In this edition of Behind The Blockchain I spoke with Gigi Piscitelli. Gigi gave us a real insight into his startup, Anthill. Gigi is very passionate about helping artists and creators by using blockchain to solve problems which he has experienced firsthand and he shared some great advice for people looking to pioneer in a new industry.
So, let's get into it...
For people who don’t know who you are, could you Introduce yourself?
My name is Gigi Piscitelli, the Co-Founder & CEO of Anthill, the first decentralised LinkedIn-style social platform for Artists & Creators.
Motivated by my ability to create a positive impact, I take pleasure in changing things for the better. I thrive on new challenges and love to combine my creative ability with strategic insights, thoroughness and attention to detail.
Can you talk us through your career journey so far?
I’ve been in the Creative Industry since 1996 and I'm fortunate enough to have had four different careers as an entrepreneur, producer, composer/musician and a teacher. This allows me to bring a wealth of expertise to what I do.
Can you talk us through the most useful skills you have learnt which have enabled you to reach the position you are in now?
The most useful skill I've learnt is Problem Solving. When working at top level everything must be delivered on time and on budget no matter what.
Second most important one is Time management and Planning. The only way to achieve any goal is to plan it in advance. Look at the big picture first and then slowly get into details.
So, you've started Anthill. What problem does the business solve?
We solve Artists starvation and will improve the quality of content globally.
Why do you care about solving that problem?
Being an Artist myself I experienced in first person the struggle of everyday life. I’ve seen way too many Artists quitting their Art in order to survive and pay their bills.
I am on a mission to give back ownership and ensure financial freedom to Artists and Creators.
Can you introduce us to the business a little more?
Sure, so Anthill is the first decentralised LinkedIn-style social platform for Artists & Creators.
We live in a world where creators cannot survive anymore and the average content quality is at its lowest.
To put this into context, 83% of UK Artists earn less than £10,000 a year from their art practice and 41% of businesses report that they struggle to find high quality content.
Now, imagine a place where creators are free to create whatever they like without worrying about money. Only then, the most impactful and original work can exist. This means that companies will have access to the most incredible and original content at a fraction of the cost from the best global independent artists.
We help Artists & Creators to find high quality jobs, collaborators and build/join teams at no cost whilst helping companies find, hire and manage top talent in the creative industry for a fraction of the cost of agencies.
"On Anthill, Being an Artist has never been Easier"
What gave you the idea to create ANTHILL?
I was working for a StartUp that had the mission of changing the music world and disrupting the current system. They ended up becoming a Venture Label, the VERY thing they were fighting against.
At that point, I (and most of the community they created) felt totally betrayed.
I thought I was going to change the world for the better, but once again I got tricked into yet another extractor business at the expense of the Artists.
That experience made me realise the only way to make a real change was to start something myself.
Being an Artist, I unfortunately know what it means to struggle and being part of that company made me see how new businesses that try to make a real change at the beginning, somehow end up changing their plans and feeding the beast.
So why did you initially take an interest in Blockchain?
My first interest in Blockchain was purely financial, but the more I learn about it the more I fall in love with the concept of decentralisation and what it is possible to do with it.
In your eyes, what is the biggest impact crypto, blockchain and Web3 will have on the world and why?
The biggest impact is possibly democratisation, ownership and transparency.
We struggle to trust people for many reasons, but now we have a system that can be trusted.
Talk us through some of your predictions for how the landscape of Web3 will change over the next few years?
I predict that user-owned platforms are going to be the norm. I believe we are moving from mainstream models to bespoke, boutique, local models where uniqueness, rarity and quality are the most valuable aspects.
In your opinion, what are some of the potential challenges which need to be overcome before Web3 technologies become mainstream?
There are 4 initial challenges which spring to mind. Scalability, cybersecurity issues, price volatility and lack of inherent value and finally, regulations.
What does the future hold for Anthill? Can you talk us through the roadmap for the next few years?
We will be the future home for creators in the Metaverse and through our shared studio spaces around the world, we will take back ownership and ensure financial freedom to Artists and Creators. Our ecosystem will look like this... (see right).
What does the future hold for you personally?
I love reinventing myself and learning new skills, so I wouldn't be surprised if I’ll end up doing something totally different from what I'm doing now as long as it has a positive Impact.
As a leader in Web3, what advice would you give to people looking to follow in your footsteps?
The most important thing when pioneering an entirely new Industry is to find and join a community. Being a founder and a pioneer can be a lonely place. The support of of a community is vital to our mental health and not to mention the fact that you can ask questions, bounce ideas off of someone else, learn from other's mistakes and improve your own skills.
We really enjoyed understanding what made Gigi launch his startup to help artists and creators. He has a huge passion for building something amazing and we're sure he's going to achieve his goals. Gigi shared some interesting views on the future of Web3 and shared some brilliant advice about joining a community when pioneering in a new industry.
We'll be keeping a close eye on Gigi's and Anthill's journey for years to come!
More information about Anthill can be found here - https://anthill.community/web3/ - Check them out!
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