Read on Twitter
I tweeted a "we're hiring!" tweet earlier, and then thought, "who cares?"
People know *what* we do at Messari, but how many people know why we do it?
Well, we've actually spent a ton of time this year talking about the *why* behind our mission.
Some thoughts on culture...
https://twitter.com/twobitidiot/status/1319251476108201984
People know *what* we do at Messari, but how many people know why we do it?
Well, we've actually spent a ton of time this year talking about the *why* behind our mission.
Some thoughts on culture...
https://twitter.com/twobitidiot/status/1319251476108201984
1/ For starters, if you're interested in what we're doing, you should check out our new careers page, that lays out a lot of our mission and cultural priorities.
https://messari.io/careers
Here are some of the highlights:
https://messari.io/careers
Here are some of the highlights:
2/ It starts with a simple mission that fuels our entire product focus:
"We aim to organize and contextualize all crypto information at a global scale."
It's important to understand what this means, and also what it does not mean.
"We aim to organize and contextualize all crypto information at a global scale."
It's important to understand what this means, and also what it does not mean.
3/ At first glance, this is straightforward. We're an information aggregator and curator.
+ Organize: intuitive dashboards, fast search
+ Contextualize: emphasis on fundamentals and unique insights vs. raw data
+ Global: we want to ingest every high-signal data source possible
+ Organize: intuitive dashboards, fast search
+ Contextualize: emphasis on fundamentals and unique insights vs. raw data
+ Global: we want to ingest every high-signal data source possible
4/ But there are tradeoffs!
For example, I *really* wanted to build more proprietary blockchain data infrastructure.
We decided not to, because we instead work well with @coinmetrics @flipsidecrypto @graphprotocol @DuneAnalytics and @nansen_ai and others on deeper data sets.
For example, I *really* wanted to build more proprietary blockchain data infrastructure.
We decided not to, because we instead work well with @coinmetrics @flipsidecrypto @graphprotocol @DuneAnalytics and @nansen_ai and others on deeper data sets.
5/ In fact we have similar partners on markets data ( @KaikoData), staking data ( @StakingRewards), lending data ( @LoanScan_io), and more.
That frees up our team to spend more energy on tools that help users *contextualize* this data.
That frees up our team to spend more energy on tools that help users *contextualize* this data.
6/ Notice us don't say "data" either. We say "information" because qualitative info is as or more important for many of these emerging projects as quantitative data.
In startup investing, the diligence priorities are team (qual), market (qual), model (quant)...in that order.
In startup investing, the diligence priorities are team (qual), market (qual), model (quant)...in that order.
7/ Ok, let's go from our mission and "five whys" it.
"We organize and contextualize all crypto information on a global scale." Why?
"Because crypto requires educated users in order to succeed, and we're good educators."
"We organize and contextualize all crypto information on a global scale." Why?
"Because crypto requires educated users in order to succeed, and we're good educators."
8/ "Crypto requires educated users."
Why? Isn't number go up enough?
"Our shot at mainstream, *long-term* success hinges on people trusting the products they are using. It's tough to build products people trust if the builders can't stay educated on industry developments."
Why? Isn't number go up enough?
"Our shot at mainstream, *long-term* success hinges on people trusting the products they are using. It's tough to build products people trust if the builders can't stay educated on industry developments."
"It's tough for experts to keep up?" Why?
"Because crypto is a multi-disciplinary field that requires knowledge of economics, computer science, psychology, political science, etc. A good education resource will aggregate those disparate resources."
"Because crypto is a multi-disciplinary field that requires knowledge of economics, computer science, psychology, political science, etc. A good education resource will aggregate those disparate resources."
"Why is it important to bundle those tools together rather than specialize in one field?"
"Crypto represents a radical shift in how people think about money, markets, and governance, all of which require multi-disciplinary knowledge. Builders need to see the big picture."
"Crypto represents a radical shift in how people think about money, markets, and governance, all of which require multi-disciplinary knowledge. Builders need to see the big picture."
11/ "Dude, why bother getting all meta vs. building crypto just like any other fintech utility?"
"We believe crypto is the tech of free people, free thinking, and free markets. And it will require missionaries, not "utility operators", to build resilient and truly open systems."
"We believe crypto is the tech of free people, free thinking, and free markets. And it will require missionaries, not "utility operators", to build resilient and truly open systems."
12/ If you read these five whys and their logical conclusion, you can grok why I simultaneously think it's possible for me to mercilessly shit on Ripple for years for shady operations, and yet still have Messari perceived as a reliable and neutral platform for information.
13/ i.e. We believe crypto is a tool for freedom; newcomers need to to come up to speed quickly, navigate to the right tools, and not waste time with false prophets. Based on the data and our pattern recognition, we can cauterize cancers, and elevate real innovations.
14/ The flipside is more often true!
Many shout "scam!" indiscriminately, but because we organize information and help people understand what *could work*, we give transparent teams the benefit of the doubt and help elevate their high-signal updates.
Many shout "scam!" indiscriminately, but because we organize information and help people understand what *could work*, we give transparent teams the benefit of the doubt and help elevate their high-signal updates.
15/ Crypto is critically important. Information is messy, so someone needs to clean it and deliver it reliably so we can save builders time & energy they need for building.
How does that impact our product? Culture?
How does that impact our product? Culture?
Product is easy.
+ Every major crypto KPI, cleaned, with the ability to track those data points over time or vs. comparables
+ Lightning fast search, deep profiles, high importance project updates delivered as alerts
+ Analysis pieces to never lose sight of the big picture
+ Every major crypto KPI, cleaned, with the ability to track those data points over time or vs. comparables
+ Lightning fast search, deep profiles, high importance project updates delivered as alerts
+ Analysis pieces to never lose sight of the big picture
Culture is more intangible. But we go back to our "why's" and mission and it comes into focus.
+ believe in crypto and each other
+ test limits & lever up
+ take radical ownership
+ communicate excellently and drop knowledge
+ ship. sell. measure. repeat.
+ follow the samurai
+ believe in crypto and each other
+ test limits & lever up
+ take radical ownership
+ communicate excellently and drop knowledge
+ ship. sell. measure. repeat.
+ follow the samurai
18/ "Believe in crypto and each other."
This is a volatile market, full of uncertainty, charlatans, and FOMO. We look for people who are long-term greedy and are missionaries for crypto.
It's easier to trust people who are working relentlessly towards the same 10 year goal.
This is a volatile market, full of uncertainty, charlatans, and FOMO. We look for people who are long-term greedy and are missionaries for crypto.
It's easier to trust people who are working relentlessly towards the same 10 year goal.
19/ "Test limits & lever up."
We build as much as we can in-house w/out over-extending ourselves. But as an aggregator we need to find areas of leverage (buy vs. build, curate insights vs. analyze them in-house, scrub "disclosures" vs. chase our tails on primary research, etc.)
We build as much as we can in-house w/out over-extending ourselves. But as an aggregator we need to find areas of leverage (buy vs. build, curate insights vs. analyze them in-house, scrub "disclosures" vs. chase our tails on primary research, etc.)
20/ (This also means we hire for potential and growth orientation more than we do for experience. One of the reasons our community analyst program has yielded such incredible results.)
21/ "Take radical ownership."
+ Mash-up of radical transparency and extreme ownership (watch this @jockowillink talk)
+ We try to push each other on focus, and deconstruct failures quickly and methodically.
+ Mash-up of radical transparency and extreme ownership (watch this @jockowillink talk)
+ We try to push each other on focus, and deconstruct failures quickly and methodically.
22/ "Communicate Excellently. Drop Knowledge."
Clear writing is clear thinking. And we've done well during COVID's remote work challenge in part because we try to write things down and peer review them vs. wing them.
Externally, everyone is responsible for building audience.
Clear writing is clear thinking. And we've done well during COVID's remote work challenge in part because we try to write things down and peer review them vs. wing them.
Externally, everyone is responsible for building audience.
23/ "Ship. Sell. Measure. Repeat."
(should be self-explanatory.)
(should be self-explanatory.)
24/ "Follow the samurai."
This one is inspired by our lead engineer @diran_li who's one of the most stoic leaders I've ever worked with.
I will paste this one in its entirety, but again, you can read the full details around our culture here:
https://messari.io/careers
This one is inspired by our lead engineer @diran_li who's one of the most stoic leaders I've ever worked with.
I will paste this one in its entirety, but again, you can read the full details around our culture here:
https://messari.io/careers
25/25: Culture evolves. Missions evolve. Teams evolve.
We're always looking for ways to refine our focus, tighten up our cultural norms, and grow.
Of course, it all comes back to our core "why"...to help people Trust in Crypto.
We're always looking for ways to refine our focus, tighten up our cultural norms, and grow.
Of course, it all comes back to our core "why"...to help people Trust in Crypto.
