As I watched the crypto and NFT space from the outside for the majority of 2021, it became clear that projects were just trying to leech as much money as possible. In October, I decided to change that with my own project.
The Squid Ink collection was released for free on Polygon to make it more affordable for all. At the end of the month, popular YouTubers Mr. Beast and Mark Rober announced #TeamSeas, a fundraiser to clean up the oceans of trash and debris. In that time, Squid Ink fans pleaded for a new project to be released. I promised to release Eno the Lost and donated all mint proceeds to TeamSeas.
Eno the Lost logo and icon
The importance of brand development and logo design has never been more vital in the saturated world of NFTs. A compelling brand design must create a strong and versatile mark that stands out. It was important to me to keep the design straightforward and simple. This way, it can be easily translated into different media, such as print or apparel, and adapted with different colors.
Sample outputs of the Eno artwork generation for the NFT collection.
I have to fulfill many different roles as the founder of a solo project, and each one has its own ups and downs. Creating art fulfills a part of me that desires to create. I exercise my intellect through web development and blockchain contracts. I also gain skills in listening to and connecting with audiences through social outreach and community building.
We founded Polygon Alliance in December 2021 and Michael has been providing quality graphic design work ever since. As well as his high-quality work, he built a digital gallery for a charity event hosted by Polygon Alliance that was incredibly successful. Aside from this, he also provided tremendous support in marketing and hosting the event. Michael would make an excellent addition to any design team.
Web design, social marketing, and behind the scenes artwork for the collections.
The crypto space was unfamiliar to me and I didn't have anyone to lean on, but that didn't stop me from entering it. Using YouTube as my own personal teacher, I've learned how to create generative artwork using Java, code blockchain contracts in Solidity, and deploy to mainnet.
As opposed to most project owners, I didn't set out to scam people into donating money. Squid Ink was a free project and Eno the Lost generated and donated $1,000 to TeamSeas, but my charitable work didn't end there. In addition to the Eno donation, I joined a group of Polygon project owners and hosted two charity auctions (one to raise funds for Ukraine and another for cancer). In the heat of the crypto bear market, I raised nearly $5,000 for charity.
Besides running my own project, the most rewarding aspect of being part of the NFT and crypto communities is meeting new friends along the way.
I designed & built the Polygon Alliance charity auction metaverse and awards.
A truly outstanding designer, artist, and leader, Michael is known to me as ‘Wenzday’. In addition to providing guidance regarding marketing in the web3 space, he has continued to demonstrate passion and charisma for the work he provides continuously. As a team member, I highly recommend Michael due to his can-do attitude, eagerness to learn, and willingness to complete any task. He has been an integral part of our own success.
A project owner has many responsibilities and lessons to learn, much like an entrepreneur. The most effective process is to recognize my faults, learn from my mistakes, and test new ideas based on the lessons gained.
The truth is that it can be overwhelming to run a project alone. There comes a point when one person can't run everything with the speed at which things move in the crypto space, no matter how proud one is to call themselves a project owner. I believe the most valuable thing I learned from this project was to empower others to fulfill much-needed tasks.
Next to learning how powerful delegation can be, the most profound thing I learned from this project was how much people can influence the quality and mood of a project, brand, or community. Luckily, a few standouts stepped forward to be brand ambassadors.
