As an active member of the Web3 Talents community, previously participating in the DLT Talents and DeFi Talents programs and currently mentoring our fifth cohort of DLT Talents, Daniela Boback is also a regular panelist on web3 related panel discussions, most recently also at Next Block Expo in Berlin. We spoke to Daniela about her Web3 journey so far and her perceived benefits of participating in our Talents programs.
On her mission to empowering female talent in the web3 industry – besides being an active DLT Talents mentor – Daniela also supports wom3n.DAO, who aim to make it easier for women and non-binary people to access Web3 and Blockchain technologies and to make knowledge available in the simplest possible way.
Thanks for taking the time to talk to us about your professional life and your experiences with DLT Talents, Daniela. For everyone who does not know you yet, what do you do professionally and what are your responsibilities within your role?
I am currently on a self-chosen professional sabbatical to continue my move to the web3 on a professional level. Before that, I was employed by an asset manager where I held a variety of roles. Most recently, I worked there as an investment operations manager, where I was in charge of all topics related to investment fund mandates.
When did you become interested in blockchain and web3 and what initially interested you most?
As I come from the financial sector, I had of course heard about Bitcoin etc. a little earlier, that was in 2017, but at that time I already failed with the wallet topic and as my claim is actually always to understand the things I do, I actually put the whole thing on hold for the time being; I couldn’t find the time to deal with it sufficiently. Then in 2021, in preparation for my 2nd parental leave, I happened to listen to the herMoney podcast, where Katharina Gehra was a guest on the topic of blockchain. In her talk, she spoke so passionately, but above all clearly and comprehensibly, that it was clear to me that my original idea of refreshing my knowledge of French during my parental leave had to be dropped in order to fully dedicate myself to the topic of blockchain.
Besides the mentioned podcast, how much did you know about blockchain before the program?
I had already read a few books on the subject, but I felt anything but confident with the knowledge I had acquired. This led me to first participate in Unit Masters (DLT Talents’s partner programme) and then to apply for DLT Talents and DeFi Talents.
If you had to sum up the DLT Talents program in one adjective, which would you choose?
The adjective I would choose would probably be “valuable“.
What made DLT Talents so valuable for you?
Well, of course I was able to expand and deepen my already acquired knowledge, which gave me more confidence, but I also learned so many other skills! From creating my own content, to using tools like Canva or Slack, Discord etc., to hosting and moderating my own You-Tube livestream – it was all there. But probably the most valuable thing for me was the personal development I experienced through this programme. I learned to trust myself and my abilities. Through this incredibly strong, inquisitive and supportive community of DLTTs, I was able to jump over my shadow, try new (sometimes uncomfortable) things #getoutofyourcomfortzone, receive constructive feedback and ultimately drastically increase my self-esteem as a result. I mean, if someone had told me at the beginning of the year that I would be a speaker on a stage one day, I would have laughed at them in disbelief. But that already happened in November as part of the NextBlockExpo! Of course, something like this is not for everyone, but you should at least give it a try. After all, one rarely regrets the things one has done, but very often the things one has not done.
What came after DLT Talents for you?
After DLTT, I applied for a Web3 startup incubator programme, the BFG Superstars, where I was also able to gain very valuable experience, e.g. how to proceed wisely when founding a company and, above all, what innovative ideas Web3 can enable! After 6 weeks, however, I decided to drop out of the programme for various reasons, but I didn’t regret it having taken part, quite the opposite! And you might have to know that I quit my job in TradFi just to be able to participate in this programme, so it was a huge step for me.
You earlier mentioned you wanted to continue moving your professional career into the web3 industry. What are your next steps?
Now I’m enjoying a short break, because it was a very turbulent year on all levels and you have to let what you’ve learned sink in. In the coming year, I would like to focus mainly on projects that are very close to my heart, both personally and in terms of content. For example, I will increase my involvement in wom3n.DAO to promote and strengthen onboarding and diversity in the Web3 Space. I am also very concerned about sustainability, which I would like to prioritise in my career planning. I also plan to launch my own podcast, which will focus on the people behind projects. Feels a bit like a reset for me. More to come!
Thanks, Daniela, for taking the time to talk to us and being an active member of the Web3 Talents Community!
Contact
Web3 Talents
(c/o Frankfurt School Blockchain Center)
Adickesallee 32–34
60322 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
Jong-Chan Chung
jong-chan.chung@web3-talents.io
About Web3 Talents
At Web3 Talents we believe that education is the pathway to a successful career. Therefore, we have designed four free 18-week mentorship programs specializing in various Web3 topics. With DLT Talents, DeFi Talents, NFT Talents and Bitcoin Talents we aim to educate a cohort of Talents in the respective topic and help them kick-start their career to become entrepreneurs, technologists, founders, regulators and investors in the respective Web3 industries.
Our track record so far speaks for itself: By now, more than 5000 people have applied for our Talents programs; of these, we have mentored more than 1000 from 2020 to 2022. Following the completion of our program, many of our Talents have successfully entered Web3 industries and founded businesses of their own.
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