# My 2022 Summary By [bap2pecs](https://paragraph.com/@0xb2p) ยท 2023-01-11 --- Highlights ---------- * In 2022, I entered my thirties. * I left my job in August to pursue my passion for web3 technology. * I explored different options to generate cash flows in DeFi sector. * ETHSF winner and got accepted by a top web3 accelerator. DeFi ---- * I developed a prototype system for hunting airdrops of crypto projects. Ultimately, I decided to abandon the project, recognizing that the pursuit of money was not something that inspired me. * I discovered a cash-printing DeFi project and became deeply involved with its community and team. I provided meaningful input in the direction of the project. Additionally, I built a sophisticated monitoring system to maximize profits and generate earning reports. * I was so fortunate to have narrowly avoided being impacted by the LUNA crash and the FTX collapse. * I explored MEV with the intention of generating a cash flow, but I soon abandoned the project due to the same aforementioned reason. However, I managed to create and open source two tools for MEV as a side-effect: [Ethereum-Account-Generator](https://github.com/bap2pecs/ethereum-account-generator) (for generating accounts with leading zeros to save on gas fees) and [Ethereum-Private-RPC](https://github.com/bap2pecs/ethereum-private-rpc) (which can give you an advantage when it comes to MEV). * I conducted an in-depth analysis of various protocols for ETH staking and wrote a script to report earnings and track APYs of various pools to optimize profits. * I started a private business to generate revenues from DeFi protocols through staking. However, the protocol was heavily affected by the FTX/Alameda collapse. Career ------ * I started to consider leaving my job at Meta in late 2021 to start my own business. I officially resigned in August 2022. * When I quit my job, I intended to first explore the web3 space and conduct research. I anticipated it would take roughly a year before I found a tangible project to work on. However, after seeing a tweet from a speaker at EthCC about their successful ETHGlobal hackathon project, I was inspired to apply for ETHSF. I chose an idea from my list and assembled a team to work on it. Despite having little sleep, we put in a tremendous amount of effort and, ultimately, [our project](https://ethglobal.com/showcase/snapchain-kp408) was chosen as one of the 13 finalists out of 284 teams. * After the hackathon, I conducted further research and validation and successfully applied to a top web3 accelerator (1% admission rate), raising funding at a $7M pre-seed valuation. Key take-aways -------------- * Looking back, I should have left Meta in May, when I had already lost my enthusiasm for my job. The last three months at Meta were difficult for me, both mentally and in terms of productivity. * I learned a lot about myself. I came to the realization that, **at my core, I am a builder**. As a result, chasing after money is not something that will bring me true fulfillment. * I have learnt an important lesson to **never invest money that I cannot afford to lose** in high-risk investments. * In the web3 world, one has to **dive deeper** into the protocols and actively keep track of the latest developments and governance proposals to find the alphas. * By **being open** to new possibilities, I experienced serendipitous moments that led me to some amazing opportunities. If I had continued to pursue my plan of independently exploring the web3 space without raising capital, my progress will be much slower than it is currently. * **Focus on the right things**. At the ETHSF hackathon, I did not have any expectations of taking home a prize, and I made sure to communicate this to my teammates. We kept our attention on creating a strong project, which ultimately earned us a spot as finalists. * A few people suggested that without a co-founder, it would be difficult to secure funding or gain acceptance into accelerator programs. Yet, **finding the right co-founder is akin to finding one's perfect partner** and thus, I chose not to rush the process. Instead, I applied as a solo founder and, through sheer hard work and dedication, was able to make it work. 2023 Goals ---------- * Build MVP & showcase in demo day * Find product-market fit * Build founding team --- *Originally published on [bap2pecs](https://paragraph.com/@0xb2p/my-2022-summary)*