Becoming a founder is not the kind of finding we automatically think of. It’s not about finding a good idea. Or finding a hidden treasure. It’s not even about finding the right talent or the right strategy. Founding is about building foundations. Foundations that make ecosystems flourish. Foundations that add value to those we’re seeking to serve. Foundations that create a Path with Heart for the founders. Here is to the web3 Founders. *********** Learn more about DAO Experience Design: https...

Becoming a founder is not the kind of finding we automatically think of. It’s not about finding a good idea. Or finding a hidden treasure. It’s not even about finding the right talent or the right strategy. Founding is about building foundations. Foundations that make ecosystems flourish. Foundations that add value to those we’re seeking to serve. Foundations that create a Path with Heart for the founders. Here is to the web3 Founders. *********** Learn more about DAO Experience Design: https...

To the action obsessed, patience might look a lot like dawdling. “Why aren’t they the members moving faster?” ”Why doesn’t the core team just do something?” ”Why are they just hanging out?” When we are hooked on the idea that our state of mind is right, that puts everyone else’s mind at odds with ours. This can cause resentment and confusion. Resentment and confusion is no way to cultivate meaningful experiences for people that want to make their lives better. In fact, I would assert that now...

To the action obsessed, patience might look a lot like dawdling. “Why aren’t they the members moving faster?” ”Why doesn’t the core team just do something?” ”Why are they just hanging out?” When we are hooked on the idea that our state of mind is right, that puts everyone else’s mind at odds with ours. This can cause resentment and confusion. Resentment and confusion is no way to cultivate meaningful experiences for people that want to make their lives better. In fact, I would assert that now...

Human beings love to be right. In fact, if our status is on the line or we would experience sunk cost, we will spend inordinate amount of time convicting ourselves that we are right. Indeed if push comes to shove we will even fight with others about the veracity of our opinions. The same energy we spend on convincing ourselves and others that we are right, could have been used to plan and execute on a change that needs to be made. Not just any change. A change that makes the world better. Thi...

Human beings love to be right. In fact, if our status is on the line or we would experience sunk cost, we will spend inordinate amount of time convicting ourselves that we are right. Indeed if push comes to shove we will even fight with others about the veracity of our opinions. The same energy we spend on convincing ourselves and others that we are right, could have been used to plan and execute on a change that needs to be made. Not just any change. A change that makes the world better. Thi...

Things that a group of people say or do are all little particles of culture. These particles are important because they play a role in creating the ecosystem of the DAO. How we say thank you. How we meet. What we first say when we meet. What we celebrate. How we celebrate. What kinds of decisions we make. How we make decisions. Who we let in. How we let them in. On what we spend our money. We could go on and on… Each of these iterations are particles that shape the culture. We can either trea...

Things that a group of people say or do are all little particles of culture. These particles are important because they play a role in creating the ecosystem of the DAO. How we say thank you. How we meet. What we first say when we meet. What we celebrate. How we celebrate. What kinds of decisions we make. How we make decisions. Who we let in. How we let them in. On what we spend our money. We could go on and on… Each of these iterations are particles that shape the culture. We can either trea...

To join someone on an adventure is sacred act. It’s different than accompanying someone in a pre-determined journey, like going for a walk around the block with your neighbor. DAOs are not walks around the block, they are adventures…. An adventure is something marvelous - and dangerous. It takes you into the unknown where you could be greeted by treasures, or demons. It is certainly not safe - but a well selected adventure will change your life forever. If you care about your life yet surrend...

To join someone on an adventure is sacred act. It’s different than accompanying someone in a pre-determined journey, like going for a walk around the block with your neighbor. DAOs are not walks around the block, they are adventures…. An adventure is something marvelous - and dangerous. It takes you into the unknown where you could be greeted by treasures, or demons. It is certainly not safe - but a well selected adventure will change your life forever. If you care about your life yet surrend...

Normally, we take events that unfold in our lives as good or bad. We celebrate the good and if possible, ignore the bad. But this stance puts us at a disadvantage. Especially for DAO operators who are seeking to make a positive change in the world. ‘Bad’ events are nothing but stories we tell ourselves; such as bear markets, hacks, bad votes, tools crashing, community breakdown. But these are just stories that have as much power as we give them. ‘Good’ events like bull markets, successful vot...

Normally, we take events that unfold in our lives as good or bad. We celebrate the good and if possible, ignore the bad. But this stance puts us at a disadvantage. Especially for DAO operators who are seeking to make a positive change in the world. ‘Bad’ events are nothing but stories we tell ourselves; such as bear markets, hacks, bad votes, tools crashing, community breakdown. But these are just stories that have as much power as we give them. ‘Good’ events like bull markets, successful vot...

This is a simple questions that is convenient to ignore. And with DAOs it’s more important to consider than ever. DAOs are ecosystems filled with members that act; they will hopefully interact, engage and contribute towards helping the DAO reach its north star. These actions are tiny moments of becoming. The more interactions happen the more quickly the becoming happens. The question is, are we designing these actions to be aligned with what the member wants to become and where the DAO wants ...

This is a simple questions that is convenient to ignore. And with DAOs it’s more important to consider than ever. DAOs are ecosystems filled with members that act; they will hopefully interact, engage and contribute towards helping the DAO reach its north star. These actions are tiny moments of becoming. The more interactions happen the more quickly the becoming happens. The question is, are we designing these actions to be aligned with what the member wants to become and where the DAO wants ...

If our only concern is to make money with crypto, then the bear market is only a symbol of pain. Especially for the novice who was counting on a quick trip to the moon. However, if our concern with crypto is to empower freedom, choice and taking responsibility the bear market has a delightful set of rewards. Here are a few:Silence from crypto bros is bitcoinen.We have the space ability recalibrate and assess positions.Clarity on who is here for the right reasons.Buying into communities we car...

If our only concern is to make money with crypto, then the bear market is only a symbol of pain. Especially for the novice who was counting on a quick trip to the moon. However, if our concern with crypto is to empower freedom, choice and taking responsibility the bear market has a delightful set of rewards. Here are a few:Silence from crypto bros is bitcoinen.We have the space ability recalibrate and assess positions.Clarity on who is here for the right reasons.Buying into communities we car...

DAO’s are not perfect. They are far from it. From popular zeitgeist it seems the perfect DAO will have no vulnerabilities - smart contacts would make everything trustless and secure. They would be highly efficient - cold and calculated. Contributors would know exactly what to do and compensation models would be flawless. If this is a ‘perfect’ DAO, I’m afraid we will be waiting around forever. In fact it sounds a lot like working for a bank (which I did, and hated). The working utopia we are ...

DAO’s are not perfect. They are far from it. From popular zeitgeist it seems the perfect DAO will have no vulnerabilities - smart contacts would make everything trustless and secure. They would be highly efficient - cold and calculated. Contributors would know exactly what to do and compensation models would be flawless. If this is a ‘perfect’ DAO, I’m afraid we will be waiting around forever. In fact it sounds a lot like working for a bank (which I did, and hated). The working utopia we are ...

Finding what works is often more difficult than we think at the start of a project. It takes an exiting idea, curiosity, tenacity, enthusiasm, good will, caring, infrastructure, strategy; and if we really want to give it our all, strategic empathy. Most web3 communities start with an exciting idea, lots of enthusiasm and good will. The problem with these three is that they require a lot of energy, and once that energy is gone we don’t have any left to find what actually works. And so we get s...

Finding what works is often more difficult than we think at the start of a project. It takes an exiting idea, curiosity, tenacity, enthusiasm, good will, caring, infrastructure, strategy; and if we really want to give it our all, strategic empathy. Most web3 communities start with an exciting idea, lots of enthusiasm and good will. The problem with these three is that they require a lot of energy, and once that energy is gone we don’t have any left to find what actually works. And so we get s...

Hype does not get us out of bed morning after morning after morning. Hype does not let us do our best work. Hype does not help us show up consistently. Hype does not allow us to serve the community as well as they deserve. What hype does is compress excitable energy, put it in a beautiful package and hand it out liberally. Yes, like candy. And we all know what happens after a candy rush…the sugar crash. In web3 there is so much hype. Conferences are filled with fancy lights, and rich people, ...

Hype does not get us out of bed morning after morning after morning. Hype does not let us do our best work. Hype does not help us show up consistently. Hype does not allow us to serve the community as well as they deserve. What hype does is compress excitable energy, put it in a beautiful package and hand it out liberally. Yes, like candy. And we all know what happens after a candy rush…the sugar crash. In web3 there is so much hype. Conferences are filled with fancy lights, and rich people, ...

Yes, working in a DAO is ambiguous. Yes, we are still experimenting. Yes, there is a certain amount of assumed risk. But no. We cannot use those facts as an excuse not to listen and empathize with our members. Of course there will be confusion about the; working structure, tokenomics, compensation structure, legal structure, community engagement process, proposal process, voting arrangements and other pressing issues. But just because we have not thought through how these could work in the cu...

Yes, working in a DAO is ambiguous. Yes, we are still experimenting. Yes, there is a certain amount of assumed risk. But no. We cannot use those facts as an excuse not to listen and empathize with our members. Of course there will be confusion about the; working structure, tokenomics, compensation structure, legal structure, community engagement process, proposal process, voting arrangements and other pressing issues. But just because we have not thought through how these could work in the cu...