As the elections for the Special Council members unfold, the ApeCoin DAO finds itself at a critical crossroads in its development. Our team had the privilege of interviewing four of the five candidates contending for the esteemed positions on the special council, delving deeply into their strategic visions for driving not only the growth of the DAO but also the entire BAYC ecosystem. With the voting period closing tomorrow, tensions run high as candidates eagerly strive to secure those crucial last-minute votes. Join us as we explore each candidate’s unique qualifications and the transformative contributions they aspire to bring.
Waabam
Waabam brings a unique combination of educational background, professional experience, and deep involvement in the DAO. With academic credentials in Arts, Business Administration, and Law, Waabam believes he possesses the necessary knowledge to effectively fulfill the responsibilities of a Special Council member of the ApeCoin DAO.
Waabam’s vision
Waabam’s vision for the ApeCoin DAO revolves around its potential to become the coin of metaverse culture and blockchain gaming. Waabam focuses on prioritizing product development and marketing efforts to achieve this vision. He stressed that attention and growth are byproducts of a mission to ensure the ApeCoin DAO experiences sustainable and organic growth. To achieve this, Waabam outlines two key areas of emphasis.
Firstly, he believed it is crucial to establish various use cases for Apes, as he stated, “What I believe we need is use cases. We need other blockchain games built with APIs and in-game currency. We need metaverse experiences where the Ape is used as a token. We must promote interoperability, allowing Ape to be used across multiple virtual worlds and experiences.”
Secondly, he recognizes the importance of effective marketing and communication efforts within the DAO. He proposed the idea, “What I want us to do is hire professional Web3 communications and marketing team, who can make a growth in onboarding strategy.”
In addition to this, Waabam also recognized the need to address short-term objectives to maintain momentum. He suggested uplifting illustrators, content creators, and mini-game builders, and their creations generate excitement and attention around the DAO. This approach can serve as a temporary solution while waiting for longer-term objectives and use cases to materialize fully.
Challenging the Status Quo
In pursuing his vision, Waabam also recognizes the challenges associated with revenue acceptance for foundations. Concerns around regulatory compliance, including potential classification as a security by the SEC or tax considerations by the IRS, present obstacles that must be navigated.
Despite these challenges, Waabam is committed to doing things right and in the most compliant way. With his legal expertise, he aims to find a balance between adhering to regulations while pushing the status quo and generating interest from the broader web3 Community.
Ultimately, Waabam’s goal is to leverage his knowledge of the DAO, skill set, and existing relationships within the Community to rally people and effect change by being on the Special Council. By assuming this position, Waabam believes he can contribute to the ApeCoin DAO in ways that would be challenging from an external standpoint.
ThreadGuy
ThreadGuy is an esteemed host, thought leader, and community builder in Web3. For over two years, he has hosted one of the largest Web3-focused Twitter Spaces daily, amassing millions of monthly impressions on Crypto Twitter. ThreadGuy firmly believes that his unique ability to capture sustained attention, drive narratives, and build communities is the missing piece to solving the master puzzle of ApeCoin.
While the ApeCoin DAO boasts undeniable resources and funding, it faces a daunting challenge in garnering attention and incentivizing active participation within its Community. Recognizing this struggle, ThreadGuy identifies the need for a member of the Special Council who can spearhead efforts in growing participation, cultivating culture, and propelling the Community forward. He believes that his candidacy for the Special Council is rooted in leveraging his hosting, community-building, and marketing skills to generate the much-needed attention, growth, and active involvement required to propel the ApeCoin DAO toward unprecedented achievements.
ThreadGuy’s Vision
ThreadGuy’s vision for the ApeCoin DAO involves addressing its current limitations head-on. He highlights the need for more outreach, awareness, and extension, which ultimately hinders the ability to attract builders and talent necessary to push the DAO’s vision forward. ThreadGuy passionately expresses, “What I believe that I bring is the social impact that can genuinely reach the talent, reach the builders, and recently, innovators.” He views his entire campaign as a public case study, showcasing the ripple effects of impactful initiatives that extend beyond a single space or event.
ThreadGuy underlines the importance of hyper-focusing on the sustainable products and platforms being developed behind the scenes when considering both short-term and long-term objectives. However, he firmly believes that “simply relying on excitement and gaming alone” is insufficient for long-term sustenance and will ultimately lead to losing attention, relevance, and momentum. Instead, the solution lies in winning the short term through hyper-focused efforts prioritizing success and understanding the need to build a strong culture and community outreach. By doing so, ApeCoin can position itself as the gaming token of choice in the Web3 world.
The Optimal Team
When considering the optimal team for the Special Council, ThreadGuy looks beyond individual qualifications. He advocates creating a section that covers as many avenues as possible, skillfully balancing weaknesses to create a cohesive unit. By focusing on his strengths, which align with the council’s current liabilities, ThreadGuy intends to contribute to the ApeCoin brand recognition and improve DAO participation. He envisions a transparent process where every Ape Improvement Proposal (AIP) is highlighted, reviewed, and publicly discussed on Twitter Spaces.
Furthermore, by hosting weekly spaces dedicated to pushing AIPs forward and facilitating in-depth discussions, ThreadGuy aims to empower the Community to make informed decisions and actively drive the DAO’s progress.
Swickie
Swickie’s expansive professional background, ranging from academia to foundations, branding to entertainment, presents her with a unique blend of expertise that sets her apart as a candidate for the ApeCoin DAO Special Council. She firmly believes that her diverse yet interconnected professional journey positions her as a well-suited and trusted team member, equipped with a sound judgment that will undoubtedly carry over to her role on the Special Council.
Her decision to run for the Special Council stems from her genuine passion for fostering authentic relationships with individuals and communities. She shares a deep-rooted belief in the immense potential of the Ape community and sees this opportunity as a chance to take things to the next level. Drawing on her real-life experience in grants and production, she believes she possesses the practical knowledge necessary to navigate the intricate dynamics, regulations, and compliance aspects of such endeavors.
Swickie’s Vision
Swickie is committed to upholding the vision of the DAO and fulfilling the Special Council’s duties in protecting the Community. Within the boundaries of the council, her focus centers around supporting the Working Groups, which serve as crucial pillars for education and impactful initiatives. In addition to this, she plans to focus heavily on the following initiatives:
- Community-Facing: advocate for a diverse council with varied perspectives and skills.
- Expanding Community: reach communities beyond the scope of BAYC-MAYC
- Ape Token Adoption: explore opportunities for Ape token adoption
- Representation: ensure representation of the diverse voices within the Community
Swickie emphasizes that her goal is to bring visibility, and use cases, and drive cultural advancement, as she stresses, “We’ve built platforms, we’ve built use cases, we’ve onboarded in real life. So those are the minutiae of what I’m looking at.”
Cross Collaboration
Swickie is dedicated to advocating for the expansion of the DAO community, striving for broader adoption of Ape, and enhancing communication channels within and beyond the Community. She firmly believes in the effectiveness of cross-collaboration and highlights three essential aspects in this regard:
- Incentivizing people
- Implementing effective mechanics
- Signaling the importance of their presence
Ultimately, she aims to build platforms that empower individuals to continue pursuing their passions and enable further growth in Web3.
Captain Trippy
Captain Trippy has been an enthusiastic and engaged member of the APE community for the past two years. As a business owner, entrepreneur, and someone who thrives on making a difference, he constantly seeks opportunities to apply his skills and contribute to meaningful projects. When the Special Council position became available, he felt it was the perfect opportunity to bring his background and experience.
As a member of the Special Council, he aims to leverage his platform to drive awareness about the ApeCoin DAO. He has unwavering faith in the future of the DAO and its potential to shape culture both within the metaverse and beyond. With his extensive experience and unique voice, he is confident that he can make a significant impact by working from the inside out of the DAO.
Captain’s Vision
Captain identifies the number one responsibility of the DAO as reviewing Ape Improvement Proposals (AIPs) for regulatory risks. He emphasizes the importance of close collaboration with legal experts to ensure compliance and avoid potential regulatory issues.
Furthermore, he envisions organizing the DAO’s structure like a traditional one. He believes strategic hiring and placing the right individuals in key positions is crucial. He says, “I would like to get the right people in the right seats, and even though it’s not a top-down organization, it very much is something where I’d like to see us as an organization.”
Regarding product delivery, his vision extends to include the metaverse and beyond. He emphasizes the importance of product delivery in the real world, including organizing diverse IRL events and activities. By catering to both virtual and physical experiences, he aims to foster a comprehensive and inclusive ecosystem.
Collaboration with Other Projects
Captain envisions collaborating with other projects within the Web3 space. He believes in exploring opportunities to incorporate APE in these collaborations, seeking mutually beneficial outcomes for both the project and the DAO. By asking important questions such as “What can we do for you?” and “What would make you want to use APE?”, He aims to foster partnerships that benefit both parties involved and contribute to the broader ecosystem as a whole.
Karma Pocket
Since the early days of the Bored Ape Yacht Club (BAYC) and the inception of the ApeCoin community, Karma Pocket has been deeply invested in the growth and development of ApeCoin DAO. With a strong desire to contribute his experience and knowledge gained from running successful DAOs and startups, Karma recognizes the potential of ApeCoin DAO to attract even more talented individuals with high-quality proposals. By serving on the Special Council, Karma aims to steer ApeCoin DAO towards positively impacting the entire crypto space.
Karma’s Vision
Karma envisions ApeCoin DAO as a platform that thrives on proposals delivering true value to the Community. He focuses on fostering proposals that exhibit innovation, well-executed plans, and measurable outcomes, as he believes these are the key drivers of success. In other words, he aims to make the DAO proposal process more performance-based. Karma emphasizes the significance of active engagement and cultural broadcasting within the Community to achieve this vision. By encouraging more community members to contribute their talents and skills, Karma seeks to transform ApeCoin DAO into a builder DAO.
Navigating the Legal Landscape
Karma comprehends the importance of high legal compliance standards for ApeCoin DAO. Drawing upon his experience establishing and running DAOs with proper legal structures, he believes his expertise aligns seamlessly with the position’s requirements. University law departments have invited him to deliver seminars on DAOs for legal professionals. Moreover, his experience leading a team of ten DAO contributors has honed his ability to deliver solid results within a decentralized setting.
Conclusion
The ApeCoin DAO elections present a critical moment for the future of the DAO, as the candidates vying for the Special Council positions offer unique qualifications and visions to drive growth and success. While all candidates are outstanding in the expertise they bring to the table, two out of the five will be chosen to join the Special Counsel. It would be interesting to see how the community votes and what direction the DAO takes shortly.
