few people on Twitter:

BB: What was your biggest web3 mistake?

EC: Like most beginners, I made many mistakes when I first entered Web3, and even more when I started buying NFTs. But this was my most expensive one, by far: I didn't follow the strategy I had set.

An early morning in late 2021, I snagged an NFT (Loot) for $300. As the first NFT I bought, I promised myself I'd sell it If I made any profit. A few days later, the bundle was worth over $100K, with the NFT ~$60K and the virtual currency associated with it ~$70K.

But here's what happened:

  1. I promised I'd sell at $50K. I didn't. 

  2. I promised I'd keep the profit in USD. I didn't.

  3. I promised I'd sell the NFT at $40K. I didn't.

I had set a clear strategy, and three times, I didn't follow it. When there's that much money at stake, you don't make rational decisions anymore. You're seeing the numbers go up and truly think you can always "win a little bit more."

So here's my simple advice to potentially save $100K+: When buying NFTs, define a strategy beforehand, and stick to it.

2 Tips

🔍Do your own research

Yes, we've mentioned previously that committing to learn something every day is crucial but this is a truly different web3 work tip: doing your own research is key.

A wise person once said that with great freedom comes great responsibility and this couldn't be truer in web3. You are so effectively and theoretically free in this space that it is really just up to you to learn and research. No one will tell will you what articles you should read, what topic will be in all discussions the next day - it you, just you who has to take the lead in this.

👂Help to filter the noise for others

FUD - standing for Fear, Uncertainty and Doubt - is all over the web these days. Try not to feed that FUD in anything you do. Contribute to rational, curious and data focused conversations and help to bring clarity into the space with every interaction you do. In return, you'll get an increasingly mature web3 and, personally, peer recognition as someone who helped it happen. 

3 Opportunities

1. Chief Technology Officer - Bhout - See More

2. Head of Business Development and Partnerships - Pinata - See More

3. Community Builder & Developer Relations - Cube3 AI - See More

Are you a web3 builder or do you know one that would like to share their web3 story? We are working on the next numbers of the Builder Buddies and we would love to feature you in one of them! Reach out at [email protected] for more details.