jd_

 

Thanks so much for taking the time to talk. So, not only have you been in MVHQ for a long time, but you are also one of the few MVPs. I’m excited to dig into how that came to be, however, let’s start by finding out what got into the crypto space and NFTs?

 

tiffskicks310

 

I was part of the wave of collectors who got onboarded through NBA Topshot. I was skeptical about the idea of digital collectibles at first and was convinced that it was all a ponzi. I'd had strong memories of opening cardboard packs when I was a kid, and it was hard to think that anything could replace that excitement. But I was a huge basketball fan and a collector at heart, so I figured I might as well try going for a few packs. Then a few months later, I saw myself in the background of several Topshot Moments. I'm a Milwaukee native and a lifelong Bucks fan, and that was the year we won the championship. That personal connection to the product was a major turning point in helping me understand how the digital medium could offer something truly special. With cardboard, the thrill came from opening a pack and the surprise of what was inside.

 

With Topshot, I was actually collecting my own memories of watching plays unfold, whether on TV or in person. That blew my mind. From there, my interest in NFTs continued to expand. One of the first artists that I gravitated toward was Pak. He was creating participatory performance art. He was incorporating the element of time into his work. That really captivated me because it was the first time that I saw how the blockchain, combined with web3 notions of community and interaction, could create new experiences and art forms that were accessible to average collectors like me, anywhere in the world.

 

jd_

 

This is amazing. I also came through TopShot, except as a Raptors fan lol. I can’t believe you saw yourself there in the moments! Was Pak your first NFT beyond TopShot?

 

tiffskicks310

 

It was! Well technically, that first one actually belongs to my mom. She felt that Sotheby's first-ever NFT auction would be historically significant. I cautioned against it because I had just lost a lot of money on Topshot’s Seeing Stars challenge. But she ignored my advice and bought the Cube anyway. Eventually, that Cube 10x’d, showing that sometimes you just need to listen to your parents. I later added Fomoverse, Lost Poets, and Merge to the collection. It was all great until it wasn’t. With web3 it can be harder to separate the art and artist, which can be both good and bad.

 

jd_

 

Love that your mom went all in! Hard to argue with a 10x. So, from Pak, how did you find your way to MVHQ?

 

tiffskicks310

 

That’s all thanks to Dizi, who I knew from a small friends and family group chat that started with sneaker collecting and later expanded into NFTs. Dizi was already a sharp trader, with a great intuition for the market. But after he joined MVHQ, I saw him level up even more. That encouraged me to start saving up for a membership. A couple of months later I missed out on the TIME Magazine drop because I didn't know how to win a basic gas war. I was so disappointed and frustrated, but it allowed me to funnel that money into an MVHQ key instead. In hindsight, it was by far the best L that I ever took!

 

jd_

 

I love that, the best L. Such a great perspective. Once you joined, how did you find it? Was it what you expected?

 

tiffskicks310

 

Oh, my experience with MVHQ quickly exceeded my expectations. But what surprised me was that the aspect that I came to value the most was not the top-tier alpha, but the camaraderie of the group. Community building has always been very important to me, and that's something that MVHQ excels at. A lot of that goes back, of course, to our famous voice chat. I spent a decade in academia and I've always loved the energy of a college campus. In some ways, VC reminds me of the buzz of a student union, with conversations rapidly oscillating between highly technical to super goofy, and everything in between. After a year of pandemic isolation, that energy was something I needed.

 

jd_

 

What a great way to describe it. And I couldn’t agree more with your thoughts on MVHQ and the community.

 

 In the midst of it, you were awarded the MVP. Can you talk a little about how that came to be?

 

tiffskicks310

 

I have to say, winning the March 2022 MVP award really meant a lot to me. It's very fulfilling to have your efforts recognized by your peers and I love how MVHQ encourages everyone to make contributions to the community based on our own strengths and interests. Every month I'm just blown away by all the different ways that members impact the group. In my case, I was nominated for MVP after organizing a dinner meetup to welcome members who were in town for NFTLA. Planning that event was really important to me because I was actively looking for ways to give back to the community. At the beginning of the year, Meg had invited me to join her and several other MVHQ members who were visiting Los Angeles. It was an incredibly fun experience degenning together "IRL" and getting to meet everyone.

 

Before then, I was a pretty low-key member who chatted fairly regularly but was way too shy to talk in VC. But everyone was so friendly and supportive, it gave me a lot of confidence and motivation moving forward. I benefitted a lot from these real-world meetups and I wanted to share that opportunity with others in a casual setting where everyone could feel comfortable. I started by coordinating a Korean BBQ meetup for SoCal members that had a pretty strong turnout. So when NFDean messaged the NFTLA thread asking if people wanted to get dinner during the conference, I offered to help with the planning. Interest really took off and what started as a simple meal for 6-8 people grew to a semi-private gathering for 30! It was a challenging but rewarding experience, and I'm grateful to the MVHQ staff for encouraging community-organized initiatives like this, as well as to the community for recognizing the work that went into planning the event.

 

jd_

 

Congratulations on that recognition. And what a great opportunity you created for members to connect in real life.

Earlier you spoke about how the MVHQ energy was something you needed, especially with the pandemic. That makes so much sense and it sounds like relationships are something that helps you maintain your well-being. In a space like this, where it can take a significant toll on our mental health, what are some other ways that you are intentional in order to stay balanced?

 

tiffskicks310

 

Thank you. And you're absolutely right, these relationships have been tremendously important for my well-being. But I'll be honest, I'm still searching for better ways to stay balanced. It's been a continuous struggle, especially since COVID. I've lived, worked, or studied in 8 countries across 4 continents. Travel used to be a core part of my identity, and was how I always centered myself. But all that was taken away in the pandemic. This summer I might go to Hong Kong and Indonesia to visit family. Hopefully, that will give me the courage to start exploring again. I discovered NFTs shortly after the startup that I was working at shut down due to the pandemic. So I've been trading full-time since I entered the space. I absolutely love the flexibility of my day-to-day schedule, but the lack of routine and distraction, so to speak, has taken a long-term toll. I started playing pickleball and shooting hoops at the local gym, which has helped clear my mind and add a little structure to my schedule so that I'm not just sitting at my computer all day long. I've also gotten better about not feeling the need to be "on call" 24/7 in case there's some stealth mint with an instant 10x. Or maybe that's just an outcome of being in a more bearish market.

 

There's a quote that recently made the rounds that resonated with me: "Comparison is the thief of joy." It's difficult, but I'm really trying to internalize this message. I constantly want to improve my skills and hope there are still many more wins in my future. But I'm ok with not being a whale, not being on the top of the leaderboards, and just being an "average" trader sometimes. Along those lines, there are a few channels in MVHQ's discord that I keep coming back to. While I love reading all the #success posts, I equally appreciate going through the #failures channel because it tells a much more balanced and realistic story. When I was in grad school, an alum who had been a straight-C student, and later ended up becoming a billionaire donor to the university, came back to give a talk. His take on his relatively lackluster academic record? "Those C's showed that I had potential!" I always loved that perspective.

 

I also think that MVHQ's #mental-wellness channel is a great resource. Of course, if anyone is going through serious issues, please seek professional help. But I've seen many members open up about their struggles and challenges. I've found it to be very cathartic and I think that the level of vulnerability shared reflects an incredible amount of trust and support within the MVHQ family. Most recently, my favorite thread has been the Parent Support Group channel. I'm not a parent myself, but I'm on the older side of the space and many of my friends have kids. It can be pretty entertaining at times, and it seems to be a great resource for those in the community who are trying to balance trading with raising a family.

 

jd_

 

Thank you so much for opening up and sharing your journey, your struggles, and your thoughts. Reading this and how you’re navigating this space makes me confident that wherever you go, there are some huge wins ahead! Unfortunately, that brings us to our end. But, before we go, maybe a fun finish? If you had to repeat a mint, cut a mint out, or change how a mint went, which ones would you pick and why?

 

tiffskicks310

 

Haha, those are fun questions. Hmm, let me think. Repeat a mint: Otherside. I know many things went horribly wrong with that mint. But that day, VC was absolutely epic. It showcased the best qualities that MVHQ has to offer. Cut a mint out: Party Penguins. This one hurt because it was one of my earliest Ls, and came at a time when I didn't have much capital. I still can't believe I missed generational wealth because I chose the wrong penguins! At least they were cute. Change how a mint went: Checks VV. I minted two and sold them before the announcement of a burn. In fact, I accepted offers, meaning that I made less than 0.01 ETH in profit once you take gas into account. Eyes forward!

 

jd_

 

Tiff, thanks so much for your time, your honesty, and for sharing your journey. Is there any last thought that you would like to leave us all with?

 

tiffskicks310

 

I just want to thank you, the staff, and the rest of the community for all that you do. See you all in VC!