Ep 78: Creating a Web3 Accelerator&Curate-to-Earn Platform with Randi Zuckerberg | Debbie Soon (Co-Founder, HUG&former VP, Head of Consumer Products, ONE Championship) - a podcast by Ling Yah

from 2023-12-13T20:10:48.842300

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Debbie Soon is the co-founder of HUG alongside Randi Zuckerberg - a Web3 platform that supports creators and collectors through: HUGhub (curate-to-earn discovery platform for NFTs), groupHUG (NFT growth accelerator), and hedgeHUG (early stage pre-mint program).

Prior to Web3, Debbie was an equity investor where she managed over $1 billion of global consumer sector investments for one of the largest sovereign wealth funds in the world, GIC. She then pivoted into the world of startups where she founded Singapore and Southeast Asia's first boutique indoor cycling studio before going on to build three businesses from scratch for one of the most successful unicorns in Southeast Asia, Sequoia Capital-backed ONE Championship. 

While there, she was Chief of Staff to the CEO, Chatri Sityodtong - yes, she was the OG Chief of Staff. Her colleagues joked that when she was promoted to VP, Head of Consumer Products, Chatri had to launch an entire reality show just to find her replacement! While at ONE Championship, Debbie spearheaded ONE Championship’s expansion into Japan, launched ONE Esports and ONE Shop, amongst many other things. 

As for how Debbie got into the Web3 world?

Well, it all began with her making a wish at the Wishing Well.

You’ll have to listen to find out more. 😉


Highlights:

  • 4:20 “Accept the changeable, change the unacceptable”
  • 6:00 Launching 7Cycle Pte - Southeast Asia’s first boutique indoor cycling studio
  • 8:26 Joining ONE Championship
  • 10:36 Being the OG (“The Apprentice”) Chief of Staff to CEO, Chatri Sityodtong
  • 12:49 Establishing ONE Esports
  • 15:50 Launching ONE Shop as VP, Head of Consumer Products
  • 17:42 Moving to LA
  • 19:52 Nearly stealing the furniture of a homeless person in LA
  • 21:20 Launching her second startup
  • 26:23 Meta Angels NFT & the Wishing Well
  • 31:43 Getting on a Zoom call with Randi Zuckerberg
  • 33:16 Getting a Web3 job without any relevant Web3 experience
  • 35:25 The problem that HUG is trying to solve - discovery for creatives
  • 38:48 Scaling HUG’s Curator Club from 300 to 3,000?
  • 41:17 Making HUG’s Discord channel the go-to channel for people
  • 42:03 Hosting weekly Twitter Spaces with Randi Zuckerberg
  • 43:10 Analysing 3,000 reviews of NFT projects
  • 44:46 Is art an important factor?
  • 45:36 Analysing roadmaps for NFT projects
  • 46:55 HUGhub - the curate-to-earn discovery platform for NFTs
  • 49:00 How to make HUG unique from other NFT accelerators/platforms
  • 51:04 Sharing of confidential information?
  • 52:32 How groupHUG is different from a typical Web2 startup accelerator
  • 53:39 How the groupHUG cohorts are curated
  • 55:12 Biggest needs of NFT founders
  • 56:03 Raising USD $5 million in VC funding for NFT projects in 1 month
  • 57:32 When is a NFT project ready to pitch for VC funding?
  • 58:51 Web 2.5
  • 1:01:03 How NFT Collection founders can pitch for partnerships
  • 1:04:13 Web3 influencers that Debbie recommends following
  • 1:05:22 What a Web3 dating app might look like


📍Show notes: www.sothisismywhy.com/78                  


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