SGM Rocco Strydom

This week we welcome Dillon Smith and his journey into Web 3 and crypto since 2014, and the evolution and growth of Team Checked, from managing influencers to developing innovative tools for the Web 3 space. Dillon shares valuable insights on building a massive influencer base and transitioning them into the Web 3 environment, highlighting the importance of community building and intellectual property rights in the digital age.

We also delve into the rigorous vetting process Team Checked uses to ensure the credibility and security of their projects. Dillon reflects on his personal experiences managing top influencers, including Cody Orlove, and how they navigate the complexities of Web 3.

Dillon's personal life is equally fascinating. His wife is a famous singer, and together they navigate the worlds of music and social media. Dillon rubs shoulders with industry giants like Jelly Roll and frequently finds himself on business trips to TikTok HQ. Managing creators with over a billion combined following, Dillon ensures he stays at the forefront of the latest trends and developments.

Team Checked
https://teamchecked.com/

We dive into the dynamic world of digital trends and toy innovation with Darran Garnham, the visionary founder and CEO of Toikido. Discover how Toikido disrupts the toy and gaming industries by translating digital culture into captivating physical experiences at lightning speed.

Episode Highlights:

Darran Garnham shares his journey from working with iconic brands like Pokémon and Yu-Gi-Oh to founding Toikido. He discusses the inspiration and strategy behind Toikido’s latest venture, Bad Egg Co., and its embrace of community-driven brand building. Learn how Toikido balances the integration of physical toys and digital gaming, particularly through platforms like Roblox.

We explore Toikido's innovative partnerships, including collaborations with GaryVee’s VeeFriends and the world’s largest web3 marketplace, OpenSea. Garnham also sheds light on future trends in the toy and gaming industries and Toikido’s role in leading these innovations.

Tune in to gain insights on spotting trends, building successful partnerships, and Darran’s rebellious approach to redefining play for the digital age.

Website: https://www.toikido.com/
Darran : https://www.linkedin.com/in/darran-garnham-7018284/

In this episode, we dive deep into the future of gaming, exploring how Balthazar is pioneering the integration of blockchain technology and NFTs into traditional gaming with John Stefanidis, the visionary CEO and Co-founder of Balthazar DAO

About Our Guest:
John Stefanidis is the CEO and Co-founder of Balthazar DAO, a leading platform in the NFT and Web3 gaming space. Under his leadership, Balthazar has secured significant investments from notable backers such as Animoca Brands, and is at the forefront of creating innovative gaming solutions.

Connect
https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-stefanidis-3a6b34114/
https://www.bltzr.gg/

Nick Forster co-founded Lyra, a decentralized finance (DeFi) options protocol. Forster has a background in math and previously worked as an equity options trader at Susquehanna International Group.

Nick Forster
https://www.linkedin.com/in/nick-forster/

Lyra.Finance
https://lyra.finance/

Joseph Cooper, the founder of Earn Alliance, is a veteran game developer with over 20 years of experience.

He started as an engineer but later transitioned into product roles and entrepreneurship, founding five startups. Cooper's journey in the gaming industry led him to discover the potential of web3 gaming, particularly through his experience as a guild leader in games like Axie Infinity.

Earn Alliance, aims to become the ultimate web3 game aggregator. The platform consolidates information from various sources, including tweets, Discord announcements, Twitter Spaces, and podcast interviews, into a user-friendly feed.

Earn Alliance currently provides information on 2,400 games and offers custom videos in a Netflix-style format, making it easier for gamers to discover and explore new web3 games.

Cooper's experience as a guild leader has given him unique insights into the role of guilds in the web3 gaming space. He believes that guilds serve as essential platforms for fostering communities and providing competitive advantages, offering opportunities for individuals with diverse talents to contribute.



Earn Alliance

https://www.earnalliance.com/

Joseph Cooper

https://www.linkedin.com/in/codingcoop/

Ciaran Murray is the CEO and Founder of the Olas Foundation, a non-profit organization that aims to revolutionize the media industry by creating a decentralized publishing protocol powered by blockchain technology. The Olas Foundation was launched in April 2024 with the goal of democratizing access to non-private information and restoring trust in global media.

Murray, an Irish entrepreneur and crypto veteran, has a wealth of experience in the blockchain and Web3 space, having advised numerous projects and released a synthetics assets proof-of-concept last year. He previously worked in the media industry for British Sky Broadcasting, giving him a unique understanding of the issues facing the media industry and how to apply blockchain and other distributed technologies to remedy them.

The Olas protocol introduces a subsidy-based economic model that harnesses new payment technologies to provide an alternative to the subscription and advertising models that are failing to sustain the media sector. It also implements market and reputation-based protocols to incentivize accuracy, integrity, and reliability in the platform's content, creating a highly trustworthy information platform.

The Olas platform will enable payments to contributors in the form of tipping, which will be as easy as liking a post on social media, and is expected to return far more value to journalists and scientists than legacy systems. The information on the Olas database will be freely accessible to all, with review markets deciding the quality and accuracy of information.

Murray holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Sports Studies from the Dublin Institute of Technology. He is passionate about the preservation of high-quality journalism and scientific research, while increasing its availability to the public.

Connect with the guest
  / ciaran-murray-234a6b19