Creators of Web3

By Eric Siu and Wil LeeBusiness Investing

Creators of Web3 episodes

October 12, 20227 Boneheaded Mistakes That We Made Launching Our NFT Projects
Launching an NFT project is no easy feat, and there are many potential pitfalls along the way. That’s why, during today’s episode, we’re giving you the opportunity to learn from our mistakes! Tune in to hear our thoughts on choosing a market to launch into, investing in security, and going along with the meta. We also discuss what happens when you fail to fully buy into your vision from the beginning, and why having too many offers can be a point of confusion, rather than an easier sell. Finally, you’ll learn why we’ve come to value communication so highly, and why ultimately in a startup environment, timing is everything. Thanks for joining us!
TIME-STAMPED SHOW NOTES:
[00:09] Why launching into a bear market during a poor macro environment was a terrible idea.

[00:30] What happens when you fail to invest in security right from the get-go?

[00:58] How going against the meta jeopardizes initial access to seed funding.

[01:27] The perils of failing to own the vision from the get-go.

[02:14] Why having too many offers can be a mistake that confuses customers.

[02:56] Stepping up your communication to the highest tier for a messaging-sensitive market.

[03:40] What it means to replace ‘ready, aim, fire’ with ‘ready, fire, aim’!
Tweetables:
“My whole thesis about NFT is that it’s not a product in itself, it helps elevate the product.” — @wilxlee [0:01:37]
“There’s so much noise in the marketplace, so many projects, and if you make your systems too complex, then people just zone out.” — @wilxlee [0:02:42]
“A lot of the time when it comes to startup success, timing is the number one factor that causes businesses to fail. It’s that important.” — @ericosiu [0:04:10]
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
Wilson Lee on Twitter
Wilson Lee on Instagram
Eric Siu on Twitter
Eric Siu on Instagram
The Littles
Leveling Up
Leveling Up Heroes
Growth Everywhere
Single Grain
5 min
October 10, 2022How Long Should You Wait To Be Profitable for Your NFT Project?
The halcyon days of making a substantial amount of money from NFTs in the short term (and then being able to disappear) are largely behind us. As this industry continues to establish itself, it is becoming increasingly important to continually evolve your project and ensure that it is sustainable. In today’s conversation, we take a look at how the short-term and long-term profitability of NFTs have shifted, how this has affected our projects, and what we expect to see in the future. To learn more about how the world of NFTs is developing and how to evaluate your future profitability, make sure you tune in today!
TIME-STAMPED SHOW NOTES:
[00:00] How the short-term and long-term profitability of NFTs have shifted.

[00:33] Why the question of your profitability timeline is dependent on the goal of your project and your business model.

[00:53] The Littles as an Intellectual Property brand and how it affects long-term profitability.

[02:16] Some of the profitability challenges that you face as a SaaS product.

[04:56] That’s it for today! Don’t forget to rate, review, and subscribe to this podcast!
Tweetables:
“For The Littles, it's very different because we are creating an IP brand. You're not going to be able to touch people's hearts without having the right foundations. For us, we're laying the foundation by creating animation and that's a long-term investment.” — @willxlee [0:00:38]
“When I'm looking at an IP brand, it's really about laying the foundations.” — @willxlee [0:01:22]
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
Wilson Lee on Twitter
Wilson Lee on Instagram
Eric Siu on Twitter
Eric Siu on Instagram
The Littles
Leveling Up
Leveling Up Heroes
Growth Everywhere
Single Grain
6 min
October 06, 2022Should You Raise Money for Your NFT Project?
Many entrepreneurs mistakenly believe that venture capitalists base their choices on founders, projects, and ideas. In reality, they’re more likely to make their decisions based on whether they feel that it’s an industry they should be investing in. Tune in as we discuss how investors approach companies and founders, what we’ve observed in our industry, and how to determine whether or not you should raise money for your project. We also delve into different case studies and evaluate where our own projects, like The Littles and Leveling Up Heroes, stand in the greater scheme of things. For all this, and much more, make sure you tune in today!
TIME-STAMPED SHOW NOTES:
[00:00] An overview of some of the money that other projects have raised.

[01:16] Why Will feels like they are finally close to raising capital for The Littles.

[02:00] Why you need to be in the right industry to raise capital from venture capitalists.

[03:07] How to ensure that you are delivering the best experience for your community.

[03:34] Why finding the right venture capital partner is so important.

[04:14] Will’s investment goals for The Littles.

[04:24] Why you should let the market determine valuation.

[05:31] An overview of how venture capital dynamics work.

[06:51] Some of the reasons why you may not want to seek funding.

[08:02] Why you should be selective when it comes to who you put on your board of directors.

[10:38] How to be clear on why you are raising money.

[10:54] That’s it for today! Don’t forget to rate, review, and subscribe to this podcast!
Tweetables:
“It’s the first time in my career where I feel like we are close to being able to raise capital with The Littles, because we have a proven model, we have a great community, and I've been learning a lot more about it. It seems that this industry itself is primed for investment.” — @willxlee [0:01:43]
“I've learned from a top VC not to talk about valuation. It's really about the market. The market dictates valuation.” — @willxlee [0:04:25]
“They're looking for moonshots. They want things that could have multibillion-dollar outcomes.” — @ericosiu [0:05:46]
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
Moonbirds
Yuga Labs
Andreessen Horowitz
Wilson Lee on Twitter
Wilson Lee on Instagram
Eric Siu on Twitter
Eric Siu on Instagram
The Littles
Leveling Up
Leveling Up Heroes
Growth Everywhere
Single Grain
11 min
October 04, 2022Eric Minted Out 12,345 NFTs in 19 Minutes. Here's How.
The NFT market has been pretty tumultuous of late. With this in mind, Eric concluded that he needed to take a novel approach if he wanted to create a robust foundation for his latest NFT launch. Tuning in, you’ll hear Eric break down how he minted 12,345 NFTs in 19 minutes and how he deployed his execution strategy. Learn how Eric formed strong relationships in the Web3 community, its contribution to his latest launch, and the important role that collaboration played in the build-up to the event. We also discuss Eric’s business model, what it means to create education-focused NFTs, and why they are opting for a gradual growth model. Join us as we discuss the details of this latest launch and how to build community!
TIME-STAMPED SHOW NOTES:
[00:00] An overview of how Eric laid the foundation for his latest NFT launch.

[00:20] Why Eric decided to increase the amount of NFTs they would be minting.

[00:55] How Eric used collaboration and free minting.

[01:19] The role that Eric’s allowlist played in their process.

[01:33] How they implemented the PREMINT tool for their launch.

[01:49] The rapid pace at which Eric’s NFTs were minted and sold.

[02:56] Insights into Eric’s business model and why he organized this launch.

[03:58] Why Eric is taking a gradual approach to growth.

[04:31] The importance of building community.

[05:42] How to be creative with your offerings.

[06:52] Understanding the value of interfacing with members of your community.

[09:23] That’s it for today! Don’t forget to rate, review, and subscribe to this podcast!
Tweetables:
“What we did leading up to it was we pushed really hard on collaborations and partnerships.” — @ericosiu [0:01:00]
“What's really cool and unique about you, Eric, is the fact that you have zero incentive to do a cash grab because this is not going to make you money in the short term. It's a testament to your conviction because, in order for this to work, you need to invest a lot of time and energy.” — @willxlee [0:04:31]
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
PREMINT
Vee Friends
Wilson Lee on Twitter
Wilson Lee on Instagram
Eric Siu on Twitter
Eric Siu on Instagram
The Littles
Leveling Up
Leveling Up Heroes
Growth Everywhere
Single Grain
10 min
September 29, 2022How We’re Thinking About Our Business Models For Our Projects
Thinking about our business model is important because it determines how we are going to make money from each of our projects. Tune in as Will shares the three pillars that support his business plan for the Littles, and how they are unfolding in reality. We touch on where Will believes the best cases for gaming can be found, and the surprising place where the majority of revenue is generated for top IP brands. Hear us talk about the role of merch, what investors want to see, and how positive feedback has validated the vision that Will has for the Littles. Press play to hear all this and more today.
TIME-STAMPED SHOW NOTES:
[00:26] What we mean by a business model: how your company is going to make money.

[01:09] What Will considers the biggest flaw in the NFT space right now.

[01:34] The three big pillars that the Littles’ business model is built on: animation, gaming, and merch.

[01:51] How these three pillars stack on top of each other.

[02:28] The surprising place where the majority of revenue is generated for top IP brands.

[03:09] Why Will believes that the best use cases in the world of NFTs are within gaming.

[03:28] How merch facilitates brand building.

[04:08] The educational aspect of Leveling Up Heroes and what is behind the book.

[05:02] What motivates dropping new characters into each gaming world.

[05:58] What you need to do to bring in monthly recurring revenue.

[06:32] What investors want to see.

[07:45] How positive feedback has validated their vision.

[08:38] Why merch is much more than just a logo on a shirt.
Tweetables:
“A business model is important because if you don’t have one, you don’t know how you’re going to be able to sustain paying for salaries and all the cool stuff you’re going to do.” — @ericsui [0:00:52]
“Over 80% of the revenue generated by the top IP brands, Hello Kitty, Star Wars, Pokemon, is generated from merch.” — @willxlee [0:02:28]
“In order to bring monthly recurring revenue, you have to bring monthly recurring value.” — @ericsui [0:05:54]
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
Wilson Lee on Twitter
Wilson Lee on Instagram
Eric Siu on Twitter
Eric Siu on Instagram
The Littles
Leveling Up
Leveling Up Heroes
Growth Everywhere
Single Grain
10 min
September 27, 2022The MV3 Universe, Web3, and NFTs with Metav3rse Founder, Roberto Nickson
There is a new, fantastical universe to look forward to; a first of its kind! The MV3 Universe is the first ever film franchise birthed from an NFT collection, and today, we are joined by one of its co-founders, Roberto Nickson. Roberto is also the brains behind Metav3rse, and in our conversation, he gives us an account of what his life was like before he ventured into Web3. We speak about Ethereum as a ground-breaker, a passionate crusade against Web3 scammers, and the scandal surrounding the Instagram page @NFT, as well as choosing integrity over riches. Roberto has been at the forefront of building incredible online communities and, through a deep dive of MV3 and Metav3rse’s company structures, we get to see how he managed to achieve this. You’ll also learn about the liberation of AI, Roberto’s thesis behind IP franchises, the connection between blockchain and ownership, plus so much more! To find out why venture capital is crucial in the world of tech and why understanding human insecurity is a superpower, tune in today.
TIME-STAMPED SHOW NOTES:
[00:00] Introducing Metav3rse Founder and MV3 Universe Cofounder, Roberto Nickson.

[01:05] Roberto’s life before Web3.

[02:08] When Roberto first heard about Web3 and his fascination with Ethereum.

[03:23] Falling in love with the NFT community and crusading against online scammers.

[04:48] A breakdown of Roberto’s decision to transition into Web3.

[06:49] The scandal of @NFT.

[08:23] How Roberto left millions on the table to do things the right way at Metav3rse.

[09:33] Metav3rse’s business model.

[11:07] Metav3rse’s one-person company structure as a model for success.

[11:34] MV3’s company structure as a more realistic template.

[12:16] What the MV3 Universe is and the thesis behind IP franchises.

[13:43] Debating the liberation of AI.

[15:13] Check out the MV3 Universe trailer and DOXXEDtv YouTube page in the links below!

[15:57] Discussing the blockchain and ownership.

[17:10] Why artists must create something of substance for NFT collectors to find value in it.

[17:29] How seeking venture capital (VC) is a good way to ensure higher-quality projects.

[17:55] The real problem with VC: intent.

[18:50] Why VC money is necessary in the hyper-competitive world of tech.

[20:35] Tips for fostering a great community.

[21:10] Why your community cannot be bought; it has to be built organically.

[21:42] How Roberto stays positive amidst all the negativity in his various communities.

[22:48] A deeper understanding of human insecurity as an underrated superpower.

[24:07] What the future holds for MV3.

[26:22] That’s it for today! Don’t forget to rate, review, and subscribe to this podcast!
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
The MV3 Universe
MV3 Discord Chat
The Littles
Eric Siu on Twitter
Leveling Up Heroes
Single Grain
Leveling Up
27 min
September 22, 2022Will’s Vision with DreamSpace
Our very own Will has created the Littles, which promises to become the Mario of Web3. During today’s episode, he introduces us to three pillars that facilitate real utility within the crypto space, which have been built into the game. Hear why they have decided to focus on their core community first, before advertising beyond it, and why he doesn’t consider the game’s main aim to be monetization. Hear about how the platform can become an easy onramp for Web 2 companies, why DreamSpace provides a different way to think about utility, and more when you tune in today. Thanks for listening!
TIME-STAMPED SHOW NOTES:
[00:10] How Will is executing his vision of creating the Mario of Web3.

[00:40] What DreamSpace is: a resource hub for our community.

[01:41] Three pillars that they focus on and how they provide real utility within the crypto space.

[02:21] Eric’s sponsorship of his business building course.

[03:13] The decision to focus on their core community first, before advertising beyond it.

[04:02] Why it is not for monetization but is rather a resource hub.

[04:54] How the platform can become an easy onramp for Web 2 companies.

[05:25] Why DreamSpace provides a different way to think about what utility is.

[05:44] An invitation to listeners to reach out with any resources they may have.
Tweetables:
“Our brand becomes a very easy onramp for people to access a legitimate family-friendly brand, so why not sponsor the Littles? Give them some freebies in order for us to send some goodwill to more than 5000 people.” — @willxlee [0:04:25]
“DreamSpace is a different way of thinking about what utility is, which seems cliched, but truly, this is a utility play.” — @ericsui [0:05:22]
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
Wilson Lee on Twitter
Wilson Lee on Instagram
Eric Siu on Twitter
Eric Siu on Instagram
The Littles
Leveling Up
Leveling Up Heroes
Growth Everywhere
Single Grain
7 min
September 20, 2022The Mario of Web3 with Wil Lee
Today we have our very own Wil Lee in the hot seat to answer questions about the Mario of Web3, The Littles. In this episode, Wil explains what The Littles is, what inspired it, and what it’s evolved into, shedding light on some of the project’s upcoming endeavors. We get insight into how The Littles procured impressive partnerships with the likes of Cool Cats and Time, and why they’ve chosen to launch a 1-Up arcade experience. Tune in to hear all about The Littles’ goals and marketing strategies, from high-quality merch to raising capital, and more!
TIME-STAMPED SHOW NOTES:
[00:42] The Littles’ upcoming NFT launch.

[01:07] What The Littles is, what inspired it, and what it’s evolved into.

[01:43] What it means to be “the Mario of Web3”.

[02:34] The Littles’ current value.

[03:03] The team structure of The Littles.

[04:23] How generative art differs from traditional art.

[04:57] What The Littles gained from their various partnerships.

[07:19] How they procured their partnerships.

[08:05] How The Littles landed Cool Cats as their official partner.

[09:23] What Cool Cats gains from their partnership with The Littles.

[10:16] How The Littles’ Time partnership is structured.

[12:29] The goal of The Littles’ upcoming 1-Up arcade experience.

[14:52] A glimpse inside the arcade.

[16:01] The Littles’ upcoming Mint.

[18:15] The marketing strategy behind the 1-Up arcade experience.

[18:47] How The Littles use merch as a marketing tool.

[21:29] How to approach the topic of users and revenue with investors.

[23:46] The Littles’ current approach to raising capital.

[24:50] Why raising capital often has negative connotations.
Tweetables:
“We have evolved into being the Mario of Web3.” — @wilxlee [0:01:32]
“When it comes down to generative art, it’s a very different trade than normal artists.” — @wilxlee [0:04:23]
“The entire process of us pitching to [partners] was not about what they can do for us, it was really about what we can do for them, their ecosystem, and how much work they need to put it. It became an irresistible offer for them.” — @wilxlee [0:07:37]

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
Wilson Lee on Twitter
Wilson Lee on Instagram
Eric Siu on Twitter
Eric Siu on Instagram
The Littles
The Littles on Twitter
Leveling Up
Leveling Up Heroes
Growth Everywhere
Single Grain
OpenSea
Cool Cats
27 min
September 15, 2022Do Creator Royalties Matter?
While creators once benefitted from royalty fees long after launching their work. Now, with Pseudo-Swap, royalties can easily be bypassed, and people are debating whether or not the fees are relevant to today’s landscape. Join us today as we discuss the critical questions that this conversation raises, and what we feel your focus should shift towards. We touch on decentralization, how it gets taken too far, and where you are most likely to find the answers you seek. Thanks for tuning in!
TIME-STAMPED SHOW NOTES:
[00:26] How Pseudo-Swap has made it possible to bypass royalties and whether creator royalty fees are relevant.

[00:51] The critical question of what your business model actually is.

[01:20] Why the focus should not be on royalties, but rather how you curate your collectors.

[02:44] How decentralization gets taken too far when the answer is more in the middle.

[04:05] What happens when you focus on generating hype instead of creating a business plan.

[04:15] What you should focus on instead: real business plans that have been proven to work.
Tweetables:
“As an artist in regular life, you’re not able to charge royalties for your painting, for your work, and whatnot. NFTs have allowed artists to sell their work online, and that itself is innovative and revolutionary within itself.” — @willxlee [0:00:50]
“The focus should not be on royalties, but rather how you curate your collectors. How do you connect with them? How do you tell your story? That should be the focus.” — @willxlee [0:01:20]
“When I forgo my long-term vision, everything I’m going to be doing is for the short term. What can I do to create hype? What can I do to one-up the other person? When you do that, there is no real business plan.” — @ericsui [0:03:52]
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
Wilson Lee on Twitter
Wilson Lee on Instagram
Eric Siu on Twitter
Eric Siu on Instagram
The Littles
Leveling Up
Leveling Up Heroes
Growth Everywhere
Single Grain
5 min
September 13, 2022Is Sudoswap the Future Model for NFT Exchanges?
Sudoswap is a decentralized NFT marketplace with lower fees than other marketplaces where everything is done on chain and creators get 0% kickback. So, is Sudoswap the future model for NFT exchanges? We think it’s part of the future, but not the only future. Tune in today to hear our thoughts on this topic!
TIME-STAMPED SHOW NOTES:
[00:00] Today’s topic: is Sudoswap the future model for NFT exchanges?

[00:15] Characteristics of OpenSea.

[00:33] An overview of how Sudoswap works.

[01:09] Statistics that show how Sudoswap has grown.

[01:32] Our thoughts on the future of Sudoswap.

[01:50] Different types of markets that exist for different types of collectors.

[03:06] Please don’t forget to rate, review, and subscribe to this podcast!
Tweetables:
“Everything [on Sudoswap] is completely on chain so you can see all the data.” — @ericsui [0:00:55]
“I think that [Sudoswap] is the future model but it’s not going to be for all.” — @willxlee [0:01:31]
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
Sudoswap
OpenSea
SuperRare
Wilson Lee on Twitter
Wilson Lee on Instagram
Eric Siu on Twitter
Eric Siu on Instagram
The Littles
Leveling Up
Leveling Up Heroes
Growth Everywhere
Single Grain
4 min

About Creators of Web3

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Creators of Web3 is a show that takes a candid look at the people who are inventing the future of blockchain and digital assets. Hosted by Eric Siu and Wil Lee, we dive into the unique lessons and…

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Creators of Web3

Creators of Web3 episodes

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