This is a very special episode of the NFT Stories Podcast for two reasons:

One, this is the first time we’re dropping an episode with NFT creators while there is a drop currently going. That is, if you’re listening on June 21st. And if not, reminder, episodes are every Tuesday.

And two, this is the first time we’re dropping an episode with an NFT project that I actually worked on.

In my previous life, I was a comedian who also happened to get a film degree. This turned out to be my biggest blessing and curse.

It was a blessing because I graduated right at the start of the digital revolution. I didn’t need to travel to film festivals to get 50 people to view my short film. YouTube would host for free and get me hundreds of views. Okay, maybe 50 is about right, but still, no travel.

And it was a curse because I quickly learned my ability to shoot and edit digital video, mostly on MiniDV tapes at the time, meant I would be spending a lot more time behind the camera than in front.

Hence my career in digital media instead of hanging out in Will Ferrell’s entourage.

I stayed tied into the comedy community throughout the years and, along with my friend Jordan Pomaville and Sam Kimbrell, we started thinking about how web3 may be able to re-create the feeling of a comedy club online.

The result: minting every word as a one-of-one NFT, giving each one a funny definition and pronunciation, then using the words in comedic fill-in-the-blank game shows on Twitch to bring the community together, with plenty of funny and weird airdrops along the way.

So let’s dive into the story behind this project Own Every Word, or, if you want to check it out for yourself, go to owneveryword.com.

FOR MORE INFO:

Phil Ranta's Twitter: https://twitter.com/philranta

Podcast Twitter: https://twitter.com/NFTStoriesPod

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCwuexPh0bx-6jXQMRv3iq1g

Copyright 2022 - We Are Verified, LLC

This episode is going to be a bit different. I had the honor of speaking to Mack Flavelle, co-founder of the first explosively popular NFT project CryptoKitties, worked on Top Shot, and worked on Stoner Cats. Unlike our regular episodes that are edited, sans a few pops and clicks, you’re going to hear our full chat from Mack’s side how the modern day NFT industry was born, through his work today with Bighead Club.

Warning: Mack is an exceptionally charming speaker but he does casually swear and, for the first time on this podcast, you’ll hear me swear as well. If that offends you, please skip to the next episode.

So here he is, in his own words ‘The Kitties part of CryptoKitties’ Mack Flavelle.

FOR MORE INFO:

Phil Ranta's Twitter: https://twitter.com/philranta

Podcast Twitter: https://twitter.com/NFTStoriesPod

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCwuexPh0bx-6jXQMRv3iq1g

Copyright 2022 - We Are Verified, LLC

There were loads of easy ways to make money during the dotcom bubble in the 90’s.

Folks were buying up domains with common words, slapping together a few pages on a deck about how they’re going to take ‘x’ industry and move it to the internet, and venture capitalists were screaming, “SHUT UP AND TAKE MY MONEY!”

Financial magazines and newspapers at the time were absolutely effusive about the potential, further inflating already incredible valuations. I can tell you from experience, nothing turns a venture capitalist from a skeptic into an expert like reading one Wall Street Journal article about it.

And what happened? Starting in 1999, many of these companies starting missing their growth projections, some that IPOed had their stock prices plummet, founders with poor business acumen were revealed, and the glory days of ‘free money’ started coming to an end.

But what came out of that boom? Those with strong businesses were able to weather the storm. Amazon went from book seller to juggernaut in the ecommerce business. As did eBay. And Shutterfly. And Priceline. So many names we still rely on today.

And how did this happen?

Simply: they were built to be sustainable businesses.

There are a lot of similarities to web3. Now that we’re seeing our first post-Crypto Winter NFT apocalypse, many projects have had to re-think their roadmap. Money isn’t as free anymore. And speculators are feeling less spendy.

The term ‘rug pull’, meaning an NFT project abandoning their roadmap after their mint, is now being attributed to plenty of projects that likely launched with good intentions.

So how do you as a collector, company, or creator do your best not to fall apart when the crypto market tanks?

MetaAngels NFT has done just that. I got a chance to chat with Alexandra Cavoulacos, CEO and co-founder of MetaAngels. Now this isn’t the kind of project you’re seeing all over the press, but they’ve melded the model of an incubator and a web3 community, backed by business professionals with a background running successful businesses. And Alex had incredible advice to share on how projects that are looking beyond the ‘cash grab’ can approach the market.

As always, this is not financial advice, buy any NFT at your own peril, and don’t gamble with money you aren’t ready to set on fire. Even if it’s digital money.

So let’s go to web3 business school with Alex.

FOR MORE INFO:

Phil Ranta's Twitter: https://twitter.com/philranta

Podcast Twitter: https://twitter.com/NFTStoriesPod

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCwuexPh0bx-6jXQMRv3iq1g

Copyright 2022 - We Are Verified, LLC