2022 and the Road Ahead
Happy Monday!
Hello everyone. Today’s newsletter will be a little different.
First off, this is the last newsletter of 2021 and I think it’s worth reflecting a bit where this all started from. I began the RoadToBabylon newsletter as a way to keep people informed about the wild world of crypto and hopefully help them get a leg up in the tumultuous, unforgiving, and often confusing crypto market. Between NFTs, decentralized finance, dog coins/meme coins, and 80,000% APY Olympus forks, it has been one heck of a year indeed. The break-neck pace of innovation in this industry, particularly around NFTs and Decentralized Finance, has been head-spinning to say the least.
Since starting the newsletter, I’ve found what I think of as an even better way to disseminate important information and stay on top of the break-neck pace of innovation in this Industry. I am talking about Discord and the community we’ve been building there. The Discord group started as a convenient way to keep in touch with our local Atlanta meetup group members online. But since then it has turned into so much more. In just a couple short months we have grown into a community of >250 humans from all around the world. We have attracted people with expertise across a wide range of areas (inside and outside of crypto/web3), and the value from sharing ideas, research, and information is more than I could have ever expected. I want to thank all of you that have participated in this transformation, from those in the Discord and local meetup groups, to you, the faithful readers of this newsletter.
I have gotten together with some of my crypto-friends and builders here in Atlanta and, in the new year, we’ll be officially launching Babylon Web3 Academy as a vehicle to grow and empower this awesome community. I’ve talked about how, before, crypto/”web3” used to be a niche area reserved for finance nerds, tech nerds, and libertarians… but in 2021 (and hereafter), times have changed.
Thanks largely to NFTs, but also to innovative Defi products like the one I outlined last week, we are seeing an entirely new cohort of artists, creators, and “normal” people find value in the ecosystem! These newbies (we all start as newbies!!) need a safe and productive environment to start their climb up the crypto learning curve. Not everyone will climb at the same speed, or have the same summit in mind, but the Academy will ensure we can provide support for everyone.
The mission of the academy is to promote and foster a learning community focused on understanding the ideas, technologies, and value underlying the growing web3 ecosystem. The Discord group will be our domain to share ideas and opportunities as we help each other achieve the financial empowerment offered by web3.
Our community values are:
1) Honor each other
be respectful of others' background and economic situations
treat each other as we would want to be treated (don't be an ass)
embrace diversity, each and every one of us carries a unique set of talents and perspectives
2) Commit to excellence
drive each other to be at our best
take action to seize opportunities for growth
strive for the cutting-edge
3) Act ethically
Understanding the risks is just as important as understanding the upside
Be transparent, disclose any conflicts of interest or ulterior motivation
Do good, then do well
If these values and our mission resonate with you, I hope you will consider joining us – admission to the group will always be free.
Going forward, most of our content creation efforts will move there. This newsletter will likely move to a once-a-month format where I give an overview of the best topics, research areas, and current events we’ve covered in the Discord.
Some feedback we’ve gotten from current members in the Discord is that the existing layout/organization is a bit confusing/overwhelming – especially for new members. We have heard you and will be taking steps to fix this early in the new year - I hope you will be patient with us as there is a lot to do!
We already have a new layout strategy for the Discord that will include helpful “Start Here” and “How To” type channels to help new users get the support they need, wherever they might be starting. Free content, such as wallet setup, security best-practices, and Defi/NFTs 101 will be unlockable as you engage with the community. We will have a fun, gamified process to unlock this content and earn special roles in the Discord (anyone want to be @MaesteroftheChain?)!
We’ll also start releasing some premium content to the Discord on a regular basis. We will set up “town-hall” channels to facilitate group discussions, fireside chats, and live classes. We’ll bring in industry experts and crypto veterans for exclusive interviews and take questions live from the community. I’ve even heard rumors that an NFT and community DAO structure is in the cards…
All in all, it’s been a great year for crypto/web3, the value being created is clearer and more accessible than ever. Likewise it has been a year of personal growth for me as I iterate on the best way to create and share content in this fast-growing ecosystem. Thank you for coming on this ride with me, I hope you will stick around to see how the Babylon Academy platform evolves. Here’s to a fantastic 2022! :)
Crypto News:
Wyoming Sen. Lummis to Propose New Crypto Regulator, Clear Guidance in 2022 Bill (LEARN MORE)
Child prodigy with 162 IQ wants cryptocurrency for Christmas and gets it (LEARN MORE)
Fashion And The Metaverse: Why Ralph Lauren Wants To Sell You Digital Clothing (LEARN MORE)
Marathon Digital to Expand Hashrate by 600% With Record Purchase of Bitcoin Miners (LEARN MORE)
Have a great week!
Shahar
This newsletter is meant for informational purposes only. It is not meant to serve as financial advice. If you are interested in financial advice, please schedule a personal consultation with me, and be sure to read the accompanying disclaimer.
