How to Build A Career In Blockchain When Your Background Isn't In Tech
Anna K. was raised in California by a mom in finance and a dad in tech, but personally wasn’t interested in a career in STEM.
“I had an idea of what I liked, but wasn’t really sure what I could do in the career world… I really have always loved being creative, and felt like I was missing out on that experience.” With that in mind, Anna learned to metalsmith to create her own jewelry line, and took design classes at a local college so she could work in fashion. She then bounced around as a marketer for a bakery, a fashion designer’s associate, and a manager at a small clothing boutique. A career in tech was nowhere on her 10-year-plan.
So how did she end up as the first hire at a Seattle-based blockchain tech startup?
“Eventually I decided to move to San Francisco, where I was exposed to more of the startup world,” Anna said. The lifestyle startups — those in fashion, food, music and the like — drew her attention. To figure out a more clear path for her career, Anna got her MBA at the University of Southern California, and continued to work in creative, lifestyle-focused companies.
Anna couldn’t have expected to find her dream role at a blockchain fashion-tech startup. The startup she joined is using blockchain tech to let consumers own their data, and selectively share it with brands in exchange for rewards, unlike Amazon which collects loads of data and shares very little with the merchants. Anna was their first hire (she even gets to work remotely!) and now uses her knowledge of fashion and marketing to lead social engagement for the company. It was through her role that she began to learn more about blockchain.
You may have only heard it used in relation to bitcoin, but blockchain has the potential to do way more for the world. Blockchain isn’t an industry, it’s a new kind of technology that distributes power back to the people, and can be used in virtually any field.
New companies are springing up every day with new use cases for the blockchain. It plays a role in efforts to bring internet connectivity to the 3.9 billion people who lack a connection, to track the fashion supply chain and combat counterfeiting, to help women farmers in guatemala get solar powered electricity and build financial credit, to create a more enjoyable insurance experience, and even to help protect your future self driving car’s data from being hacked and stolen.
The blockchain space is rife with opportunity. This is the new internet, and you should be a part of it. You don’t have to be a tech genius or know how to code to work in this space. All you need is a passion for and understanding of any field at all, and you will be a true asset to the companies disrupting it with blockchain.
And if you don’t want to work on a blockchain venture but are still curious about this new internet, you don’t have to feel intimidated by it. There are plenty of resources available that teach it in a super simple way! Or you can check out my podcast, where I teach you about it and introduce you to cool companies using this tech for social good!
If you have any questions about blockchain, and want to learn more about building a career with it, I am always happy to chat! Feel free to email me at [email protected]
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