Thread by @Krit_STEPNstats

@Barndog_Solana left his Global Ambassador role yesterday.
And now, we are sharing Countries & ASICS sneakers.
🎆 But everything is fine! 🎆

A long thread for the #STEPN Community, Ambassadors and Team members.

https://twitter.com/Barndog_Solana/status/1593453408626745344?s=20&t=vwUJmAqmNWC7_6Wopm9pUA

🧵 1/69 (sorry)

2/ I never complained about #STEPN. About the product, about the updates, about the team, or about losing money with it.
I always believed in #STEPN for the long run, the "big picture", trusting the team to do their best, working background.

3/ Basically, I am a no one, I never gave any advice to the team, because I don't have all the elements to allow me to do this. This is the first time I will ever give an advice to the Team, because I can smell that things are really not going well, down there.

4/ Table of Contents

1️⃣ The #STEPN fall
2️⃣ The Big Picture
3️⃣ The Importance of the Community
4️⃣ Barndog's letter
5️⃣ The roles of Ambassadors
6️⃣ The communication breakdown
7️⃣ As a conclusion

5/
1️⃣ The #STEPN fall

Since the black swan back in May, $GMT price just followed $BTC and $SOL price, higher volatility is explained by lower market cap. China ban, Team decisions & BNB Realm are just reasons not the see (understand?) the truth.

6/ "The market owes you nothing" is part of the mindset. If you are looking for culprits, you will continue to lose money. Most of the newcomers in crypto lose money, and then learned over years. The market feeds from your fear, greed and rush.
Build and be patient.

7/ I first learned crypto by losing money. Losing money is part of the experience which leads to humility and get a better mindset to learn the good way thereafter.

I know nothing > I am the King > I lost it all > I learn
Just have a look on the Dunning–Kruger effect.

8/ Because I am responsible for my own investment, I am also responsible for my loss & no one else. My money, my decisions.

If you jumped in April, I am sorry, but you never get your money back, not before a long time. Not because of the team, but because of the Market.

9/ All this to say that I don't take the team responsible for what happened. You dont blame Satoshi because $BTC lost 75% of its value, or Vitalik for ETH -80%?
Same thing for STEPN -90%.

Our loss is due to bear market, not the team.
Reasons for this thread are different.

10/
2️⃣ The Big Picture

Finding usecases with $GMT is fundamental for #STEPN.
Hiring @shitirastogi @Mable_Jiang @tsvec5678 was an important part to develop the ecosystem as a whole, beginning with Realms and partnerships.

11/
BNB Realm was launch in May, during the Black swan.
ETH Realm mid-July.
We all know how they ended, because of the timeline, not because of wrong decisions.
Realms have rightly been paused.

12/Because partnerships are complicated in a bear market, let's concentrate on building the @fslweb3 Ecosystem.
@Dooarofficial and @mooarofficial are the two side projects around @Stepnofficial and $GMT. Let's dive deeper.

13/ @Dooarofficial is the @fslweb3 DEX
DOOAR cumulates a current 3.5% TVL among $SOL DEX. Because there are not so many trading pairs (except USD GMT GST SOL), the team purpose isn't to be #1 TVL, but simply to feed from the swapping fees, which is quite smart actually.

14/ Talking about fees, @Dooarofficial trading fees are absent (website or via the STEPN App), compared to @orca_so or @RaydiumProtocol while they are quite high compared to Orca.

The DOOAR fees are around 1%, but the lack of transparency is detrimental for the user.

15/ Because @fslweb3 feeds from the swap fees, trading volumes are needed to get a consistent treasury.
@Dooarofficial represents a very small part of the Solana DEX volumes (1-4%), from the STEPN players swapping into the App (strong assumption, not proof)

16/ However, during the last month, despite small volumes, I estimate the @Dooarofficial profits from fees up to 10-15,000 $ per day (average 24h volume = $1,2M)
All the DEX volumes and TVL are available on the Solscan webpage.

solscan.io

17/ Now @mooarofficial

#MOOAR is the NFT Trading and Launchpad platform from @fslweb3. Contrary to @Dooarofficial, @mooarofficial does not feed from the selling fees, but from the 29.9$ monthly subscription from the customers.

18/ For high-volume NFT traders, the subscription cost could be amortized taken into account the 0% fees. Meaning that you need to trade an annual amount of >14,400$ with @opensea (2.5% platform fee) and >18,000$ with @MagicEden (2.0% fee) to be profitable.

19/ This is a bet which could be quickly profitable for the NFT Traders and @fslweb3. An individual annual 10-20k$ is a small amount actually. The floor price for @BoredApeYC is 62 ETH = $75,000 on @opensea
Only one Ape purchase is a 4-5 years

opensea.io/collection/bor…

20/ @BoredApeYC is also on #MOOAR. Floor price is 77 ETH, but only 5 items are listed. When markets will revive, I have no doubt that #MOOAR could be chosen by many High-volume NFT Traders (the real question being: how many are they in total?).

mooar.com/collection?sub…

21/ #MOOAR subscription is NOT for small players like us, or for small collections, because there is no way you could be profitable compared to the other platforms. This is a bet for whales and big collections. I'm not against it, I find the idea original, but you should be aware

22/ Why is it important? #STEPN has its own market place. I wouldn't understand the market place not being integrated in #MOOAR, it seems rather logical actually
However if players need to subscribe with the SAME subscription fee, it could be a massive red flag for me and an exit

23/ I stopped my #STEPN VIP Status for iOS (20$/month) 3 weeks ago, because it was too expensive taken into account the unsignificant rewards. People have suffered a lot because of the market conditions, I could not go through another additional fees for small players.

24/ All this to say that the things that are being built with the @fslweb3 ecosystem by the team are strong and consistent and we need to wait for the next market revival to find out the consequences from that strategy.

25/
3️⃣ The Community

Concerns have been raised for months about communication breakdown among the Team. Let's put aside the period from May to September, thousands were angry and FUDing not because of the STEPN team, but because of not understanding speculation.

26/ So far, only a few of us, the #STEPNsurvivalist, keep on grinding everyday the game, for health, for the community or because they are stuck in the game, hoping for a reversal.
How many are we? 100k? 50? 10k? Nobody knows except the team.

27/ Big companies don't need to listen to their customers every single day, but need to focus on their roadmap. People follow, or people leave if they are unhappy with it.
Anyway, if the product is good, customers will follow. Easy as that.

28/ A big difference between #STEPN and the real world companies is that #STEPN is built on Web3.
Web3 means Blockchain (open database).
Web3 means Trust.

29/ @CryptoEdgar_ made several concerning threads about some wallets unclear management. Some answers have been delivered, others not.

30/ When you are building a strong company, some trade-offs need to be made with CEX, influencers or hedgefunds. I can understand that everything can't follow the Great book of Life.
Even in Web3, things are forgivable if explained.
With Socials, Trust may be easily lost.

31/ So far, the STEPN Team seemed to be more focused on the new waves of players instead of focusing on the active community and the game itself, causing more rage and disinterest.

32/ Why is the Community so important in Web3?

First, they are the Customers, who pay for the Product. You need to respect them
Second, they may convince their relatives to jump in.
Third, because they trust you. You lose their trust, you earn a Web(3) bad reputation whatsoever

33/
You don't want to disrespect Starbucks, Spotify or Amazon clients. We are the Clients. Disrespect the Clients, and you'll get bad opinions and no recommandation. Easy as that.

The Product is made for the Community.
Not the other way around.

mooarofficial.medium.com/the-future-of-…

34/
4️⃣ Barndog's letter
Don't need to present him. @Barndog_Solana was the Global Ambassador for STEPN, hosting AMA for months on Discord and Twitter, making videos on Youtube, and many of us discovered #STEPN thanks to him
He has been working hard for #STEPN since the beginning

35/ Many of us met him during events. I don't know a single person who doesnt agree on that fact that he is consensual, true to himself and straightforward. He is also a mature big boy who does not take quick decisions, particularly with his role.

https://twitter.com/ClubSTEPNFrance/status/1593507134850961410?s=20&t=vwUJmAqmNWC7_6Wopm9pUA

36/ Do not agree with some of the Team decisions is one thing.
Resigning from his role is at another level.
Let go deeper into his letter.

37/ "I helped humanize Yawn & Jerry in the beginning (...) these were people I truly respected"

38/ "I will not (..) be told what I have to say, nor watch the wrong people be promoted to power beyond accountability (..) I will not be told what to say, belittled, bullied, threatened for one person's agenda".

39/ "People promoted to positions they clearly are not suited for, nor the experience required" "they have put the wrong people in charge of managing the staff, ambassadors and community with zero experience"

40/ "there are personal agendas at play" "i've been forced out for months now by a select individual intent to make it about himself, not the project. No one person should be above the project".

41/ Harassment made by some "zero-experience" leader(s?) seems to be the main reason why @Barndog_Solana left.

42/ And I am pretty sure he is talking about @tyson_schubert, Australian Ambassador, then Lead of Ambassadors (now @bnBeth_solvax), now Head of Community. He co-hosted the last STEPN TownHall with @bnBeth_solvax

https://twitter.com/Stepnofficial/status/1590256835168440320?s=20&t=sOA221Id7XqwKeeT6MTArQ

43/
24 hours after @Barndog_Solana resign tweet, @tyson_schubert answered with his resume explaining why he was legitimate in his role

The thread ends with:
"Do I have enough experience? YES"

Strange way to make it legit for the Community, but whatever.

https://twitter.com/tyson_schubert/status/1593500254712004608?s=20&t=sOA221Id7XqwKeeT6MTArQ

44/ I'm not here to say who is right between Barndog and Tyson, we do not have all the ins and outs.

I just try to understand why the person the most legitimate to be the Community spokesperson was unseated by a person claiming to be. Everyone is entitled to his or her opinion.

45/ And Yawn & Jerry?

"I helped humanize Yawn & Jerry in the beginning (...) these were people I truly respected"

Because he left, the use of the past is confusing as a non-english native speaker. If it was still right, i would use "these are people I truly respect", no?

46/
5️⃣ The roles of Ambassadors

As you know perhaps, I didn't want to be a #STEPN Ambassador, for three main reasons:

1. Build the STEPNstats database with no inside pressure
2. Keep my freedom of speech
3. Promote other games if I want to

In short, keeping my liberty.

47/ And I don't like what I'm seeing for a few weeks
- Rainbow RT ❤️
- #MOOAR RT ❤️
- Worldcup RT ❤️

48/ Afaik, @ktrainUSA_STEPN is the only one who talked about the departure. However, it is only mentioned over the whole Space, ponctuated with "I don't want to say it here" "i would love to talk about it more, but this isn't the spot"(...)

https://twitter.com/ktrainUSA_STEPN/status/1593725661151399937?s=20&t=M8MeVcpe5Ccv1hCMee_C7Q

49/ But hey, this is EXACTLY the spot actually!

I don't blame @ktrainUSA_STEPN actually, he's doing a incredible job for months. But hearing that makes me think that some explicit or implicit pressure from above impedes him from talking about that.
So, let's talk Worldcup, then!

50/ This is a dramatic event which happened on friday. Why do all the ambassadors stay quiet about that, instead of gathering the Community and speak loud and clear?
Why @SolanaSwiss (not an Ambassador) is the only one who made a real Twitter Space to talk about the real thing?

51/ I can't see many Twitter Spaces or YouTube Live for the Community any more. All I can see is $GMT giveaways, and quoted RT.
Look at the hashtag #MOOAR, mainly used by Ambassadors and the Team.

twitter.com/search?q=%23MO…

52/ I can count maybe 10-15 Ambassadors that are still sticking with the Community, making content on Socials. There are a total 50 #STEPN Ambassadors, all being paid at different levels.

How many of them we've never heard of? Time to make some cleaning?

stepn.com/apply

53/
6️⃣ The communication breakdown

Let's go straight to the point Team, your communication is a nightmare.

54/ Seeing @yawn_rong still able to burn >30,000$ in SOL on his personal account while his community lost >90% with #STEPN is humanly disturbing and uncompassionate, particularly the same day @Barndog_Solana left.
This is the kind of things I don't want to see any more.

55/ @shitirastogi and @Mable_Jiang are two very smart assets for #STEPN. For sure. They have qualities to raise STEPN at another level. They professionalized STEPN.

Maybe too much sometimes.
Failing to show spontaneity, humanity and empathy.

56/ Their downward communication is coated with sugar. Real questions are eluded, texts are scripted.
Transparency is lacking, so is Trust. Not good in Web3.

And sometimes might feel unprofessional.
-> #MOOAR Twitter Space. #awkward #discomfort

https://twitter.com/mooarofficial/status/1587386385035427841

57/ First,
@bnBeth_solvax is now Lead of Ambassadors. Please give her more power, and deeply listen to her, I know she can take care of that. The community doesn't need her resume to know she is able to make great things.

58/ Second, I don't understand the need of a "Head of Community". The Ambassadors work with the Community. The Lead of Ambassadors is, de facto, Head of the Community.

The opinion of @CM_Gilgamesh also matters a lot to me.
A lot.

59/ Actually, I would like the Core team to work in the background.
Get Prepared for great things. Get partners. Build the ecosystem. Without telling us.

60/ And let the Community Leads and Ambassadors interact with us, the way they want. No sugar-coated scripted text, and not an Army of "yes man" "yes ma'am", and overhyped RTs

61/ @tyson_schubert asking the Ambassadors internally to hype the Rainbow earnings, while you knew the odds, was a mistake.
It is considered lying.
Same as sending soldiers to war, knowing they will die, but not telling them.

Make STEPN Great Again lasted 4 days.

62/ Just look what happened with the ETH Realm.
So much hype! @BoredApeYC now into the game!

Let say it clear and loud, that was a big fail.
I don't remember a SINGLE time when the STEPN team mentioned the ETH Realm again thereafter.

No need for excuses, listening was enough.

63/
7️⃣ As a conclusion

I deeply trust the Core Team to build things for the long run. I know you have the skills to make it and I truly still believe in STEPN and the Ecosystem.

64/ But in Web3, it's all about Community & Trust.
It is not about bear market and people angry with that, it is about something deeper than that, that only you can solve.

That's what set @Barndog_Solana off,
That's why other people will leave.

65/ Basically, I'm a man of trust. People trust me, but I also need to trust people. And follow the trustworthy.

When the trustworthy dudes are leaving, I have no trust in the system any more. It doesn't matter if I don't have all the keys, I just follow my guts.

66/ For me, @Barndog_Solana was the most trustworthy.

67/ I don't want to sell anything, I love making my dailies.
And selling so low would be criminal.

I don't want to quit.
I don't want people to think I lost faith in #STEPN.
I just need to express my thoughts as a very loving member from the Community.

https://twitter.com/Krit_STEPNstats/status/1593907355254677509?s=20&t=P_UZNGVCXbiJLRjSTvsAFg

68/ Also, I believe that the STEPN team will someday understand that deep adjustments need to be done on their communication and functioning. Gather the remaining community instead of always seeking outside.

So I keep faith.

69/ For the time being, I will just continue to make my dailies everyday.

Not enhancing.
Not purchasing.
Just walking.
Just enjoying.

Total posts: 69, not made on purpose.
Is it not Love ?