Joining the Dripto Team: An Open Letter
My crypto journey began with Coinbase, shortly after moving 2000 miles back home at the start of the COVID-19 global pandemic. I was doing well actually. Made about 4x on my initial investments over a few weeks, until that damn SNL skit took place, putting me back at even (I blame Elon). I was frustrated but eager to learn more.
One day, I stumbled upon an article about a coin that garnered 60,000%+ ROI. Fascinated, I dove headfirst into the world of shitcoins and defi: an entirely new beast. The sheer amount of information needed to succeed was daunting, and at times, overwhelming. I had to learn how to use pancakeswap, Metamask, the difference between ERC, BEP-2/BEP-20, and how to differentiate shitcoins from legitimate projects.
Now, I am a carpenter by profession and a craftsman by nature — a far cry from the tech savvy types that dominate the BSC space. I was buying anything that just launched. BSC projects were the equivalent of scratchoff lottery tickets. No research, no thought, — just bought. From there it was a constant loss of money. I had a few good plays, but nothing worth noting. While constantly being on YouTube trying to find videos of the next BIG one — I eventually found telegram and discovered call channels, including one called Shampoo Lounge. I was checking the channel pretty regularly. Then one day, as I was getting off work I got a notification — a personal invite to an AMA. At the time, I didn’t have a clue what an Ama was but since I was personally invited, I joined and listened. It was a presentation by Cdub and Steezn, back when they were working on their previous project, Ninjadoge.
The first thing I picked up on was their professionalism. It was contagious. These guys were solid and carried themselves with the utmost professionalism. You could tell by how they carried themselves and treated their community that they were genuine. I had already been exposed to so much Fake Trash and scams — listening to them speak was like a breath of fresh air after months of drowning in shitcoins. They always acted in fairness, with no bias or favoritism. Specifically — looking out for the smallest investors as well as the “whales”. The difference between investing in a shitcoin and investing in a REAL TEAM was amazing. I knew I found a team I could trust.
Including the prior project — Ninjadoge — I’ve been following this team for about 10 months now, following Cdub and Steezn into their next project, Dripto.
The past three months approaching launch have felt like some of the longest of my life because of the potential of what they were trying to accomplish. I knew that Dripto was an entirely different caliber and seeing them onboard a 20 deep roster of professionals made me confident that Steez and Cdub were on to something special. I came into the group everyday listening and talking with everyone: from the mods, to new community members, to the core team. I just really enjoyed the atmosphere in the Dripto community. I watched as the team grew and consistently delivered. I was so active because it genuinely felt so much different than any other group I was a part of. Many of the projects I found felt greasy and shady. Not with Dripto. Every move is done for the benefit of the whole not the one. I respected that a lot and it made me comfortable enough to be myself, at all times. I felt a kinship to the Team, Mods, and the Community. I see the passion in their work ethic and execution. I couldn’t help but want to be a part of something so different and extraordinary.
I was constantly just trying to be of any help I could, and that was recognized by Sonny — Dripto’s VP — who wasn’t a part of Ninjadoge and was able to build a real connection after a few weeks of messaging back and forth. One day, we opened up to each other about the rough patches we were going through. Out of the blue, Sonny asked if I was a fan of the Air Jordan 1 — Pollens. A few hours later, he sent a picture of a brand new pair and stated he wanted to gift them to me and asked if I was comfortable hopping on a Google Meets call. He said I didn’t have to turn my camera on but he’d have his on regardless.
I joined the call and eventually turned my camera on. There was a real and immediate sense of trust and family. As if we weren’t complete strangers in a “shady” crypto space, living on completely different sides of the country. We talked for almost 2 hours, discussed everything from shoes to life and our shared trauma; our pasts and our goals for the future; and how we handle our hardships. At the end of the conversation, Sonny had an offer: he spoke to Steez and Chris about bringing me on as a Dripto mod.
When I was offered to become a part of the team I was speechless. To be a part of something so huge in its infancy and be able to offer my skills and input — and having it valued — amazed me. There are so many amazing people within this team from so many different backgrounds.
It made me nervous to begin with if I am being honest but I couldn’t miss this potential opportunity. I am honestly still blown away by being a part of something that will be so huge. I look forward to every time I jump on the TG and hanging out with everyone I have grown to know over these past months, as well as those I have yet to have the chance to meet.
All Love,
Tom
