Apr 1, 2024

Swinging for the Blockchain – The Pregame Warmup

A blog series outlining how BASEball transformed from idea to reality

The Pregame Warmup

In the spring of 2017, a simple message from co-founder Smogs sparked the beginning of what would become a roller coaster journey into the world of cryptocurrency. "Buy Ethereum," the message read. At the time, Ethereum was just a futuristic sounding name, and blockchain technology a distant concept. I had my initial doubts but the rising tide of Ethereum's value was too much to ignore. I impulsively hit “the buy button”. Little did I know, my impulse decision would lead me down a path filled with learning, experimentation, and a few hard-earned lessons.

Coinciding with my Ether purchase, but unrelated, I went to visit Smogs in LA. A laid-back weekend of beach lounging and nightlife was on the agenda…so we thought. Instead, Smogs and I embarked on an Ethereum and blockchain crash course which remains as one of my core life memories. The weekend was transformed into a whirlwind of educational YouTube marathons igniting a passion for crypto and laying the foundation that allowed us to endure the volatile years ahead.

I remember that weekend, Smogs dubbed himself "The Saint of Santa Monica" after betting big on XLM. We watched it go from twenty cents to one dollar. Not long after though, I remember making the joke “from saint to sucker”. This single moment encapsulated the highs and lows of crypto trading. His success was a beacon of potential, yet the harsh winter that followed served as a stark reminder of the market's unpredictability.


Summer of Sol

Fast forward to 2021 and the crypto landscape had once again shifted, heralding the "Summer of Sol." While I remained loyal to Ethereum, Smogs had ventured into the burgeoning world of Solana and its NFTs. Recognizing the opportunity at hand, we were eager to carve out our niche. Drawing inspiration from our shared love for video games and sports, we conceived "BaSOLball" – a blend of 90s hit video game Backyard Baseball with the collectability of MLB Showdown cards. We would later question the name, but we ran with it.

With roles clearly defined, Smogs tackled the web design while I built our discord and laid out our execution strategy. Our enthusiasm was palpable as we mapped out the traits and features of our digital players. In an act to move quickly, I enlisted my brother in law as our artist. We purchased a brand new ipad and Stylus and had him get to work. Unfortunately, life threw us a curveball (pun intended). My brother in law welcomed twins to the family which halted our project in its tracks, and the subsequent market downturn sapped our drive to continue.

Reflecting on this journey, I like to call this short period, our pregame warmup. We used this small failure as an opportunity to learn and analyze our mistakes.


Takeaways

Preparation is key and we were not as prepared as we thought - Enthusiasm and technical know-how are foundational, yet they don't equate to comprehensive preparedness. Our oversight of critical elements like marketing, community building, and backend infrastructure revealed a gap in our readiness, highlighting the importance of a holistic approach to project development. We needed the right team and we didn’t have it.

Creative Collaboration Requires Direction - Entrusting an artist with creative freedom is commendable, but without clear guidance and inspiration, the resulting work may fall short of the project's vision. Effective collaboration requires detailed communication and shared understanding, ensuring that the art aligns with the intended emotional and aesthetic vision.

Family and business require a delicate balance and most of the time just doesn’t work - Mixing family relationships with business endeavors is complicated. For me, it’s extremely difficult to enforce working standards while maintaining the compassion and understanding I give to family members. The unspoken rule I've adopted is to prioritize familial harmony, even at the expense of entrepreneurial aspirations. And yes, the iPad remains a humorous bone of contention.

Execution requires an intense drive that we lacked – From the outside, NFT projects look seamless. The issue is you can’t truly understand the effort that goes on under the hood. A successful project requires more than just tangible skills. One needs to have a pulse on the industry with the ability to find the best places of opportunity, and then execute swiftly to take advantage.

As I look back on my pregame warmup, I'm reminded of the importance of resilience, adaptability, and the invaluable lessons learned through trial and error. The world of cryptocurrency remains a frontier of immense potential and unpredictability, and for those willing to navigate its waters, the experience can be as enriching as it is challenging.

In our next blogpost, its game time.

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