Zack Guzman, founder of Trustless Media and host of Coinage, shares how he’s using Web3 technology to transform the relationship between creators and their audiences through a community ownership model. He shares the inner workings of the Trustless Media model, and explains how their NFT holders aren't just subscribers, but rather co-owners with voting rights on content direction and the ability to receive patronage dividends from the outlet's success.

Key Takeaways: 

• How Coinage helps audiences co-own the media they can consume 

• Ways NFT holders can vote on content direction, guest selection, and other key decisions as part of the DAO structure

• How new types of NFTs and fungible tokens are being used to help influence and show milestones for different media projects

• How breaking down barriers between creators and audiences created the powerful network effects that helped Coinage reach 100,000 YouTube subscribers

• How community members have brought unexpected value, including one member who helped Coinage become a major validator across 40 blockchain networks

Guest Bio: Zack Guzman is the founder of the Web3 media company Trustless Media and host of Coinage, the first award-winning, community-owned outlet controlled by its NFT holders. Founded in 2022, Trustless Media has attracted the backing of Netflix’s co-founder by unlocking a new way for creators to build with their fans; in March, they launched their second community-owned media brand, Best Dish Ever. Guzman is also a former anchor and reporter with Yahoo Finance and CNBC. His work has been featured in Bloomberg, the Wall Street Journal, Entrepreneur, and The Washington Post. In 2023, he won a SABEW award for his mini-documentary on the collapse of the Terra blockchain.

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About this Show:

The Brave Technologist is here to shed light on the opportunities and challenges of emerging tech. To make it digestible, less scary, and more approachable for all!

Join us as we embark on a mission to demystify artificial intelligence, challenge the status quo, and empower everyday people to embrace the digital revolution. Whether you're a tech enthusiast, a curious mind, or an industry professional, this podcast invites you to join the conversation and explore the future of AI together.

The Brave Technologist Podcast is hosted by Luke Mulks, VP Business Operations at Brave Software—makers of the privacy-respecting Brave browser and Search engine, and now powering AI everywhere with the Brave Search API.

Music by: Ari Dvorin

Produced by: Sam Laliberte