POW with Celeste Rodriguez

Celeste Rodriguez is a pioneering Filipina expert in trading psychology, advising Web 3 projects, and creating accessible content on fun, finance, and fitness.

 What were you doing before Web3?

I am the first Filipina to specialize in trading psychology, a topic I passionately teach from time to time. I advise Web3 projects on their marketing part-time. I also have a blast creating content that informs people about these topics without intimidating them with technical jargon.

Before Web 3, I was CMO of a small business that equipped Filipinos with tools to succeed in short-term trading. I grew the community to one of the largest retail trading communities in the country, and also functioned as their coach and teacher for trading psychology. I’m a licensed stockbroker for the local equities market.

Years before that, I was an ICU cardiology nurse that found love and adrenaline in the everyday medical drama of hospital floors.

 How did you get into Web3?

I had a uniquely relevant background – a blend of my educational expertise, my marketing experience, my trading/investment knowledge and my managerial know-how so I got recruited to become the Head of Information for YGG Philippines, one of the largest web3 gaming startups in the world.

 What was your first crypto or NFT project?

My first real encounter with crypto was back in 2018. I always joked that “I was able to ride that wave… down”. Needless to say, it humbled me and made me understand how much more I needed to learn. 4 years later, I got a job offer to head the information department of YGG Philippines.

 How would you explain what you do to someone outside of Web3?

“I manage everything and anything related to a web3 project’s marketing, social media and educational efforts.” It’s quite easy to get.

 Which creator or thought leader do you enjoy learning from?

More on the principles, the best thought leaders that come to mind are James Clear, Jordan Peterson, Adam Grant, Tim Urban, Michael Karnjanaprakorn, just to name a few.

 What is the biggest highlight of your career so far?

This sounds crazy, but something that made me understand the impact and gratitude of my audience, for creating content that is valuable to people and sharing my knowledge for free — It was when one of my readers named their cute baby after me.

 What tech or crypto trend are you watching this year?

AI is quite obvious, but since the bear market is still here, I’m on the lookout for projects that show resilience. DeFi is interesting as its utility increases while CeFi options has failed us in the last year. And blockchain gaming continues to show long-term promise as the teams left building in the bear focus more on games that are sustainably fun over purely financially driven.

 What advice would you give someone starting out in Web3?

When looking for your first Web 3 job: First, be humble and work hard. Later on, continue to work hard, but know what your time and expertise is worth.

When making your first investment: Start small but stay interested. Stick to the established coins or NFT projects, especially if you’re trying to grow your money (and not just there for the art). Any content creator that talks hype about a certain kind of project, label them as entertainers. “Even a broken clock is right twice a day.”

 If you could do a TED talk on any topic, what would it be?

Trading Psychology based on positive psychology. Technicality aside, the TLDR is: How to become a better trader by becoming a better human.

 What is the one thing you would bring if you were stuck on a deserted Island?

My Howe– Jorge.

POW stands for “Proof of Work.” It is a new feature article series in The Mega Maxi to highlight the savviest builders in the Web3 space.