Builder Buddies #4

Hi fren! Happy 2023 and happy lunar year too! 🐇

2023 started off with all eyes on AI and everything that ChatGPT is setting to change in almost all fronts. However, builders across all areas, including in web3, are also gearing up for one of the most challenging years so far, amidst a very uncertain economic setting, added pressure from investors and facing the usual, but probably more pungent, skepticism. 

But this will also be the year where we'll be able to see good and robust products coming to surface, in a very real and exciting game of survival of the fittest. Building has never been so real.

With that being said, we will keep shedding a light over amazing web3 builders that create the solutions and products of the future. Hop on to learn more about Katy Atherholt, founder of Seam and contributor to several DAOs! 👇

One Story

Katy Atherholt, Seam, FWB DAO & Cabin DAO, New York

Builder Buddies (BB): How would you define the current point of your career life cycle?

Katy Atherholt (KA): I'm about 1 year into being a full-time venture-backed startup founder. It's the best job ever and also unbelievably challenging.

BB: When and why did you start exploring web3 as a career path?

KA: I completed a bounty for product design and earned some tokens. That became the ETH I used to buy tokens and become an FWB member. From there it was such a creative and philosophical rabbit hole that I couldn't help but jump in.

BB: What was your biggest web3 mistake?

KA: Thankfully, to date I've only made relatively minor ones. 

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

KA: Apply whatever skills you have to a DAO or bounty program so you can incentivize learning web3 language as much as possible and build confidence in having something to offer.

BB: What would you do if you were at the start of your career today?

KA: Get confident making content for brands and developing an understanding of using social media as a sales funnel or distribution channel.

BB: What investment brought you the most return?

KA: Connecting with strangers. Using cold DMs, emails, and being willing to put myself out there in spaces I'm not necessarily comfortable with (yet).

BB: How can people support you and what you’re building?

Create a profile on Seam! Right now you can use this as a more visually compelling (and free) link-in-bio tool.

2 Tips

🪗Expand beyond your role

In tech, in web3, in startups, in small teams... expanding beyond your role gives you the chance to help the project you're involved in while also learning new skills. Yes, it can be very challenging to find the right balance between keeping your focus and keeping up with everything around you but it eventually pays off, especially if you're just starting.

💪Discover the best web3 places to work

Starting your job search is your first step but it can be a very tricky first move if you don't know where to look. Thirdwork, together with Talent Protocol, have put together a list of the 19 best web3 places to work, take a look at it here.

3 Opportunities

1. Managing Director/CEO/CTO - Blockchain Founders Group - See More

2. Investor Relations - Content & Product Marketing - Protocol Labs - See More

3. VP of Engineering, PL Starfleet - Protocol Labs - 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.