Now, Williams stands at a critical moment. Personal DAO has officially launched its SNS sale on the Internet Computer Protocol (ICP), opening the door for a community-driven future. Unlike traditional fundraising, this isn’t about attracting venture capitalists looking for quick profits. Instead, it’s about handing control to the people who believe in the vision—users who will shape, govern, and benefit from the DAO themselves.
In a space where decentralization often feels like a buzzword, Williams has taken a purist approach. Personal DAO is not just another blockchain experiment; it’s a working model of what financial autonomy could look like. With a few clicks and just $60, anyone can set up their own DAO—whether it’s a small family fund, a cooperative business, or a community savings group—without needing to write a single line of code.
As the SNS sale gains momentum, Williams reflects on the journey, the early believers, and the future he envisions for Personal DAO. In this conversation, he discusses the significance of this milestone, the challenges of bootstrapping a decentralized system, and why he believes DAOs could redefine how communities manage resources in the digital age.
Excerpts from the interview:
Q: Jesse, congratulations on reaching the SNS sale milestone with Personal DAO. Could you share what this achievement means for you and the project?
A: Thank you. This milestone is significant for several reasons. Building Personal DAO over the past three years has been challenging, primarily due to funding constraints. Working full-time on the project meant less time to earn income elsewhere, leading to most of the funding coming out of pocket.
We deliberately chose not to take on external investors to ensure alignment with our vision. Venture capitalists often prioritize quick returns, which can conflict with the project’s long-term goals.
Reaching the SNS sale allows us to involve a community that understands and supports our vision. These are individuals less likely to undermine the project’s direction for short-term gains.
Now, with community support, I can focus more on building and engaging with users, rather than constantly seeking funding.
Q: For those unfamiliar with Personal DAO, how would you explain it in simple terms?
A: Personal DAO is a turnkey solution that enables anyone to create a decentralized autonomous organization without coding knowledge. A DAO is an organization that operates entirely on the blockchain, managed and governed without intermediaries.
With Personal DAO, communities—be it a church group, a business, or even a family—can set up their own DAO for about $60 USD. Once established, members can stake within the DAO, govern its operations, and manage resources collectively.
Essentially, it functions like a cooperative, allowing peer-to-peer lending and resource management within the community.
Q: Now that Personal DAO is on the Launchpad, what strategies do you have in place to raise awareness and maximize its potential? Also, could you tell us about your team?
A: Our team is relatively small but highly dedicated:
- Carlos Merino: An experienced public servant in the U.S., Carlos has run campaigns and engaged with communities at the grassroots level.
- Kamal Hubbard: Trained as an attorney, Kamal works in contract compliance and is active in community work.
- Thomas Goslee: Based in Switzerland, Thomas is knowledgeable about the intersection of crypto, data privacy, and security compliance.
- Meta Owl: With a background in the music and entertainment industry, Meta handles our artwork and has been involved in the crypto space since the early 2000s.
To raise awareness, we’re engaging with various platforms and influencers:
- Interviews: We’ve conducted interviews with platforms like Coin Nation and plan more in the future.
- Twitter Spaces: Hosting and participating in Twitter Spaces events to reach diverse audiences, including a planned session for the Spanish-speaking community.
- Community Engagement: We’re active on social media, ensuring accessibility to answer questions and provide information.
This multifaceted approach aims to inform and engage potential users and investors about Personal DAO.
Q: Let’s say you raise 70,000 ICP from the community. How do you plan to allocate these funds, and how will investors benefit from participating in the SNS sale?
A: If we raise 70,000 ICP, we also qualify for an additional 52,318 ICP from the neuron matching fund, totaling 122,318 ICP. Half of this will be staked in an eight-year neuron controlled by the SNS DAO, with rewards distributed to DAO token holders.
This means investors receive rewards simply by holding DAO tokens, functioning as a liquid staking mechanism.
Additionally, investors gain access to the Personal DAO protocol, enabling peer-to-peer lending and other community-driven financial activities.
Q: Could you share some potential use cases for Personal DAO?
A: Certainly. Personal DAO can serve various communities:
- Churches or Religious Groups: Manage donations, allocate funds for community projects, and provide financial support to members in need.
- Businesses: Facilitate employee profit-sharing, manage project funding, and enable transparent decision-making processes.
- Families: Organize family finances, fund collective investments, or support members’ educational pursuits.
The flexibility of Personal DAO allows it to adapt to the specific needs of any community, promoting financial inclusion and autonomy.
Q: What motivated you to build Personal DAO?
A: The motivation stemmed from a desire to empower communities by providing them with tools to manage their resources autonomously. Traditional financial systems often exclude or inadequately serve many groups.
By leveraging blockchain technology, Personal DAO offers an accessible, transparent, and efficient way for communities to govern themselves and manage their assets without relying on intermediaries.
Q: How does Personal DAO ensure compliance with varying international regulations, especially concerning data privacy and financial transactions?
A: Compliance is a critical aspect of our operations. We have team members dedicated to navigating these complexities:
- United States Compliance: Kamal Hubbard, with his legal background, ensures we adhere to U.S. regulations.
- Eurozone Compliance: Thomas Goslee, based in Switzerland, manages compliance within the European context, focusing on data privacy and security.
Additionally, we’ve established the Personal DAO Association, a nonprofit under Swiss jurisdiction, to secure consumer protections and promote protocol adoption.
Q: What are your future plans for the Personal DAO post-SNS sale?
A: Post-SNS sale, our focus will be on:
- Product Development: Enhancing the platform’s features based on user feedback.
- Community Building: Expanding our user base by targeting
