In this episode of the Colosseum podcast, Chase sits down with Hardhat Chad, the founder of Ore, a project that brings "digital gold" to Solana.

Chad shares the unique challenges and triumphs of building a Bitcoin-inspired protocol on a proof-of-stake chain, the strategic decisions behind choosing Solana, the impact of Ore's launch on Solana's network congestion, and the importance of community building in a crowded crypto space.

Chad also reflects on his personal journey as a creator and entrepreneur, discussing the balance between ambition and practicality in startup life. He notes the necessity of staying connected with the community, and managing the responsibilities that come with being a founder.

Key Insights:

[01:45] Building vs. Bridging: Hardhat Chad discusses the rationale behind building Ore natively on Solana rather than bridging Bitcoin, citing concerns about bridge security, liquidity fragmentation, and limited DeFi integration with wrapped Bitcoin.

[07:31] Network Congestion: Chad recounts the launch period for Ore, the network congestion resulting from high demand, and the decision to pause the mining process to re-evaluate their approach.

[10:49] Community Building: Chad highlights the importance of community engagement in the crypto space, detailing the grassroots marketing strategies that helped grow Ore's user base.

[14:45] Fair Launch and Fundraising: Chad details the complexities of raising capital for Ore, explaining the delicate balancing act required between maintaining a fair launch model and meeting investor expectations.

[29:38] Founder Challenges: The conversation shifts to the broader challenges of being a founder, including balancing work and personal life, managing the constant influx of demands, and making difficult decisions about project viability.

[35:02] Chad wraps up the conversation with advice for aspiring founders, emphasizing the importance of thorough market research, validating ideas with potential users, building a strong team, and choosing projects that align with one's passions and unique skills.

Hardhat Chad - @HardhatChad

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