https://www.saga.xyz/

https://twitter.com/beccaliao

https://rebeccaliao.com/

Rebecca Liao is Co-Founder and CEO at Saga, a Web3 protocol for launching the next 1000 chains in the multiverse. The Saga platform allows developers to take a single tenant VM and automatically launch it on a dedicated blockchain, complete with fully provisioned validators and an optimally incentivized security structure.

She is also a Co-Founder & Advisor at Skuchain, a currency agnostic blockchain for global trade and a World Economic Forum Tech Pioneer for 2019. In 2020, the World Trade Organization named Skuchain one of the top three blockchain companies in trade and supply chain finance. Under her leadership, Skuchain’s platform grew to $5 billion+ in annual volume.

She is currently Advisor to Sommelier Protocol, where she is designing their DAO to optimize for governance, platform growth & regulatory compliance. She is also a Fellow at the Stanford Program in Law, Science and Technology.

She was a member of President Joe Biden’s 2020 presidential campaign, advising on China, technology and Asia economic policy. She also served on Secretary Clinton’s foreign policy team for her 2016 presidential campaign, responsible for Asia trade and economic policy. Prior to Skuchain, Rebecca was Director of Business Development and Head of Asia at Globality, Inc., a Softbank-backed B2B unicorn for AI-powered procurement of professional services. She began her career as an international corporate attorney at Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom LLP and Fenwick & West LLP.

Rebecca is also a writer and China analyst. Her writing has appeared in the New York Times, Financial Times, Foreign Affairs, The Atlantic, Nikkei Asia, The National Interest, Bloomberg View, n+1, Democracy Journal, Georgetown Journal of International Affairs, Times Literary Supplement, Chinafile, The Diplomat, Huffington Post, Dissent Magazine, The New Inquiry, the LA Review of Books, The China Story Journal, Tea Leaf Nation, San Francisco Chronicle and San Francisco Classical Voice. She regularly comments on China for Politico, Deutsche Welle and Channel NewsAsia and has also appeared on HuffPost Live and SiriusXM Radio.

A graduate of Stanford University, where she studied Economics, and Harvard Law School, she serves on the Board of Advisors of the Center for a New American Security (CNAS) and is a Co-Chair of the Brookings Society. In the wake of rising anti-Asian hate, she co-founded, chairs and serves as an Executive Producer at The ACTION Project, a creative agency of Asian American Academy and Emmy Award-recognized creatives and leaders in entertainment, law, technology, business, education, and journalism leveraging our creative talent to shape the national narrative around our diverse community. She is also on the Board of Directors of Words Without Borders, Voices of Music and the Wagner Society of Northern California. She is also a member of the National Committee on US-China Relations.

Laura, a self-employed individual since a young age, pursued various career paths including real estate finance and studying psychology. She eventually became the Chief Operating Officer at Matrix Mortgage, where she focused on growing the business and implementing innovative solutions to address housing issues.

Laura and Ben discussed the importance of starting early and being self-sustaining in terms of career and income. They emphasized the value of exploring opportunities, monetizing skills, and having a side hustle, as well as the benefits of freelancing and incorporating a business.

Laura and Ben discussed the importance of managing time, setting clear goals, and consistently advertising one's work. They emphasized the need to prioritize tasks, stay motivated, and not worry about others' perceptions while working towards their goals.

Laura and Ben discussed the importance of time management and controlling impulses, particularly in relation to social media usage. They emphasized the need for follow-up and iteration in business strategies, while also highlighting the value of being genuine and organic in interactions.

Ben and Laura discussed the importance of identifying tasks that only they could do in their business and delegating the rest. They emphasized the need to focus on activities that energize them and to delegate tasks that they dislike or are not good at.

Laura and Ben discussed the importance of reflection and learning from past experiences. They also emphasized the need to work with one's natural rhythms and cycles, and to make smart financial decisions such as finding better paying work and investing in real estate.

Laura decided to get into the mortgage business at a young age because her parents were successful real estate agents and she saw the potential for making money in real estate. She started working at a real estate office and became involved in mortgage deals, gaining knowledge and experience in the industry.

Laura and Ben discuss the importance of managing expectations and not overpromising as a novice broker. They also emphasize the need to qualify leads effectively by seeking guidance from experienced individuals and trusting their instincts.

Laura and Ben discussed the importance of building deep connections with experts in their field and providing value to them. They emphasized the benefits of being open and giving with information, as well as the value of networking and exploring new career opportunities.

Laura and Ben had a conversation about the value of networking and building relationships in the startup world. They discussed how Laura's expertise in prop tech and her ability to connect startups with potential investors or partners made her a valuable resource.

Ben and Tracy discussed Tracy's career journey, including her experience in fashion design, starting her own brands, and her recent venture into digital fashion. Tracy shared her excitement about her company exiting stealth mode and her interest in collaborating with web3 influencers in the digital fashion space. Tracy transitioned from knocking on doors to building a successful fashion brand by targeting independent boutiques and focusing on higher margins. She later recognized the advantages of digital fashion, such as environmental sustainability, limitless inventory, global talent sourcing, and avoiding logistical challenges, and emphasized the importance of embracing the digital renaissance to stay ahead in the industry. Ben and Tracy discussed the advantages and potential drawbacks of the metaverse and Web3 technology. They acknowledged that while physical items cannot be worn or used in real life, the younger generation, who have grown up in digital worlds, will be the target market for these technologies and will drive the spending power in the metaverse. Tracy discussed the use of AI in developing products and the merging of real-life and online worlds in the fashion industry. Ben mentioned the opportunity to crowdsource designs and attach royalties to NFTs, while Tracy emphasized the importance of choosing the right platforms and ensuring fair payment for designers. Tracy and Ben discussed the importance of understanding player preferences in gaming and the future of metaverse fashion. They also mentioned the potential for more sophisticated avatars, increased interoperability, and the ability for businesses to sell NFTs on their own websites.