In this episode of Empire, Li Jin from Variant Fund and Ben Leventhal from Blackbird and co-founder of Resy, cover the intersection of the consumer market and crypto. They delve into the history of consumer startups, the limitations of traditional businesses in the dining industry, and the potential of crypto to transform ownership. Ben discusses Blackbird and how it addresses issues in the restaurant industry by establishing better connection and understanding between restaurants and customers. To close out Li touches on her vision for consumer crypto leading into 2024. Thanks for tuning in!

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Timestamps:

(00:00) End of Times for Consumer Apps

(05:58) Consumer Crypto's Advantage

(17:22) Identity Rails for Restaurants

(21:23) Balancing Blockchain & Consumer Rights

(27:45) Complexity of Building On Web3

(30:00) Toku ad

(31:16) Variant Fund Approach to Consumer Crypto

(36:23) Why Use Crypto?

(41:54) FLY Token & Progressive Ownership

(46:44) Mitigating Attack Vectors

(50:21) Consumer Crypto in 2024

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Resources

Blackbird Docs

https://www.blackbird.xyz/flypaper

Li Jin Barrier to Mainstream Adoption

https://variant.fund/articles/barrier-to-mainstream-crypto-adoption-is-product-market-fit/

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Disclaimer: Nothing said on Empire is a recommendation to buy or sell securities or tokens. This podcast is for informational purposes only, and any views expressed by anyone on the show are solely our opinions, not financial advice. Santiago, Jason, and our guests may hold positions in the companies, funds, or projects discussed.

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