Every once in a while, something comes along that completely changes the trajectory of your career. That thing for me was joining Developer DAO.
I'm Paulie from the Newsletter Team, and this is my story.
A Bit About Me
In 2021, I was having difficulty wanting to be at my job. Being an overhead crane technician and working away from home on shiftwork for seven years was starting to get old, and it was time for a change. Tech has always been a field I’ve been interested in. I love computers and building cool shit.
I’ve been dabbling in different technologies since 2017, from web dev to Python to game development with Unity and C#. But I've been a computer nerd pretty much my whole life.
I figured around the beginning of 2021, why not give web development an actual shot? So I started down the freeCodeCamp path, learning frontend, and building websites.
I got a couple cool sites up and running and was in the process of starting a freelance hustle when I began hearing a lot of buzz on Twitter about Web3. Of course, I had to at least look into it. I’m not one to dismiss something just because people say it’s all hype.
After I dug into Ethereum and realized just how valuable this tech could be in the future, I had to give it a try. Right around that time, I stumbled across some DAOs, but none really clicked with me.
Then I read Nader Dabit’s tweet:
I knew this was something I needed to get involved with. Unfortunately, I wasn’t entirely confident in my building skillz yet. But what better place to learn than a group of Web3 developers and enthusiasts?! So I minted my first-ever NFT and joined Developer DAO.
Overwhelmed but Optimistic
I soon discovered just how fast the web3 space moves. So much was happening in the DAO, it was hard to know where to focus or spend my time. It was obvious right off the bat though, that this is where I should be.
I could see a lot of enthusiasm across the entire DAO and so many talented people! The only thing was, I felt I wasn’t good enough to contribute. How could I? With so many people building things beyond my skill level, I would just make a fool of myself.
So I kept quiet, posting things once in a while that I came across on Twitter and participating in a few conversations here and there. However, I was still able to learn a lot even without contributing. People posted excellent links to learning resources and ideas flowed like crazy! I started the #100DaysOfWeb3 Challenge on Twitter and picked up the idea to start writing about what I’ve been learning. So, of course, I started my own blog.
Holders of the Devs4Revolution NFT can now mint their own Pixel Dev!
Paulie the Writer?!
I never actually saw myself as a writer before. But, through writing down my learnings, I’ve kind of taken a liking to it! It has helped me articulate my thoughts and solidify the concepts I learn. If I know a topic well enough to write it down in my own words, I’d say it has firmly lodged itself in my brain. I have returned to my own writing a few times to review things I get stuck on.
On top of all that, it helps other people! There have been multiple people reaching out saying I’ve helped them in one way or another, even inspiring others to start their own blogs! Man, that is a great feeling! 😁
Not to mention the opportunities that come along with proving you can do something. Your writing becomes your marketing. If people see that you can help with their problem, they are more likely to reach out! The demand for technical writers in the Web3 space is huge right now!
But I digress. Let’s get back to my journey with D_D.
Back to the DAO
Writing blog posts gave me something original to share with the DAO. My content would then get boosted by the D_D Twitter account, helping me reach more people and acquire new followers with every post.
However, it still felt like I wasn’t doing much in the DAO. I was attending Town Halls and voting on snapshots, but still searching for a way to get more involved.
Then Season 0 started, and guilds became a thing.
With specific guilds to cover different topics in the DAO, it was easier to narrow my focus. I was immediately drawn to the Writers Guild due to my interest in becoming a better writer. If you are interested in doing something, surround yourself with people already doing that thing, right?
The Writers Guild has been there to provide assistance when I feel stuck. There’s also a channel for requesting feedback on your written content.
Finally A Way to Contribute
Towards the end of November 2021, the Writers Guild announced they would create a newsletter for the DAO. Guild leader marc | wolovim.eth made a post calling for someone to help curate the highlights for the guilds, and right away, I thought this was something I might be able to do. Finally! A way I can contribute!
The only thing was... I was incredibly nervous to reply 😅
I thought about it for hours, deliberating whether I should or not. I eventually convinced myself to give it a shot. What’s the worst that could happen? If I feel overwhelmed, I could just take a step back, and someone else could pick up that task. That’s how DAOs work, isn’t it?
My reasoning was that I thought it would be an excellent opportunity to keep track of everything going on in Developer DAO. I was already browsing a lot of the channels. So why not write some of it down and share it with the rest of the DAO?!
So I replied to Marc saying I was interested, and he gave me an outline of what they were looking for. I managed to scrape together something that was acceptable and haven’t looked back since!
Confidence Through Contribution
Joining the newsletter team allowed me to narrow my focus. I was looking too broadly before, not knowing where to spend my energy. Now I have specific duties to get done weekly.
It has also made me more comfortable communicating in the DAO. Carrying out newsletter duties broke some of the hesitancy I once felt. I have no problem speaking up when others need help or if there’s a discussion I want to get involved with.
My willingness to help and activity didn’t go unnoticed either! Marc asked if I would like to be a moderator, to which I replied, “Of course!”.
With everything I’ve been helping out with, my confidence has been growing by the day. I really feel like I’m contributing to something great and that I’m actually able to make a difference by helping people in the DAO.
I’ve also tried to be more active on Twitter, helping out there when I see opportunities. Tons of people have questions about D_D!
Learn From My Example
Taking the leap and getting more involved is scary! You might feel like you don’t have anything to contribute, but trust me, you do! Developer DAO is a big place with a lot going on. Join channels on topics that interest you, and ignore the rest.
You can get a broad overview of what’s going on by subscribing to our newsletter. Once you start participating in conversations, opportunities for involvement will present themselves. Being friendly and helping others when you can goes a long way.
When you start working on a project or two, you could write about it also! The newsletter and DAO blog are always looking for more writers. So let us know what you’ve been working on! It could help others get involved too.
Wrapping Up
I’ve been writing for a couple months now and gained a few great clients, but I’m happy to announce my next big venture...
As of April 4th, 2022, I will be assuming the role of Director of Web3 Content at Dev Spotlight! They have been my best client, and when my contact offered me a position with them, there was no way I could refuse!
So long overhead crane technician, I’m going Web3 full-time baby!
Taking the leap and joining the newsletter team has taught me the benefit of getting out of my comfort zone. Being a part of Developer DAO has shown me the path I want to follow, and I’ve never felt closer to achieving my goals. I’ve also met some really great people along the way.
So if you are still hesitant about getting more involved, just know it’s not as scary as you think! Take the chance and get out of your comfort zone. It could be the best decision you ever make 😉
