What I’ve Learned So Far About Web3 (and Why It’s Not All Wallets and Weird Acronyms)

Working in Web3

When I first started working in Web3, I thought I’d accidentally wandered into a secret society where everyone spoke fluent acronym. Yes, even moreso than Expedia!

L2s, DeFi, DAOs, it sounded more like Scrabble tiles than strategy. But after the last six months of leading communications in this space, here’s what I’ve learned: it’s not actually about the technology. It’s about trust, transparency, and the future of how communities, and brands, are built.

Lesson 1: It’s Not About the Tech, It’s About the Trust
The blockchain might power it all, but what makes Web3 work is human belief. People invest in ecosystems the way they invest in brands, because they believe in the story. The same rules that apply to Fortune 100 communications apply here: clarity wins. Authenticity scales. Vision sells.

Lesson 2: The Language Barrier Is Real
Web3 comes with a steep learning curve. (Think “I finally understand what a wallet is” steep.) But if you can translate complex ideas into accessible stories, whether that’s crypto regulation, community incentives, or predictive finance, you become invaluable. That’s what drew me in: the challenge of turning decentralized innovation into a narrative people can actually understand.

Lesson 3: Community Is the Product
In traditional marketing, you target audiences. In Web3, you build with them. Every member is part user, part investor, part evangelist. It’s participatory storytelling, and it’s reshaping how brands think about belonging. The message isn’t just “buy in.” It’s “build with us.”

Lesson 4: Storytelling Still Wins (Especially in Chaos)
Web3 moves fast, breaks things, and rebuilds them in real time. But amid that chaos, storytelling is the only constant. Clear, consistent communication earns confidence: with users, investors, regulators, and even skeptics. My background in global communications has never felt more relevant: the platforms may evolve, but human psychology doesn’t.

Lesson 5: Leadership Means Learning Out Loud
In this space, no one knows everything. The leaders who thrive are the ones who learn publicly, adapt quickly, and stay curious. That’s been my biggest takeaway: you can’t manage perception if you don’t understand the paradigm shift behind it.

So yes, I can now decode “Layer 2 scaling solutions,” but, more importantly, I understand how Web3 is teaching brands, communities, and communicators alike to rebuild trust from the ground up.