Solana Weekly with Tboh - "The Greater Fools" Book Discussion
Guest Background
Tboh (Scott) is a professional author and screenwriter with 30 years of experience in Los Angeles. He previously had a successful true crime book that debuted at #1 on Amazon, appeared on major media outlets (Howard Stern, SNL, NBC), and became a Jeopardy answer. For the past 10-15 years, he's been ghostwriting for others, but decided to write about something he's passionate about: Solana.
The Book: "The Greater Fools"
Genre: Fantasy/adventure story that teaches crypto concepts through narrative
Target Audience: 300 million fantasy/sci-fi readers worldwide who want to learn about crypto
Length: 110,000 words (originally planned for 50,000)
Timeline: 1.5 years in development (originally planned for 8 months)
Educational Goal: By the end, readers understand wallets, exchanges, blockchain basics, Bitcoin, Solana, Ethereum, and how to avoid common scams
Funding and Community Support
Tebow took an unconventional approach by raising "seed funding" for a novel:
Initial Investors: Jordan and Barage (DTP founders), Monterey Rice (Pandas CEO), Nana Trades, EJ the Cray
Community Backing: Exalt DAO (sub-community of Pandas) provided treasury funds
Solana Foundation: Gave him a booth at Breakpoint Singapore 2023
Investment Philosophy: Investors said "if we see the money again, great, but we want to support what you're doing"
Solana NFT History Deep Dive
The conversation provides rich historical context about Solana's NFT evolution:
Degen Apes - The Catalyst
Impact: Brought Solana to worldwide attention, caused network congestion
Significance: First major hyped mint that attracted people from other blockchains
Art Quality: Described as "Pixar-level" 3D art
Community: Focused on IP development, entertainment company aspirations
Other Major Collections
Degenerate Trash Pandas: Where Tebow found his community, focused on supporting struggling artists
Famous Foxes: Early utility pioneers, built essential NFT tools
Solana Monkey Business: "LinkedIn of Solana" - networking hub for builders and successful individuals
Okay Geckos: Gossip Goblin's collection, known for strong community support
DeGods: Described as having a "frat boy" culture, controversial but loyal community
NFTs vs. Meme Coins Analysis
NFT Communities (Historical)
Structure: Discord-based, PFP-driven tribal identity
Characteristics: Country club model - pay entry fee, stay for community value
Innovation Hub: Where most Solana tooling and infrastructure was developed
Longevity: Built for long-term community engagement
Shared Trauma: Community bonds strengthened during the FTX collapse and bear market
Meme Coins (Current)
Structure: Telegram-based, focused on quick gains
Philosophy: "Come make money and feel free to dump on me"
Timeframe: Shorter-term oriented
Capital Formation: Can go from zero to billions quickly
Key Insights on Solana's Competitive Advantages
User Experience: Superior wallet experience, negligible transaction fees
Artist Accessibility: Low barriers to entry for creators
Community Accessibility: Direct access to founders and CEOs via DMs
Developer Tools: Rapid innovation in NFT infrastructure
Battle-Tested Community: Survived FTX collapse and bear market together
The Future of NFTs
Both hosts believe NFTs will return because:
Established Communities: Collections like Monkey DAO, SMBs, and Geckos built lasting value
Unique Utility: Access to exclusive groups, deal flow, and networking opportunities
Proven Models: Examples like Quacks providing tiered access to investment opportunities
Undervaluation: Current NFT prices don't reflect the community infrastructure built
Book Marketing Challenges and Strategies
Tebow faces unique challenges marketing a crypto book:
Timing Issue: Wrote during NFT winter when interest was low
Distribution Dilemma: Balancing Web3 native release vs. traditional publishing
Community Approval: Getting permission from all mentioned projects and collections
Innovative Distribution Ideas:
Serialized release on Drip House
NFT versions with different cover art
Compressed NFT distribution
Partnership with wallets for "stake-to-read" programs
Technical and Cultural Observations
Network Evolution: From network congestion during DGen Apes to current high performance
Gas Fee Psychology: Ethereum's high fees were bizarrely seen as status symbols
Community Loyalty: Many holders still maintain NFTs despite significant value drops
Innovation Through Adversity: Best tools and communities emerged during difficult times
Price Predictions and Bullishness
Thomas boldly predicts $1,000 Solana, noting that the community has become hesitant to express extreme bullishness despite strong fundamentals and ecosystem growth.
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