Getting to Know the Keep Team: Elizabeth
We continue our ‘Getting to Know the Keep Team’ series with an interview with Content and Community Manager, Elizabeth.
Elizabeth joined Keep part-time at the beginning of 2018 as Community Manager and then we were lucky enough to get her full-time starting in June. She brings a bright and inquisitive personality to the team and community. Please enjoy this interview between Jack Knutson and Eliza Petrovska!
Jack: Hi, Elizabeth! A warm welcome to the team full-time. Can you tell us a little bit about yourself and your background?
Elizabeth: Hello and thank you! Very happy to be with you guys!
I guess I have quite an eclectic background. I am half Russian and half Ukrainian, born and raised in Latvia, a small and very green country on the east coast of the Baltic sea.
I happened to be quite a curious person and find myself genuinely interested in nearly everything.After finishing high school, I had to choose between two subjects to study further: either Psychology or IT.
On one hand, I’ve always found peoples’ minds a very fascinating topic. I was quite a bit into existentialism at that time (I blame Russian Classics) and had an inclination for chatting about various deep subjects and exploring how people function. On the other hand, I was very interested in the cyber world and the whole progress of internet technology, which looked to me like something very promising.
To be honest, at that time I had far too much energy to spend all day sitting in front of the slow PC that I owned, so I chose psychology. While studying in the evenings, I also did some paperwork in a small firm, and a bit of blogging in Russian.
One day I received an invitation from my cousin, who lived in the south of Spain, to come over and help care for my little niece. In contrast with rainy Latvia it definitely seemed like a place to be. While there, I worked part-time at a small restaurant in Gibraltar to help me integrate into the culture better, make friends, and learn some Spanish (which is still my work in progress).
For me, this was a breath of fresh air. I believe sometimes people grow out of the life they lead, but continue to be held back by the expectations of others. I find it very energy-consuming to have to support an outdated image of myself. Breaking free felt fantastic and I figured it was worth re-living. So, after spending just under a year in the sun, I felt like trading the slow-paced “mañana” lifestyle for something more fast-paced.
I decided to move to London. While there, I helped run a hair salon, which we also turned into a cultural and social hub for the local community. Outside of main opening hours we used the space to the maximum. We held different events there like poetry evenings, music gigs, yoga classes, and art evenings. Meanwhile, I learned hairdressing and did some beauty services too. I also got to meet some cool people who had worked with The Beatles, Queen, Rolling Stones, and more. It was all a very positive experience and a good fun.
J: Sounds like it! Can you tell us more of what you’ve been busy with?
There is another thing I am exploring — biohacking and alternative medicine. Specifically-Indian holistic medicine called Ayurveda. This is an ongoing process of the last 10 years where I have self-studied, and also learned from teachers and mentors from different countries. Next year I will be a certified consultant and I hold a herbalist diploma. Meditations, yoga and QiGong are something I am exploring too, and recently I had intensive personal training in Odesa, Ukraine and been on a spiritual retreat in Rishikesh, India. So, quite a mix.
Overall, I strongly believe in successfully combining the best parts of both western and eastern medicine and practices, to find a perfect solution to staying healthy and content. I am exploring and searching to create the best combination. The idea of helping people has my heart.
At one point I felt inspired to create something. So I applied the knowledge I have and established a little candle/aromatherapy/cosmetic oils business. I created some very interesting products and found out I am a pretty decent perfumer. Starting a business from scratch was a new thing and I did it all myself — design, marketing, and creating the products. This was a very valuable experience for me.
J: Are you still living in London?
I absolutely love London, I have spent 6 years there and also have a citizenship now. But hey! How about some sunshine?
When I joined Keep full-time, I had the fantastic opportunity to move to Grand Cayman, Carribean island. I sold most of my things, closed my little business in London (for now!), and am now I’m here in this nice and sunny place, writing this surrounded by palm trees, chickens, and iguanas.
J: So you live on Cayman Island now! What is it like?
E: It is great! Similar to Spain, but warmer winters, the environment is very relaxed and I am really enjoying it. I have finally learned to swim and have obtained a driving license here. I feel I have more time and this is a big advantage over London.
There is a huge problem here with plastic... More education on how to recycle is needed for the island, and I have contacted some organizations to get involved. They also do beach cleanings and I am planning to attend as well as to initiate brochure distributions to the locals. Oh by the way… Here is the petition, (if you don’t mind signing!)
J: Sure! What do you like to do in your spare time there?
E: I try not to forget about my hobbies, but I am highly convinced there are just not enough hours in the day to do everything! My biggest passion is photography. Sometimes I write poetry or paint. My top three sports are cycling, Tai Chi, and yoga. I also tried skateboarding, but did not take it too seriously in order to stay in one piece. I also never miss a chance to get on an airplane for some new adventures and I believe traveling is beneficial for improving the way of one’s thinking.
J: How did you get into crypto/blockchain?
E: My friend, who is a Blockchain developer, introduced me to it last spring. At first I was skeptical that something like this could be widely accepted, but at the same time this looked like a real revolution and I was keen on finding out more.
Corruption and falsified voting campaigns are a big problem and I feel strongly that blockchain could potentially be the solution. Empowering individuals is a very intriguing idea. As I began digging into it, there was so much new information. For someone with a curious mind, it has been heaven. Since then, my life is full of researching and learning, with an endless number of tabs open in my browser every day.
J: You are relatively new to cryptocurrencies and distributed ledger technology. Where do you get your information from?
E: It is important to keep up with the times, as things evolve so quickly in this space. Trying to follow all the world crypto news can be overwhelming. I mostly use Twitter and Medium for staying up-to-date. When I feel like multitasking, YouTube also comes in handy. I also keep my eye on a couple of Russian websites. But normally I can count on learning of highlights from our daily team discussions.
J: We have been getting to know the community recently what are some of the most surprising or interesting things you have found out about them?
E: I am thrilled with the quality of people in the Keep community on Slack. The more conversations I hold the more pleasantly surprised I am at how informed people are about the space and the project. I have also had some interesting surprises like meeting a ballet teacher with a mining farm in a garage, or someone running a legal cannabis remedies business, or a Russian buddhist programmer. I get to talk to people from just about every background you could ever imagine. I also talk to a lot of developers interested in Blockchain possibilities who are craving to change the world. Everyone in our Slack is very supportive and friendly. It is inspiring to have a community so special and intelligent from all over the planet and be united with same idea.
J: What gets you most excited about working with the Keep team?
E: I feel so lucky I get to work on a part of something that is a turning point in technology.
Keep is building on top of something that already works and is being actively used, and I believe it will definitely take off successfully due to a high demand. Privacy just feels like a very natural idea and blockchain technology will most likely have a hard time gaining widespread adoption without this puzzle piece.
I am also grateful it gives me the opportunity to meet many bright minds, both in our team and Keep community.
Our team is remote-first, so that means I get to work with people who are distributed around the world. Remote working is a fantastic new experience. I really believe that it is time the world gradually switches to more of this. With the technology we have now people don’t really have to spend so many hours a week in the same premises without any choice to be flexible. It would make people and their families significantly happier. However, self-discipline is a crucial aspect to success here.
J: There have been several use cases proposed for Keep. Are there any that get you most excited? If so, which?
E: What excites me the most is that Keep has the potential to reshape so many industries that it is hard to pick just one. However, at the moment the financial system requires that we hand over our most personal information, and that is a pretty strange thing to be doing, if you think about it. I personally feel uncomfortable when, let’s say, applying for a credit card or trying to rent a place I am asked to show my bank statements. Keep will make it possible for you to control the information you share with others and hide the private details. I also find the ‘Dead Man Switch’ (DMS) a very cool and useful idea. It will make life so much easier and more organized. With DMS, smart contracts are automatically activated to expose instructions and transfer funds based on a set of rules. The fact that Keep will enable on-chain DMS is incredibly exciting.
The Keep project has countless potential applications and represents a key piece of the blockchain infrastructure. Have a look at the article I wrote on this subject.
J: What’s next for you?
E: Well, since computers are a bit faster now, I am considering giving IT a shot. It would be incredibly interesting and useful for me to grasp the technical aspect of the project better.
I am also thinking of developing more of an online presence, so I will probably make a blog or a video blog about my technical learning process. Possibly calling it “Solidity on the Beach” or something similar :) This whole space I am in excites me and our growth strategist Laura Wallendal has inspired me to try it out!
J: Anything you’d like to add?
E: I believe we are all extremely lucky to witness something of this level of importance. I really hope blockchain will be used for good and we use this fantastic opportunity wisely.
Power to the people! :)
Learn More
For more information about the Keep Network:
- Join us on Reddit.
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- Read our business primer.
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