A Day in the Life of a Web3 Startup Founder: Chaos and Opportunity

The Web3 market is more competitive than a farmer's market on a city fair day. And on top of that, founders have to deal with constant uncertainty—prices soar and crash faster than you can say “blockchain.” 

Blockchain startup founders are like master jugglers, balancing fundraising, product development, team management, and the inevitable blows of the crypto market (which always knows exactly where to hit).

Morning of a Web3 Founder: The Hunt for Investors

For a Web3 startup founder, every morning starts with the same thought: “What’s gone wrong this time?” Sleeping in is a privilege only for those who’ve already given up.

The first task of the day? Sifting through unread emails to see who’s still waiting for a response. Messages come in from every time zone—California overnight, Singapore by evening. 

One email promises a meeting with a venture fund. Another, from a nervous investor, pointedly asks, “Where’s the progress report?”

There’s never enough money, so a Web3 founder spends the morning dialing into calls—first with the U.S., then Europe—trying to sell the dream. Finding new investors is a constant hustle, while keeping existing ones requires regular proof of success. However, a startup’s survival hangs by a thread of funding, and letting it snap is not an option.

By 9 AM, the pitch marathon begins, whether over Zoom or in the glass-walled offices of venture capital firms. The goal remains the same: prove that your project won’t burst like a soap bubble. 

After the crashes of FTX, Terra/Luna, and Celsius, investors are more skeptical than ever about Web3 projects. They ask the same questions: “What’s your plan? How will you survive a crisis? Do you have regulatory backing?” The founder smiles and pitches the project's uniqueness, but in the back of their mind, one thought lingers: “I really hope the team didn’t make any mistakes in our tokenomics calculations.”

Some pitches land well, while others get nothing more than polite nods and vague promises to “think about it.” A second try is always an option, but everyone knows what the decision really is. And as the saying goes, you rarely get a second chance to make a first impression.

Related: Web3 of the New Generation: 2024’s Defining Projects

Pitching as a Fight for Survival

Pitching a startup in the crypto market is like dancing on a tightrope. Investors expect precision and guarantees. Additionally, they want to see solid business plans, clear marketing strategies, and a roadmap for navigating future crises.

A Web3 founder juggles numbers, ideas, and sharp wit, relying on charm to prove one thing: “We are not just another scam.”

A successful pitch brings hope. A failed one sends the founder back to their contact list, searching for new leads. Competitors aren’t sitting idle. While you make promises to one fund, another has already invested in a similar project. It is a nerve-wracking game where every meeting feels like a lottery.

Related: Crypto Startups Attract $2.7 Billion in Funding

Midday for a Web3 Founder: Chaos and the Struggle to Stay Sane

By noon, back-to-back negotiations have drained nearly all energy, but there’s no time to relax. It’s time to gather the team.

Voices from Discord and Slack come from every corner of the world—developers in India, marketers in London, and consultants in Dubai. Everyone has the same goal—keeping the project alive. Developers complain about bugs and tight deadlines, while marketers stress over an empty budget. The Web3 founder nods and thinks, “Where am I supposed to find the money to pay all of these freeloaders?”

Plans fall apart right before your eyes. Users are complaining about bugs on Twitter, a competitor has just released a similar project, and the market decides to drop by 5% just because it can. 

You have to stay on your toes, speed up the launch, reassign people, and stay ahead of the competition. In Web3, you’re either the fastest or already irrelevant.

By midday, the surprises start rolling in. Hackers find a vulnerability in the smart contract, forcing an urgent call with the tech team. Tomorrow, a single tweet from Elon Musk could crash the token, or a blogger with a million followers might call the project a scam. The only option is to put out the fire and protect what’s left of your reputation. 

The founder makes quick decisions on what to fix, who to call, and how to stay ahead. Mistakes in communication can be costly.

By midday, they become a motivator. The team burns out faster than a match. One person announces they’re leaving for a more “stable” company, while another admits they have lost faith in crypto. The founder shifts into coach mode and says, “We are on the verge of a breakthrough, let's keep pushing!” Some believe it, others just frown. Bonuses would help, but that would mean another round of investor pitches. 

And the cycle continues. 

Team Survival Challenges

Hiring the right specialists for a Web3 startup feels like solving a puzzle in the dark. Offering to pay in project tokens sounds appealing, but only until their value suddenly drops. 

High turnover is common in startups, but if the team believes in the vision and gets enough incentives, they will stick around. Otherwise, the founder might have to start coding themselves. The job market in this field is small, and skilled developers and designers get hired in an instant.

This is why a Web3 founder spends a lot of time strengthening the team while also building trust with each individual. It’s not easy, and every person requires a different approach. But no one ever said it would be.

Evening of a Web3 Founder: Social Media and Thoughts of Tomorrow

By evening, the founder turns to analytics. The token’s price is the project’s pulse—sometimes it pumps, sometimes it flatlines. One day can bring in hundreds of thousands in profit, while the next may see a paid post from a competitor or a hacker’s actions undoing a year of hard work. 

In Web3, the speed at which information spreads is everything. Elon Musk tweets about DOGE and the meme coin market goes wild. The SEC tightens regulations and an entire sector takes a nosedive.

Each incident requires a response—checking feedback from followers on corporate channels, tracking project news engagement, and assigning tasks to the content team for the following day.

By 10 PM, the workday is wrapping up. Tomorrow will be another challenging day. 

Family? Not yet.

Relax? Maybe someday, but even sleep feels like a challenge here.

The real life of a Web3 founder is far from the glamorous image of a stylish figure in a yellow Lamborghini. It’s more like a blend of a thriller and dark comedy.

You’re in a Zoom call with investors while your token price plummets before your eyes. The team is arguing over a bug while you write an encouraging message to your followers, even though you’re not sure you believe it yourself. It’s like a circus with flaming hoops, and you’re both the clown and the ringmaster.

But the thought of creating something great and being part of the digital revolution keeps you going. Every day is a lottery, but if you get the winning ticket, the jackpot makes it all worth it.

There is no stability, but there’s always a chance to make an impact and get noticed. Some break down and fade away, while others rise to the top and become industry icons. 

In Web3, there are no guarantees, but there is one rule: if you can master the chaos, you will succeed. 

And if it all falls apart, you can always open a café and sell coffee for Bitcoin.