OpenSea: ’Cause I Tweet It, and They Payin’ Me for It
As the rapper Petey Pablo once said, “Now I got to give a shoutout to Seagram’s Gin, ’cause I drink it, and they payin’ me for it.” In the early 2000’s a company called Maven Strategies facilitated relationships between rappers and corporations for various forms of brand exposure. This included brand placement in song lyrics. Petey Pablo joined forces with Seagram’s Gin, which turned out to be a big-brained move, since the 2004 hit “Freak-a-Leak” peaked at №7 on Billboard’s Hot 100, and ranked №14 on the chart’s year-end list. I’m not sure how many bottles of Seagram’s Gin Petey Pablo was drinking, but I’m here to tell you there’s nothing greater than being paid to promote something you truly believe in.
On Monday, January 11th, 2021, I started my position with OpenSea as Community Manager. Interviewing over the previous month I felt a rush of various emotions. Having an opportunity to work in the NFT space is something I’ve dreamed of for a long time. The path to where I am today has been interesting, to say the least. If you would like to learn more about my activities in the NFT space over the past few years be sure to check out this interview with the Axie Infinity team, “Player Spotlight: cloudwhite.”
Like many others I’ve met, CryptoKitties was my entry point to the world of NFTs. In fact, that’s where I first met dan_OpenSea. At the time he was working on his KittyHats project, where users could ‘sticker” their CryptoKitties with hats and other accessories. To this day, I still wear this limited edition, custom KittyHats shirt he gifted me.
During my interview with Dan he asked me to tell him something I think is overrated. My response was simple: Money. Now, by no means am I diminishing the importance of fiscal responsibility, and any god above us could tell you this is certainly an area I could improve in. However, money is not the answer to all our problems. Money does not guarantee happiness. Money can, in fact, create problems!
A 2018 study from Purdue University concluded the ideal income for life satisfaction to be $95k, and $60k-$75k for emotional well-being. Experts agree, the ideal income for happiness is around the median income for U.S. residents, which is approximately $63,179. Here’s where it gets interesting, when individuals earn more than $105k their happiness level decreases. Money does not solve all problems. I’m fully aware every salary sited can be considered high for many people in the United States and around the world, which is troublesome in other ways. But it also begs the question, what are people chasing when they’re chasing more money?
I’ve seen many others make life decisions in the pursuit of accumulating money. Is there anything wrong with that? Maybe, maybe not. But I’ve personally never been motivated by it. In today’s workplace millennials are shifting their priorities, which includes where and how we work. In short, millennials view work differently. We want to be passionate about what we’re contributing to society. We want the entities we work for to be positive and responsible themselves. We want purpose in life.
What is “life” to me? Life is about friends, family and community. Life is about finding happiness as often as possible. Life is about taking the day off. Life is about removing your shoes and curling your toes in the sand. Life is caring about your impact on the world, and cultivating the time to execute your vision. The happier you are with your life the more you’re inclined to create a positive impact on others. The less cold you become, the more empathy you can exude. Money cannot buy you the comfort to love yourself, or your place in the world.
Working with OpenSea is a dream job, because it’s not a “job.” It’s a passion, an opportunity to contribute to a space I truly believe in. We are building tomorrow’s tools today to foster the future of creatives across the globe, with the power of blockchain and access to a 24/7 market. We will cultivate a community that feels like home, using authenticity and persistence. Yes, I will be here for technical support with the platform when needed, but I will also be here for other kinds of support. You’re having a bad day? Drop by, we’ll be here. You’re having a good day? Drop by, we can’t wait to hear about it! One person at a time, we will huddle together to discuss and bond over the ideas and constructs we believe in. Not only do I look forward to watching the OpenSea platform release new features over the coming months, but you will continue to see an excellent level of support throughout our various channels. As Community Manager, I am here to support you and your visions for what the NFT space can be.
-cloudwhite☁️
Follow OpenSea on Twitter and Instagram. Engage with our Reddit community. Drop by the OpenSea Discord or Telegram, and chat with other progressive thinkers. I’ll be here, hopefully for many years to come!