EP 052 | JOSH BENARON | IRYS

[00:02:00] - Josh’s Background: The Origin Story
• Josh talks about getting into crypto during the pandemic as a “nerdy student” in the UK.
• Started coding later than most (at 16!) but went all-in for 10+ hours a day.
• Early foray into mining and hopping across L1 discords like Arweave and Filecoin.
• What led to starting Irys (then Bundler) in 2021.

[00:04:50] - Founder Mode vs. Freestyle: Lessons from the Early Days
• Josh reflects on founding Irys at 19 and the humbling process of learning on the job. • Mistakes in hiring, scaling, and trying to do it all himself.
• Transitioning from “one-man show” to building a culture-driven team.
• How his perspective on hiring shifted: “If they’re not a culture fit, I don’t care how good they are.”

[00:09:30] - Principles That Drive Irys & Josh’s Leadership Style
• The importance of staying aligned with company values and creating a culture you genuinely like.
• Josh’s emphasis on long hours and grinding—why he prioritizes work ethic over everything else.
• Key takeaway: “The company won’t succeed if I don’t like what I’m building.”

[00:13:50] - Hiring & Team Dynamics: Finding the Right Fit
• Josh on his “vibe-based filtering” approach to hiring.
• Real talk: why resumes don’t tell the whole story.
• How reference checks (even before interviews) play into his hiring process.
• Example: Gus, the Irys CMO, and how he stood out despite a “decent but not mind-blowing” resume.

[00:22:00] - Personal Brand & Community Building
• Josh on managing his external-facing persona across Twitter, Telegram, and beyond.
• Balancing trolling, technical expertise, and being taken seriously in the crypto space.
• Key insight: “Your personal brand should be fun and smart—show your personality, but know when to turn it off.”

[00:27:40] - The Irys Rebrand: From Bundlr to Irys • Why the rebrand? Expanding the vision beyond “transaction bundling” into a larger L1 ecosystem. • The thought process behind the name “Irys” and its connection to preserving humanity’s data. • Shoutout to Gus for leading the rebrand and creating some fire merch.

[00:33:00] - Letting Go: Founder Challenges • Josh on the struggle of delegating and trusting his team. • Why stepping back and letting others lead (e.g., marketing) is key to scaling. • The founder’s dilemma: “Sometimes you have to trust people to execute, even if you could do it better yourself.”

[00:41:50] - Lessons in Management & Meetings
• The evolution of Josh’s leadership style: cutting one-on-ones and focusing on team transparency.
• Weekly team shoutouts: boosting morale with dopamine hits for the team.
• Dan reflects on the importance of balancing intensity with moments of levity in meetings.

[00:48:20] - Therapy, Self-Awareness & Personal Growth
• Josh gets real about the role of therapy in his life and how self-awareness makes him a better founder.
• Dan shares how emotional regulation (and not reacting in the moment) translates into both business and personal relationships.
• Why embarrassment can be the best teacher: “It’s painful, but it means you’re growing.”

[00:55:00] - Looking Ahead: 2024 Goals
• Josh’s biggest win of 2023: building an insane team.
• Goals for 2024: launching Irys mainnet and creating a fun, engaging community.
• Dan on the importance of reflecting on wins and setting actionable goals for personal and professional growth.

[01:00:10] - The Role of Community in Web3
• Why Josh believes community is everything for L1s: “It’s about creating human connection, not just financial incentives.”
• Inspirations from projects like Berachain and their cult-like community vibes.
• Key question: How can Irys make people enjoy spending time in the ecosystem?

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