The Minimalists behind the Protocol — Naomi Oba

Minima
Minima
Published in
4 min readNov 29, 2021

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In this post, we’re introducing our Social Media Manager, Naomi. She’s been down the cryptocurrency rabbit hole a few bull markets ago and found her way to Minima in October of 2021.

What are you responsible for at Minima?

Naomi: I am managing our Social Media Channels, so if you ever tweeted at us and got an answer, it could’ve been me. 🙌 I’m also behind many of our blog posts that educate people on all the buzzwords and trends. On top of that, I dabble in creating emails, coming up with fun things to do on our Socials, getting AMAs set up, and anything else that helps (potential) users and our community to better understand what they can do with Minima and why we do what we do.”

Which parts do you enjoy most?

Naomi:That’s a tough one. I love being surrounded by so many experienced people from all sorts of backgrounds, and being able to learn something new every day, and then sharing that knowledge with others. So I’d say being able to help people understand this space and why Minima is so important.“

If you had just three words to describe Minima which would it be?

Naomi:I’m shamelessly stealing from a French guy here but: Liberté, égalité, scalabilité.“

What does true decentralization mean to you?

Naomi:” It’s funny because, throughout my time in this industry, I’ve gone from being an avid Bitcoin advocate, to loving Ethereum DeFi to turning into more of a decentralization maxi.

For me, true decentralization means that we are free to choose the information we consume, and how we make the most from all the benefits that come with having a network where we can transfer value and information as we please. And as a writer, making the most of everything you create online while knowing that you’ve got a network of peers to back you up.”

What did you do before joining Minima?

Naomi: “Before joining Minima, I worked for a centralized crypto-exchange as a Marketing Manager, handling their content, emails, and their Social Media Channels. It gives you an interesting perspective on CEXs for sure.”

What was your first contact with crypto/blockchain?

Naomi: “That was in 2018, so after the ICO bubble burst. I was just trying to find a job in Tokyo and somehow was hired as an Oversea Sales Associate by a Blockchain consulting company. It was a baptism of fire because I had to go on my first crypto conference abroad, trying to get new clients one week after I started. From knowing nothing about Blockchain to selling consulting services was quite something. ”

Advice for anyone looking to break into the space?

Naomi: “ Talk to people who’re in it, figure out what kind of involvement you want to have, and most importantly, get your hands dirty. I know playing with Ethereum DeFi is expensive today, but other ecosystems have a lower barrier to entry.

It’s impossible to keep up with all the noise that’s happening, but cultivating a good habit of DYOR and then networking, discussing the topics you find interesting with a peer group. The beauty of crypto is, a lot is out in the open, communities anyone can join, AMAs, anyone can listen into. Lastly, I’d like to encourage all non-tech people to give it a shot.”

Are you keeping crypto around and using other DeFi Protocols?

Naomi: Of course. I have more money in crypto than in any other asset — please don’t take this as financial advice. I like to try out different blockchain products just to see how they work. For example, I bought an eth address just to see what the hype was all about, used a 0x-based DEX aggregator for trades, and the other day, I started running IPFS, so I could always look at the NFTs I bought.”

How many times do you check crypto prices?

Naomi: “Honestly, since I left working for the exchange maybe once every 3,4 days. There are more important things than short-term market sentiment. If you’ve done your research and invested out of conviction, there’s no need to become a slave to price movements. That’s my strategy. Okay, and I admit sometimes I use stop-loss.”

What are you currently reading?

Naomi: “At the moment, I’m reading ‘Blink’ by Malcolm Gladwell on the power of intuition.“

Any quote(s) or thought(s) that stuck with you recently?

Naomi: “Yes, I tend to screenshot or highlight them wherever I go. This one stuck with me because it’s the battle we’re up against, in particular in crypto, I feel.

The amount of energy needed to refute bullshit is an order of magnitude bigger than [that needed] to produce it.” (Alberto Brandolini)

Which Gif, Emoji, or Sticker do you use frequently?

Naomi: “I have too many telegram and discord stickers for my own good. But gif that’s easier. Every time someone has doubts about my or their ability to manage something they get this.“

You can read more from Naomi here on Medium (Naomi Oba), or follow her on Twitter.

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Minima
Minima

The completely decentralized network for value and information transfer, enabling people to exchange anything with anyone.