How can the blockchain power new ownership opportunities for Black creatives, investors, and entrepreneurs?

Our guest on Web 2.5 this week is Shondra Washington, the Co-Founder & CEO of Black@, a token-gated private community for Black creatives, entrepreneurs and investors.

Black@ first took shape at Art Basel 2021 – and since then has grown into a full-blown digital community with token-gated chat rooms, member-only events, coordinated NFT group buys, and a burgeoning roster of technology apps that the community builds and monetizes. Black@ also recently announced a partnership with Andreessen Horowitz to support Black artists.

On the show, host Dana Hork talks with Shondra, a former Investment banker and fractional Chief Financial Officer, about how Black@ came to be, some of the unique ways they are activating their community, their very Web 2.5 products like token-gated emails, and some universal lessons and insights for anyone looking to build and foster a thriving digital community.

Show Notes:
0:00 Show Intro
1:47 The origins of Black@
3:44 How the Co-Founders came up with Black@ at Art Basel
4:34 Why Black@ made the community token-gated
6:01 How Black@ priced their initial NFTs
7:05 Benefits of an open minting window
7:45 Black@ current activations & activities
9:21 Unpaid vs paid membership at Black@
9:55 Membership benefits around access and education
10:31 Membership benefits around group buys of NFTs
12:10 Why product development matters to Black@
13:57 Token-gated emails with Gated
17:08 About Payroll3
19:44 About the Black Digital Art Collective & partnering with a16z
22:04 Lessons on building a thriving digital community
23:34 Black@’s business model
25:41 The hardest & easiest part of Black@
27:36 Shout-outs
29:19 What’s next for Black@
31:33 Shondra’s hope for Web3 at-large
32:20 Shill
33:35 Wrap-up
33:51 Closing

Resources:
Black@’s Website: https://www.blackat.io/
Black@ on Twitter: https://twitter.com/Blackatxyz
Shondra Washington on Twitter: https://twitter.com/shondradanielle
Gated: https://tokengated.co/
Payroll3: https://www.payroll3.xyz/

Show Website:
https://www.web2point5.io

Subscribe to Show Newsletter:
https://newsletter.web2point5.io/subscribe

Show Credits:
Dana Hork (Founder, Host, Producer)
Ron Passaro (Co-Producer/Editor)
Seton Rossini (Brand Design/Cover Art)

DISCLAIMER: This show is strictly educational. None of this is financial, tax, or investment advice — and not a solicitation to buy or sell any assets or to make any financial decisions. Please always do your own research. For important disclosures, see web2point5.io/disclosures.