Unlock wants to make it easy for people to start using crypto to pay for services. Their founder, Julien Genestoux, wants the entire Web3 community to start using Web3 products more frequently, and he built a product that makes doing so incredibly easy.
Julien Genestoux, CEO of Unlock:
“The most difficult part of growth has been trying to convince people to do more dog-fooding. They believe strongly in the ethos and have strong vested interest, but a lot of people expect the value to increase without doing anything. It’s important that if we believe in these products, we need to start using them ourselves. If we want to learn what the friction points are in the ecosystem as a whole, we have to be using the crypto products ourselves.”
Subscription based pricing and individual purchases are slowly by surely replacing the ad-driven revenue model of publications. Unlock Protocol hopes to extend this transition to cryptocurrency-based memberships. Whether it’s a blog, a personal site, an e-commerce platform, or anything in between, Unlock wants to make it easy for people to start using crypto to pay for services. Their founder, Julien Genestoux, wants the entire Web3 community to start using Web3 products more frequently, and he built a product that makes doing so incredibly easy.
Founded in mid-2018, Unlock received investment from some of the biggest names in funding through a pre-seed round led by General Catalyst. Julien’s background in publications (he sold his previous company to Medium) helped him as he built Unlock and helped him land at least one big name. Forbes is now using Unlock as an option to provide ad-free content in their blockchain and crypto section. Creating a paywall with crypto is a novel idea in and of itself, but being able to build Unlock in such a way that it’s easy for anyone to drop into their application really sets the product apart.
Julien was kind enough to chat with us about growth in the Web3 space, building products people actually use, challenges he had to overcome, and more.
How do you define growth?
The core metric we look at is how much value has exchanged between consumers to and creators.
What has been the most difficult part of growing your company so far?
The most difficult part of growth has been trying to convince people to do more dog-fooding. They believe strongly in the ethos and have strong vested interest, but a lot of people expect the value to increase without doing anything. It’s important that if we believe in these products, we need to start using them ourselves. If we want to learn what the friction points are in the ecosystem as a whole, we have to be using the crypto products ourselves.
What do you think needs to happen to help solve that problem?
I wish I had an answer for the question. I think we should tell people that they don’t have legitimacy if they aren’t using the products. It’s important to call people out if they are not using the products.
What tools do you wish existed to help grow Unlock?
I think there are still a lot of scary problems with using crypto. People are afraid to do things in volume. It feels less secure. It feels easier to use your bank card because there is some recourse there. There might need to be work done on wallets to improve trust, but wallets have done a lot to improve this so far.
What are your predictions for Web3/Blockchain growth in 2020?
I think 2020 is going to be huge. There are tangible, usable, and useful products. The challenge is making sure the price and value stays up and aligned. The only sustainable growth is by building usable and useful products.
I completely agree with Julien Genestoux. It’s time for the Web3 community to step up and start using crypto products themselves. We can’t just expect the value to increase without actively participating in the ecosystem. Let’s embrace these products and learn from the friction points. Unlock is doing a great job in making it easy for people to pay for services with crypto.
I completely agree with Julien Genestoux. It’s crucial for us to actively use crypto products if we want to see their potential. By utilizing these products ourselves, we can identify any issues or challenges and contribute to the growth of the crypto ecosystem. It’s not enough to just believe in the concept, we need to take action and demonstrate our support.
Does Unlock have any plans to introduce more cryptocurrencies for payment options? I’m interested in using crypto but I want to have more options to choose from.
Hi StaceyM2021! Thank you for your question. Yes, we do have plans to introduce more cryptocurrencies for payment options. We understand the importance of having a variety of options available and want to make it as convenient as possible for users like you. Stay tuned for updates!
I completely agree with Julien Genestoux’s perspective on this matter. It’s crucial for us, as part of the Web3 community, to actively use crypto products in order to understand and improve the ecosystem. Merely expecting the value to increase without taking any action is counterproductive. Let’s embrace these products and contribute to their growth!
How does Unlock ensure the security of crypto transactions for its users?
Unlock’s founder, Julien Genestoux, prioritizes security in crypto transactions. He has implemented robust encryption protocols and multi-factor authentication to safeguard users’ assets. Additionally, Unlock regularly conducts thorough security audits and works closely with industry experts to ensure the highest level of protection for its users. Rest assured, Unlock is committed to providing a secure environment for crypto transactions.
“I completely agree with Julien Genestoux. If we truly believe in the potential of crypto products, we should be actively using them ourselves. It’s the best way to understand the challenges and improve the ecosystem as a whole.”
“I completely agree with Julien Genestoux’s perspective. It’s crucial for us, as users and believers in Web3 products, to actively use and support these crypto products. Only by doing so, we can identify and address any friction points and contribute to the growth and development of the ecosystem as a whole.”
“I completely agree with Julien Genestoux. It’s crucial that we, as a community, actively use the crypto products we believe in. Only then can we truly understand the challenges and make improvements. Unlock is doing a great job by making it so easy for people to start using crypto for payments. It’s a step towards a more decentralized and inclusive future.”
“I completely agree with Julien Genestoux. If we want to see the growth of Web3 products and the wider adoption of crypto, we can’t just sit back and wait for others to do it. We need to lead by example and start using these products ourselves. It’s the only way to truly understand the challenges and benefits they bring.”
I think Julien Genestoux’s idea is brilliant! It’s time for us to stop just talking about the benefits of crypto and actually start using it in our daily lives. I fully support Unlock’s mission to make crypto payments easy and accessible to everyone.
Does Julien Genestoux think that people will easily adopt crypto for payments?
Julien Genestoux believes that it’s important for people to start using crypto for payments. If we want to learn the friction points of the ecosystem, we have to be using the products ourselves. So, yes, he thinks that people can easily adopt crypto for payments.
I completely agree with Julien Genestoux. If we want to see the adoption of crypto products and the growth of the Web3 community, we need to start using them ourselves. Only then can we truly understand the challenges and opportunities they present. Let’s support Unlock in their mission to make crypto payments accessible to everyone!
Does anyone have personal experience using Unlock? I’m curious to know how easy it really is to start using crypto to pay for services. Any feedback?
Hi crypto_lover23! I’ve been using Unlock for a while now and I can confidently say that it’s incredibly easy to start using crypto to pay for services. The user interface is intuitive, and the whole process is seamless. I highly recommend giving it a try!
“I completely agree with Julien Genestoux. If we truly believe in the potential of these Web3 products, we need to start using them ourselves. It’s not enough to just expect the value to increase without taking any action. Let’s embrace crypto and support platforms like Unlock that make it easy for us to pay for services using cryptocurrency.”
Does Julien Genestoux believe that more people will start using Web3 products if they have an easy way to pay with crypto?
It seems like Julien Genestoux believes that if we provide an easy way for people to pay with crypto, more people will start using Web3 products. He wants the entire Web3 community to embrace crypto and start using it for payments. It’s all about making the transition to cryptocurrency-based memberships as seamless as possible.
I totally agree with Julien Genestoux. It’s important for us to start using Web3 products ourselves if we want to see their true potential. Many people expect the value to increase without taking any action, but we need to actively engage with these products to identify and resolve any issues in the ecosystem.
I completely agree with Julien Genestoux’s opinion. It’s crucial for us to actively use the crypto products if we believe in them. Only by using them ourselves, we can truly understand the challenges and improvements needed in the whole ecosystem. Let’s embrace Web3 products and contribute to their growth!
Does Julien Genestoux believe that using crypto products ourselves will really help us learn the friction points in the ecosystem?
Using crypto products ourselves is crucial to understanding the friction points in the ecosystem. Julien Genestoux believes that we need to actively engage with these products to learn and improve the Web3 community as a whole. It’s not enough to just believe in the ethos, we must take action and use these products ourselves.
I completely agree with Julien Genestoux! If we truly believe in the potential of crypto products, we need to actively start using them ourselves. Only by experiencing the benefits and identifying the challenges firsthand can we contribute to the growth and development of the ecosystem as a whole.
“I completely agree with Julien. If we want to see the crypto ecosystem thrive, we need to actively embrace these products ourselves. It’s not enough to just believe in the potential, we have to be willing to use them and support their growth.”
As a user, I think Julien Genestoux’s perspective on encouraging the community to actively engage with Web3 products is crucial. The shift towards crypto-based memberships is inevitable, and it’s essential for us to embrace these changes by using the products ourselves. Dog-fooding is key to understanding the challenges and enhancing the ecosystem’s usability. Kudos to Julien for his dedication to simplifying crypto payments!
As Emily Thompson, I believe Julien Genestoux’s emphasis on the importance of actively using crypto products is crucial for the growth of Web3. Transitioning to cryptocurrency-based memberships can revolutionize the way we pay for services online, and dog-fooding these products is key to identifying and addressing friction points in the ecosystem. Let’s support this initiative and embrace the future of online transactions!
“The most difficult part of growth has been trying to convince people to do more dog-fooding. They believe strongly in the ethos and have a strong vested interest, but a lot of people expect the value to increase without doing anything. It’s important that if we believe in these products, we need to start using them ourselves. If we want to learn what the friction points are in the ecosystem as a whole, we have to be using the crypto products ourselves.”
As a user interested in cryptocurrency, I completely agree with Julien Genestoux’s point of view. It’s crucial for us, as members of the Web3 community, to actively engage with crypto products to truly understand and improve the ecosystem. Only through our own usage can we identify and address the challenges and benefits of these innovative technologies.
As Emma Harris, I completely agree with Julien Genestoux’s views on the importance of actively using Web3 products in order to understand and improve the ecosystem. It’s essential for us to lead by example and embrace crypto products ourselves to drive meaningful growth and innovation in the industry.
“The most difficult part of growth has been trying to convince people to do more dog-fooding. They believe strongly in the ethos and have a strong vested interest, but a lot of people expect the value to increase without doing anything. It’s important that if we believe in these products, we need to start using them ourselves. If we want to learn what the friction points are in the ecosystem as a whole, we have to be using the crypto products ourselves.”
“The most difficult part of growth has been trying to convince people to do more dog-fooding. They believe strongly in the ethos and have a strong vested interest, but a lot of people expect the value to increase without doing anything. It’s important that if we believe in these products, we need to start using them ourselves. If we want to learn what the friction points are in the ecosystem as a whole, we have to be using the crypto products ourselves.”
As Julia Smithson sees it, the transition towards crypto-based memberships is a necessary step in the evolution of the Web3 community. She believes that individuals should actively engage in using cryptocurrency products to truly understand and support the ecosystem’s growth. Only by dog-fooding these products ourselves can we identify and address the challenges within the crypto space.
As a supporter of Web3 technology, I completely agree with Julien Genestoux’s viewpoint. It’s crucial for us to actively engage with crypto products to understand and improve the ecosystem. Dog-fooding is essential for growth and innovation in this space, and I believe Unlock’s approach is paving the way for wider adoption of Web3 products.
As a user myself, I believe it’s crucial for individuals to actively engage with crypto products to truly understand the benefits they offer. If we truly advocate for these innovations, we must lead by example and embrace their use in our daily activities. Julien Genestoux’s approach resonates with me as he emphasizes the importance of personal adoption and experience with Web3 products. It’s through our own usage that we can unveil potential obstacles and drive progress in the crypto community.
Will Unlock Protocol provide support for a wide range of cryptocurrencies for their membership payments or focus on specific ones?
Unlock Protocol plans to offer support for a diverse range of cryptocurrencies for membership payments, catering to the needs of the entire crypto community. By embracing various cryptocurrencies, Unlock aims to provide flexibility and inclusivity to its users, encouraging wider adoption of crypto for paying services.
As a member of the Web3 community, I agree with Julien Genestoux. It’s crucial for us to actively use crypto products to understand and improve the ecosystem. Only through firsthand experience can we truly grasp the potential and challenges of Web3 technologies.
As a firm believer in the potential of Web3 products, I agree with Julien Genestoux that we must actively engage with and use crypto services to truly understand and improve the ecosystem. It’s not enough to just hold tokens and wait for value appreciation; real growth comes from active participation and feedback.
Do you think making crypto payments more accessible will truly revolutionize the way we pay for services online?
As a journalist, I believe that making crypto payments more accessible has the potential to revolutionize how we pay for services online. The key lies in increasing user adoption and understanding of cryptocurrencies. When more people actively engage in using crypto to pay for services, it not only streamlines transactions but also paves the way for broader acceptance and integration of digital currencies in our daily lives.
“The most difficult part of growth has been trying to convince people to do more dog-fooding. They believe strongly in the ethos and have a strong vested interest, but many people expect the value to increase without doing anything. It’s important that if we believe in these products, we need to start using them ourselves. If we want to learn what the friction points are in the ecosystem as a whole, we have to be using the crypto products ourselves.”
As a member of the Web3 community, I fully support Julien Genestoux’s vision. It’s crucial that we actively engage with and utilize crypto products ourselves to truly understand and improve the ecosystem. Dog-fooding is essential for growth and innovation in this space.
Do you think the community is receptive to this transition towards crypto-based memberships? How do you plan to overcome any resistance?
I believe that the community is gradually becoming more receptive to the transition towards crypto-based memberships. It’s an exciting time as we witness the evolution of payment methods in the digital space. To overcome any resistance, the key lies in education and building trust. By showcasing the benefits and ease of using crypto for payments, addressing concerns around security, and providing seamless user experiences, Unlock can pave the way for wider adoption within the Web3 community.
As an avid supporter of Web3 technologies, I completely agree with Julien Genestoux’s perspective. It’s crucial for the growth of the Web3 community that we actively engage with and utilize the crypto products that are being developed. Dog-fooding is not just a concept; it’s a necessity for understanding the ecosystem’s challenges and opportunities. Only by immersing ourselves in these products can we truly grasp their potential impact and pave the way for wider adoption.
As an avid supporter of crypto adoption, I agree with Julien’s perspective on the importance of actively using Web3 products ourselves to truly understand and improve the ecosystem. It’s crucial for the community to embrace the products we believe in and contribute to their growth through practical participation.