When I was home for my wedding this June, a high school friend said to me,

"You should be so proud of yourself."

Of my life in New York, my loving relationship with Jon, my mission with SheFi.

Every time someone says I should be proud, I feel grateful. I am proud. But at the same time I also think "I'm not special."

Because one simple thing has truly led me to where I am today:

Taking risks.

And while we all have a different appetite for risk, anyone can take them. Sure, they’re terrifying. But that’s exactly why growth happens.

After living in Chicago for 22 years, I risked moving to New York City.

My friends warned me against it, saying it would be hard to start my social life all over again. My family begged me to stay behind, saying they didn’t think I’d be happy in New York City. But I realized their concerns, though well-intentioned, weren’t about me. Plus, the only way to know if they were right was by actually moving.

So I moved anyway, even though it was hard. But nine years later, I’m living a life I love, with a career, friends, and a city that feels like home.

When I was dating in my 20s and 30s, I felt lost. I found myself in relationships with the wrong people. Many times, friends encouraged me to try to stick them out or “be less picky.” Ending those relationships felt risky.

But I ended them anyway, choosing to believe that a great love was out there. Now, as I prepare to marry Jon — for the second time — this weekend, I’m deeply thankful I waited for him.

Working at IBM paid the bills, but it didn’t feed my ambition. Despite the comfort of a steady paycheck and the supposed security of a corporate 9-5, I left. My managers cautioned against diving into the chaotic, unstable world of startups.

But I joined the blockchain startup Consensys anyway. And in doing so, I found countless opportunities to work on incredible projects with inspiring people.

Not all of the risks I’ve taken have worked out.

After leaving Consensys to go full-time on W3bCloud, a venture I co-founded in 2018, it completely blew up on my birthday last year. Five years of hard work gone in an instant.

I found myself at a crossroads: play it safe by going back into an established crypto company or go completely full-time at SheFi to give it my all.

The latter, of course, was a risk.

But taking risks allowed me to discover my true home, meet the love of my life, and build a career in Web3.

I was ready.

So I did it scared, committing to SheFi.

I don’t think I’m special. Anyone can move to a new city, end a relationship, leave an old job and start a new company.

No matter how big or small, risks can change your life.

So let’s keep taking risks — together.

Avoiding Scammers and Wallet Drainers

Recently in class, someone asked: Why and how can a hacker drain your wallet?

Let's dive in!

Your wallet holds an important secret: your private key. When you sign a transaction with this private key, you're telling the blockchain, "Yes, it's me, and I want to move these funds!"

Now, when you interact with different addresses - whether it's Uniswap, another legit app, or unfortunately, a scammer - you're giving them some level of authority over your funds.

If it's a good application, it'll only do what you've specifically allowed. Like if you said, "Okay, swap 1 ETH for some ARB tokens," that's all it'll do.

But if it's a sneaky, malicious application...

...it could keep executing code to drain your wallet dry.

And here's the kicker: since you signed with your private key, as far as the blockchain is concerned, you've given the green light.

Sounds pretty scary, right? But don't freak out just yet!

This kind of thing isn't unique to Web3. It happens in Web2 all the time! Think about clicking a fishy link that infects your computer with a virus, or falling for a phishing email and handing over your login info to the bad guys.

The good news? You can absolutely interact safely in Web3. It just takes some sensible precations:

• Always double-check the smart contracts and addresses you're interacting with

• Use reputable wallets and only connect to verified dApps

• Be super careful about what permissions you're granting

• Consider a hardware wallet for your big holdings

• Sign up for a security tool like Harpie, which notifies you of malicious activity.

Remember, in Web3, your vigilance is your best protection. Stay curious, stay cautious, and happy exploring!

SheFi Community Wins

• Abieyuwa hosted an art exhibition in Dallas, sponsored by the City's Office of Arts and Culture!

• Zehra launched Web3 Acrobat, a marketing and design agency, on LinkedIn!

• Lacroix launched REGENISTE zine and is hosting a Base Community Meetup in Brooklyn on Thursday, 8/15.

  👉️ Share your wins so we can celebrate them 👈️

SheFi Events 🌎

Going to Token2049 or Devcon? Join our Global Events Telegram Chat: https://t.me/shefisummit

• 8/15 Brooklyn: New Internet City-004: RSVP here

• 8/17 Mexico City: SheFi Brunch: Empowering Women in Web3: RSVP here

• 8/21 Virtual: Fluence Follow-Up Discussion: RSVP here

• 8/22 Istanbul: Onchain Istanbul: Innovating Blockchain Through Community: RSVP here

• 8/23 Italy: V Community Meet Up - Alps Edition: RSVP here

• 8/28 Virtual: Blockchain Wisdom: People & Talent Event: SheFi members get 15% off with SHEFI15

• 9/5 NYC: SheFi x Coinbase at NY WNBA Liberty Game: RSVP here

• 9/17 Singapore: SheFi Summit Singapore (Web3 & AI): RSVP here

• 9/26 & 27: ETHMilan: Free Tickets for SheFi Members: Claim here

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