BLOCKTALES - Unchained Stories

Sarah Gottwald speaks with Anna Graf. Anna got in touch with one of the first art galleries that used NFTs as a means to give all artists the chance to make a living with their work. Today, she works as a consultant for Bertelsmann to enable new Metaverse and NFT experiences. Anna shares her knowledge in designing unique user experiences and building bridges from the web2 to the web3 world. Sarah and Anna also discuss how important the user experience in web3 is, and Anna shares insights on many related topics.

Chapters:

0:00 Introduction: Who is Anna?

2:06 How would you explain your web3 life to your grandma?

5:22 How did Anna get into the web3 space?

11:00 What areas did Anna explore besides NFTs?

22:12 How can NFTs revolutionize the gaming industry?

27:11 Is the Metaverse still in a bear market?

31:40 What are the next developments for the web3 space and the Metaverse?

36:20 How can Cryptocurrencies help NGOs?

43:41 How can Web3 help to build your reputation?

49:22 Anna’s experience being on stage

53:32 Anna’s Blocktale

Sarah Gottwald speaks with Dajana Eder. Dajana is founder of WOM3N.dao and a consultant and speaker in the web3 space. Her goal is to build diverse spaces, that everyone can express themselves in comfortably. Dajana shares her journey from her first touchpoint with the web3 space when discovering NFTs, to creating her own communities that provide unique value to women in web3. Sarah and Dajana discuss issues that need to change in our space, such as lacking access for women or people being solely money driven. 

Join Sarah and Dajana as they dissect critical issues within the web3 domain, shedding light on the transformative power of creating spaces that celebrate diversity, authenticity, and meaningful expression.

0:00 Introduction: Who is Dajana

3:50 How would you explain your web3 life to your grandma?

13:55 What was Dajana’s first touchpoint with web3?

21:11 What are the hurdles to overcome for women to enter the web3 space?

26:53 How do you find new members for your community?

32:56 How do you negotiate successfully as a woman?

39:00 How do you overcome sexism in the business context?

43:40 Why should people keep their privileges in mind?

Get in touch with Katharina and Sarah:

Katharina's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/katharina-zeuch/

Sarah's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahgottwald/

Giving blockchain technology a lobby?! Welcome to the Blocktale of Philipp Hartmannsgruber!

Philipp is a member of the Blockchain Bundesverband, a German lobbying organization, that wants to foster Blockchain adoption in various areas. He shares his journey into the Bitcoin rabbit hole and gives insights into his motivation to study Bitcoin. Katharina and Philipp discuss the typical questions of anyone new to the blockchain space, and do away with prejudices about Bitcoin: Is it used by criminals? Will people hack it? Is it completely anonymous? 

Philipp then shares his vision of a future with a sound monetary system and his view on hype topics like NFTs and the Metaverse. 

0:00 Introduction: Who is Philipp?

4:25 How did you fall into the Bitcoin rabbit hole?

13:03 What got Philipp hooked to study Bitcoin?

18:06 Is Bitcoin still used by criminals?

21:12 What is the most exciting development in the Bitcoin space?

24:07 What is Philipp’s take on the NFT Hype?

31:11 Does the Metaverse have a future?

35:24 What is a topic that Philipp would like to learn more about?

Get in touch with Katharina and Sarah:

Katharina's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/katharina-zeuch/

Sarah's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahgottwald/

Sarah Gottwald speaks with Mahsa Doorfard. Mahsa works as Sales and Marketing Manager at CoinIX. She shares her journey and experiences as a woman in the blockchain space. How do you effectively build communities and spaces to meet other ambitious women and form networks? Mahsa and Sarah also discuss the best tools and strategies for outreach in the web3 space and building your personal brand. Which platforms should you use to reach your target audience? Finally, Mahsa gives valuable insights into the startup space from a VCs perspective. 

0:00 Introduction: Who is Mahsa

6:12 How did Mahsa’s Blockchain journey start?

9:08 Why did Mahsa chose to work as a Marketing Manager at CoinIX?

13:53 What are the best marketing tools for web3?

17:50 What is the current outlook on the market?

20:42 How do you work together with startups as a marketing manager?

24:49 What is the sentiment in the web3 startup space right now?

27:51 Once upon a time: Mahsa’s Blocktale

Bridget is an award-winning founder and gender equity advocate. She founded The Bigger Pie in 2019, an organization supporting exceptional women in fintech & web3. In 2022, along with Dr Amber Ghaddar, they launched The 200Bn Club to combat the lack of funding for female and underrepresented founders and she is also listed at Women In FinTech Powerlist Standout45. Bridget shared with Sarah her journey down the rabbit hole and explained why gender equity holds significant importance for her. Merely discussing problems isn't sufficient; taking action is crucial. As an illustration, women face greater challenges in securing funding from venture capitalists (VCs) due to receiving prevention-focused questions, while men receive promotion-focused questions. Bridget endeavors to support women through various means and has even begun utilizing AI to amplify her efforts. 0:00 Introduction: Who is Bridget? 5:51 How did Bridget get her first job in the Blockchain space? 11:10 How can women join and become part of “The Bigger Pie”? 16:35 Is it harder for women to transition into the VC / Startup Space? 23:48 What is the 200 Billion Club, and how can people join? 29:15 How do you help Startup Founders efficiently? 34:20 What is Bridget's advice to all women who are building products? Get in touch with Katharina Zeuch and Sarah Gottwald: Katharina's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/katharina-zeuch/ Sarah's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahgottwald/

Who decides how the economy of the future will look like? Max is one of them - he designs tokenomics! Katharina Zeuch speaks with Maximilian Gutsche, a tokenomics designer and Web3 enthusiast. He explains that the key to creating good tokenomics is designing a system that sets the right incentives and rewards for users. Katharina and Max discuss his views on Bitcoin and why it might not be a good platform to build on. He then shares his best practices on how to evaluate a token and gives some easy to follow rules to identify projects that actually add value for the users. To wrap it up, they both share their founders journey and give an outlook on the ecosystem. 0:00 Introduction: Who is Maximilian? 4:03 How did you get into the ecosystem? 10:52 What is Maximilian’s take on Bitcoin? 17:21 What makes you believe in blockchain technology? 22:50 How do you start as a newbie? 32:40 Max’s Blocktale: Once upon a time… Get in touch with Katharina and Sarah: Katharina's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/katharina-zeuch/ Sarah's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahgottwald/

We decided to take a few weeks summer break before starting with season 2 of BLOCKTALES - Unchained Stories. Stay tuned! 🚀🎧

We'll be back at July 5, 2023 ✨

Crypto, Marketing, Consulting - how can one combine all three successfully? Find the answer in the Blocktale of Emily Rose Dallara!

Emily has been active in the crypto space from the very beginning. She shares her story of advising startups and helping exchanges around the world to improve their efficiency. How does she deal with all the ups and downs that the crypto rollercoaster had to offer? Emily put a special focus on advising women in the web2 and web3 space and gives some valuable insights on her coaching practice. With Sarah she talks about her role as leadership advisor, mindset coach and co-founder of multiple Web3 related startups, and shares some easily applicable mental health boosters.

0:00 Introduction: Who is Emily?

4:19 How did Emily get involved in the crypto space?

10:02 What is it like to be a consultant in the Crypto Space?

16:45 Why did Sarah decide for a career in web3?

19:13 How to adjust your mental model to overcome difficult times?

26:48 What does a coaching session usually focus on?

Get in touch with Katharina and Sarah:

Katharina's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/katharina-zeuch/

Sarah's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahgottwald/

Web3 has many facets, and Max is eager to explore them. Welcome to the Blocktale of Maximilian Bruckner!

Katharina talks with Max, Head of Sales at 21e6 Capital, about the differences between the web3 space in Berlin and Frankfurt and how to break out of the crypto bubble. Max is sharing insights into his career path and how he got involved in the institutional crypto space. The discussion evolves around the future of the metaverse and how AI can transform the way we code software.

Chapters:

0:00 Introduction: Who is Maximilian?

2:21 How would you explain your Web3 everyday life to your grandma?

5:33 Do people with a financial background have a different mindset when it comes to web3?

10:00 Is it dangerous to stay in the web3 bubble?

14:06 What was Max’s original goal in life?

18:12 Why does Max believe in the metaverse?

26:04 What is a skill that Max would like to master?

28:59 Is building apps with AI the new coding?

30:03 Once upon a time: This is Max’s Blocktale

Get in touch with Katharina Zeuch and Sarah Gottwald:

Katharina's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/katharina-zeuch/

Sarah's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahgottwald/

Véronique holds the position of VP Group Compliance at Bitpanda & Managing Director of the German subsidiary Bitpanda Asset Management GmbH. Bitpanda is a platform that offers a wide range of assets beyond cryptocurrencies. Bitpanda is fully regulated, which is a rarity in Europe, and allows users to invest even small amounts of money.

During the conversation with Sarah, Véronique discussed the challenges of maintaining regulatory compliance, both within and outside the company. However, she also emphasized the benefits that regulation brings to customers. We also talked about topics such as diversity and liability. It was interesting to note that some people still perceive the space as anonymous, despite the fact that transactions can be traced indefinitely and the technology for doing so is constantly improving.

Chapters:

0:00 Introduction: Who is Veronique?

1:18 How would you explain your Web3 everyday life to your grandma?

7:03 What does it mean to work in a fully regulated crypto exchange?

13:10 What kinds of digital assets does Bitpanda offer?

19:02 What are the challenges when it comes to compliance?

27:01 What are Veronique’s experiences when it comes to diversity in the crypto space?

35:16 Once upon a time: Veronique’s Blocktale

Get in touch with Katharina Zeuch and Sarah Gottwald:

Katharina's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/katharina-zeuch/

Sarah's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahgottwald/

Founding a Startup is a challenge that is better handled by a founding team instead of a single founder. In this episode of Blocktales, Katharina and Sarah dive into this topic and fact check this statement!

Every founder asks herself this question when they begin their startup journey: Do I need a co-founder? In this episode of Blocktales, Sarah and Katharina are exploring the pros and cons of having co-founders. Katharina shares her personal experiences as a solopreneur when it comes to founding, while Sarah is adding the perspective of a venture capital investor. Is it generally easier to raise money, when you have a larger founding team? 

Chapters:

0:11 Introduction: What is the topic of today’s episode?

1:41 Why is co-founding like a marriage?

4:58 When is it appropriate to found as a team?

10:53 What are the advantages of having a co-founder?

17:50 Why is defining clear roles in the beginning so important?

21:35 What to look for in a good co-founder?

26:32 What's the failure rate of teams vs solo founder?

32:05 Once upon a time: a Blocktale

Get in touch with Katharina Zeuch and Sarah Gottwald: Katharina's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/katharina-zeuch/ Sarah's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahgottwald/

Björn tumbled down the rabbit hole of blockchain several years ago and found himself captivated by everything related to NFTs. As the co-founder of Non Fungible Bavarians, he's committed to building an amazing community in Munich and firmly believes in the transformative power of this technology.
Björn and Sarah talked about the fascinating world of Web3 in Munich and Germany, taking into account the current market situation. Björn also shared a personal story of how he fell victim to a scam, despite his vast experience, and offered valuable tips on how to avoid similar situations in the future.

Chapter:

0:11 Introduction: Who is Björn?

4:00 How did Björn get into the Blockchain space?

11:46 How do you build a community in the NFT space?

14:36 What is Björn’s view on the German Web3 space in general?

21:45 Should every company leverage the power of NFTs?

27:08 How do you transition your community from Web2 to Web3?

35:50 Once upon a time: Björn’s Blocktale!

Get in touch with Katharina Zeuch and Sarah Gottwald: Katharina's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/katharina-zeuch/ Sarah's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahgottwald/

An engineer who discovered Bitcoin and started building software to challenge the banking system. This is the Blocktale of Oliver Schantin!

Oliver is passionate about building software, that brings the blockchain technology one step closer to mass adoption. He fell into the Bitcoin rabbit hole back in 2016 and adjusted his career path to be able to work in the blockchain space. Today, he is Co-Founder and CEO of basenode.io - a crypto invoicing and accounting platform. Not only that, but he talks about improving the way banks work and shares his view on disruptive technologies and what is holding them back.

Chapter:

0:11 Introduction: Who is Oliver?

5:49 Why do many people think Bitcoin is a scam?

10:50 How to solve the blockchain trilemma?

17:14 What is founding in Germany like?

26:30 How does disruption work?

31:35 What's a topic, that Oliver wants to know more about?

Get in touch with Katharina Zeuch and Sarah Gottwald:

Katharina's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/katharina-zeuch/

Sarah's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahgottwald/

Kathrin works as a community manager at Holoride and is a co-founder of NO MORE, a non-profit organization dedicated to ending sexualized violence. Sarah and Kathrin connected through DLT Talents, and Sarah was eager to learn more about Kathrin's story, which, although not a pleasant one, offers valuable insights.
Kathrin was targeted by a community member who initially criticized her alleged incompetence, but the attacks soon became increasingly personal and escalated to violent sexual assaults and insults. In this episode, we discuss how Kathrin coped with the situation, what changes she underwent, and how she managed to escape the situation.

Finding the middle ground between CBDCs and the Bitcoin mindset. This is the Blocktale of Sarah Palurovic!

Sarah works for the Digital Euro Association, is an expert when it comes to CBDCs (Central Bank Digital Currencies) and their design. She works closely with regulators to advance digital central bank money. On the other hand, she discovered Bitcoin several years ago and is fascinated by the idea of a free monetary network. How can these seemingly incompatible views be combined, and is there a common ground to be found?

Sarah and Katharina discuss this LIVE at the Crypto Assets Conference 2023A in Frankfurt.

0:11 Introduction: Who is Sarah?

2:49 Why did you orange pill your grandparents while working on CBDCs?

8:50 How did Sarah start her crypto career?

13:52 What is Sarah's vision of the future of Web3?

24:33 Why do conferences play a big role in the Crypto Space?

28:25 What's a topic, that Sarah wants to know more about?

Get in touch with Katharina Zeuch and Sarah Gottwald: Katharina's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/katharina-zeuch/ Sarah's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahgottwald/

A mathematician and game theorist, who discovered the Bitcoin rabbit hole. This is the Blocktale of Nicole Nowak!

Nicole explains, how she got into Bitcoin and what it was like to discover this disruptive technology bit by bit. Nicole and Katharina talk about the gender gap in the Bitcoin space and the benefits of being your own bank, both from the practical and philosophical side.

Nicole's projects can be found here: Les Femmes Orange, https://www.lesfemmesorange.work; terahash.space, https://terahash.space

0:25 Introduction: Who is Nicole?

3:21 How would you explain your every day working life to your grandma?

10:24 What is a working Bitcoiner?

17:40 Why do you believe in the Idea behind Bitcoin?

23:00 Why are some people scared of Bitcoin?

28:07 Should there be more women in the Bitcoin space?

36:41 Wrap up and conclusion

Get in touch with Katharina and Sarah:

Katharina's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/katharina-zeuch/

Sarah's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahgottwald/

Roy was introduced to the realm of blockchain technology in 2016 through a friend who informed him about a project that would now be recognized as part of the ReFi space.

In the episode, Roy and Sarah delved into the challenges faced by the E-commerce industry. They highlighted how, despite the ability to sell goods directly to consumers, third-party intermediaries still control most of the communication channels, effectively acting as gatekeepers to customers. With their company "Decommerce", they create the infrastructure that allows companies to connect directly with their customers, establish their own community, free from intermediaries, and help brands onboard their consumers to web3. Their ultimate goal is to promote fairness in commerce and empower creators by giving them control over their creations and enabling them to be compensated for the value that they bring.

 Ivan Maltsev began investing in crypto currencies in 2016, but back then, he was working as a lawyer and had no understanding of the markets. He decided to study and quit his job. Right now Ivan is a General Partner at 3x Capital and helps other people to understand the markets.

Sarah and Ivan had discussed the blockchain community in Ukraine, which is considered one of the strongest in the world. Especially because of the ongoing conflict, the community has grown stronger, and many donations are now made through blockchain. Additionally, Ivan's company provides an educational program on venture capital, making it easier for people to enter the space.

An NFT artist who lived without a smartphone until 2019? That's the story of Rebekka Revel, co-founder of NFT Club Berlin and NFT artist.

Rebekka transitioned successfully from being a traditional artist to being a twitch streamer and then into the tech and NFT art space. She explains how she was living a life without a smartphone and internet at home just a few years ago and then discovered the Web3 space, which opened up a whole new world for her.

Katharina and Rebekka take a look at the potential of NFT art in different contexts and Rebekka explains what needs to change for broad scale adoption to take place.

Nadine has entered the web3 space in 2021. Her topic of choice within the ecosystem: Regenerative Finance. Following her interests, she co-founded the startup Particula.

Nadine and Sarah are recording this episode in real life at the European Blockchain Convention. They talk about Nadine's journey into web3, the importance of early-stage outreach and marketing activities for startups, and their impressions from the conference.

Victoria first became familiar with blockchain in 2016, when a friend introduced her to the technology. She started learning and running down the rabbit hole before investing. The question you can ask yourself is: “Are you in for the technology, the money or the philosophy?”

Victoria Gago and Sarah Gottwald discuss the significance of taking calculated risks, including with time, money, and relationships, as these are where opportunities arise. Over time, these opportunities may become numerous.

Victoria is and was always the person convincing others to do certain things. Many people around her started investing as well and she used her skill to persuade her co-founder Daniel to start the European Blockchain Convention in 2018. The first year attracted 500 attendees, and now the event is expected to bring in approximately 2500 participants from February 15th to 18th.

Maria always had a passion for investing. Unsurprisingly, then her career started in the financial services industry, where she heard of blockchain technology first. Today, Maria is a blockchain founder, running her startup EkoLance to prepare more people for jobs in the crypto ecosystem.

Maria and Katharina talk about the reason why Maria decided to become a content creator, and how she trusts Bitcoin as a store of value without knowing the team. Anyone who wants to know how Maria manages not only being an entrepreneur and a content creator, but also being a mother of a two-year-old, should give this episode a listen.

Julia had the entrepreneurial urge to start her own venture and blockchain popped up again and again. Despite considering co-founding a company in web3, she ultimately decided to found her own company in an area where she has even more expertise: Investor Relations. But she became an angel investor in Web3.

For her it is important to have an understanding of the technology, attending events, and building a network in the community.

Julia and Sarah talked about the web3 ecosystem allowing for greater ownership and control over one's own content. Anyone interested in being at the cutting edge of technology should make an effort to understand blockchain "It's a matter of priority and focus".

Doing the same repetitive thing every day - exactly what Toni does NOT want.  

Before becoming a crypto journalist, Toni Lukic has been a tax consultant. Today, he is editor-in-chief, built a community in Berlin, and is well known in the German web3 space. His days are not filled with repetitive tasks anymore, but rather with new projects, topics, and discussions.

Katharina talks with Toni about the role of decentralization, how he fell into the rabbit hole, and how he helps others today as a mentor at the DeFi Talents program.

Getting into web3 without meeting the ecosystem in person?

Totally! Alexandra Overgaag initially entered the web3 space completely remotely. Today, she is an active part of the web3 community. Her approach: always looking from a conceptual point of view. With this, she is now an author for Cointelegraph, launched her own newsletter, and founded her own startup.

Sarah and Katharina talked with Alexandra about her perception of being a woman in web3, her journey until finally meeting the community in person, the rise of artificial intelligence, and more.

Traveling 22,500km in just 2 weeks?! 

This may seem like a daunting task, but for Sunny, it's all about personal growth and challenge. Sunny has a keen interest in understanding blockchain technology as she has a bachelor in computer science. In order to dive deeper into this subject, she decided (only back in 2021) to create her own NFT collection, using the opportunity to learn through hands-on experience.  Hackathons are a great way for her to learn and practice in an intensive way. She finds that the process of going through all the steps of a project is incredibly rewarding, and the motivation to learn is what drives her to participate. According to Sunny, hackathons can't be described - they have to be experienced in order to fully understand their value. She did it four times in 2022.  

For her, the best way to learn is to teach, and she believes that taking on responsibility and having to perform is the key to truly understanding a subject.

Gaming, Self-Custody and Crypto Girls - Where do these meet?

It's the story of Zoe Faircloth. With Crypto Girls Club Berlin, Zoe builds a space for community, that she herself hopes will not be needed anymore in the future. Why? Because she hopes for crypto to evolve into an equality-based ecosystem. Sounds familiar? Yes, Satoshi Nakamoto built Bitcoin and did not expect to live until the last Bitcoin will be mined. Katharina and Zoe talk about her journey from a history student to a crypto marketer, how not to loose your crypto and what might be relevant topics for 2023.

Why another blockchain podcast? 

Many podcasts focus on companies and their products which is important to understand the technology but BLOCKTALES will focus on the people behind. We are convinced that each person who is working in the blockchain space has interesting and very valuable stories to tell and its absolutely worth learning from them. So, let’s get that started. Katharina and Sarah talk about their own personal stories and how they got into the blockchain ecosystem. Why they believe in the technology and wether it matters to be a woman.

Get connected!
Sarah: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahgottwald/
Katharina: https://www.linkedin.com/in/katharina-zeuch/