Women in Blockchain Talks, NFTs, and Financial Wellness with Lavinia Osbourne

This Slogging thread by Akasha Rose, Limarc Ambalina, Lavinia Osbourne and Michiel Mulders occurred in slogging's official #amas channel, and has been edited for readability.

Let's welcome Lavinia Osbourne, the award-winning host and founder of Women in Blockchain Talks, an award-winning networking and educational platform that shines a spotlight on dynamic women in the Blockchain ecosystem. In her work, Lavinia aims to attract both non-technical as well as technically skilled women into this exciting and innovative space.

Even though the WiBT community is female-led and orientated, the community is open to ALL genders. With her background in financial wellness, Lavinia brings with her a desire to uplift individuals financially, professionally, and personally, giving those in her community a new way of thinking about their money, career and life opportunities.

Women in Blockchain Talks as a "social impact" company, and with their diversity and inclusivity campaign - "50k Women into Blockchain by 2023" - as a vehicle to drive change, Lavinia is on a mission to decrease the gender gap as well as increase diversity in the Blockchain, Tech, and Entrepreneurship sphere.

This AMA will be open for the next 48 hours. Please keep your questions and replies in this thread!

Hi Lavinia! Thanks for joining us

Do you think NFTs are just the next crypto/blockchain buzzword that will soon die out or are they here to stay?

They are 100% here to stay!

As a user on twitter recently said...

"Imagine dialling back time and collect all the first-gen Pokemon cards, the Runescape party hats, vintage cars, the first/early art pieces from the greatest artists,

That's literally what we can do right now with NFTs. The whole collector niche is being reset - digital.”

I couldn't agree more...

Also, as someone who focuses and amplifies the importance of diversity, I believe they are a pathway to bringing in and attracting more women into the scene. This is never a bad thing! :)
https://cointelegraph.com/news/nfts-can-be-a-good-pathway-to-draw-women-into-crypto-says-lavinia-osbourne/amp

Akasha Rose would you believe that I wrote a response to Limarc Ambalina nearly 3hrs ago but did not press enter :woman-facepalming:😜:woman-facepalming:😜:woman-facepalming:😜:woman-facepalming:

Who have been your favourite guests on your podcast? Are there any episodes you recommend we listen to and why?

I loved my interview with Anthony Day from IBM. The way he breaks down Blockchain and its uses was just mind-blowing for me.

I have to say there is a different scope and feel when interviewing men which I love bringing to the WiBT community. Remember, we are female-led and female-focused but opne to ALL genders.

I really enjoyed my podcast with WiBT's community engagement manager, Quinn Button.

And finally, interviewing my old school friend and Grammy award-winning Musician, Imogen Heap, who has been a long time advocate of Blockchain was awesome. :)

All these podcast episodes can be found on Spotify, Apple and Google as well as other podcast platforms.

http://womeninblockchaintalks.libsyn.com/website

Do you think fractionalized NFTs will become a major success? Do you think we will see other forms of NFT ownership or constructions?

Yes I do. Nfts are very community orientated so it makes sense for a group of people to come together and invest in these sort of assets together, in a legally binding way.

It is for this reason that the idea and premise behind property tokenisation is so popular.

We are right at the beginning of this new asset class, so concepts we have not even thought about will be brought to the table.

I hope that answers your question.

What's financial wellness mean to you and what are the biggest mistakes (and comparative opportunities) people are making with their money right now?

Why do you think NFTs have grown to where they are now? History has shown that there are niches of people who value digital goods. People have been paying for digital goods on video games and virtual spaces since the early days of Habbo Hotel, Neopets, Runescape, etc.

But there is a huge difference between those microtransactions to digital assets being valued in the hundreds of thousands to millions of dollars.

Why do you think we are more and more assignign value to digital goods that we can't hold in our hands?

Financial Wellness incorporates financial literacy, education and wellbeing. Each one individually will lead to financial wellness.

So, what financial wellness means to me is an understanding of how money works, how to make it work fie me and feeling good about my decision around my finances, with my finances because I know, no matter what, I am always improving on my self and (financial) situation.

We are living in challenging times. Times like these are what we save for. So, I think if people are able to pay their bills then they are doing something right.

I do think people need to educate themselves more on the different opportunities around Crypto, Defo and NFTs.

Great question Limarc.
I think there is something to be said, or even valuable, about being the “first”, even though being the "first" comes with its own pressure and doubts. Even so, I would argue that the desire to be first, or be “one” of the first to own something that is classed as a “first '', especially in regards to Collectibles is driving the growth in the NFT Market.

One of my biggest worries with NFTs is the same that I've been seeing in the retro video game collectibles market.

People would pay anywhere from $60-$100 to purchase a retro game that is somewhat rare, and then companies see that there is a dollar to be made and end up reprinting those games to capitalize on that demand they saw, driving the value of them down.

Are there any practices you know of put in place in NFT markets to stop creators from simply going "oh I just sold 1000 of these NFTs for $1000 each. Let's release another 1000"

No there isn't. Or I am not aware of anything in place. If projects did this then they would be burning their own reputation. The blockchain ultimately records the providence and proof of an NFT, so similarly to the first edition of a Harry Potter book, for example, no matter the number of reprints, those first editions will still have value.

I hope that answers your question :)

Hey I hear you are dropping an NFT collection this week - what is it, and what effect do gas fees have on the future of NFTs? Will people swap to other blockchain solutions for NFTs from Ethereum?

Also, I've heard that platforms like Rarible are swapping to a model where gas fees are paid at the point of purchase rather than listing - do you think that will make a difference in the adoption by creators of NFTs and greater loyalty to the Ethereum protocol?

Thanks for your great answers! My question is similar to Akasha’s. I’ve just started diving into NFT platforms like The Sandbox and CryptoKitties and the BIGGEST blocker I think for newcomers once they get settled are the high and volatile Ethereum gas fees. Sometimes the gas fees were twice as expensive as the actual NFT!

Is there any end in sight to this problem?

For non-premium NFTs it definitely makes more sense to have them on blockchains that have very low gas fees.

The gas fees on Ethereum really only make sense for enterprise/business level NFTs or premium pieces.

Hi lovelies, great questions which I'm excited to answer in a little while. Thank you for your patience. :partying_face:🤗:partying_face:🤗:partying_face:🤗:partying_face:

Take your time there is no rush.

Right! I'm back! lol!

Akasha Rose yes I am dropping an NFT! I am very excited about it! Also very nervous! I was so nervous I became overwhelmed and just retreated in myself....actually my head! I got in my own way! Something I advise others, especially women, not to do! Life is for living and a part of living is stepping out of one's comfort zone. You never know what is on the other side of being brave!!

So, my NFT is a utility-backed one meaning that it comes with products and services, such as my "How to Create Your Own NFT" recording with Masha Vyazenskaya from Rarible - one of the top NFT platforms in the space, plus others. This product is stand-alone so you can purchase it without the NFT- https://wibt.mykajabi.com/offers/e8V5yGnP to find out more and purchase!

With that being said, my NFT is special in it is own right because of what it stands for "A Woman in Blockchain & Business"; the fact only 13 will be minted, so by bidding for it, purchasing it, it will be a statement of an individual's stand for diversity and inclusivity in the space. I have written a Medium article about this but I have not published it yet. When I do I will share it here! It has been a busy week!

Limarc Ambalina in regards to your question about gas fees, my plan was to mint my NFT on Rarible but due to the gas fees ($1444 plus!!!) I had to delay it. I am now looking at alternative ways to mint including lazy minting which basically means you pay the gas fee once you have sold your NFT. Of course, there are other platforms you can mint on such as Polygon (formerly known as Matic) where the fees are much lower or $0.
Rarible will be adding a "layer 2" to help reduce the fees, they are aware, as all the other "Ethereum based" platforms, that gas fees could prove a hindrance to the mass adoption of NFTs and thus inclusivity in the space.

Enterprise or not, I don't think anyone really wants to be paying such high gas fees!!!! 🙂

I hope I have answered all your questions in this one comment :)

Yeah, I reckon! $1444 in gas fees would make anyone baulk! That only makes sense for transactions worth millions.

Hey as you come up to the second anniversary of WiBT, can you reflect for us on what lessons have been learnt? And what does the future hold?

Ohhhh! Great question.
Let me think and come back to you. Thank you for asking....

Akasha Rose Once again, thanks for the great question.

The last two years have gone by quickly.

The pandemic obviously underpinned this and for the business, the focused and restricted time was good for it.

Over the years as an entrepreneur, I had developed a number of digital and online skills so pivoting my monthly events (meetups) online was done with more or less ease. Finding the right platform was key and I found it with Airmeet! That changed everything! In doing all of this, it allowed me to open up my audience from a local arena to a global one. For this, I am grateful.

Takeaway lesson(s): Don't be afraid of change! Be willing to adapt! And roll with the punches! As well as look for the blessing in all of your lessons.

Pivoting online did come with its challenges and I got burnt out! I had to cancel an event (July) and take some time out. I realised I needed help not only to manage the event process but in order to grow.

Takeaway lesson(s): Taking time out does not make you a failure! Asking for help does not make you a failure! It simply makes you human. Sometimes our worst enemy is our self! The truth of the matter is nothing that is for you will go past you! So keep doing the "do" whatever that is, and trust the journey!

Realising and acknowledging the above I started looking for a VA. I found the super-duper, business savvy, get it done, bright and bubbly Kelly, CEO of The List Whisper. In the year that we have worked together, she has changed me - she proved to me I could let go and give someone just as capable if not more so, the reins to key aspects of WiBT. She has added soooooo much value to WiBT in regards to asset and system creation, look and feel. She has been and still is my right-hand person. She cares and in caring about me and WiBT I know she has my back and that I am not totally alone. The entrepreneurial journey is and can be very lonely. So, this truly matters!

Takeaway lesson(s): Appreciate good people around! This includes not only Kelly but my two advisors, all the interns who have worked with WiBT this last year and all the community members and individuals who have reshared a post, wrote a supportive comment, asked how they can help and got involved! It truly makes a difference! Again, I am truly grateful for that.
It is also very important that you are willing to let go, and trust, so you can grow and thus your business will grow.

Since working with Kelly, in addition to the monthly events and WiBT Telegram group, we created a bi-monthly newsletter, a blog, website, a blogger programme, a Membership programme, a Corporate Membership programme, a Podcast, a diversity Job Board promotion female talent and blockchain jobs, an online community, a Discord channel and something I am most proud of - a global diversity and inclusivity campaign - https://Campaign.womeninblockchaintalks.com. She also helped me close a sponsorship deal with April 6 - A global award-winning industry specialist in Mobility, Technology, and Science making moments that matter for brands shaping the future. They have been so supportive and nurturing of me and WiBT, and for this, I will be forever grateful!

Takeaway lesson(s): Be willing to try new things, create new things - some things will work great, some won't. You learn from each success and failure but either way, you simply keep on moving!!! Oh! And have fun with it! It is a privilege to do/work in and create something that you feel passionate about! Not many are brave enough to do it (because it is hard!!!!!) or are allowed to do it, as seen in certain parts of the world such as Afghanistan.

So what now? So, what of the future?!
Well, I am so excited about the future and the pivots we are making to accommodate R&D and thus continued growth. Women in Blockchain is here to stay for the long term!

Our 2nd-anniversary event is coming up on 22nd September and it will be our first physical event since February 2020!!!!!!
It is going to be held at Rise London, created by Barclays, which is in Shoreditch aka The Silicon Roundabout, London, UK. It is in collaboration with Women in Technology, Barclays and our two guest speakers are Kristina Lucrezia Corner, Editor in Cheif at CoinTelegraph and Priya Gulian, UK President of the Government Blockchain Association (GBA). It is going to be a great event both at the venue and online via Airmeet

We have a number of exciting, game-changing announcements on the day, so to know what they are, you will have to register for the event here.

What I will say is that we are definitely going more global as illustrated by the recent announcement of our new WiBT Middle East Ambassador, Randa Al Rifai

NFTs are going to play a big part in our future, so again a lot of developments for the business, the WiBT community, our Membership and hopefully the community at large. all in a positive way.

If anyone reading this wishes to join my FREE WiBT community then you can by https://community.womeninblockchaintalks.com!

Thank you for reading and being part of my "Slogging" experience.

Thanks so much for joining us for Slogging any last thoughts? How can people follow you and get involved in learning more?

Follow me on my socials and groups by going here - https://linktr.ee/WiBT

For upcoming and up to date information on events, products and masterclasses you can go here - https://links.womeninblockchaintalks.com
🙏🙏🙏😊🙏🙏🙏