Welcome back to another episode of NFT catcher podcast. We'd like to remind
everybody that nothing on the show is meant as financial advice and to please do
your own research. Thank you and enjoy the show.
Now the subject is NFT. They're known as non-fungible tokens or NFT.
These are floating in popularity. This is a technology that will help
ever change the way people interact. So it is happening whether you
understand it and like it or not. You have now joined Jenny from the
blockchain and Michael Keane on the NFT catcher podcast.
What's up everyone and welcome back to another episode of the NSE catcher
podcast with me, Jenny from the blockchain and my co-host Michael Keane.
For today's interview, we have Laura Raj joining us, the Miami Abe.
Laura, welcome to the show. Thank you. Thank you so much for having me.
GM GM everybody. GM GM. I love it. Yes. Good morning Michael.
Good morning, good afternoon. What's up? What's up? What's up?
Laura, Magic City apes in the house. Yeah, but I'm like finally here with you
guys. I didn't have a long time coming. I know.
I have this conversation. I'm usually nowadays like hosting most of the
conversations. So it's it's good to be in the other side. I hear that.
Yeah, we definitely got to get into, I mean, you host a lot of Twitter
spaces. You know, you're kind of everywhere. You're on the Board Abe
Council. You go to a ton of events, like you definitely have lots to get into.
But I'd love to start out hearing about how you got started in Web 3 and
and the NFT space. For sure. Just to me, like a funny story because if
you you would have asked me this typical question of, well, where will you be
five years from now? I could have never guessed here today. And I could have
been more happy to be here today. So I started as a collector, but originally
just as a being a great girlfriend and intrigue a buyer. Why was I losing my
significant other to this random rabbit hole of the space at me asking
questions and sort of being a little like making a lot of assumptions.
And I think a lot of people that are not part of the space make many
assumptions, such as this is probably just for this type of people, right?
And I made sort of that assumption. And ultimately, I saw his, my boyfriend's
interest at the time. And I was like, Hey, you know, what can you teach me?
Right? Like, what is it that you're spending all your life in your time?
Like, you're a very smart man. Like, it went from me assuming this was all
like fun and games. And that's where it ends to there has to be something
more. And once I started learning about it, I realized I was already
holding some crypto, but I wasn't really active into what else, right?
Can you do with this? And that's how I started to learn a little bit more
about the ecosystem and about the community part. And I think once I found
my voice in the space is when I connected all the possibilities that we could
have within the web through space, as well as the opportunities that were
just arising with like a new technology and sort of being early, right?
So that was like a very thrilling part of it. But the very basic how it started
it with me being like, what is wrong with you? Why should you give me time?
And just teach me because clearly, there has to be something that I'm missing
out on. And once I learn, I fell in love with it.
Is your boyfriend still into then a few space two thousand percent?
Okay, okay. Yeah, a lot of people are like, are you guys still together?
Oh, my God. I always, when it first started to share my story,
he were always like hesitant to ask, like, oh, should did that work out?
Like, for sure. Yeah. So we're still very much together.
And he's very into NFTs. We actually just finished texting each other up
like something that he purchased. I'm like, when the hell do you purchase that?
Like you did it. Oh, but I love it. It is so nice. So yeah.
So I'll share in a little bit on my platforms. I guess that we have a new
member of the family.
I do. He always says it a big NFT purchase.
I think you would have been bigger.
And so from other points of now, we're the right pair.
It's got, it's got to be a punk punk, right?
Oh, I wish. Oh, no. No, no, no. No, no, no. That's that's okay.
I like the ultimate. That's the ultimate. Yeah. That is there.
I think, I think punk than it would be like no more NFT purchases for this year.
I got you. I got you.
The way you were the way it was, it was the, the release was, I was trying
to guess like what is it with doodle?
Oh, no.
And we had a doodle before and good guess.
And we sold it. And then this one, we're like, absolutely obsessed.
So it's like, how do I word this because he got it technically?
So I was like, I was like, he got it.
So it's sort of like, press and slash his hours.
So I was like, I'll just announce that I was like, we have any little love that is.
Wait, how does that, do you guys like share a wallet in life?
We have a wallet that, that, that we share.
And then we have others that are just completely separated.
So we have one that is like our community wallet, which is just him and I.
And then he has one that he would just do all the random traits that I'm not
as risky to follow.
So, so yeah. So that's how, that's how we started.
So our first NFT, we purchased together, which was an eve as far as like,
he already had a wallet, but the big commitment of joining the ecosystem,
where I'm like, are we really going to do this?
We went like half and half because I, um, terrified of, you know, this, like,
can't we put this money on like, just put how much you want to lose, right?
Like how much you get or to lose.
And I was always like, I could afford $10 to lose.
I don't really find any.
So in our first like big ape purchase, we purchased it together.
And we flipped our way to the Miami ape.
And later on, he purchased his own ape.
And that's how we sort of like started this age journey.
So it's always interesting to me.
Wow.
That's insane.
Yeah.
And, and, and now you're on the boarded council, which there's seven.
I remember we talked about this on this newsbook.
We're like, oh my god.
We know most of the people on the council and you are one of them.
We're so excited for you.
How has that been?
I mean, it's been several months.
I can't even remember how long ago that was.
But I guess what is it like being on the boarded council?
And yeah, can you give us any insight on like what decisions you guys make
and what has kind of happened?
So a lot of it at the beginning was a lot of planning, um,
unstructuring what this council was going to look like.
So originally when the seven of us were selected, it was,
first of all, we didn't know what was being selected.
And later down the line that we sort of like met each other and,
and saw like the purpose of the council, then it was kind of like a blank slate.
And it's like, okay, now time to start planning.
What does this really look like?
What is the way that we're going to achieve this like mission and
mission that we have in order to be a voice for the community?
Because we're very much community members.
I'm like, very, um, involved voices in our very
spectrum.
So we have people that are more involved as far as like an artist.
We have someone that's more in the deaf side.
We have someone more that is like hosting and vice versa.
So we all have, I think like different like, like, I don't know,
someone else is a bit more business savvy.
And together it's like, okay, how do we bring our each of our communities voices
forward?
So now after we did a little bit of that structuring,
what we wanted that to look like, we have been funding grants in order
to encourage community meetups throughout the world.
And the reality is that for more than you go,
loves could put together any fest.
I think like getting together once a year is not enough.
So this community grants are more like, Hey, how can we support this
community leaders that are saying, Hey, let's get together.
It could be 10 of us or it could be a hundred of us, right?
Or 200 and maybe with this funds, it will be a little bit easier to
make this events happen and this community gatherings, as well as
the exposure, sometimes there's people within the same communities that
have never met.
So the amplification is really important in order to continue to,
to meet this network.
And then for the other part is really about communicating about feedback.
So we have regular meetings with the Yuga team where we are,
you know, sort of serving autonomous and then we bring up,
Hey, this is the community sentiment.
These are some of the things that the community wants.
How are you guys working towards this?
And they start to give us updates as well as like what they're
planning without giving us too much info because we're also very much
community members.
So I think they're always like, yeah, we're now going to tell you where
Apes is or when because you might just go to one of these gatherings.
I'm like, I don't know, have one to any drinks or have too much fun and
start telling people where where demons are.
So people sometimes think we know where Apes is and we don't know yet,
we just know it's happening.
Damn, that's what I was going to ask.
Nah, it's, it's my every time we're like, oh, you want something to drink?
I might know I'm good.
Oh, it's like, as you're trying to like get me drunk to see if I like slip some
information and they get, have they given you any hints at all, any tiny little
like, it's been a year though, right?
Like it's this year.
And we're going to ask here.
So it's confirmed that it's this year and that we're going to have enough
time because one of the major things that people have been vocal is like,
Hey, we want to make plans for summer or we want to make plans for this.
Like please be mindful of this and always like we're trying to reassure everyone
that by any means they're not trying to throw like a curve one say like, oh,
it's going to come to whatever city or whatever country.
Like that's not the idea.
And everyone they confirm it was the West Coast.
Wasn't that confirmed in this court or is that am I mistaken?
In this court, it was confirmed that it was going to happen this year.
Um, okay, I tried personally.
I was like, I tried to like push to be like, oh, since this is Miami,
I could help finding a venue.
I know.
It's Miami Art Basel.
So perfect.
Nice try.
Nice try.
Uh, yeah.
So that totally mean them meeting us like, well,
I could offer my help because it's in Miami and they're like, you're crazy.
Of like, at least I'm trying to guess.
So we'll see who yeah, Michael's in Miami too.
So I know he's going to be rooting for that.
I know, I know.
I didn't give me a lot of hope, but I'm wondering.
It's like tactics.
So who knows?
We'll see.
We'll talk again in like a few months and then hopefully.
Yeah.
Uh, okay.
Well, that's exciting.
Yeah.
And I know.
Uh, so can we also, one of the things you were talking about that I was thinking
about was community hosted events like that aren't like the official.
Okay.
The actual, you know, the once a year board a party.
It's like, okay, all these other meetups and events like that.
And, um, I think back to the other block party in Miami.
I don't know if it was like official board a party or what, but that's
spooky and, and Peter and that was one of the, that was one of the best NFC parties
I've ever been to.
Oh, what it was.
That was party was that party was awesome.
That party was awesome.
Yeah.
That venue was super cool.
The vibe was cool.
Everything about it was really cool.
Great people.
I loved it.
A hundred percent.
And I think for me, one of the, the best parts from the events,
obviously, the art and everyone in it, but I think the idea that we could speak
to one another, right?
And you could yet have fun and like have some performances and a lot of things
going around like you have the arcade inside for those that like have no idea
what we're talking about.
I, I really loved it.
I'm being able to, to really have like, maybe more quality time.
So I felt like I wasn't so rush is to like, oh, the event is like two hours
that you're like, how do I mingle with everyone within two hours?
And how do I say, how do everyone that I want to say hi to?
So that was something that was put together by, by them, but it was with the
support from Yuga.
So they were able to, um, to get some collaboration from Yuga directly.
But I don't know.
I think, I think it's super interesting how so many people within the board
aid ecosystem, not only continue to build with the IP, but continue to like push
the community forward.
And that's what like the board aid has been from the beginning.
So yes, a lot of people might remember it as like, oh,
the high peace celebrities or this or the news or, I don't know,
your friend told you that they came out and they said that NFC's were going
to zero or that someone sold an NFD for millions and millions.
And I get it that those are the things that makes the news.
But the reality for for us that are part of the community is so much more.
And it's events like this one or the ones that are being put together right
now, like throughout the world to connect people.
And for me personally, I just wanted a trip to Europe.
And I decided to go to a few countries that I haven't been to.
And yet I went to this country and I met up with people from my community.
So I feel like I was meeting up with like long time friends.
And essentially, I was meeting strangers.
That's crazy.
You know, people in other countries just through the NFTC, you know,
like now I'm exposed to all this.
And I'm like, forget like a business deal.
Forget this.
Just like people like connecting with people.
I just arrived to a new country.
I never been to any yet on city here with people that are from there that I
have known for months and months and months.
It's not like I met them five minutes ago, right?
So it's always pretty cool to to be able to have those like, what's what is
like totally.
And you go to a lot of events.
We were kind of talking before recording.
First of all, I've seen Laura at literally so many.
I feel like I see you at all the events.
I know you missed Alaska because you're in Europe.
But like you're at every event.
And you know, I've just seen you a lot.
So yeah, I was curious like what your favorite event.
That you've been to has been.
Yeah, but what's your favorite event that you've been to?
Oh, that's a tough one.
I think it's tough to pick one favorite event because for the most parts,
I believe that what has made this event specials is like the people.
And just like you said, like how do you have running to me?
Like several times throughout this different events.
We have like a community that is almost like traveling to a lot of these events.
And that's what makes it special, right?
And and I sound like I'm hearing myself and I sound like very like politically correct.
But politicians that are really I'm literally just going to say that.
I'm going to be like you are going to say like no wonder you're on the council.
But I'm not trying.
And but that's exactly what I feel.
Like I think it's more about the people that I'm meeting all on the way.
And sometimes a lot of these people like sort of like mingle, right?
And they and they like, I don't know.
We we sort of like traveled together to a lot of this thing.
So it's almost like we're doing like, I don't know, the yearly tour of NFTs,
like NFT conferences.
But as far I could tell you some of the conference that may be where my favorite.
And even though that sounds like it's harder, I rather do that because let's see,
like NFT and YC, even though is like the biggest conference.
And it has like a lot of prestige and they are like exposing, you know,
they were putting people like, I don't know that put my face on freaking
time scores.
Like, well, what is happening, right?
Like that is super freaking cool.
The venue was really cool this year.
And yet some of the panels that were put together in my opinion were not curated, right?
And it's probably not even my opinion.
It's like for anyone that went there, they know that maybe that went to a few,
like conversations on like sat down for a few things.
They are like, well, the heck is speaking up there on why they're saying that that is not good.
Worse people that are like businesses that they're just trying to star.
They just come up and they talk about their business or you know,
so you have people that are shilling their product or their businesses.
And then you have people that have no idea what they're talking about.
But the reasoning is because when you have thousands and thousands of speakers
and no one is curating the content, they're just saying like, oh,
whatever you moderate, you start and you guys figure it out.
So I didn't like that personally.
I think that there should be a lot more versatility from conferences.
Some of the conferences that I did like were like here,
Miami, we, you know, like I met everyone that I was going to want to race for before.
I was like, we curated the space, the one that I attended now at NSC,
Tallinn in Europe.
I thought every single person that I sat down and I listened to them speak.
They were adding value on sort of the feedback that I got from Beacon.
Same thing, right?
So if you're gathering people, you're making all this effort,
you're getting all these sponsors, charging all this money at the very least,
curate what they're going to talk about, right?
Like know that they're going to say something that it's adding value to everyone else
and not sort of have people like jumping in and out.
So ultimately, a lot of the conferences, what it's going to do is the
networking that you're going to do outside of the conferences.
And so once that this that you, you're there for like the whole way talk,
much more than just like sitting down and like soaking it all in.
And the smaller conferences sometimes are worthwhile.
Like consensus is not a small conference, but everyone does both consensus.
I was like, holy cow, I have so much to learn.
Let me like take notes.
You were, you went to Tallinn in Estonia, that conference that happened recently,
right? I heard, I heard a decent amount about that.
Was that, was that fun out there?
You know what?
I was like, it was fun.
And I was able to sit down and actually listen to everyone that was speaking.
So like, they, it was like, I don't think I've ever done that in a conference.
Like I sat a full date.
Like I, I did my engagement and then I sat down and I actually,
I was excited to afterwards meet this speakers and get them people on what I
liked or if I had a question, I could actually talk to them afterwards,
because it was like on the smaller size.
And they had the support of like bigger companies or the government for certain
parts.
So you didn't find a lot of shilling.
So it didn't get annoying of like people trying to show you things.
It was more like, here, we have this very real thing or this very real solution.
And that's where it ends.
So I think not feeling that every other speaker is pitching you their
company and just benefit.
And it's like a sales person up there.
It was really refreshing as well as like the actual booths that were within the
conference with beautiful city too, right?
Yeah, I mean, they're for the first time.
I'm like, it's yeah, I've never been to the, I've never been to the Baltics.
I've wanted to though.
And I know that area is real nice.
Like St. Petersburg, Helsinki talent.
That's all very nice up there.
It was beautiful.
And that was in bad.
We were like right next to the old town.
So definitely check it out.
They're very advanced.
I mean, they're the first country to be able to do voting online, um, the
blockchain.
So it's like, like, yeah, I've always heard good things about Estonia.
I've always heard good things for sure.
Okay.
So we got to talk about your Twitter spaces that you host the spotlight series.
So you're on episode 54 and very serious.
What inspired you to start hosting spaces often, um, and by the way,
I was recently on one of your spaces, which you did such a great job.
Like, oh, man, that's one of the hardest things being able to control the,
being able to control a space and, and you know,
making sure everyone has a turn like asking questions and all this stuff.
Like just doing a good, you did a really good job, just kind of moderating that.
Yeah.
So what inspired you to start hosting spaces and, and how do you stay consistent?
I guess with actually doing them.
Twitter spaces is the one thing that I'm not good at.
And it's just like, oh my god, like, it's, it's a challenge.
Um, yeah, and then you've been popping up a lot recently, though.
Let me cut off real quick.
I've just seen you on Twitter spaces a lot recently.
I know, well, because people, if people invite me, I will think, yes, typically,
but, um, like this morning, I was, I literally woke up at 8 15 a.m.
That's like so early for me.
And I was on a space is at 8 30 a.m.
I, anyway, I usually wake up at 11 a.m.
Sorry.
I didn't mean to cut off your question, but I was, I love when you get on,
I always try not to in the rooms when I said, Jenny, the blockchain is speaking.
Uh, you know, I said, great.
So like, it, uh, honestly, when you told me that like, you're like,
well, I haven't been doing this as much.
I was like, I don't get it.
I was like, you're so great at this and you have the podcasts and you
waterate and you do all this things.
So like, I feel like Twitter spaces just make sense.
Or originally when I started, it was more from,
it was like at the very beginning when Twitter spaces started and not,
like many times you would join a room and people were talking.
And the more I always think that you learn more by listening,
even though I talk a lot.
So many times I like put myself on mute.
Uh, so was it started like joining a lot of the Twitter spaces?
What I realized is that first of all,
if you didn't have like this, whatever following,
the people wouldn't even lay you up to speak,
which I thought it was ridiculous.
So it was like, what the heck?
I was like, I don't know.
I had like a hundred followers, but who cares?
Like I wanted to speak about this and I knew about it.
And the more that I listened, the more that I was like,
well, I'm not as clueless at this people.
And there are yet here like pre-sheen and teaching.
So instead of like waiting for someone to like allow me to speak
or to give me the opportunity to speak,
I started opening my own spaces.
And I decided that it was like, you know what?
I'll give the chance to people to, you know,
let's have a conversation.
And the things that I don't know, I'm very like,
I'm very open and I'm not scared of saying like,
I have no idea what this is.
Can you teach me?
And hopefully along the way that I'm inspiring people.
And I thought it was a wonderful tool in order to do like very fun interviews,
as well as like good Q and A's.
And little by little, it turned into, okay,
first it was all of us like almost like rambling and talking
and repeating ourselves and, you know, like talking over each other.
And eventually I'm like, okay, I could do some of those
that could be community spaces and could be less curated.
I'm more like, let's just talk about whatever and almost like a meetup
where we're all are, I don't know, allowing ourselves to pitch
and whatever we want to speak about.
And let me do more thoughtful and, you know, specific,
more like a podcast style of spaces.
And that's where like spotlight started.
And at the very beginning, I didn't even count the episodes.
So when I started counting the episodes,
that when I started doing like graphics and doing different things.
But that helped me be a little bit more accountable
for the people that I was inviting, right?
And being mindful of like, okay, what is it that I'd like
from someone else, this hosting spaces or for someone else
that's doing podcasts?
And what is it that I don't like?
Well, I'm speaking about like having more representation,
having more this.
Okay, it's not just representation to cover representation.
I want to have like the best of the best.
I want to be able to have people that know what they're talking about.
And I want to be respectful to an, to whatever audience
and community that I'm building where, hey, you're going to
to need to my space.
At least they know that they're going to leave either inspire,
learn something new, and that I'm not wasting their time.
So as a host for me has always been really important that I'm just
as interested in the conversation as I expect people to be
or as I would like people to be.
And if I'm not interested, I have allowed myself within the last
couple of months to say, hey, if I'm in vacation with my family
and today I need to take a break before I wouldn't take a break.
I was just like, I had committed to this and no matter what,
even like, I don't know, I was in London in a taxi.
And I was like, I need to host my space at the same time
where the world is going to end.
I decided to step back.
Sumal and say like, the world is not going to end.
And if I'm stressed and I'm not enjoying in a thousand percent,
then maybe this is not the way to do it.
So I've skipped, I want to say like a few times, very little.
And then I sort of like, try to like catch up or do a little bit more.
But I want my energy to be in the right place.
And at the end of the day, I'm asking people to take time
out of their day to listen to me.
So it does an hour.
It's an hour that I should be thoughtful about it.
And I think that a lot of the people that like tune in or follow it
or one night, like feel the same way.
And that makes me feel like accomplished.
So not so much of all like what's maybe trending all the time
or high be all the time.
But I think I'm staying true to who I am and the brand that I've been
building.
That's amazing.
Yeah.
And I love that the people inspire you to keep going too.
Because I totally feel that too.
Like if someone's like, oh man, you inspire me.
Or they like, they shoot you a message that's like meaningful.
It's like, okay, this fuels me to want to continue to do what I'm doing
and even better, you know.
And even just being recognized, getting people just knowing
that people are listening to you.
It's like that is that's super rewarding for people that are out there
like creating and doing stuff.
And one of the things that you said in the beginning that really,
I love this about you.
And this is like, this is the difference between people that get things
done and the call for things and the people that don't is like,
you know, you said, oh, I, it's like I didn't want to wait to be called
on to, oh, like, you know, just the thing of like, you don't get
invited to sit at someone's table, right?
We'll just make your own table and invite people to sit at your table.
And, you know, that's kind of what you did.
It's like, okay, you were waiting to be added to speak
and requested, like, you had something to say.
You started your own spaces and you started your own thing.
And yeah, it's like, you know, instead of waiting for things to come to you,
like, you're just going out there and doing what you want
and going after what you want, which is amazing.
Yeah.
I was going to say that many times, you know, at the beginning,
when we're, I mean, you're always going to be like,
doubtful, like, oh, this is the right way.
Is this this?
Am I doing this right?
When, when the peak of the market was happening.
Oh, my God, maybe Twitter spaces, like, the audience were like,
like, on a whatever day, oh, you have 800 people,
you have a thousand people, like, no problem.
And then when dad starts changing, it's like,
oh, is my information not important?
Do people not like what I'm doing?
And there's a lot of doubt, but there's a lot of,
a lot of, like, learning along the way.
And for more than, yes, like, what I'm trying to do is, like,
something that's educational, that is meaningful,
that inspirational, I'm learning too.
So I'm never shy to say about what I'm doing all these things.
That I hope that they serve others.
They serve me as well.
And they don't necessarily serve me as, like, maybe,
oh, crazy numbers or crazy this,
but I'm learning from this content.
Like, wherever I'm interviewing about, like, I don't know,
Bitcoin, and then someone else, I mean, interviewing about art.
And then another day, I'm interviewing about, like,
wait, tell me how smart contracts work.
Or how are you planning this events?
Or how are you marketing to your audience?
Like, all of that, I'm also getting, like, a master course.
Along the way.
So if worse comes to worse, and that's where it ends,
imagine how much help we learn through our time
within the web through space.
And that's something that, like, I don't take lightly.
That's so true.
And the connections you're building, like,
by having people come on, it's like,
you're becoming more and more connected to them.
It makes it easier when you see them in person.
You know, that was one of the things you're saying too.
It's like, everyone, people that go to events,
they don't just go to one event.
They're always going to events.
So it's, like, just having multiple touchpoints with people
and, you know, even online, you know,
speaking in the same spaces with them, stuff like that,
like, it just brings you closer.
And it makes it easier to, I don't know,
maybe you end up doing something with that person
or an opportunity comes up, like,
it just makes it easier to kind of do more in the space,
the more people you know, and the more people know you.
And also we, as humans sometimes,
we like to, like, make excuses.
Because at the beginning, like, sure,
when, if you don't have any following,
like, oh, I'm not going to let you off.
I'm not going to let you speak.
I'm not going to this.
But then once you start building something,
it's like, oh, I'm sure that Jenny gets this.
It's because she has a lot of followings.
Or she gets that because she works so and so.
Or because she owns this BFB.
And I'm like, you understand that we're making excuses
for whatever, like, you're not accomplishing, right?
And it's all about perception.
So many times, whenever, you know,
I see people that think A, B, and C
from this code of all, like, influencer
or someone that has, like, better reach
or they have better connections, better opportunities.
I'm like, more than likely, there was a lot of work.
And if it wasn't a lot of work,
don't worry about that.
What is it that you want to do?
And start working at it.
But instead of, like, making excuses for ourselves.
So, I mean, that's a whole different conversation.
But defining success or defining what truly is working
into space is very subjective.
And this is, we're all experimenting.
And as long as you're having fun,
and you are trying new things and learning along the way,
then that's the best that we could do.
But when you have, like, part of our conversation with,
at least what I've seen over and over
with the leaders of this space, people that I admire,
they're like, hey, Laura, we're doing this
and we're doing that.
And you're like, wow, that sounds so cool.
And they're like, yeah, but we're also just like,
trying, and let's see where it goes.
But like, we don't really know where this is going to take us.
I'm like, wait, what?
You just told me you're doing all this great things.
And it sounds so cool.
I'm politically correct.
But at the end of the day, you don't know what you're doing.
And they're like, well, no, no one knows.
We're just trying.
I'm like, oh, cool.
So I'm not that crazy.
Okay.
Exactly.
Michael, do you want to add anything?
Yeah.
I want to circle back a little bit, Laura.
I know you guys had a Twitter space today.
I was only able to listen to a little bit sadly.
Today's June 1st.
So there was an ape council Twitter space today.
There was something on the agenda about the token proof grant application.
And I really, what I couldn't find anything about it, though,
in this short time I had to try and look up.
What can you tell me?
That is actually in the pin tweet for the board of council.
And basically what it is, it's just token getting the application grant process.
Because one of the, when we first parted,
well, the first parted help.
Okay.
I mean, a lot of the questions were like,
how are we going to do this?
Right?
Because it would be very difficult if we just get a bunch of trolls.
If we just have like a simple Google Doc,
then if it gets it.
And it's going to be swung with like, I don't know,
trolls trying to apply for funds.
So we decided to work with token proof, create something that's token gated.
So we don't have to sort of like spend so much time guessing if this is a real member of the community.
And I mean, I'm for the grants just to give a little bit more content.
It's there's like a whole process.
And we're also not trying to fund something that is like huge massive events.
And that could be a misconception that people think that they have to put like this production.
We're looking more for, you know, the money that we have to go longer away.
So we're looking for some gatherings and initiatives where we could have more events throughout the year
than just, I don't know, fun for events.
And that's where it ends, right?
Like we're we're trying to get into like this global community.
And we have had we funded some in Paris, London.
We had some great events now in in China in Malaysia.
So it's like really cool to see all this subcommunities coming together.
And all the other proposals like we had now a poll show from some ACE in Argentina.
So I decided to continue to go through those and guide them to like the best of our bills.
Like the best of our ability into.
Well, that's really cool.
I was at I was at that party in Fort Lauderdale that you showed up to.
That that brewery, the Magic City AIDS one.
But you came in.
You were like a star.
Everybody swarmed you.
Like I didn't even get to say hello.
It was like, she's a Miami celebrity.
I know.
You were literally everybody like you were surrounded.
It was like, you need a security.
Yeah.
I was like, I didn't feel like that.
But you don't want to.
You don't sometimes.
I was like, you, you have to say hi.
I can't believe you did.
Yeah.
I know.
I was like, well, we were like.
I was in the shoes.
I was like, there was like 800 joints going around.
I was in that big circle.
I was like, ah, you just walked in.
You were dressed.
You were dressed like you were going to like a board meeting or something.
I was like, okay.
I'm.
Yeah.
No, no.
I was in my NFT catcher t-shirt.
Yeah.
I'm going to have to look up like what I was.
Yeah.
Those are great events.
They're really good people.
That whole group is.
That whole group is awesome.
And many times, like, it doesn't take much, right?
Like, that was an event for Laura, though, that one week.
Yeah.
Offer their brewery just for.
Yeah.
This wonderful meetup.
And.
And what was that place called?
We should give a shout out.
Really.
Yeah.
No, I couldn't find it.
Okay.
But that was fun.
That was.
Are we going into a commercial break?
No.
I have a lot of questions.
I have a lot of questions.
I'll go back into these messages.
Brought to you by North Broward Brewing Company.
So there is.
No, that was a fun item.
I always.
I love that crowd.
So how do you guys do?
I'm going to turn my.
What's this one?
This ones up the stove.
Well, we've done.
It's like 147 148 in there, isn't it?
Fine.
We just posted 147.
Yeah.
Congratulations.
You see this commitment, too.
That's commitment will work. That's ours and you know what a lot we're pushing two years when it
That's crazy and you know what when when it comes to
Content creation or podcast and why not unless you give it a shot. You had no freaking idea how hard it is
So I always you're like let's base on what you know
I'm for a long time. I think social media was this big of like oh
This people that don't work or this people that don't do anything. They're like recording themselves
I don't know making breakfast. Who cares?
And now it's like oh there is like social media directors and there is like real jobs and people go to school for this or people
You don't get hired for like really amazing fancy jobs or build like whole careers around this
So it's really cool when when I see people that are thriving and imagine you guys like going on two years congrats
Thank you. Yeah, it is exciting and it's honestly. I think when you have like a
A team of people that are like passionate about it. It's it is work and it definitely yeah, you have to put in the hours
But it's kind of I guess easier than you think because it's fun
And that always makes things easier like when it's actually fun for you
So if it's like super hard then it's like okay, then you know, you probably don't enjoy it
And then that's when it gets really hard if you if you're not enjoying it and yeah
I mean, I recently took a break from the pod for two months because it was like I was feeling very burnt out
And you know when I came back, I just felt a newfound passion and joy for
You know recording episodes and I'm so glad that I took that break because it allowed me to kind of refresh and reset
So I like that, you know, why Jenny? I was like I like that and I think that our society
Tells us sometimes that if you are ever wanting a break or you're ever doing something like this is like
That's it and that we have this algorithms and all this things that like will like kill you if you don't all something daily and you this
But it's also like you know what sometimes you just have to own it and say like no
I'm not giving my 100% and I'm not having fun and I'm not being good at this and
Who's forcing you, right? So rather do that like a rather you take a break come back with the right energy
I'm being excited about what you're building and what you guys are working on so
pretty cool exactly
Thank you Laura. So we go into our gas wars segment
Michael
So we have five rapid fire questions each to ask you just some quick questions that you know if you can answer in a sentence
Then yeah, well, okay, I'll kick it off. Okay, get off here. This one's the easiest one
But what's your favorite color? Right favorite thing about Miami the beach
What's your dream country to visit?
Um, I can I go somewhere random. Let's go for
New Zealand New Zealand
Okay, New Zealand's awesome. I've been to I've been to New Zealand spent to be driving around the North Island
There is a beach
On the Coramandle Peninsula where you can when the tide is low you can dig a hole in the sand near the water line
And it turns into a hot tub because it's heated by the the magma underneath from the volcano
It's sick. Yeah, and you to send me this specific you can you can do good Google Google hot water beach
New Zealand and it'll come right up
But I will I'll as a matter of fact I will send you the exact place we went to it's real nice there a couple restaurants
It's like it's really cool. You see I'm glad I chose New Zealand. That's my nice. Yeah
Might as mean to like trick you in a hundred country almost fifth. I've been to almost 50. I've been to almost 50
Okay, so I love traveling. I love traveling. Yeah
So
I haven't counted since this last trip, but I think I'm a 30 or 31
Amazing. Yeah, it's a lot. That's a lot. No, I'm gonna go back to my list
I was like I'm at some point I made a list. I'm gonna go back to my list and see
I like something else funny. Oh, this is our second day in a row of having a Colombian on and I love Colombia
It was one of my we talked about yesterday. We had Ilyana. Do you know Ilyana? I love lawyer. Yeah
Yeah, we had her on yesterday. We had a long conversation about Medellin about Cartagena. That's where I'm from. I've got the Hanna
Cartagena. Oh wow, amazing. Love it there. My wife and I we spent our fifth anniversary there
I right in the walled city and went all over the place and the Berserco market
We're gonna do a celebration of the podcast in in the comments the Hanna as long as we can go in the winter as long as we can go in the winter time
As long as we can go in the winter because Miami
Miami's hot in the summer, but Cartagena is another level of hot. Oh, it's like
Was it got the Hanna so is it? Yeah, it's oh, I know even in the winter it's hot, but the summer's like
It's another level from Miami right? Am I right about that? You're right got the Hanna so good
Yeah, I've laid Lee and might bring a lot of clothes. You're gonna switch out a few times a day
Maybe twice you're gonna be hot, but it's never the last beautiful. So yeah, and do you know the war?
That happened in cart at Cartagena between the Spanish and the English is the reason why just about the entire South American continent speaks Spanish
I know it's a party. Yeah, it's a party. It's a very very important city for sure a lot of history
That's another easy flight for Miami three hours or whatever it is
Maybe not even that far two and a half. I know it's so close. That's is that's New York. That's like flying to New York
You know what with my passion for traveling
I've always been tempted to just like pivot into like, you know what guys
I'm gonna start planning all your trips. Hit me up and I'm gonna I'm gonna have my own little travel agency because
I have traveled to so many places and I've enjoyed I enjoyed so much like
The research part and the planning at I'm the same way. I watch all the YouTube videos all like the
That food reviews and stuff. Yeah, I love that like I refused to go to a restaurant that I don't know most uh-huh, uh-huh
Yeah, that's funny. Were you a big guy like Anthony Bourdain fan? Did you like him? I was but I wouldn't say that like I watched each and every one of the episode
Sure, but I definitely liked him. It's just I don't know. It's interesting
The more than I don't know the more that you see the world the more you're like you want to continue to do it and the more you understand how
Interconnected we are and how much I like like many times like we have so many things that are more similar
Like as humans that I don't know maybe the news or society wants us to believe that we're oh so different and blah blah blah
And it's like yeah, our worries end up being the same and the things that we care about and maybe
That was also one of the main reasons why having this like audio conversations via Twitter spaces and
via like the NFT community
It was so intriguing to me. It's like oh now I get to bond with all this people while there is like the pandemic and
Still get to meet people from around the world and share our life experiences
In totally you platform. So I definitely think that that was one of the core reasons for me to like stay around and be excited to
To partake in this conversations about whatever
Discussing I don't want to gloss over what you just said because it's so important and it's one of the exact reasons
I travel as well when you said you travel and you meet people and you realize that
You're so much the same. I've been you know you go to Cuba. I've been to Cuba and
People were amazing and they were thrilled that I was in America. It's the governments that are fighting each other
You can watch videos of people traveling to Iran all the time and having the best time of their lives
Being invited into people's homes in random places around the world
And it's the governments that are fighting each other not the people the people are definitely all the same everywhere
You go and the way to realize that is to travel is to go to the markets is to eat in the restaurants
And then talk to people that's and you do start to realize that it's hard to
It's hard to grasp that if you don't you know see it and experience
Absolutely and if you have like if you don't have the opportunity to
To travel sometimes travel feels out of reach for a lot of people right sometimes I'm like
Maybe you can't go to your dream destination
Maybe like making a trip to New Zealand for two weeks. It's a different budget
Then maybe planning a trip to Columbia where it's like way more affordable. It's cool
You know for me to go and so when you eat you eat in the nice restaurants for 10 bucks 15 bucks, you know for sure
Yeah, so very different so sometimes it's like
The limitations that we put ourselves yes, it's probably easier for a lot more people is probably harder for a lot more people
You know like we all have different like are in different moments and I don't know maybe different budgets
But I think it's important that whatever tools we have and it would have the opportunity to travel to utilize this like you know
Internet connections that we have now at days to to get a little bit more curious to get a little bit more educated and to continue to
You know to to learn because we are forever learning and and we're not doing and we're just fooling ourselves, right?
Like if you think right now you are the smartest person in the room
That's probably a reference, so
I'm always so intrigued about like learning and
And seeing how
Your life experiences makes you who you are and maybe makes me more understanding about the journey that you took
so wow
We turned you saying that your dream destination is New Zealand into a
Travel podcast segment there
So we are gonna go let's go back to gas wars
Well, this is my second one and then general director. We're gonna go but we'll go back. That's not good
You guys that was awesome though. That was I could talk about travel forever
I like you should start like a travel
Uh vloggers or both of you and oh vlog. Yeah
Okay, maybe not vlog. We don't just yeah, that's for you
She's like I should start a travel
Okay, what's one thing about you get that people do not know one thing about me that people do not know you get you got you got or you get yeah
Yeah
Just kidding of something about you got that people don't know
Hmm, I wish I had this sort of alpha. I'm gonna go back to them and I'm kind of completely
Hey, you know why that wasn't a podcast and they asked me about this and I mean then I need to know some stuff here
Oh, it's like no, it's like to to be honest
Uh, no, I think I think I think they're pretty transparent of how how they hold
And and how how important and like how the founder for so involved I think that maybe not everyone has that perspective
Where like maybe they think that now that they're such a big company maybe the founder like less hands on and their realities that
They're very much involved or maybe now when they're hiring like new CEOs and having like all these different people
It's like that they're really truly
investing back in this
Like company and I'm making it like a real sustainable business with the best of the best
But I think that's no secret to anybody and and to me does something that makes me like
So bullish besides obviously the community that has always been there, but it's like okay
What are we going to do with the market? How are we never going to depend on the royalties
Um, and a little by little they just continue to show us that right that
Yes, you know, they're building the game yesterday doing all these things, but they're not just building whatever game
They're being bringing like the best of the best and that even if you're not a gamer
It doesn't matter because they're going to have like perks for the community members and the holders
So that makes me really bullish on them, but that's definitely probably something that is
Very well-known. So next time I'm in a comfort pair and I'm
Related secret out seeing something to be like hi tell me something about you go that I don't know there
What is wrong with me?
Have you guys heard of you heard anything about Gordon speaking of the founders?
Hopefully he's doing doing well getting his relaxation in getting healthy. You know what I
That has been something that I've been battling in
Of like reaching out and unchecking him and seeing this and also being mindful of like let me be respectful that he's you know
Taking his time to be with his family and his loved ones sort of like a little bit
You know taking care of what matters the most at the end of the day. I might need to be texting him to
To ask for anything or to say anything. So I've hold back many times and I'm very vocal
So maybe within the next few weeks I'll reach out and you know, I hope that I
Was actually surprised to see that the NFC community didn't take that
I made it sort of like a weapon against you though
Which when I first heard the news. I was scared that would be the case and yeah
People were very respectful people were very respectful
As they should have been yeah, right, but you never know
Yeah, it's actually it's kind of surprising. You're right
But I'm speaking to being respectful. Can you give him our calendar when whenever you do speak to him?
I'm gonna be like hi, how you do it
I'm gonna like make sure to schedule your uh-huh
When you when you are ready to come back your first appearance should be on the NFC catcher podcast no rush
Yeah, no rush Gordo, you know, we love you. We hope you get better. We're waiting for you here 100%
Oh, man. All right. I said, well, this is the longest guess was ever
This is a record for our longest network is for sure
Um, what's everything you do when you wake up in the morning? I use the restroom
Okay
Great question Jenny. Great question. You got it
Like awful answer
the first
I managed to find it was like I drink coffee and then I was like no, I drink water during their doom coffee and then I went back
I was like no, you go to the bathroom. I literally immediately check my phone
Make
The first thing I do is I used to look out. Yeah, I forced myself not to like I know it's so bad
I'm like don't look at it. Yeah, yeah, it's a lot more. It is bad. It is bad
Who tweeted me overnight? All right, so what was your first job?
Oh first job
My first job was at an event planning office and I was like
I worked over the summer and it was a lot of fun
And I know it's just basically doing like telemarketing calls to like confirm people for defense
Um, and later down the line
I ended up working with them for several years and I went from like that little role to
Hosting to then like the beginning trash of like the coordination and a bunch of things
So it was really cool. I kind of like grew in that job. Let me sense cool. Did you get chat GPT to come up for these questions Michael
Not these ones. Um, I found a web pain. I found a web page with like a hundred rapid fire podcast
Yeah, that's why they're getting a little more. I'm like they're getting yours are good
Yeah, first I was like I was like
I'm burying my
Question nine. Do you want to elaborate on that last one? Is that what you want to do now though?
You're getting too
Maybe I should do what what's your morning routine and you know, I mean try that
For next time we'll see how that goes anyway, okay
I'm like talking in okay, so what's your astrology sign?
Taurus. Taurus. Okay, very nice. Where do you see yourself in 10 years? That's such a hard question
I know
I'm sorry
Now let's get Eric like you you're you could be like you could be a politician if you wanted you
We really know how to speak and answer questions the mayor of Miami
The mayor of my second time I hear that this week. So I might just channel myself into being a politician. Just kidding
Um, I see myself as
Um, a very
Well travel
Skinny not a year. Okay, maybe a little bit
Trying to travel as much as you can. That's it. Awesome. No pretending no pretending. I am in my 20s
Um probably with a wonderful family hopefully some some little children running around
Um, and also continuing to do what I love and staying true to a K.A.M. and and continue to
To learn and being really successful. I think that you know and and the way that I define success is by
surely enjoying my day to day and of course that comes with our work
So I brought this in myself like in a very successful role whatever that looks like
Something that is not only challenging but exciting and that aligns with my values
Hopefully with a family and
And yeah, I don't know maybe running for some politician like positions that back to this podcast and be like oh my god
We could use make it use some we could use some good
Reps down here in a flight and I'm gonna say you know what I'll be like and I finally reached my country number a hundred or something
I don't know. I don't know if I could reach that many
Oh, that's a good goal. It's a good goal
Yeah, you can do it. You can do it for sure
I was trying to go with my ears. That was like okay. So if I'm 32
I could do like 32 countries if I do whatever so I think I'd my reach 33 this year was
Nice
I think good goal. I like that. I like it. It's no goal
Yeah, I want to do it by 30. I was like oh up 30 30 and then then the pandemic hit and I was like screw you a pandemic
I was like it was like a weird number. It was like 28 but like I was turning 30. I was like that doesn't make any sense
I'm not even gonna acknowledge this
There's there's a few ways to cheat you can like
I mean obviously in Europe like if you're in Rome you go into Vatican City, but like the Caribbean you can do a little island
Hopping for sure pump that pump that number up a little bit
You know you can do it. I'm also, but I'm also about when he comes cheating with the countries because I've been to like Italy like
Five times now and yeah, I write and then I refuse like every time I get a chance
I'm like oh, I should go somewhere else. I'm like for what? I'm like, who do I have anything to prove?
I was like I'm not I'm keep track for myself
Yeah, you go where you want to go and there's no way there's nowhere bad to go
Like if you've never heard of anybody go somewhere and been like it's horrible
Like almost never right
No matter where it is. So there's probably going to be a lot of countries that I'm going to continue to repeat along. Yeah
Um, so who knows Spain's the one I keep going back to I think that that's one of my very favorites. I love Spain
Spain
Yeah, I think that for sure. I'll go back hopefully soon to Turkey. I've only been there once and that was like an amazing trip
So very affordable if you guys are looking very affordable hot trip Turkey most
All right number five Jenny my last question. All right. This is actually a good one or so I like to think
What's a book that changed your life?
You know what I
I wish I was more of like
Like a reader, but a book that I recently read is like the four agreements
Um, and it was recommended by someone within the space that I met through the web three space
Um, when I was like going through the motions and like seeing like
What is it that I like and what is that I want to do and why not um, she recommended that book and it's a very easy short read
Um, and I loved it. I think it it really resonated with me and and I think you could resonate with anyone and
You don't have to have like this big commitment or dislike. I don't know hard book to read. So I think that's a good one. Nice
The four commitments the four commitments is that before agreement. Uh, four cameras. I'm sorry. I don't like yellow ruins
Let me get the priest. Oh, Ruiz. Ruiz. Oh, sorry. Yeah
Okay. Go ahead, Michael. You know, all right. Do you have a hidden talent?
Ooh
No, I'm pretty vocal about any talent god-given tallest
Okay, it's not hidden anything. I'm not gonna be here now like the next Taylor. So I'm sorry
Okay, so it's breaking out in song and dance, right? It's like
Yes, I we didn't need to see we didn't need to see the talent. I was just wondering if to see
I'm a dancer. I'm a believer in that case artist. Do you do any kind of art? Do you practice art at all being in the space?
I know like not professionally, but
Don't and and I think this was some of my limited beliefs as a child and being like an over a shiver. I thought that
I think it over analyzed like what people are like having fun doing like RC things. I'm like
Mm-hmm. I'm not gonna be great at that. So like I don't want to try that
So sometimes I will like hold myself back in certain things. So like I'm too old to start arts now and I was like
12 like what am I talking about?
So I think I always held back um and that I'm part of that
I think it was like access to things. So I'm really big of a like
working with nonprofits and helping
Like different organizations and some of them is with children because and and this is like long story, but
I think that when you are like a child of an immigrant or you see your parents like having some sort of struggle or one
Not you assume that there's a lot of things you can't do at it's not because you can't do them is because I'm like
Is it responsible like I couldn't do art like who's gonna pay for that?
How and how are we gonna get there and I was like I'm not gonna make my mom feel bad saying that I'm
Remoldly interested about doing like an art class when I knew like well, this is the list that we need to buy so
Maybe for a long time. I thought oh no, I don't like it and and and it could have been that I never even explored that because now
So much more of a like if you tell me let's take a class now. We're like let's go
You know like this would be really cool like let's try it and let's see where it goes
But I think like moving to a new country and seeing like you know
Your parents try so hard for so many things anything that wasn't like viral
I was very much like no, I'm okay. I don't need that. No one needs that. I don't need to do that
So say I said an adult and more curious about different things and I'm more able to have access to
To explore different random possible talents that I could
I'm literally that same exact way and that same scenario to growing up like both my parents are born out of outside of the US and
And yeah, like it's like you you as a kid you're like programmed like say no to everything like everything's in no like you
Just kind of assume that everything's in no because it's like oh, we can't afford it like it's just like oh
We just you just know you can't afford it. So you don't even bother you don't even ask about the electives that I took and I was like
Oh, what is that I have to I remember in seventh grade I joined dance and when they give me the list of like what I had to buy for dance class
I was like I can't do this and I never told my mom and then I said I don't know when I said but you never even told me
She's like I was working like I could have like made an effort and I was like yeah
But you were making already an effort so many other things that the last thing I would want is for me to like
Now I want to take advanced class. So you need to like try harder and you already have like three million jobs
No, like I was like no, I don't need and I went and I remember going and changing my schedule for that
And I was like so I wonder like and we didn't have it that bad
So I can't imagine how many kids also like are unable to explore what they really want to do um for
Yeah for
Funce or money or whatever so like when I see nonprofits that are really like pushing forward like the arts or like any extra career
Is like wow but what a gift that you're giving someone that otherwise wouldn't be able to to partake in that
100% all right with that said we got a wrap this episode up
um
Thank you Laura so much for joining us. This has been really fun. We talked about a lot of different things and yeah
We appreciate you coming on the pod
Thank you for having me this was this was a lot of fun and I'm sorry that my answers sometimes are very long
But I appreciate you both and congratulations again on all this is success
And this is just the beginning so I'm excited. This was great episode keep keep crushing it Laura. We appreciate having you on
Thank you again
Yes, totally all right. Well, hopefully you guys enjoyed listening to this episode
Thank you so much for tuning in and we'll catch you in the next one
peace
you
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