This Founder's App Was Going Nowhere. Now It's #1 | Internet Explorers Ep. 76
Nick Confrey’s first app was all promise, no traction—until one bold pivot changed everything. This week on Internet Explorers, the crew starts with the messy fallout from Base’s content coin launch—an experiment in onchain media that spiraled into backlash, infighting, and meme coin chaos. But the real story comes in the second half, when Nick joins the show to share how he turned a floundering generalized social platform into Tome—a viral BookTok hit that hit #1 in the App Store’s books category. Nick walks us through his journey from building for “everyone” to focusing on one deeply passionate community. Along the way, he breaks down why Tome rejects ad-based business models, how it’s building creator-first monetization, and what crypto-native lessons helped shape a product for people who don’t care about crypto at all. If you’ve ever wondered how to pivot toward product-market fit—or how to go viral without selling out—this episode is for you. This episode unpacks: Why Base’s content coin launch blew up on Crypto Twitter The cultural clash between meme coins and new creator tools How one mechanism flaw tanked Base’s experiment Why Rodeo’s TikTok virality didn’t translate into growth Nick’s early app failure and what wasn’t working How focusing on BookTok turned Tome into a breakout success The philosophy behind Tome’s anti-ad, user-supported model How Tome leverages intrinsic motivation over speculation What crypto can learn from Tome’s mainstream product strategy Why the best crypto apps might never mention crypto at all Chapters: 00:27 — Jess Returns From Vacation 01:14 — Twitter Meltdown Recap 03:44 — Base Launches Content Coin 07:06 — Mechanism Fail & Blowback 08:55 — Cynicism Killing Innovation 13:55 — What Meme Coins Reveal 20:41 — Outro: Base Drama Ends 21:44 — Rodeo’s Viral Flop 25:52 — Incentives vs. Organic Behavior 29:07 — Guest Intro: Nick Confrey 30:52 — The Pivot to BookTok 36:23 — How Tome Went Viral 40:29 — Monetizing Without Ads 43:01 — Incentives for Creativity 46:41 — Mini Apps & Remix Culture 49:34 — Growing Niche to Platform 54:35 — Tome’s Puzzle Launch 57:22 — Final Thoughts & Shoutouts 58:47 — Cozy Social, Big Lessons 01:02:29 — Crypto Growth Beyond Crypto 01:05:33 — Closing Vibes Internet Explorers is a weekly rundown show where extremely online individuals broadly explore (romanticize, even) new consumer Internet experiences. Join us live on Twitter/X, Fridays 10am PT / 1pm ET. Seed Club Twitter: https://x.com/seedclubhq Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/internet-explorers/id1756599282 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6iJk3xZoij7pVhlNbTP9qS?si=4cda0ac044dc4c6a Pods.media: https://pods.media/internet-explorers
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1:06:20
The Harsh Reality of Onchain Games | Internet Explorers Ep. 75
What if a game you built today could still be played a thousand years from now? Onchain gaming is one of the hardest bets in crypto — and Kamigotchi is taking a radically different path to survive. Lethe joins to break down why most projects fail, and how building the simplest possible game could create a world that lasts for centuries. Later, Jaimin from Beans joins to share how they’re turning Internet speculation into a daily game of discovery. Plus: the future of three-person unicorns, AI-native teams, tokenized subforums, and how Plastic Labs could reshape memory and personalization for AI apps. This episode unpacks: How Plastic Labs is leveling the AI playing field with user memory tech Why AI-native startups are scaling massive impact with tiny teams How tokenized subforums like Subs could reinvent online communities The case for three-person unicorns in the AI era Kamigotchi’s vision: a decentralized MMORPG that lasts for centuries Technical hurdles in building fully onchain games today Why Celestia and Initia were chosen to launch yominet Beans’ launch strategy: daily token drops tied to internet sites How Beans plans to rival algorithmic content feeds Lessons from shipping speculative crypto apps in today’s market Chapters: 00:19 — Internet Explorers Kicks Off: Topics Preview 02:33 — Plastic Labs $5.35M Raise and AI Personalization 06:04 — Tokenized Forums: Exploring Subs.Fun 10:39 — The Rise of Three-Person Unicorns 17:22 — Lethe Joins: Kamigotchi’s Origins and Vision 21:55 — Why Building Onchain Games Is Brutally Hard 23:52 — Designing Kamigotchi: Simplicity or Death 28:28 — Launching on Initia and Celestia 32:12 — Building a Game Studio for the Long Term 36:35 — Jaimin Joins: Beans and Speculating on Internet Attention 43:05 — Inside the Beans Token Launch Mechanism 47:04 — The Bigger Vision: Beans as a New Social Layer 55:36 — Building in Solana vs EVM 59:08 — Farcaster Miniapp Spotlight Announcement 1:01:15 — Closing Thoughts and Sign-Off Internet Explorers is a weekly rundown show where extremely online individuals broadly explore (romanticize, even) new consumer Internet experiences. Join us live on Twitter/X, Fridays 10am PT / 1pm ET. Seed Club Twitter: https://x.com/seedclubhq Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/internet-explorers/id1756599282 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6iJk3xZoij7pVhlNbTP9qS?si=4cda0ac044dc4c6a Pods.media: https://pods.media/internet-explorers
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1:01:48
Most Startups Misunderstand Incentives feat. Joseph Al-Chami | Internet Explorers Ep. 74
The future of crypto might not be bots, bulls**t, and broken incentives — but first, we have some serious receipts to go through. This week we are joined by researcher Joseph Al-Chami for a wide-ranging dive into the biggest consumer crypto stories of the week — and an honest reckoning with how points systems, appcoins, agentic investors, and open social graphs are actually playing out. From Circle’s IPO drama to AI SEO strategies, we’re connecting the dots on what’s really happening across consumer crypto, AI, and internet culture. We kick off with a quickfire rundown of Appcoins, AI discoverability, and the death spiral of poorly launched tokens, before moving into a deep, revealing conversation with Joseph about the hidden dangers behind points-based growth strategies — and why blind copying Duolingo-style gamification just doesn’t work for crypto projects. This episode unpacks: Ohara’s new Appcoin model and the future of vibe coding AI SEO tactics and why discoverability is about to change forever Why launching a token will not save you The rise and potential fall of Circle’s stablecoin empire The launch of LensChain and the mini-app revolution on Farcaster How agentic investors are creating novelty arbitrage (for now) Open social graphs vs. corporate controlled platforms Why vanity metrics are destroying crypto ecosystems A real breakdown of why “points and quests” mostly attract bots How to build loyalty systems that actually work Chapters: 0:00 — Intro and a Brand New Home 00:39 — Live Show Chaos and Vibe Check 01:50 — Market Sentiment and Real Builders 03:09 — Introducing Joseph Al-Chami and Topics 04:53 — Appcoins, Vibe Coding, and Token Models 08:11 — AI SEO and Discoverability Shifts 12:55 — Why Launching Tokens Can Fail 16:11 — Circle’s IPO Drama and Fallout 19:38 — LensChain, Open Social, and Mini-Apps 24:16 — Farcaster Airdrops and Notification Burnout 26:51 — Rise of Agentic Investors and Novelty 29:09 — “It’s All Base’s Fault” Twitter Meltdown 30:14 — Credible Neutrality and Blockchain Trust 32:59 — Joseph’s Research on Points Farming 39:48 — How to Build Real Loyalty Internet Explorers is a weekly rundown show where extremely online individuals broadly explore (romanticize, even) new consumer Internet experiences. Join us live on Twitter/X, Fridays 10am PT / 1pm ET. Seed Club Twitter: https://x.com/seedclubhq Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/internet-explorers/id1756599282 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6iJk3xZoij7pVhlNbTP9qS?si=4cda0ac044dc4c6a Pods.media: https://pods.media/internet-explorers
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1:06:24
The Internet Loves Ghibli... But Not Enough to Pay? | Internet Explorers Ep. 73
Ghibli memes took over the internet. But the studio captured none of the value. In this week’s Internet Explorers, Jess and Josh break down how OpenAI’s viral Ghibli-style image launch became a masterclass in attention-hijacking — and why crypto, NFTs, and tokens still fail to help artists and IP holders capture their fair share. From meme coin spikes to the role of protocol design, they unpack how this moment exposed crypto’s biggest cultural opportunity (and blind spot). Later, Priyanka from Tribute Labs joins to debut ADIN, their new AI-native investment DAO. The crew explores whether AI agents can outperform VCs, how 10% carry for deal submissions flips sourcing on its head, and why this might be the most compelling new DAO model since 2021. Plus: buy-and-burn backlash, Solana’s Nikita play, and the accelerating weirdness of AI-powered internet culture. This episode unpacks: OpenAI’s viral Ghibli-style image generation Attention, IP, and meme-driven value gaps Can crypto help creators capture cultural upside? Buy-and-burn vs. dividend token models When ownership still matters in token design Tribute Labs introduces ADIN, an AI VC DAO AI agents evaluating early-stage investments Deal flow incentives with 10% carry for submission Can AI replace human VC decision-making Nikita Bier joins Solana to fix crypto UX Chapters: 0:00 — Intro and a classic throwback 4:07 — Crypto the Game segment: Upcoming content and winners 6:05 — Studio Ghibli style image launch impact 9:26 — Valuation of IP through crypto tokens 11:43 — Tokenization and IP rights discussion 15:04 — Cultural Dialogue and Internet Theory insights 18:21 — Network dynamics and virality discussion 20:13 — Buy and Burns impact analysis 22:55 — Stablecoins and monetary supply nuances 26:52 — Dividends and market expectations implications 30:38 — Consumer-facing infrastructure debate 34:02 — Tribute's role in investment DAOs 36:51 — DAO structure and Aiden's role 40:54 — Project types and data input discussion 43:05 — Founder tools and improvement recommendations 46:35 — Emergent projects and agent opinions Internet Explorers is a weekly rundown show where extremely online individuals broadly explore (romanticize, even) new consumer Internet experiences. Join us live on Twitter/X, Fridays 10am PT / 1pm ET. Seed Club Twitter: https://x.com/seedclubhq Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/internet-explorers/id1756599282 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6iJk3xZoij7pVhlNbTP9qS?si=4cda0ac044dc4c6a Pods.media: https://pods.media/internet-explorers
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1:11:00
How to Solve Crypto’s Real Problem | Internet Explorers Ep. 72
The crypto industry got a serious vibe check this week—and it feels like we’re hitting an inflection point. Solana’s latest ad campaign sparked a massive backlash, raising questions about the values shaping the space. Was it just a misfire, or does it signal a deeper cultural shift? At the same time, outdated token models are finally being called out as the industry moves past high-FDV, low-float launches that leave investors holding the bag. We also dive into the rise of stablecoins in fintech, how Privy is making crypto onboarding seamless, and why crypto’s UX problem is solved—even though funding wallets is still a nightmare. Plus, Disney hires a crypto OG, vanity metrics are finally getting exposed, and we debate whether token launches are evolving or just recycling the same old grifts. If you want to know where crypto is actually headed beyond the hype, this episode is for you. This episode unpacks: Solana’s ad backlash—cringe marketing or a deeper shift? Why fintech giants are moving to stablecoins How Privy is fixing onboarding and wallet UX The end of high-FDV, low-float tokenomics Why vanity metrics no longer fool anyone Fat apps vs. infrastructure—who really wins? Disney’s crypto hire—real move or PR stunt? Airdrops as tax burdens, not free money Pump, Rainbow, and the future of token launches What crypto must believe in to move forward Chapters: 0:00 — Intro: Crypto's promise of hope and abundance 5:54 — Solana ad controversy and community response 12:00 — Privy's $15 million raise and crypto onboarding 19:28 — Challenges in getting assets into wallets 26:53 — Shift towards earning tokens and social context 32:43 — Token models: Issues and potential solutions 44:48 — Rethinking token launches and distribution methods 55:54 — Bobby Hundreds joins Disney as VP 59:57 — Pump and Rainbow: New token launch platforms 1:02:51 — NYSE's brand promise and crypto's potential 1:04:48 — Outro: Upcoming topics and newsletter recommendations Internet Explorers is a weekly rundown show where extremely online individuals broadly explore (romanticize, even) new consumer Internet experiences. Join us live on Twitter/X, Fridays 10am PT / 1pm ET. Seed Club Twitter: https://x.com/seedclubhq Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/internet-explorers/id1756599282 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6iJk3xZoij7pVhlNbTP9qS?si=4cda0ac044dc4c6a Pods.media: https://pods.media/internet-explorers
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