Eric_Stanek
Well-known Pivian
Hello everyone!
Wondering why there are some NO votes against your proposal?
Well, the short answer is we needed to 'poke' people to wake up and enter the discussion.
There is some confusion over the New Ambassador Program. There is lots to explain, so this will be a wall of text, but it is important, and I will try to keep it brief.
First, an APOLOGY:
We tried reaching out to everyone to explain the New Ambassador Program. Very few took the time to engage and understand it properly. I didn't want to explain the need in an 'alarmist' way just to grab attention. Perhaps I should of. I'm sorry if the roll-out etc. is causing issues. But, in all fairness, we did solicit feedback from everyone. We got lots of comments, but nothing well defined and definitely no consensus on anything. Conversation stopped. However, the need for a solution remains, and so here we are.
URGENTLY NEEDED! The New Ambassador Program (NAP)
Here are key reasons why we need the NAP.
1) We are small:
To those outside PIVX, our Community is considered very small, and even 'hidden' or non-existent. I am not suggesting we become a CULT or a SHILL group. But we absolutely need to be SEEN. The NAP will allow us to grow, and become more efficient, as well as be EVERYWHERE!
2) Awareness:
We also need to get LOUDER! We can't do that with a small team. Other projects are adding privacy protocols. We need to get to the front of discussions sooner, not later. Approx 2.5 years ago, we increased our budget 10x! Now we are starting to feel financially stressed again. We've solved the Software Development and Business Development shortfalls, but Marketing is still an issue - NOT because we lack talent - their work is STELLAR! But, we need an Ambassador team to help them with increasing REACH and increasing AWARENESS! We need help on-boarding new PIVians!
3) Partners NEED our Ambassadors:
Once we have a large team of Ambassadors, we offer HUGE value to our partners. We can have the entire team supporting their campaigns. In turn, they're going to love PIVX even more, and level up our relationship with them. That makes things WAY WAY easier for Jeffrey, Labs, and Marketing. It will also provide additional material for socials thru our channels AND our partner's channels. But, we need a LARGE team. Let's face it, a team of 20+ organized and united Ambassadors carries LOTS more value than 4 or 5 each doing their own thing.
4) MNOs only have so much time:
The budget grew and so did the number of proposals. This is great! But MNOs only have so much time to perform Due Diligence. Imagine what happens when there are 20 or 50 proposals for individual Ambassadors? It will be impossible. There will be lots of duplicated effort, waste and mixed messaging. We need to streamline the Ambassador team.
5) A large team means many new people:
New Ambassadors will be hard to onboard such that we know they can be trusted. The sincere ones will have no support to climb the learning curve, and will make many mistakes. Others will make us think they are sincere, but they just want to grab as much PIV for as long as they can, until they get booted. Then, they likely will just come back under a different username. That will damage the reputation of ALL Ambassadors and hurt the relationships with our partners. Also, there will be Ambassadors doing a great job, that are targeted by toxic trolls. They deserve protection. An organized and managed Ambassador Program can mitigate all this.
6) The mission of PIVX is; "Developing circular economies powered by PIVX."
Once we reach the point of developing the first circular economy, we are going to need a very large team! It may be a team of 10 Ambassadors in Nigeria focusing on a physical location such as a Farmer's Market, or 100 Ambassadors globally, focused on a specific online market. Regardless, we need a large team of Ambassadors!
The Future Of PIVX:
The NEW AMBASSADOR PROGRAM is FAR FAR more important that people realize.
First, without the new rewards structure that started over 3 years ago and implemented in approx Jan 2023, PIVX would have died.
Second, without Jeffrey coming back to PIVX and kicking ass in Business Development, PIVX would have died.
Third, without JSKitty taking the lead of PIVX Labs and growing a team of amazing super productive developers, PIVX would have died.
Fourth, without Hawtch and RedByrd coming on board to build the Marketing Team, PIVX would have died.
Now, we are onto the 'Fifth Wave'. The Final Wave. We absolutely need to spread AWARENESS and for that we need people spreading the word, injecting purple into people. There are MANY ways to do this, but we need MANY more AMBASSADORS to make it happen!
Designing the NAP:
RedByrd did an excellent job of organizing feedback from everyone, even though there was no consensus. The plan is to design the NAP on the fly, as people join, and we find ways to 'fit' their efforts into 3 categories.
In short, those categories are:
1) Base Tasks: These will be mostly focused on socials, and it will be optional which tasks the Ambassador wants to do. The list will likely grow over time, but that will just provide more options. As an example, maybe it starts such that the Ambassador should aim for any 8 out of 12 tasks, but as more tasks are suggested, options increase and it becomes 8 out of 20. etc.
2) Bonus Tasks: These are tasks that we are fine with multiple Ambassadors doing. Things like meet-ups or webinars etc.
3) Specialty Tasks: These are tasks we really only need one Ambassador to be an expert in. This could be something like a 'Subject Matter Expert' on the BasicSwap DEX. That would mean providing technical support to PIVians installing and configuring the required wallets, apps, as well as completing trades etc. and being a liaison to the BasicSwap Team for PIVX.
Some FAQs about the NAP:
1) Is it finalized?
Nope. Everything about the NAP is going to be considered a 'Living Document' and open to change for a while. I am guessing it will be changing lots over the next few months. Ideally though, change will slow down as things get well defined.
2) Will I get paid less?
Not at all. Initially, everyone will get paid what they think is fair. We are hoping that over time, the amount paid for 'Base Tasks' will be a flat amount and the same for everyone. That may mean however, that someone in a low cost of living country will be able to justify doing more Base Tasks than someone living in a very high cost of living area. That makes sense. But a flat rate makes budget planning easier.
Also, many of you have been doing tasks that will end up being in the 'Bonus Task' or 'Specialty Task' categories. An example may be being a moderator of a social channel. So, your pay may just be split between a 'flat rate' for Base Tasks, and also a case-by-case amount for 'Bonus/Specialty Tasks'. I predict that once the dust settles, people will get paid more, because there is value in efficiency and it will be easy for MNOs to see positive results from what is being done!
3) Is the NAP going to be restrictive?
No. As you can see from the above 3 categories, most any task fits in one of them. If not, please talk to @RedByrd and she can help make it fit by tweaking the task, expanding the definition of a category, or creating a brand new category.
4) What makes you think this will work?
Well, the idea is to, over time, model the structure to what JSKitty does for PIVX Labs. It works well and everyone there is happy with it, compared to doing things solo. We're just starting out with a structure that is more broad - because we need Ambassadors involved first, to show RedByrd what works and what doesn't. As such, the initial goal is a structure where the only thing that changes, is who pays you, and that you report out in point form to RedByrd who will then report out for the entire team.
5) Ah! So, things will change! Like what?
The few ideas put forward so far are smaller - but good ones! For example, if you are active in Discord, Telegram or Reddit, then the NAP should pay for your Discord Nitro, Telegram Premium or Reddit Gold etc. Also, you should be given a special Role and Badge in Discord etc. The biggest perk so far is that you should each receive PIVX Ambassador Merchandise! (Sneak Peak coming from @Hawtch soon. Keep your eyes on the #ambassadors channel in Discord.)
Hawtch has spent a lot of time making a new logo/sub-brand for PIVX Ambassadors. It will be released soon. (Again - please watch on the #ambassadors channel) Also coming will be Ambassador branded social media profile banners. So, if you have a regional Official PIVX Social Account, your profile can have a proper branded banner, customized to match your country etc.
There is also FUN stuff being planned like a monthly reward for the 'Boldest Social Engagement' Award! The idea being, we motivate Ambassadors to post on socials outside their comfort zone, and join threads where there may be some push-back from trolls or BTC Maxis etc. The idea is that all Ambassadors vote for 1st, 2nd and 3rd position for 'Boldest Ambassador (but they can't vote for themselves - LOL) and the winner gets a nice chunk of PIV as a reward!
Another idea is when we want to find a new Ambassador in a new region, and we don't have any existing PIVians there, we can ask our current Ambassadors to find a new Ambassador to bring thru the on-boarding process. There can be rewards for when that new PIVian makes it to the rank of Ambassador etc.
Honestly, the only changes we are thinking of are to make people be more efficient, such as a place to share ideas and support each other, and to have more fun! Also, each Ambassador will need to report out, but it can be brief, point form etc. and RedByrd will compile it with reports and stats from others. So, that time spent on writing proposals and reports drops way lower.
6) So, how will new Ambassadors be on-boarded?
If someone has trouble doing a job, it is either because the effort was underestimated and they need more time or help, or it is because they lack knowledge or skills and need training. This is normal and expected - especially in an industry that is constantly changing. As such, there needs to be a support system in place that promotes team participation to mentor and guide new Ambassadors.
However, we also require TRUST. Everyone has seen people misrepresent themselves, or a person that ends up being 'that guy' that goes ballistic instead of remaining calm and respectful. Worse yet, we've seen people lie and take money for work they never even intended to do etc.
To account for all the above, there will be a new process, that closely follows what happens naturally in the DAO, but adds some formality to it, and also motivation for current Ambassadors to seek out new ones.
The idea is a person first becomes a PIVian. Then they ask to be nominated to be an Advocate (volunteer), which is an official position and comes with some perks. After some time, they can then ask to be nominated to become an Ambassador (paid). The Ambassadors that make the nominations will receive a 'finders fee' reward once the new Ambassador reached a certain milestone. (3 months?) To ensure they reach that, the Ambassadors that make those nominations are expected to mentor and guide the new Ambassador.
In this way, the Ambassadors can police the on-boarding process themselves, and be rewarded for the extra effort. They will also make careful nominations, because their reputation is impacted with bad choices. That will motivate them to do their own due-diligence on the person first. Some picks, like nominating a well respected PIVian who has been away for a while but are back, will be easy (Hint: @John M). They will go thru the on-boarding process really quick. Others who are brand new to crypto and have little online in the way of social posts, will take much longer to get up the learning curve, prove themselves, and build trust.
7) Oh ... so new Ambassadors means I am going to be replaced?
The goal is to grow the team. Not shrink it. Besides, what's stopping you from being replaced now? Your value is your skills, knowledge, experience, dedication, trust and reputation of doing the work. It's your purple blood. In the NAP, there will be many opportunities to grow and accept new responsibilities, further enhancing job security. Remember, PIVX is a Meritocracy.
8) I've got more ideas. Who do I get them to?
Feel free to DM RedByrd, but really, it would be better for brainstorming and transparency to comment in the #ambassadors channel!
9) What happens if I don't join the NAP?
You are always free to submit your own proposal. But, if your proposal includes efforts that could be handled under the NAP, please try to view it from the mind of a MNO. They will want to know why you don't want to work with the rest of the Ambassador team. So, if your current proposal partially includes efforts that fall under the NAP, it likely makes sense to separate them from the rest of your individual proposal.
10) I've got a question not answered here!
Please ask it in the #ambassadors channel in Discord to support transparency and brainstorming. But, if appropriate, feel free to DM @RedByrd.
Thanks for reading all this!
Wondering why there are some NO votes against your proposal?
Well, the short answer is we needed to 'poke' people to wake up and enter the discussion.
There is some confusion over the New Ambassador Program. There is lots to explain, so this will be a wall of text, but it is important, and I will try to keep it brief.
First, an APOLOGY:
We tried reaching out to everyone to explain the New Ambassador Program. Very few took the time to engage and understand it properly. I didn't want to explain the need in an 'alarmist' way just to grab attention. Perhaps I should of. I'm sorry if the roll-out etc. is causing issues. But, in all fairness, we did solicit feedback from everyone. We got lots of comments, but nothing well defined and definitely no consensus on anything. Conversation stopped. However, the need for a solution remains, and so here we are.
URGENTLY NEEDED! The New Ambassador Program (NAP)
Here are key reasons why we need the NAP.
1) We are small:
To those outside PIVX, our Community is considered very small, and even 'hidden' or non-existent. I am not suggesting we become a CULT or a SHILL group. But we absolutely need to be SEEN. The NAP will allow us to grow, and become more efficient, as well as be EVERYWHERE!
2) Awareness:
We also need to get LOUDER! We can't do that with a small team. Other projects are adding privacy protocols. We need to get to the front of discussions sooner, not later. Approx 2.5 years ago, we increased our budget 10x! Now we are starting to feel financially stressed again. We've solved the Software Development and Business Development shortfalls, but Marketing is still an issue - NOT because we lack talent - their work is STELLAR! But, we need an Ambassador team to help them with increasing REACH and increasing AWARENESS! We need help on-boarding new PIVians!
3) Partners NEED our Ambassadors:
Once we have a large team of Ambassadors, we offer HUGE value to our partners. We can have the entire team supporting their campaigns. In turn, they're going to love PIVX even more, and level up our relationship with them. That makes things WAY WAY easier for Jeffrey, Labs, and Marketing. It will also provide additional material for socials thru our channels AND our partner's channels. But, we need a LARGE team. Let's face it, a team of 20+ organized and united Ambassadors carries LOTS more value than 4 or 5 each doing their own thing.
4) MNOs only have so much time:
The budget grew and so did the number of proposals. This is great! But MNOs only have so much time to perform Due Diligence. Imagine what happens when there are 20 or 50 proposals for individual Ambassadors? It will be impossible. There will be lots of duplicated effort, waste and mixed messaging. We need to streamline the Ambassador team.
5) A large team means many new people:
New Ambassadors will be hard to onboard such that we know they can be trusted. The sincere ones will have no support to climb the learning curve, and will make many mistakes. Others will make us think they are sincere, but they just want to grab as much PIV for as long as they can, until they get booted. Then, they likely will just come back under a different username. That will damage the reputation of ALL Ambassadors and hurt the relationships with our partners. Also, there will be Ambassadors doing a great job, that are targeted by toxic trolls. They deserve protection. An organized and managed Ambassador Program can mitigate all this.
6) The mission of PIVX is; "Developing circular economies powered by PIVX."
Once we reach the point of developing the first circular economy, we are going to need a very large team! It may be a team of 10 Ambassadors in Nigeria focusing on a physical location such as a Farmer's Market, or 100 Ambassadors globally, focused on a specific online market. Regardless, we need a large team of Ambassadors!
The Future Of PIVX:
The NEW AMBASSADOR PROGRAM is FAR FAR more important that people realize.
First, without the new rewards structure that started over 3 years ago and implemented in approx Jan 2023, PIVX would have died.
Second, without Jeffrey coming back to PIVX and kicking ass in Business Development, PIVX would have died.
Third, without JSKitty taking the lead of PIVX Labs and growing a team of amazing super productive developers, PIVX would have died.
Fourth, without Hawtch and RedByrd coming on board to build the Marketing Team, PIVX would have died.
Now, we are onto the 'Fifth Wave'. The Final Wave. We absolutely need to spread AWARENESS and for that we need people spreading the word, injecting purple into people. There are MANY ways to do this, but we need MANY more AMBASSADORS to make it happen!
Designing the NAP:
RedByrd did an excellent job of organizing feedback from everyone, even though there was no consensus. The plan is to design the NAP on the fly, as people join, and we find ways to 'fit' their efforts into 3 categories.
In short, those categories are:
1) Base Tasks: These will be mostly focused on socials, and it will be optional which tasks the Ambassador wants to do. The list will likely grow over time, but that will just provide more options. As an example, maybe it starts such that the Ambassador should aim for any 8 out of 12 tasks, but as more tasks are suggested, options increase and it becomes 8 out of 20. etc.
2) Bonus Tasks: These are tasks that we are fine with multiple Ambassadors doing. Things like meet-ups or webinars etc.
3) Specialty Tasks: These are tasks we really only need one Ambassador to be an expert in. This could be something like a 'Subject Matter Expert' on the BasicSwap DEX. That would mean providing technical support to PIVians installing and configuring the required wallets, apps, as well as completing trades etc. and being a liaison to the BasicSwap Team for PIVX.
Some FAQs about the NAP:
1) Is it finalized?
Nope. Everything about the NAP is going to be considered a 'Living Document' and open to change for a while. I am guessing it will be changing lots over the next few months. Ideally though, change will slow down as things get well defined.
2) Will I get paid less?
Not at all. Initially, everyone will get paid what they think is fair. We are hoping that over time, the amount paid for 'Base Tasks' will be a flat amount and the same for everyone. That may mean however, that someone in a low cost of living country will be able to justify doing more Base Tasks than someone living in a very high cost of living area. That makes sense. But a flat rate makes budget planning easier.
Also, many of you have been doing tasks that will end up being in the 'Bonus Task' or 'Specialty Task' categories. An example may be being a moderator of a social channel. So, your pay may just be split between a 'flat rate' for Base Tasks, and also a case-by-case amount for 'Bonus/Specialty Tasks'. I predict that once the dust settles, people will get paid more, because there is value in efficiency and it will be easy for MNOs to see positive results from what is being done!
3) Is the NAP going to be restrictive?
No. As you can see from the above 3 categories, most any task fits in one of them. If not, please talk to @RedByrd and she can help make it fit by tweaking the task, expanding the definition of a category, or creating a brand new category.
4) What makes you think this will work?
Well, the idea is to, over time, model the structure to what JSKitty does for PIVX Labs. It works well and everyone there is happy with it, compared to doing things solo. We're just starting out with a structure that is more broad - because we need Ambassadors involved first, to show RedByrd what works and what doesn't. As such, the initial goal is a structure where the only thing that changes, is who pays you, and that you report out in point form to RedByrd who will then report out for the entire team.
5) Ah! So, things will change! Like what?
The few ideas put forward so far are smaller - but good ones! For example, if you are active in Discord, Telegram or Reddit, then the NAP should pay for your Discord Nitro, Telegram Premium or Reddit Gold etc. Also, you should be given a special Role and Badge in Discord etc. The biggest perk so far is that you should each receive PIVX Ambassador Merchandise! (Sneak Peak coming from @Hawtch soon. Keep your eyes on the #ambassadors channel in Discord.)
Hawtch has spent a lot of time making a new logo/sub-brand for PIVX Ambassadors. It will be released soon. (Again - please watch on the #ambassadors channel) Also coming will be Ambassador branded social media profile banners. So, if you have a regional Official PIVX Social Account, your profile can have a proper branded banner, customized to match your country etc.
There is also FUN stuff being planned like a monthly reward for the 'Boldest Social Engagement' Award! The idea being, we motivate Ambassadors to post on socials outside their comfort zone, and join threads where there may be some push-back from trolls or BTC Maxis etc. The idea is that all Ambassadors vote for 1st, 2nd and 3rd position for 'Boldest Ambassador (but they can't vote for themselves - LOL) and the winner gets a nice chunk of PIV as a reward!
Another idea is when we want to find a new Ambassador in a new region, and we don't have any existing PIVians there, we can ask our current Ambassadors to find a new Ambassador to bring thru the on-boarding process. There can be rewards for when that new PIVian makes it to the rank of Ambassador etc.
Honestly, the only changes we are thinking of are to make people be more efficient, such as a place to share ideas and support each other, and to have more fun! Also, each Ambassador will need to report out, but it can be brief, point form etc. and RedByrd will compile it with reports and stats from others. So, that time spent on writing proposals and reports drops way lower.
6) So, how will new Ambassadors be on-boarded?
If someone has trouble doing a job, it is either because the effort was underestimated and they need more time or help, or it is because they lack knowledge or skills and need training. This is normal and expected - especially in an industry that is constantly changing. As such, there needs to be a support system in place that promotes team participation to mentor and guide new Ambassadors.
However, we also require TRUST. Everyone has seen people misrepresent themselves, or a person that ends up being 'that guy' that goes ballistic instead of remaining calm and respectful. Worse yet, we've seen people lie and take money for work they never even intended to do etc.
To account for all the above, there will be a new process, that closely follows what happens naturally in the DAO, but adds some formality to it, and also motivation for current Ambassadors to seek out new ones.
The idea is a person first becomes a PIVian. Then they ask to be nominated to be an Advocate (volunteer), which is an official position and comes with some perks. After some time, they can then ask to be nominated to become an Ambassador (paid). The Ambassadors that make the nominations will receive a 'finders fee' reward once the new Ambassador reached a certain milestone. (3 months?) To ensure they reach that, the Ambassadors that make those nominations are expected to mentor and guide the new Ambassador.
In this way, the Ambassadors can police the on-boarding process themselves, and be rewarded for the extra effort. They will also make careful nominations, because their reputation is impacted with bad choices. That will motivate them to do their own due-diligence on the person first. Some picks, like nominating a well respected PIVian who has been away for a while but are back, will be easy (Hint: @John M). They will go thru the on-boarding process really quick. Others who are brand new to crypto and have little online in the way of social posts, will take much longer to get up the learning curve, prove themselves, and build trust.
7) Oh ... so new Ambassadors means I am going to be replaced?
The goal is to grow the team. Not shrink it. Besides, what's stopping you from being replaced now? Your value is your skills, knowledge, experience, dedication, trust and reputation of doing the work. It's your purple blood. In the NAP, there will be many opportunities to grow and accept new responsibilities, further enhancing job security. Remember, PIVX is a Meritocracy.
8) I've got more ideas. Who do I get them to?
Feel free to DM RedByrd, but really, it would be better for brainstorming and transparency to comment in the #ambassadors channel!
9) What happens if I don't join the NAP?
You are always free to submit your own proposal. But, if your proposal includes efforts that could be handled under the NAP, please try to view it from the mind of a MNO. They will want to know why you don't want to work with the rest of the Ambassador team. So, if your current proposal partially includes efforts that fall under the NAP, it likely makes sense to separate them from the rest of your individual proposal.
10) I've got a question not answered here!
Please ask it in the #ambassadors channel in Discord to support transparency and brainstorming. But, if appropriate, feel free to DM @RedByrd.
Thanks for reading all this!
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