GM, web3! This is part of a new mini series, featuring profiles of people who have left Web2 for Web3 and exploring why they made the leap. If you have ideas for people to feature (including self-nominations!) reach out to us @Sarah or @Vedika.
Today, we’re excited to profile Christina Beltramini, Head of Growth + Partnerships at Aave. Enjoy!
What attracted you to web3? Did you have any "aha" moments?
It all started in 2017 after picking up “Blockchain Revolution” by Alex Tapscott and Don Tapscott. My curiosity peaked and I have been down the crypto rabbit hole ever since. There wasn’t an exact “aha” moment, more so the build up of my genuine passion about the types of innovation that Web3 can open-up to create a new and fairer decentralized world order. Most recently working in both the creator economy and music streaming, I saw first-hand the growing pains emerging from the current digital ecosystem. Misaligned incentives from incumbent middle-men and monetization data hungry Web2 companies. Putting the power back in the hands of those who are creating the actual value, instead of having them as just an input in the value chain (and most often last) is what drives me.
Why did you join Aave?
Over the last 18 months, we've seen Web3 concepts which solve core problems going from ideation to production and adoption. Part of my previous role at TikTok I was responsible for putting together a skunk work team focused on exploring how these innovations such as NFTs could reshape economics and control for creators. That’s when the lines between my crypto hobby and work started to merge. It’s also when I decided I finally needed to jump in to play a part in driving this innovation forward rather than just participating on the sidelines.
What’s important for me in any role and company is continuous and rapid learning in an entrepreneurial environment on the bleeding edge of innovation. It can be hard to find this perfect formula as I did when I joined in the early days at TikTok. What drew me to Aave is it’s focus on impact, building together and being bold in its mission to be a web3 leader. Someone at our company aptly put it this way “we're a band of passionate multidisciplinary tinkers, makers and hackers”. For those looking at roles in Web3, look for the right signals and track record especially in a bull market where there can be a lot of noise. For me it’s the fact that Aave continues to launch the latest leading products in their respective fields and was able to build a successful DeFi product throughout the 2017-2020 bear market.
What were your biggest learnings from the process?
For anyone looking to get into the space, my suggestion would be to ensure that you build your Web3 resume. We are at a unique inflection point where never working in crypto won't hold you back as it's an industry emerging real time and there are so many ways to level up getting involved on the side. It’s very easy to tell those who have a genuine interest in the space apart from those looking to follow the hype.
While I had never worked directly in crypto, I was avidly building my Web3 knowledge base investing and advising in various projects, engaging in community discords, yield farming, testing DAOs etc. These experiences not only inspired me further, but helped me connect with some of the brightest minds in the space who taught and guided me as I thought about making the jump. It’s an incredibly open industry and you’ll be surprised who you meet and what you learn when you dive in online. But it does take commitment and time, especially if you have a full-time job. Can’t say I sleep too much, but it did allow me to strike when the iron was hot at TikTok and assert myself to bring my hobby learnings to my day job. Now the rest is history!
Thanks to Christina for joining us :) P.S. Aave is hiring - check out roles here.
If you have suggestions on who you’d like to see, don’t hesitate to reach out. You can also find previous editions with Katie (Coinbase Ventures) and Brandon (Layer3).