Joining me on this week’s episode is Solo Ceesay, a first-generation immigrant born to Senegalese and Gambian parents, whose entrepreneurial journey to date includes becoming an Ivy League football champion, graduating top of his class at the Wharton School of Business, joining Citigroup on Wall Street as a securitization investment banker, and presenting his own creator economy video podcast. Solo’s now the pulse of the creative economy, spearheading over thirty-three million in funds raised since 2021 to build open social marketplace Calaxy with his co-founder, NBA star Spencer Dinwiddie. And he’s also, as we discuss today, at the forefront of making sure we learn how to stabilize traditional and stagnant methods of monetization for creators.

Solo opens the episode by sharing the details of his journey, including how his parents instilled in him a determination to always give his best and never give up, helping him to develop an entrepreneurial mindset. He then discusses his pivot into the world of cryptocurrency and its potential to be the next path in the creative landscape, explaining that it can empower creators to maximize their monetization channels. He also teaches us some crypto basics, including how blockchain works, how crypto makes commerce more accessible, and how Calaxy is leveraging Web3 technology to connect creators and fans. Solo then speaks about how Calaxy was developed and its ambition to lower the barriers to getting involved in the crypto world while taking power out of the hands of platforms like Instagram and Facebook and giving it to creators. And finally, Solo answers my regular question, how does he use his difference to make a difference, stating that he always makes sure to stay authentic to who he is, thank those who support him, and remember that by thinking you can achieve, you’ll find the opportunities to do so.

Episode Highlights:

• How Solo’s background shaped how he sees success
• Creating a toolkit to empower creators
• Explaining crypto, blockchain, and Calaxy
• Taking power from platforms and giving it to creators
• The ongoing trend of influencer marketing

Links:

Connect with Solo Ceesay:

Solo's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/solo-ceesay-9b2a258a/

Solo's Twitter: https://twitter.com/SoloCeesay

Calaxy's Website: https://www.calaxy.com/

Calaxy's Twitter: https://twitter.com/CalaxyApp

Connect with Tayo Rockson and the As Told By Nomads Podcast:

Tayo’s Website: https://tayorockson.com/

Tayo on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tayorockson/

Tayo on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/tayorockson

Tayo on TikTok: https://www.youtube.com/tayorockson

UYD Management: https://www.uydmanagement.com/

UYD Collective: https://tayorockson.com/uyd-collective

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