Meet The Women of The Blockchain: Marion Vogel, Director and Head of Marketing and Operations at aeternity
By: Authority Magazine
Tags: CEO, Women, Bitcoin, Blockchain, Diversity

What are the 5 things that worry you about blockchain and crypto? Why?

Unfortunately, many people are gripped by the ‘fear of missing out’. There is too much fomo-money flowing in too fast, destroying the rather natural growth of the crypto-economy.

Additionally, large companies and corporates are trying to assert dominance in the space, but they missing the essence of what blockchain is all about. Blockchain technology and its surrounding core-ethics do not fit into many existing business models. If things work out well, we will see a next wave of big projects, businesses and movements. The established tech companies should stay in their fields of expertise and improve within, rather than running needlessly after the next big thing. We recently saw reports that Facebook is playing around with blockchain now, lets see how that goes.

The raw chaos — One of blockchain’s most exciting features is also one of its biggest hurdles. It can be exhausting to contribute in a growing pot of strongly opinionated individuals. I can imagine from the outside-perspective this often looks obscure and daunting to some of the more sensitive souls. For reference — check out crypto twitter, it’s wild.

Too much attempts of regulation early on. However, a number of countries are making strong efforts to create a supportive environment for projects to thrive. In my opinion it is still too early to create too rigid frameworks for blockchain technology. However, the gateways from crypto-to-fiat are already highly regulated — not a surprise.

There is too much talk, and not enough action. During my marketing studies, I was truly disgusted by the power that brands shave over people. Individuals may think they’re resistant to ads and branding, but they’re not. I’m concerned at the level of up-talking and commercialization within the space, the over-promotion of dreams and the bright future ahead whilst the technology or business model is lacking. I guess these concerns apply to many industries.

How have you used your success to bring goodness to the world? Can you share a story?

I like to be the voice that encourages (mostly young) people to follow their actual passion or tell them that they absolutely should go ahead and jump into the cold waters of entrepreneurship or take a chance on a new career-path. These words of encouragement do matter, as I experienced them myself receiving similar words of advice from leaders and experts that I met throughout my studies and career. I feel passionate about supporting whistleblowers and I often think about how to positively impact the lives of those often left behind, such as the elderly in many countries. I have a handful of initiatives Id like to kick-off. Let’s see how many I am able to bring to life!

What 3 things would you advise to someone who wanted to emulate your career? Can you share an example for each idea?

1. I would advise them to mix common sense with naive bravery. Despite the prevailing narrative coming out of Silicon Valley that institutional education is overrated and we all throw caution to the wind, I think a certain level of understanding the basics in whatever field you’re interested in will help you prepare for future challenges and tasks that may arise in both your career and your life path.

In saying this, I’m not sure if the world needs another army of economics or finance graduates, but pursue whatever interests you, learn some basics, do (paid) internships, read books, attend courses, take advantage of the wealth of material available for free.

2. Additionally, do things that take you out of your daily routine, out of your comfort zone. Move to another country, learn a new language, hang out with the type of people you actually don’t like, present a talk in front of a crowd, ask the uncomfortable questions, allow yourself to fail and learn how to be comfortable with it. Life is ultimately about being comfortable in uncomfortable situations.

With this attitude you develop the right tools and discover what you like and almost more importantly, you discover what you don’t like. Very few people are capable of being the 17-year rockstar entrepreneur and that is completely fine. Stop comparing yourself to others, focus on you, your interests, your passions, and pursue them relentlessly.

3. Stay true to yourself and your interests. While it may seem obvious, it can be difficult to maintain this vision, especially as life progresses and people lose their edge in the comfort of their surroundings. I meet way too many people that end up saying things like: “You know, I don’t really like what I’m doing, but that job pays me well.” A high profile figure working in crypto said to me: “You know, I’m here for the money, I need it, once I have enough I want to work in nutrition, thats what I love doing.” That person has a high reputation and is a well known figure for many. This saddens me.

I can totally relate to this feeling though, having experienced several points in my life where I was honestly terrified of ending up at a soulless corporation, constantly pretending that the tasks I accomplish actually mattered. During my studies and before I developed an understanding of bitcoin, I already started thinking about plan B and C — how I could escape from the corporate treadmill.

And what about people working for a big-four consultancy? While these companies are often heralded as the elite platforms of success, I suspect that only a handful of people honestly enjoy their jobs in these environments. Additionally, most of these consultancy firms purely shift money from A to B, and many of these related jobs will soon be obsolete anyways.

What I want to say is, if you want to be a nurse, become one, if you want to be a carpenter become one, if you want to work in education, do it. If you want to be an accountant — hey, some people might love it — then do it!

Don’t let the outlook of a “safe”, well-paying white collar job destroy your passion.

4. Bonus tip — Be kind and forgiving. If necessary, kill’em with kindness.