TL/DR;

In this episode of Crypto Consumer Chronicles, Humpty Calderon joins FarCon 2024 organizers ted, McBain, and Dylsteck to reflect on the event. FarCon, the Farcaster conference, was more than a typical crypto conference. The organizers created a unique and inclusive experience that focused on the vibes, culture, and human connections of the Farcaster community, rather than just the financial aspects of crypto. The event featured live podcasts, art nights, and music nights, and emphasized meaningful partnerships with sponsors. FarCon served as an onboarding mechanism to crypto, introducing people to the Farcaster platform and the broader crypto world in an engaging way. Both FarCon and Farhack highlighted the importance of community and collaboration. The event demonstrated Farcaster's potential as an onboarding tool for consumer crypto, with channels helping users find their tribes and grow their networks. The decentralized approach to organizing FarCon, including relinquishing ownership for future events, underscored the commitment to community-driven initiatives. The organizers are excited to see how FarCon evolves and remains supportive of its positive and community-focused future.

In the latest episode of the Crypto Consumer Chronicles podcast, host Humpty welcomes guests Ted (not) Lasso, Graham McBain, and Dylan (known as Dylseck) to discuss FarCon, a recent crypto event. Humpty thanks them for their presence and contributions to FarCon, asking for their thoughts on the event and future plans.

Graham McBain recounts how they came to organize FarCon, a Farcaster community event, in Venice Beach. He was inspired by the builders in the Farcaster community but saw a need for better documentation. After a previous successful event, McBain offered to organize the next FarCon with help from key community members like Ted. He is proud of the event’s success and grateful for the chance to learn from experienced planners like Ted and Erica. Dylan played a key role in organizing FarHacks, the hackathon part of the event.

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8:33 AM • May 21, 2024

The team discusses making FarCon a cultural event rather than a traditional conference. They wanted a high-energy, inclusive experience reflecting the community's interests, like music and art nights. Their approach allowed attendees to personalize their experiences, showing Farcaster as more than just a social network but a cultural movement.

Dylseck talks about creating a welcoming and inclusive atmosphere at FarCon. They worked hard to accommodate attendees and resolve any issues quickly. The unique partnership between organizers and sponsors provided valuable experiences. The event connected online and in-person identities, with attendees continuing to engage online after the event. This marked a move from focusing on money in crypto to focusing more on people.

Ted shares her experience of making new connections through Farcaster at FarCon. Humpty talks about Farcaster as a way to bring people into the crypto world, using platforms like Zora that let creators earn from digital assets. He notes that Farcaster and Zora can enrich and connect people, making them great tools for bringing new people into crypto. Dylan talks about the projects shown at the event and their potential to bring in new users and boost community engagement.

Humpty also asks Dylan about where people should be pushing forward in terms of the narrative of Farcaster as an onboarding tool for consumer crypto.

Dylan discusses various projects showcased at the event and their potential impact on the crypto space, particularly in terms of onboarding new users. While some projects were impressive, the focus on onboarding stood out, with Dylan noting that channels could be a key way for new users to find their community and grow within it. Farcaster, a developer-focused protocol, was highlighted for its potential to provide a rising tide for everyone and create a unique experience around it. Also pointing out the importance of building on the new baseline as Farcaster continues to grow and encouraging listeners to find their tribe and engage in meaningful conversations within channels.

McBain discusses ideas for specific channels on Farcaster, like a parenting channel where new parents get essentials and support. He also suggests a program to help parents return to work. During the FarCon hackathon, nearly 50 projects were submitted, with 18 integrating with Farcaster, including a tool to connect Farcaster with Mastodon and a detailed user stats tool called Cast Sense.

The idea is that new parents could receive a "baby box" filled with essentials and be assigned a support group through the platform. He also suggests the possibility of a workforce re-entry program for parents returning to the workforce. Ted expresses excitement about the potential of the Farcaster infrastructure to support such a community and encourages the onboarding of more crypto-native projects. Dylan highlights the importance of not just onboarding new users but also supporting and inspiring existing community members to build and continue projects. They see the potential for the Farcaster community to provide essential support and resources for new parents and inspire continued innovation.

Humpty shares his excitement about the teamwork at the FarCon hackathon, saying hackathons are great for building connections and projects. As a hacker himself, he emphasizes the importance of hackathons as a starting point to meet like-minded individuals and co-build projects. He expresses his enthusiasm for the projects that began at Far Hack and hopes they continue to grow. 

Ted also compares the experience to other hackathons, praising the unique and collaborative vibes at FarCon. She describes the room as electric, with builders working together and providing feedback in real-time. She contrasts this experience with larger hackathons, where the scale can make it difficult to connect with others. Dylan highlights the collegial and collaborative enery at FarCon that sets it apart from other hackathons.

Humpty praises FarCon for being different from typical conferences and hackathons. He appreciates Farcaster for creating an event where people with shared values could connect and work together. Despite challenges, the organizers stuck to their principles, resulting in a successful event.

He expresses their frustration with attending large events and not gaining value from the content or meeting meaningful people. They praise Farcaster for creating an event where people with shared values could connect and collaborate. He attributes this success to Farcaster being an app based on affinity, where users interact with those they care about. Despite facing opposition and challenges, the organizers, Ted, Graham and Dylan, stayed true to their principles and created an event that exceeded expectations

The discussion ends with praise for Ted and Graham's leadership and the idea of giving control of FarCon to the community, like a PTA-run school event. They agree that this decentralized approach can lead to positive outcomes and support those with the right intentions.

Ted acknowledges the uncertainty of future events but points out the value of the current event and its potential to evolve. She express that they were focused on making the event happen and didn't consider what would come after. She plans to share learnings and answer questions but don't want to dictate what happens next. She also reflect on the value of the event and how it may evolve as channels become more permissionless. 

Humpty thanks the team for their hard work and positive energy and looks forward to the future of FarCon. He also shares their personal experience as an attendee, highlighting the high energy and diverse programming that left them feeling grateful and energized. He express excitement for the future of FarCon and thank Ted and the team for their hard work and positive energy.