In this 55th episode of Colors of Web3 and Entrepreneurship, host Lam welcomes Jay Chrawnna, founder of The Kusamarian, the #1 news resource for the Polkadot ecosystem. Jay shares his journey from a career in live theater to becoming a voice in Web3, and how his platform empowers Polkadot’s global community to navigate its decentralized governance system.
Jay dives deep into Polkadot’s innovative OpenGov model, the role of The Kusamarian in facilitating discussions, and the importance of live interactions in governance. From managing a $150 million treasury to pioneering a system that aligns diverse stakeholders, Polkadot’s DAO represents a fascinating leap in decentralized collaboration. Whether you’re a Polkadot enthusiast, a Web3 builder, or simply curious about DAOs, this episode is packed with insights about community, governance, and the future of blockchain.
⌛ Timestamps:
00:00:00 Episode trailer
00:00:27 Show intro and brief self-intro from Jay Chrawnna
00:02:18 Jay’s journey from acting to Web3
00:02:59 How COVID changed Jay’s career and led him to finance
00:03:45 Discovering Bitcoin, DeFi Summer, and joining Polkadot
00:10:19 Polkadot video tutorials started with "Polkadot Kusama What The FAQ"
00:12:35 How "Polkadot Kusama What the FAQ” grew into The Kus
00:13:23 Jay’s hobbies: Running, music, and festivals
00:17:28 Intro to The Kus and its role in Polkadot
00:18:29 Space Monkeys podcast: Spotlighting Polkadot leaders
00:21:14 Attempts at Governance (AAG): Proposal debates platform
00:21:56 AAG’s role in managing $2M+ Polkadot proposals
00:27:23 Polkadot’s $150M treasury and shift to stablecoins
00:29:50 OpenGov: Building rep and engaging token holders
00:31:42 Voting power, locking, and delegations in OpenGov
00:36:43 How OpenGov drives decentralized decisions
00:41:31 Polkadot projects: Origin Trail, Mythical Games, and HyperBridge
00:45:44 Jay on upcoming games and projects in Polkadot Kusama
00:53:15 Jay on Polkadot’s future evolution
00:50:06 Challenges Jay’s team faces in the Polkadot ecosystem
00:59:39 Jay’s advice for breaking into Web3 and finding a niche
01:01:58 Where to follow Jay and join The Kus/Polkadot
01:03:43 Episode outro and preview
Follow Jay and his company:
The Kus website: https://thekus.xyz/
The Kus Twitter/X: https://x.com/TheKusamarian
Jay's Twitter/X: https://x.com/GldnCalf
My social media:
Twitter/X: https://www.twitter.com/LamWeb3
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lamweb3/
Website: https://lamtrinh.xyz
My old article about the 2-3 prevailing narratives of 2024-2025: https://substack.com/home/post/p-143541984
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