It’s been a long couple of years for the world, and you could say the same for those of us involved with crypto. Nothing has been spared from the market turmoil, whether it be NFTs, Web3, Defi, trading, or all the above. How does one stay motivated with all the ups and downs these past few months? Where do we go to exchange ideas, engage, and connect?
Sure, we have Twitter Spaces, Discord groups, Telegram, and some cool DAOs with all the hot alpha that aim to bring us together as a community. But there is still a void. Don’t get me wrong, I have learned so much from these resources and still utilize them. However, the nature of the space tends to lend a sometimes-isolated, remote feeling. I knew I had to add something new to my repertoire. That being in-person crypto events.
It all started earlier this year when I stumbled across ETHDenver, the world’s largest and longest-running ETH event. For my first in-person experience, you could say the bar was set high. It was a more significant event with around 20,000 people attending. The lineup was filled with sponsors, speakers, and opportunities to learn/build. Not to mention all the afterparties, unique NFT artwork, airdrops, POAPs, and much more. After having such a fantastic time, the inspiration I received and was left with thereafter woke something up that reminded me of what I was lacking.
You see, over the past couple of years, I have been left to the devices of talking to friends, family, and anyone who would lend an ear for me in person to talk about crypto. You can imagine how happy they were when I told them I would be getting to nerd out with my brothers and sisters in the space. Perhaps a little reprieve from my constant babbling.
As spring approached and the event was long gone, I would take my morning run down Broadway and go past “The Castle,” where the event was hosted. It was like a ghost town. Nothing was left except the sun-faded posters/stickers slapped up, schilling digital assets, and NFT projects. Ultimately, I was still in the same boat. What do I do to connect and stay motivated in the space?
This longing feeling drove me to look for crypto meetups in my area. The search brought me to find a group called Cryptorado. Cryptorado is a blockchain innovation hub with a community of passionate leaders and active builders of disruptive & disrupted Web3 technologies. There are even more than just traditional meetups at businesses. They also facilitate activities like hiking for instance. It’s a great way to network and has some fun at the same time.
Besides being described as a crypto group, they are a great bunch of people I was lucky enough to find and allow myself to get more entrenched in the space. Having dipped my toes many moons ago, back in 2017, I have seen a thing or two. That doesn’t mean I don’t want a community to learn and grow with continually. One of the most notable takeaways that I have experienced from going to meetups is that everyone attending was so inviting. I am not a dev; I don’t know a lick of code, but I was welcomed with open arms. We are all at different levels, and that is a beautiful thing. Much of what I experienced was expansive and empowering.
Many of us are looking to get into the space, and the wonderful thing is that pretty much everything you can think of will be needed. We all have specific traits, perspectives, and values to bring. I met people who have been in the same field for decades and are just trying to educate themselves on how they can get involved. This space, in short, is new, and with that comes a sense of youthfulness and childlike wonder. It is, of course, something that is to be taken seriously but at the same time can provide us a blank canvas to learn from our biggest failures and our most significant wins.
So, what can you do to find a meet-up near you? One resource is meetup.com
With a quick search, I found Cryptorado and some other exciting groups I need to check out. I feel lucky that I reside in Denver, and there happens to be a sizable community of individuals in the space here. And again, it will be easier in a more extensive municipality. Living in a small town can be challenging as there may not be that many opportunities for local meetups. If that’s the case, I’ll tell you this. Start your meet-up group. Look for businesses that would love to host you; even meeting up at the local library or park is a good start. I don’t know why I was even a bit surprised, but we are out here, and many of us want to build connections.
Either way, some food for thought as you grow on your journey into the space. I know that meeting up with people in my local community has benefited me. Especially when times are tough, it’s even more critical to have community. I’ll leave you with a quote by Napoleon Hill if you need some words of encouragement. “That is one of the tricks of opportunity. It has a sly habit of slipping in by the back door, and often it comes disguised in the form of misfortune, or temporary defeat. Perhaps this is why so many fail to recognize the opportunity.” So, step out of the metaverse occasionally and get out there, educate yourself, connect, have fun and keep on growing. Opportunity awaits.
