Crypto Q&A: 5 Good Answers With Andrew Jewett
By: Crypto For Good, And Plenty
Tags: Crypto, Cryptocurrency, Blockchain, Bitcoin, SXSW

Crypto Q&A: 5 Good Answers With Andrew Jewett

Blockchain lover, cryptocurrency enthusiast and serial entrepreneur has achieved what few have: positively impacting the community

It’s an idealistic pursuit — cashing in on cryptocurrency for more than mere profits. So, what does it actually look like when the Blockchain is leveraged for positive change? It looks like Andrew Jewett’s forward-thinking enterprises, which live at the intersection of real estate, financial transactions and cryptocurrency.

Andrew Jewett

Before we hear from Andrew about what’s working, what’s not and what lies ahead in the emerging, yet sometimes less-than-scrupulous industry, we need a favor: a quick Up Vote for our 2019 South by Southwest Panel, “No Token Gesture: Crypto Leaders Doing Real Good.” (And if you want to share a little social media love for our panel as well, we greatly appreciate it!)

Question: Let’s try and draw a line in the sand. With the state of Crypto’s key players today — the good guys vs. the bad guys — how would you characterize the behavior of those working in the space for the right reasons — and the wrong?

Answer: “Unfortunately, the first thing that comes to mind is not positive. The unfortunate side effect of the hyper growth in the market that we’ve seen in the last few months is the unbelievable amount of dishonest and unprofessional participants trying to make a quick buck. With that said, I’ve also met some of the most genuinely fascinating and intellectually curious people in the world who are attempting to solve some of the biggest questions of our time. From global wealth transfer to water purification in Africa, crypto and blockchain are being used to empower people and improve the lives of so many. We’re still in a period of mass adoption and acceptance by so many but it’s happening quickly and it’s really exciting!”

Q: You have a close friend or family member who’s got the itch to work in the blockchain. They come to you for candid advice. What do you say?

A: “Make sure you do your diligence on the team you’re working for or with. A lot of people have tossed their traditional methods of investigation out the window simply because the word crypto or blockchain is associated with a project. As is the case with any investment, new job or a new venture, you should do your research. Look into the CEO and senior management team. Do they have the relevant skill set and / or background experience to execute on their idea? Does the product or target market make sense? Would you (as an average consumer) buy what they are selling? Take blockchain/ crypto out of the picture…does the concept make sense? Be sure you know the answer to all of these (and more) questions before making any decisions.”

Q: What have you seen in the space that’s given you hope that Crypto is maturing — not just as a currency or business model, but as a movement that cares about more than itself?

A: “One of the single biggest things I’ve heard recently is the impact crypto is having on the environment. The computing power required to generate transactions is incredible. As a result, there is a huge power demand, which as we all know, has an impact on carbon emissions. A lot of people are starting to think about this as a new problem to solve. How do we make transactions more efficient, but more importantly, how do we use renewables and other low-impact power sources to fuel those more efficient transactions? Just the simple fact that these questions are being asked shows me there are good people out there who care about their impact on the world vs. getting rich quick.”

Q: Bold prediction time. In 5 years, Crypto will be…

A: “Ubiquitous. I think you’ll see a mass adoption of not only the use of crypto for payment but crypto/ blockchain implementation in traditional capital markets. Securities markets are such a logical fit for the implementation of cryptography and blockchain based investments that eventually, all securities will be security tokens.”

Q: Looking at your investors, are there any demographics that pop? And do you have any sense of whether these cohorts may over-index based on your mission to create more livable communities?

A: “Given that we are a real estate tech company, I think the first true adopters of what we are doing will be the real estate community itself and then forward thinking blockchain enthusiasts. It’s sad to say but the market for crypto investments has largely been dominated by speculative buyers looking for 100X or 1000X investments who couldn’t care less about the impact their dollars make. Real estate investors and professionals, however, see the real impact of what we are doing (community revitalization) and see the benefit. Not only from a revenue perspective but, more importantly, from a revitalization perspective. So much of America is still recovering from the financial crisis and needs revitalization. If we can use crypto and blockchain to help do that, all the better!”

Thanks, Andrew! We’ll continue bringing you more Crypto Q&A sessions over the next few weeks. Here are a few more to check out:

And if you haven’t taken a moment to vote up our panel for SXSW, we would be greatly appreciative if you could.

About Andrew Jewett

A blockchain lover, crypto enthusiast and serial entrepreneur. That’s Andrew Jewett, who possesses a nuanced first-hand understanding of how the blockchain can be leveraged to improve our communities while also providing innovative investment opportunities. Andrew has a special gift. He’s able to design big-picture blockchain thinking while still getting in the weeds to execute the needed tactics to run the thriving ventures he’s founded: Aperture, a real estate technology and investment company focused on streamlining transactions, as well as Property Coin, a subsidiary company which brings structured finance and securities transactions to the blockchain. Andrew brings 13 years of real estate and mortgage-backed securities experience to the table, including managing all bank facilities, loan sales, and capital markets activities for HMC Assets / Wedgewood, a $1.5B operating and investment company, as well as serving in a Director capacity at Royal Bank of Scotland for six years.