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"Building for People, Not Wallets" with Privy cofounder Henri Stern | ZEROPOD S2 E16

What if crypto products weren’t built for wallets, but for people? In this episode of ZEROPOD, Privy.io founder Henri Stern joins host Toady Hawk to talk about building user-first infra, why account abstraction matters, and what it’ll take to onboard the next billion. From his Parisian roots to Protocol Labs and now Privy, Henri shares sharp takes on fragmentation, EIP-7702, and why most crypto apps still miss the point. Come for the insights, stay for the travel tips and Italian bread slander. TIMESTAMPS:00:00 - Intro: Meet Henri Stern, founder of Privy01:44 - Henri’s backstory: Growing up in Paris, moving to NYC03:55 - Adjusting to life in New York and early education04:32 - Choosing Stanford over the French education system06:00 - Discovering computer science and why it stuck07:54 - Founding Shout: a peer-to-peer marketplace experiment10:01 - What went wrong with hyperlocal marketplaces12:20 - Filecoin and Protocol Labs: Henri’s next chapter13:49 - What Filecoin taught Henri about zk, consensus, and infra19:00 - Falling in love with crypto, then falling out of it for a bit20:06 - The origin of Privy: starting with privacy, landing on onboarding24:00 - What Privy does today: abstracting onboarding, not just accounts26:10 - The nuance of account abstraction vs. 4337/770228:30 - Privy’s internal values: focus, experimentation, ownership33:00 - Wallet sprawl and the identity fragmentation dilemma36:00 - Wallets as identity tools, not just money holders39:00 - Why crypto infra must be built now, not later41:00 - Notable partnerships: Farcaster, Pump.fun, Hyperliquid & more45:10 - Privy's current roadmap: chains, funding UX, identity UX47:02 - EIP-7702: What it is and why it matters50:00 - Speculation vs stability: the real bifurcation in crypto52:40 - Henri’s vision for 2025 and hiring at Privy54:08 - Rapid-fire round: food, music, tech, travel, and more1:04:28 - Where to find out more about Privy and wrap-up--- Podcast recorded by Toady Hawk, edited by Toady Hawk. Hosted by Toady Hawk. Produced by Zero Rights Media. This content is zero rights reserved (cc0), please remix and reuse it in any way you like! #base #onchain #ethereum #privy #crypto #stripe

Boost User Retention with Game Mechanics

In this episode of the Optimism Show, Kris Gligoroski sits down with Jacob from Atlas to explore the nuanced world of user-driven game development on open social networks. Jacob, known for his innovative approaches within the gaming space on Farcaster, shares his insights on building immersive and socially integrated gaming experiences. As he discusses how to captivate and retain users, Jacob emphasizes the importance of delivering an "entertaining experience that they love and want to share," underscoring his strategy that leverages user engagement and organic growth through social connectivity. Together, they navigate the evolving landscape of game mechanics tied to blockchain technology. Jacob delves into the strategic integration of blockchain tokens within games, enhancing user engagement and turning casual players into brand ambassadors. This conversation offers a reflective look at the core dynamics of games as social systems wherein participants not only engage for personal enjoyment but also for community connection and development. The idea that "games are like the perfect format for that type of vision that I was having" resonates throughout their dialogue, capturing the essence of how digital play can foster vibrant, thriving communities. Listeners will find value in Jacob's storytelling approach, demonstrating the potential of games to bridge social and digital experiences. From his initial experiments with viral mechanics on Farcaster to creating untapped opportunities for user growth through competition and community belonging, Jacob's narratives paint a compelling picture of how deeply embedded social experiences are pivotal in the next wave of gaming innovation.

YIELD TALKS: How Volmex Helps Measure, Track, and Trade Crypto Volatility

Cole Kennelly is the Founder and CEO at Volmex Labs. In this episode, we dive into how Volmex created the first crypto-native volatility indices, BVIV and EVIV, and how traders can now measure, track, and even trade crypto market volatility using tools modeled after the VIX. ------ 🔗 Essential Show Links 🔗 ► Newsletter: https://the-edge.xyz ► Youtube: https://youtube.com/@DeFiDad ► Apple: https://tinyurl.com/edgepod ► Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/edgepodspotify ► Linktree: https://linktr.ee/edge_pod ► Follow DeFi Dad: https://x.com/DeFi_Dad ► Follow Nomatic: https://x.com/Nomaticcap ► Learn DeFi: http://defidad.com/ ------ The Edge Podcast Sponsor Resources 🪄 NEWTON | SIMPLER CRYPTO UX WITH VERIFIABLE AI AGENTS https://newton.xyz/ 🔮 ⁠PYTH NETWORK⁠ | SMARTER DATA FOR SMARTER CONTRACTS https://pyth.network/ 🤙 FAIR | THE FIRST L1 BLOCKCHAIN TO ELIMINATE MEV AT CONSENSUS https://www.fairchain.ai/ 📊 iYIELD | YOUR FINANCIAL PICTURE, SIMPLIFIED https://go.iyield.com/edge 🏦 MANTLE | INNOVATING THE FUTURE OF ONCHAIN FINANCE https://group.mantle.xyz/ 🌔 MOONWELL | THE LEADING LENDING AND BORROWING APP ON BASE https://moonwell.fi/ ⚙️ GEARBOX PROTOCOL | ONCHAIN LENDING REIMAGINED https://gearbox.fi/ 🐡 PUFFER UNIFI | AN ETHEREUM BASED ROLLUP WITH NATIVE YIELDS https://unifi.puffer.fi/ 🥞 SYRUPUSDC BY MAPLE | DEFI'S PREMIUM YIELD ASSET https://app.maple.finance/earn?referral=Mig0gHP59IYC ------ Timestamps 0:00 - Intro 1:06 - Cole’s background 2:33 - The importance of volatility in crypto 4:41 - Sponsor break 7:39 - Why crypto needs Volmex indices? 9:49 - Overview of Volmex indices 12:39 - Will Volmex support perps for trading funding rates? 13:24 - How are investors using Volmex? 17:16 - DEX/CEX interest in perps for Volmex indices 21:46 - The perseverance to find product-market fit 27:12 - Sponsor break 29:12 - Trends in BVIV, EVIV, SVIV 33:33 - Understanding Volmex Prime Rate Indices (VPR) 35:50 - What is tradeable onchain? 38:04 - Future Volmex token and points program 40:46 - What’s next in Volmex roadmap? 42:48 - Closing ------ 🔗 Guest Links 🔗 ► Volmex website: https://volmex.finance/ ► Volmex charts website: https://charts.volmex.finance/ ► Volmex on X: https://x.com/volmexfinance ► Volmex Foundation on X: https://x.com/VolmexFDN ► Cole on X: https://x.com/colegottweets ------ All opinions expressed by hosts and podcast guests are solely their own opinions. Podcast guests and hosts may have positions in the assets or other matters discussed in this podcast. 4RC invested in the Volmex seed round in 2021. This podcast is for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon as a basis for investment decisions. Do your own research. This is not a recommendation or endorsement to buy any token(s) related to any platform(s) discussed.

FAIR: SKALE’s New L1 To Eliminate MEV and Unlock AI-Powered DeFi

Jack O'Holleran is the CoFounder of SKALE and CEO at SKALE Labs. In this episode, Jack breaks down why they built FAIR, a new L1 blockchain designed to eliminate MEV at the consensus level and unlock a new wave of AI and DeFi applications. ------ 🔗 Essential Show Links 🔗 ► Newsletter: https://the-edge.xyz ► Youtube: https://youtube.com/@DeFiDad ► Apple: https://tinyurl.com/edgepod ► Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/edgepodspotify ► Linktree: https://linktr.ee/edge_pod ► Follow DeFi Dad: https://x.com/DeFi_Dad ► Follow Nomatic: https://x.com/Nomaticcap ► Learn DeFi: http://defidad.com/ ------ The Edge Podcast Sponsor Resources 🪄 NEWTON | SIMPLER CRYPTO UX WITH VERIFIABLE AI AGENTS https://newton.xyz/ 🔮 ⁠PYTH NETWORK⁠ | SMARTER DATA FOR SMARTER CONTRACTS https://pyth.network/ 📊 iYIELD | YOUR FINANCIAL PICTURE, SIMPLIFIED https://go.iyield.com/edge 🏦 MANTLE | INNOVATING THE FUTURE OF ONCHAIN FINANCE https://group.mantle.xyz/ 🌔 MOONWELL | THE LEADING LENDING AND BORROWING APP ON BASE https://moonwell.fi/ ⚙️ GEARBOX PROTOCOL | ONCHAIN LENDING REIMAGINED https://gearbox.fi/ 🐡 PUFFER UNIFI | AN ETHEREUM BASED ROLLUP WITH NATIVE YIELDS https://unifi.puffer.fi/ 🥞 SYRUP.FI | INSTITUTIONAL-GRADE YIELD https://syrup.fi/lend?referral=STAaNBFJwIc8 ------ Timestamps 0:00 - Intro 7:01 - Jack’s background 12:52 - Building in crypto under hostile regulators vs today 18:14 - Mission behind SKALE 20:10 - Why build FAIR? 21:42 - Early traction with SKALE 24:08 - Sponsor break 24:49 - How 0 gas fees work on SKALE 27:02 - What is BITE Protocol and why MEV is bad for users? 29:05 - Thoughts on REV 32:58 - What’s the connection between SKALE and FAIR? 35:49 - Is FAIR its own L1 or could it work alongside Ethereum? 37:43 - How will FAIR attract users? 41:10 - Sponsor break 42:49 - What new products might be possible on FAIR? 45:53 - Which users should look at FAIR? 47:16 - Did retail ever return this cycle? 49:02 - Why this time is different for crypto / DeFi adoption? 53:22 - FAIR Testnet and what’s next? 54:56 - Closing ------ 🔗 Guest Links 🔗 ► FAIR website: https://www.fairchain.ai/ ► SKALE website: https://skale.space/ ► FAIR on X: https://x.com/FAIR_Blockchain ► SKALE on X: https://x.com/SkaleNetwork ► Jack on X: https://x.com/jackoholleran ------ All opinions expressed by hosts and podcast guests are solely their own opinions. Podcast guests and hosts may have positions in the assets or other matters discussed in this podcast. This podcast is for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon as a basis for investment decisions. Do your own research. This is not a recommendation or endorsement to buy any token(s) related to any platform(s) discussed.

Dropped Out. Went Homeless. Built Hungary’s 1st Bitcoin Exchange. Mined Ethereum’s Genesis Block.

Welcome to the third episode of the aVIRAL Podcast, recorded at The Network School — a global startup society of curious minds, nomads, and builders! 🌍 In this episode, I sit down with Barnabas Debreczeni, a Hungarian tech entrepreneur, Ethereum OG, and posthumanist thinker who has lived one of the wildest journeys in crypto. We talk about: 🔹 Why he chose to go homeless after dropping out of university 🔹 Mining Ethereum’s Genesis Block with a custom script 🔹 Building Hungary’s first Bitcoin exchange from scratch 🔹 The early chaos of Mt. Gox, Silk Road & Bitcoin civil wars 🔹 Network states, AI agents & reinventing education for kids Follow Barnabas on X: https://x.com/keo Barnabas shares a mind-blowing origin story—from coding at age 5 and sleeping on park benches, to building real-world crypto infrastructure and dreaming of decentralized schools for the next generation. If you're into early Bitcoin history, Ethereum lore, or future societies powered by AI and crypto, this one's a must-listen. 🎙️ aVIRAL Podcast — A podcast series where stories spark ideas. Hosted by Aviral, straight from the heart of Network School Chapters: 00:00 WATCH TILL THE END 01:07 Early Life and Selective Learning Style 02:37 University Dropout and Self-Directed Learning 06:11 Becoming Homeless by Choice - Entrepreneurship Lessons 09:27 Finding Mentorship and First Programming Job 15:35 Post-2008 Crisis and Biointensive Farming Community 19:47 Discovering Bitcoin and Early Adoption (2010-2011) 22:19 Early Bitcoin Usage Challenges and Solutions 27:38 Bitcoin as Money vs Store of Value Philosophy 31:06 Bitcoin Block Size Wars and Community Split 38:11 Bitcoin Exchange Business in Hungary 46:43 Mining Ethereum Genesis Block - The Story 53:37 Founding First Bitcoin Exchange in Hungary 59:14 Current Bitcoin Institutional Adoption Analysis 01:07:46 Network States and Pop-up Cities 01:25:03 AI-Enhanced Education and Learning 01:41:59 Family-Friendly Network States Vision

The ZAO Presents: Let's Talk About Web 3 Ep. 2 w/OHNAHJI B, EZinCrypto & BetterCallZaal

Welcome to Episode 2 of Let’s Talk About Web3 — a weekly livestream where we break down what’s happening across onchain culture, creator tools, decentralized platforms, and experimental governance. Whether you're deep in the space or just getting started, this show is designed to make Web3 accessible, honest, and community-driven. Hosted by EZ, Ohnahji, and BetterCallZaal. This week, we go deep on Zora — from protocol-level incentives to the rise of content coins. Then we tap into Rodeo’s creative-first social platform, Podium’s new payout infrastructure, and the latest Farcaster app updates. Full breakdown below. Episode Sections & Timestamps 0:00 – Intro and the Zora Shift We open with a conversation on how Zora has evolved into a protocol powering creator economies — not just a marketplace. 3:40 – Zora Airdrops and Network Design Dissecting Zora’s recent airdrops, what’s working, and how these rewards align creators, collectors, and deployers. 11:50 – Content Coins and Monetized Posts A look at Zora’s latest experiment: turning individual posts into their own tokens. What does this mean for creator ownership and curation? 20:25 – Rodeo: A Creative-First Social Platform Rodeo, developed by Foundation, is a social app where creators share their work-in-progress and earn ETH for every mint. The platform celebrates the creative process, allowing users to post updates and receive rewards as their content is collected. Features like one-tap posting and friend-first offers enhance the user experience, making it accessible even to those unfamiliar with crypto. 27:10 – Podium: Payouts for Creators How Podium is building better payment rails for crypto-native creators, with tools that make getting paid onchain simple and flexible. 33:15 – Farcaster App Layer Update A quick roundup of Farcaster’s growing ecosystem — from new clients to niche apps — and why developer velocity here matters. 41:10 – Wrap-Up and Community Notes We close with thoughts on where things are headed and what to expect in future episodes. Watch the Weekly Livestream Live every week on: twitch.tv/bettercallzaal twitch.tv/ohnahji twitch.tv/ezincrypto Join the Community Visit ltaw3.thezao.com to jump into the conversation, share your ideas, and shape future episodes.

Hangout 5: How Dylan Abruscato made Crypto's Most Captivating Game

Guest: Dylan Abruscato, Creator of Crypto the Game Episode Description Dylan Abruscato joins us to share the incredible story behind Crypto the Game, the interactive survival reality show that took crypto Twitter by storm. As a non-technical founder, Dylan reveals how he turned a childhood obsession with Survivor into one of the most engaging and viral crypto experiences ever created.In this conversation, we dive deep into the three-season evolution of CTG, from the bootstrapped Season 1 on Ethereum mainnet to the sophisticated Season 3 on Unichain where Ted won 71.6 ETH. Dylan shares invaluable insights on building viral crypto products, the importance of choosing the right blockchain infrastructure, and how to create experiences people genuinely want to share. In this episode, Dylan gives us insight into: - The 101 of Crypto The Game, and how it changed everything - His love of reality TV, and how it helped him come up with the idea - Executing the idea and the key technical and strategic decisions - Marketing and community-building - The business of onchain experiences Key Builder Insights - Start with passion, add crypto thoughtfully: Don't force blockchain into every idea - Build for yourself first: Authentic product-market fit comes from solving your own problems - Viral mechanics need genuine value: Growth hacks only work if the core experience is compelling - Non-technical founders bring crucial skills: Vision, marketing, and product sense matter as much as code - Choose your audience carefully: Crypto Twitter's tribal nature was perfect for competitive gameplay - Revenue diversification is essential: Multiple streams create sustainability for experimental formats About Dylan Dylan is the creator of Crypto the Game and was recently acquired by Uniswap. Before CTG, he worked in tech and marketing at companies like HQ Trivia and Party Round, where he pioneered creative crypto marketing campaigns. Despite being non-technical, Dylan's vision and execution turned a childhood dream into one of crypto's most successful community experiences. This podcast celebrates Ethereum's 10th anniversary by highlighting the builders, creators, and visionaries who shaped the ecosystem. From DeFi pioneers to NFT artists, from Layer 2 innovators to community builders - we're documenting the human stories behind the technological revolution. Hosts: Chinmay Patel - https://twitter.com/chinmaydoteth | https://warpcast.com/chinmaydoteth | Basket.farm Marvyn Paul - https://twitter.com/mpweb3wordsmith | https://warpcast.com/marvp | https://linktr.ee/marvynpaul https://pods.media/is-this-the-new-internet⁠ Show Links:Website: https://pods.media/10-years-of-ethereumTwitter: https://twitter.com/10yearsofeth

The Great Crypto Debate: Capitalists vs. Leftists | Josh Davila, Ron Turetzky

Follow Rubicon Podcast: https://x.com/Rubicon_pod Produced by Proof of Coverage Media: https://x.com/Proof_Coverage Hersh and Dawufi explore the intersection of cryptocurrency and leftist politics with guests Ron and Josh. The conversation delves into how blockchain technology can support progressive movements, with Josh sharing his path into crypto through debt struggles and his work on Blockchain Socialist and the book Blockchain Radicals. Ron offers insights on decentralized governance and collective ownership, drawing from his experiences in communal living. The episode highlights projects like BreadChain, which use DeFi to fund political initiatives, and examines the challenges of democratic governance in decentralized systems. Themes of fully automated luxury communism and the role of technology in building a more equitable society round out the discussion. Timestamps: 00:00 - Introduction 04:51 - Crypto and Left-Wing Politics: A Convergence 12:39 - Democracy, Capitalism, and Blockchain 21:39 - Alternative Funding: Sustainable Investment Models 26:25 - Crypto Cooperatives and Collective Principles 28:19 - Post-Capitalism via Cooperative Frameworks 29:34 - BreadChain’s Impact on Crypto Cooperatives 30:09 - Go-To-Market Strategies for Cooperative Ventures 37:15 - Governance in Crypto: Minimalism and Cooperation 42:39 - Technology Meets Collectivism 47:01 - Human Nature: Wealth vs. Community Balance 52:36 - Capitalism, Innovation, and Healthcare: A Debate 57:02 - Wealth Production and Capitalism’s Complexities 01:01:58 - ZKTLS: Data Ownership and Economic Potential 01:08:56 - Final Thoughts and Future Dialogues Disclaimer: The hosts and the firms they represent may hold stakes in the companies mentioned in this podcast. None of this is financial advice.

Get Paid for Sharing Good Links

We sit down with Internet-native builder and creative coder Mike Bodge to break down his newest experiment: AUX, a gamified curation tool for attention, links, and taste. Described as StumbleUpon meets group chat meets token-powered leaderboard, AUX lets you post URLs that battle for the Internet’s front page. It’s an onchain attention economy that’s equal parts meme-fuel and media archive—designed with taste, not virality, in mind. Before Mike joins, Jess, Josh, and Peace explore the week’s most interesting moments: Noice, the evolution of creator tokens, and why L1 assets might be in trouble. Plus: MoviePass is back (?!) and trying to make you a fantasy film mogul. Stick around to the end for a heartfelt goodbye—a big new chapter awaits us all. This episode unpacks: How Noice turns Farcaster into a microtip economy The messy future of creator tokens Why apps, not L1s, will capture disprortionate value What AUX reveals about curating Internet taste How Mike Bodge hides the crypto in his app Rekt as the blueprint for brand-backed tokens What MoviePass is building with $100M (?!?) The difference between novelty loops and compounding crypto businesses Why VCs are rethinking the startup funding factory A preview of what’s coming after Internet Explorers Chapters: 0:00 — Intro: Discussing end of Q2 and Bitcoin's quiet ATH 5:06 — Noice taking over Farcaster world and L1 discussions 15:31 — Introducing Mike Bodge and AUX: Internet attention machines 29:32 — AUX: Curating the ultimate feed for the internet 38:14 — Tokenomics and business model behind AUX platform 46:48 — Exploring AUX's content and user engagement strategies 54:10 — Discussing changing landscape of startup fundraising strategies 58:05 — Brand coins: Capturing social and cultural value 1:00:03 — MoviePass raises $100M for fantasy movie mogul game 1:07:49 — Announcement: farewell (for the moment), teasing future plans Internet Explorers is a weekly rundown show where extremely online individuals broadly explore (romanticize, even) new consumer Internet experiences. Seed Club Twitter: https://x.com/seedclubhq Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/internet-explorers/id1756599282 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6iJk3xZoij7pVhlNbTP9qS?si=4cda0ac044dc4c6a

The Mindset That Separates Crypto’s Best Investors

Brandon Kumar is the CoFounder of Layer3 and former Vice President of Accolade Partners, one of the world's top crypto-specific fund of funds. In this episode, we unpack the mindset that separates crypto’s best investors. Brandon shares why being “long-term greedy” pays off, how to spot the DNA of top founders and top investors, and what it takes to win in evolving token-based capital markets. ------ 🔗 Essential Show Links 🔗 ► Newsletter: https://the-edge.xyz ► Youtube: https://youtube.com/@DeFiDad ► Apple: https://tinyurl.com/edgepod ► Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/edgepodspotify ► Linktree: https://linktr.ee/edge_pod ► Follow DeFi Dad: https://x.com/DeFi_Dad ► Follow Nomatic: https://x.com/Nomaticcap ► Learn DeFi: http://defidad.com/ ------ The Edge Podcast Sponsor Resources 🪄 NEWTON | FINANCIAL FREEDOM ON AUTOPILOT https://www.magicnewton.com/ 🔮 ⁠PYTH NETWORK⁠ | SMARTER DATA FOR SMARTER CONTRACTS https://pyth.network/ 🤙 SKALE NETWORK | THE GAS-FREE INVISIBLE L1 BLOCKCHAIN https://skale.space/ 📊 iYIELD | YOUR FINANCIAL PICTURE, SIMPLIFIED https://go.iyield.com/edge 🏦 MANTLE | INNOVATING THE FUTURE OF ONCHAIN FINANCE https://group.mantle.xyz/ 🌔 MOONWELL | THE LEADING LENDING AND BORROWING APP ON BASE https://moonwell.fi/ ⚙️ GEARBOX PROTOCOL | ONCHAIN LENDING REIMAGINED https://gearbox.fi/ 🐡 PUFFER UNIFI | AN ETHEREUM BASED ROLLUP WITH NATIVE YIELDS https://unifi.puffer.fi/ 🥞 SYRUP.FI | INSTITUTIONAL-GRADE YIELD https://syrup.fi/lend?referral=STAaNBFJwIc8 ------ Timestamps 0:00 - Intro 7:01 - Brandon’s background 12:16 - The archetype of the best investors in crypto 14:33 - How the crypto investor landscape has changed 18:35 - The evolution of capital markets for token-based businesses 22:05 - Can TradFi valuation methods be applied to crypto? 25:19 - Sponsor break 26:00 - What needs to happen to attract more institutional buyers? 30:26 - Making sense of memecoins 36:07 - Focus on what happens if everything goes right 41:14 - The double-edged sword of tokens for early stage teams 46:01 - Sponsor break 47:40 - What is Layer3? 48:29 - Who uses Layer3? 51:46 - L3 token utility and design 55:56 - Why Layer3 launched new prediction markets 57:31 - Closing ------ 🔗 Guest Links 🔗 ► Layer3 website: https://layer3.xyz/ ► Layer3 on X: https://x.com/layer3xyz ► Brandon Kumar on X: https://x.com/brandon_m_kumar ► Brandon's viral post on X: https://x.com/Brandon_M_Kumar/status/1915403560977633348 ------ All opinions expressed by hosts and podcast guests are solely their own opinions. Podcast guests and hosts may have positions in the assets or other matters discussed in this podcast. This podcast is for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon as a basis for investment decisions. Do your own research. This is not a recommendation or endorsement to buy any token(s) related to any platform(s) discussed.

Can You Sell Gold Without Getting Scammed? Brandon Aversano on Starting Alloy (Ep.16)

Can You Sell Gold Without Getting Scammed? Brandon Aversano on Starting Alloy (Ep.16)In this episode of Out of Office, Kartik Sathappan and Jack Dwyer sit down with Brandon Aversano, founder of Alloy, the online platform making it safe, simple, and transparent to sell gold and precious metals.Brandon shares the wild origin story of Alloy—starting with a cancer diagnosis, medical debt, and a humiliating pawn shop experience. He explains how Alloy offers 80%+ payouts (versus 20–30% industry standard), the challenges of building trust in a scammy industry, and why customer empathy is his biggest weapon. We also discuss the future of jewelry resale, how Brandon bootstrapped his way from a failed app to state-backed funding, and what most people don’t understand about the value of their gold.🔗 Check out Alloy: https://www.alloymarket.com/📺 Watch on YouTube: Out of Office Podcast🎧 Subscribe:X | Spotify | Apple𝕏 Follow Kartik: https://x.com/sathaxe𝕏 Follow Jack: https://x.com/jackndwyer🎙️ Sponsored by Noots — Enjoy 25% off your order!https://sendnoots.com/discount/OUTOFOFFICEPODChapters: 00:00 Introduction to Alloy and Brandon's Cancer Diagnosis 04:23 Selling Gold the Old Way—and the Idea That Sparked Alloy 07:57 Building Empathy Into a High-Trust Customer Experience 10:38 Hiring Non-Salespeople and Operationalizing Support 12:35 Beating the Pawn Shops: Trust, Transparency, and Pricing 15:07 Go-to-Market, SEO Strategy, and Early PR Wins 20:39 Customer Segments, Indian Gold Culture, and Repeat Use 25:32 Alloy’s Wild Origin: FBI Gold Scandal and Elderly Clients 30:01 Partnerships, Value Chain, and Expanding Beyond Gold 37:11 Funding Alloy: From 401k to Institutional Rounds 44:29 Winning Over the State of Pennsylvania 48:09 Fundraising Strategy in a Skeptical Market 49:59 Competition, Ecosystem Vision, and What’s Next 52:00 The Truth About Jewelry Valuation 56:00 Why Gold Beats Diamonds—and Advice for Founders