In a recent episode of ENS Builder Spotlight, I had the pleasure to speak to none other than Sadaf.eth, the Community Advocate for ENS Labs.
Sadaf, who previously held a position with ENS Vision, gave us a chance to discuss her background and experience in the world of Web3. Although Sadaf has only been in the Web3 industry for two years, she has definitely made an impact on the ENS community.
So many incredible projects building on and with ENS! 🔥
What are some of your favorites? 🙇🏽♀️
— sadaf.eth (@sadaf_eth) January 3, 2023
Web3 Beginnings
When I asked about her first step into Web3, Sadaf said that she was introduced to the magical world by her siblings. She originally fell into Web3 while on a solo trip cross-country, looking for ways to make some money on the side. Through this process, she discovered the wild and wacky world of NFTs, and ultimately found what she was looking for in ENS (Ethereum Name Service).
“I didn’t feel totally comfortable or safe sending my assets back and forth with this long 42-character wallet address which led me to learn about ENS pretty early on, but it took me a little bit to fully dive in. Once I kind of went through my NFT phase and was looking for a little bit more, I started focusing on ENS and that’s where I really found my passion.”
Sadaf went on to work for the team behind ENS.VISION, the largest marketplace for ENS domain names. It was there that she learned from other leaders in the industry and began her journey as a prominent voice in the ENS ecosystem. During her time at ENS.VISION, she was offered a position at ENS Labs, which as she explained, was one of the highlights of her Web3 journey.
There are a few new terms to study before the #ENS NameWrapper comes out! 🙇🏽♀️
Knowing these will give you a better understanding of the utility the NameWrapper offers. 🧵🪡
— sadaf.eth (@sadaf_eth) December 1, 2022
ENS Education & Adoption
Sadaf stressed the importance of education as a key step towards mass adoption, stating, “I think the community does an excellent job of creating content and breaking things down and making things easier to absorb and so that is going to be something that I will push for and I think it’s something that the community will continue to push for as well.”
Sadaf also spoke on the steps the ENS Labs plans to take to increase awareness of the Ethereum Name Service:
“I’m envisioning a part of it is reaching out to larger content creators on different social media platforms to see if we can get the word out in a more traditional, yet modern way.”
She explained that reaching out to the NFT ecosystem and bridging the gap between the NFT and ENS ecosystems would be an important step toward mass adoption.
“Reaching out to the NFT community, helping them onboard, and showing them how ENS could really improve their lives will be a very important step.”
Empowering Women in Web3
When asked about her role as a woman leader in Web3, she spoke about the impact that Alisha had on her journey. Alisha (Alisha.eth) is a prominent member of the ENS Community. “I think the pressure is a little bit on me now to be a good role model and to open doors the way that Alisha did for me and try to be more personal about these types of topics. Creating a safe space for women is something that I think is really, really important.”
Sadaf stressed the importance of having more diversity in an industry that is male-dominant, as she believes that as more women come into the community, this would help the adoption.
”Having more women onboarded will bring different opportunities, it’ll bring different insight to things. Women have different skills and I believe that things are really a spectrum.”
When asked what could be done to improve the situation, she spoke about different ways to onboard more women into Web3, such as creating women Hackathons.
“Creating more events like that will help onboard more women and make them feel comfortable in this space. I think also asking questions like this and letting them know that it’s okay to vocalize their point of view even if it’s not the loudest in the room.”
She believes that creating a culture in which women feel comfortable speaking up and sharing different perspectives would be beneficial for everyone.
“We just do things differently,” she said with a smile.
She noted that she wants to set an example and make an impact in the community by inspiring others to follow in her footsteps.
“Even if I’m an inspiration for one other person as Alisha was for me, I hope that I can bring them along and help them progress in their journey.”
Sadaf’s journey in Web3 is a testament to those who are involved in the community, proving that with a little hard work, the sky is the limit. And as ENS grows, it is likely that we’ll see more stories like Sadaf’s in the near future.
Learn More About Sadaf
To learn more about Sadaf, follow her on Twitter.