Setting the Stage

Let’s be real — our original Topi mint flopped.

Only 630 out of 8,888 minted.
That’s not even close to what we envisioned.

When you build in public, you sign up for more than applause. You sign up for criticism, tough love, and accountability. And over the weekend, I got all three — mixed in with genuine support from the real ones. I’m grateful for both.

Being a builder onchain means facing the mirror when things don’t go right. It means looking at the market, your assumptions, and your execution — and being willing to pivot when needed.

That’s exactly what we did.

What Went Down

• The original mint was priced at 0.022 ETH (around $40 USD) with a collection size of 8,888.

• We quickly realized we had misread the market — this isn’t 2021.
  The current demand, especially in this bear market, doesn’t support those numbers.

• So we made moves:

  • Reduced supply from 8,888 to 4,444

  • Airdropped existing holders a 1:1 Topi to protect them from dilution

  • Dropped mint price from 0.022 → 0.011 ETH to make it affordable and fair

• Relaunched the updated mint — and it went smoothly.

• We’re now sitting at nearly 1,400 mints, with just over 3,000 to go.

We’re not selling out instantly — and that’s okay.
What matters is that we’re learning, listening, and adjusting.

Lessons of the Week

If you’re not willing to pivot, you’re not ready to build onchain.

We made mistakes. We miscalculated. But what matters is how we responded.
We didn’t point fingers. We didn’t hide.
We owned it, and we fixed it.

No one is perfect in this space. Anyone who acts like they are? Psychopath behavior.

To all builders out there — don’t get romantic about your original plan. Stay committed to the mission, not the method. Pivoting isn’t failure. It’s proof you’re paying attention.

Cool Things I Saw + Learned

• Threads on X are going crazy right now.
  The algorithm loves them, and they’re a killer way to get your message across. If you’re building or creating, start threading.

• Public pivots build trust — showing your community that you’re not just listening, but acting, has long-term impact.

• Lower mint barriers = better onboarding — more people are now joining the Topi Tribe because we made it easier for them to say “yes.”

Builder’s Note

The road to building something meaningful is never a straight line.
You’ll make missteps. You’ll get humbled. You’ll hear things you don’t want to hear.

But if you stay open, stay humble, and stay flexible — you’ll earn respect, not just hype.

We’re still here. Still building. And more focused than ever.

See You All Next Week.
Bill the Bull 🐂