But here is the thing, according to a report by National Research group, as many as 54% of American consumers have never heard of “Web 3.0”. But 81% of consumers who have heard about Web 3.0 think that it will improve their happiness and wellbeing. And here is why I agree with it. 

Post or midst covid world, whatever you label it, has shown all of us how unsustainable our lifestyles have been. We thought we all could only be productive when we went to the office from 9 am to 5 pm and then had a 2-week vacation to blow off the money we earned just to return to the grind after. 

The great resignation is here to stay, more creators are here to grow and new startups are here to flourish because the last 2 years taught us that the so-called rule book isn’t working. 

Staying at home and feeling disconnected from the real world, and real connections also made us realize that we need to find another way to bond. Humans are social animals and we thrive when we have a community. This I think is the key reason for the rise of Web3. If you have been in any virtual spaces like me around web3, the enthusiasm and support are phenomenal. It isn’t something you generally saw in the usual working life which for most has been borderline toxic. 

But I will go a step further to say that Web3 is YOUR WAY OUT OF THE HUSTLE! And let me tell you 4 reasons why:

• You don't have to do that thing that you hate so you can do that thing that you love.

Remember how we all have been brought up. We have been taught the sacred rule of life. You get a decent education for the first 18 to 25 years of life. Live in scarcity and debt for the next 10 while building a family, and home, and then paying off student debt. And then teach your kids to do the same! Well, here is the twister, with Web3, you don’t have to! Since the field is so new, we have creators & builders who are 16 to 65 years old, working together on creating newer systems that benefit society without the need for any degree or specialization. What’s more? According to a report by Electric Capital, In 2021, more than 34,000 developers contributed code to open-source Web3 projects.

• You don’t need a traditional professional path

I became a founder at 16 in 2004 which was unheard of. In fact, for most of my life, I heard that ‘we don’t really understand what you are doing. I get that even now! But This is changing. Students in high schools, colleges, stay-at-home moms and retired individuals are now builders and creators. They are and CAN build a creative life that fulfills them and the community in Web3 understands that! This mindful shift is like a breath of fresh air and is certainly here to stay. 

• You don't have to live in a box, quite literally.

The virtual world, discord channels, telegram communication, clubhouse rooms or WhatsApp chats are where people are now co-creating! You don’t need a physical space in a big city where you huddle together and work only 9 to 5. Life is happening ALL the time and EVERYWHERE! So the FOMO of not living in a big city or a tech hub is removed. As long as you have a smart device and good connectivity, you can be part of this new age!

• You don't have to abide by the rules that are written.

With DAOs ( Decentralized Autonomous Organizations) the rules are being re-written quite literally! These corporations that are coded on blockchain are created a meaningful space for people to rebuild society and take control into their own hands when it comes to creating change. Best of all, every promise made on a DAO is coded so it is fool-proof. So, you want someone to invest in minority founders, join/build a DOA and it will do just that! Like Angel Alliance is doing. If you want to fund impactful ideas, you can do just that. Like AssangeDAO. Of Course, this is a new space so there are still a lot of developments, which Paul C shares here.

Now I know your first question is going to be, how can I get started? What should be my first step? How can I learn more? And what can I do to NOT be left behind? Watch this space, and feel free to follow me or New Founder School on our socials as we bring something interesting to democratize accessibility within the WEb3 space!

Socials:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/arjitasethi/, https://www.instagram.com/newfounderschool/ 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/arjita_sethi 

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/arjitasethi/ 

Now let’s come to this line: ‘Thank you for believing in my IDEAS, professor!’. As many of you know I teach at 2 business schools in San Francisco. This week, a student from one of the classes I teach enrolled in our FREE ideathon that is happening in March. (Register here for the next 12 hours here if you want to start your founder journey.) He reached out and I interviewed him to see if he was the right fit. As at New Founder school, we ask founders to pay in 2 ways: Accountability and Sweat Equity! So I wanted to see if this student was really ready for the commitment to be a founder. And that’s when he shared his story with me:

He told me how he is the son of immigrants in the US who do manual labor. He has lived all his life in the bay area and only knows how to do manual labor. He loves the skill he has but has been thinking of a few ideas and wants to try to see if he can make something out of it. But sadly all programs are expensive, take a LOT of equity if you get selected which is RARE and finally, if they are FREE then they are really LOW Quality. He told me how he has shared his ideas with many people but didn’t get any next steps. I invited him to New Founder School to test out his ideas and see what happens. And he said: ‘Thank you for believing in my IDEAS, professor!’

Now here is the thing! We live in a world where we tell aspiring founders that ideas DON’T mean much and fail 99% of the time and I agree! BUT here is the thing: Ideas are the precursor to EVERY Successful startup out there. That is how it all started! Just with an IDEA! Yes ideas will fail, pivot, change but that is the intrinsic motivation that will help a person take their first step and that is why I believe in EVERY IDEA and the HUMANS BEHIND THAT IDEA.

I can’ tell you the number of times my ideas were rejected, laughed at or not taken seriously. But it was because of some AWESOME mentors who believed that my ideas could change the world that I continue to pursue that path.

So if you are someone who is really serious about your ideas or know someone who wants to give their ideas a chance then I want you to join me for this 2-day marathon to take your first step at New Founder School’s Ideathon. On March 12th and 13th, from 10 am to 12 pm PDT, I will take you through:

1. The basics of startups to help you make the decision whether this life is for you or not.

2. Go through frameworks of research for your ideas.

3. Work on activities to get clarity on your ideas.

If you finish the deliverables of the ideathon, you will graduate to level 2 at New Founder School called the IDEA SCHOOL, a 12-week program to validate your idea with REAL users and a Minimum Viable Product (MVP) for FREE. Sing up for the ideathon! Go get your spot now because we believe in your ideas and in YOU!

Love and light,

Arjita