From Artistry to FinTech
The seeds of my journey into FinTech were planted back in 2016 when I first found myself entranced by the world of entrepreneurship. My daily routine was filled with the insights of Tom Bilyeu's Inside Quest, a YouTube series that later evolved into Impact Theory. My fascination grew with each entrepreneurial origin story, their trials and tribulations, and their path to success. It was as if each story subtly nurtured the budding curiosity within me. My curiosity started branching into personal finance in 2019, when I discovered Graham Stephan, Meet Kevin, and Andrei Jikh on YouTube. Their insights into finance and investment principles were a game-changer. Andrei introduced me to Bitcoin and blockchain technology, but at that time, I was still uncertain about these emerging concepts. I remember telling myself, "When Graham and Kevin start talking about blockchain, I'll start paying attention." True to my words, when they started their discourse on blockchain, I dived headfirst into the ocean of knowledge about Bitcoin and blockchain technology. Consuming everything from blog articles, books and Satoshi's seminal white paper on Bitcoin. Yet, there was a lingering sense of hesitation. I told myself, "If Tom Bilyeu starts discussing blockchain, that would be my cue to dive deeper.” As if on cue, Tom began discussing blockchain. At this juncture, I was working a late shift at a popular food delivery company in 2020. My manager, Bob, was a seasoned finance enthusiast. We would often indulge in late-night discussions about his past experiences with swing trading in the '90s and early 2000s. With Bitcoin hitting record highs, peaking at $16,000, I once asked Bob, "What do you think about Bitcoin?" Bob, with a flick of his hand, simply said, "That's money.” I brushed off his comment initially, that week I jokingly told a coworker, “If Bitcoin hits $20,000 I’ll start buying”. Like magic, that day came, I knew there was no turning back. My brain melted out of my ears, alarms were ringing, and my clock started ticking. I opened accounts, transferred funds, and essentially hit the fast-forward button on my future. (To avoid potential confusion, I’d like to clarify that although I began pursuing Bitcoin, I was still very much hesitant of taking any significant steps) Like many artists in 2020, I discovered the fascinating world of NFTs (Non Fungible Tokens) - that are commonly used as representations of artwork, music, and more, stored on a blockchain. It felt like I was Alice, falling down the rabbit hole into a world where code was king, and financial systems were being revolutionized. Yet, in this new world, artists held unprecedented power and freedom over their work. In 2021-2022 with my newfound obsession, I embarked on a half assed self-taught programming journey. I navigated through the vast ocean of blockchain concepts, coding languages, and financial technologies. The more I learned, the more questions surfaced. The enormity of the task soon became apparent, and I realized I needed more than tutorials and forums. I needed structured learning, hands-on projects, and a community of learners. This led me to enroll in the FinTech Bootcamp at the University of California, Berkeley in November 2022. The bootcamp was a whirlwind of learning. From knowing next to nothing about Blockchain, Web3, and FinTech, I plunged into financial programming with Python, financial applications and analysis with Pandas, and quantitative analysis. I created simulations, designed APIs, visualized data with PyViz, and even dabbled with financial databases with SQL. I learned about Blockchain wallets and started developing smart contracts using Solidity. Soon, I was exploring the advanced facets of this language and learning to create Decentralized Apps (dApps). These new digital tools and technologies were a far cry from my previous artistic endeavors, yet they provided a fresh canvas for creative expression and an opportunity to redefine the way art was created, shared, and monetized. As my understanding grew, so did my hands-on experience. Working on three projects alongside my fellow cohorts, we tackled a variety of problems, each project reflecting our collective progression in understanding and implementing what we had learned. In six months, I had journeyed from a place of curiosity and uncertainty to a place of competence and confidence. I had reshaped my future, intertwining the strands of artistry, technology, and finance into a new, exciting narrative. I saw the potential of using these tools to empower my creativity. Looking back, it's remarkable to see the leaps I've made. From a curious artist intrigued by the potential of NFTs, to a technically proficient individual, able to converse in the language of Blockchain, Web3, and FinTech. What started as a gentle nudge of curiosity in 2016 has propelled me into a vibrant new world, opening doors of opportunity that I could only have dreamt of. Today, as I stand at the confluence of art and technology, I am more excited than ever for what the future holds. I am ready to take on the next chapter of my journey, harnessing the power of FinTech to push the boundaries of art and creativity. It's a thrilling ride, and I can't wait to see where it takes me next.
Context: FinTech, short for 'Financial Technology', is an emerging industry that uses innovative technology to improve and automate the delivery and use of financial services. It's all about leveraging software and modern technology to provide financial activities more efficiently and effectively. FinTech is used to help companies, business owners, and consumers better manage their financial operations, processes, and lives by utilizing specialized software and algorithms that are used on computers and, increasingly, smartphones. It covers a broad range of services, including but not limited to, money transfers, managing investments, fundraising, lending, payment gateways, and even cryptocurrency like Bitcoin. It's the technology that's driving everything from mobile payments to insurance tech, from peer-to-peer lending platforms to crowdfunding. For artists, particularly in the era of NFTs (Non-Fungible Tokens), understanding and leveraging FinTech can open up new ways to create, share, and monetize their work in the digital world. In essence, FinTech is a revolutionary approach to traditional financial methods that's transforming our lives and how we handle our financial needs.