Welcome dear friends to the 38th edition of the Hive Community Spotlight, in this edition we shine a light on another remarkable member who has made notable contributions to the Hive ecosystem. I'm excited to introduce you to @olujay, a passionate Hiver whose journey and contributions will leave you eager to learn more.
Who is @olujay
@olujay is a vibrant Hiver from Nigeria, known for his dedication to uplifting the community through various initiatives. With a background in mechatronics engineering and a passion for creative expression, he leverages Hive as a platform to connect with others, share ideas, and promote growth. Through his consistent engagement and innovative mindset, he has become a trusted voice in the community, always ready to support and inspire. His work spans across projects related to Hive onboarding, community development, and educational content.
Tabular Summary of Olujay’s Interview
| Question | Response |
|---|---|
| Introduction to Hive | Discovered Hive through a friend's recommendation and was drawn to its decentralized nature. |
| First project on Hive | Launched a campaign to onboard new users, focused on showing the benefits of Hive as a platform for creators. |
| Current focus | Building communities and educating new users about blockchain and Hive. |
| Biggest challenge | Getting more people to understand the true potential of Hive and overcoming initial skepticism. |
| Advice to new Hivers | Stay consistent, engage with others, and be open to learning from the community. |
| Favorite aspect of Hive | The ability to freely express ideas and connect with people from around the world. |
| Vision for Hive's future | Hopes Hive will become more mainstream, allowing more people to see it as a viable alternative to traditional social platforms. |
Interview Q/A
How did you first discover Hive, and what made you decide to become an active participant in the community?
At church, a friend and fellow guitarist told me about a place where I could earn over making music. Strangers at that time, though, yet he took the time to break things down about Hive. Nothing broke to me at that time, so it took a long time to make an introduction.
The first reward I got WIDENED my eyes, as it was indeed true what I was told. For the first time, I felt highly motivated to make content. I couldn't get around to making music videos at that time, so I started with writing. Writing was an uncharted territory for me, but it quickly became interesting to explore, thanks to the motivation. Heh. Money may motivate one, but it really doesn't fuel passion. I showed up more and more with time, met interesting and good people, and they made sticking around something to look forward to every day.
Can you tell us about some of the current projects you're involved in on Hive or outside the platform?
Well, the Digital Lifestyle and Hive Naija communities and InLeo, mostly. I founded the Digital Lifestyle community a few months ago, and I have been actively building it in the ways that I can. It's mostly on my mind these days. Hive Naija, the Nigerian Hive community, is essentially my home. I work with five other hard-working Nigerian Hivers to keep the community flourishing. At InLeo, I curate posts and write articles for The Daily Leo.
As a curator and manager in various communities, what strategies do you use to keep engagement high and support fellow creators?
It always starts with the team, as they drive the energy in the community. The team provides quality writing prompts to inspire wholesome content and then directly interacts with authors to appreciate deserving content, as well as encouraging members to equally do the same. That's the ethos in the communities I work with. Then I work with the consensus among the team to reward authors in the ways we can, based on engagement and quality of content. And when the opportunity presents itself, a new form of activity could help. Every now and then, too, we evaluate what's working and what isn't.
What advice would you give to someone who’s just starting out on Hive and wants to build a strong presence on the platform?
If you're just starting out on Hive, be curious and observant. Enquire about whatever piques your interest and be intentional about them. Put yourself out there and be invested in making genuine and patronising connections with people. Let them know you in the communities you desire to be a part of by your quality contributions. And show up every day. It pays. Somehow, someday, it'll make sense. While you're at it, however, remember to have fun and enjoy every bit of it, including the good and ugly. And, yes, go through the In The Spotlight series. There's now a database of things you can quickly learn from the personal perspectives and experiences of a few people that have been here before you. I am impressed myself.
What sparked the founding of the Digital Lifestyle, and what has it taught you so far?
I often struggled to find the right community to publish certain tech posts, like the ones about apps, PC tips and hacks, and living in a digital world. Then the time to share my journey about touch typing came, and I realised that I needed a community for myself to share such. And that's how it started. I began however I could, and significant growth has been made so far. Turned out that people also needed a community like that but never realised it... until now. I didn't know how to start a community, but I did anyway, drawing experience from working with in communities. It's only been a few months, but the Digital Lifestyle community has allowed me to learn new things about service through leadership, and I will continually learn. The long-term goal for the community is to turn it into an informative and insightful hub that many people can find relatable.
You wear many hats as a writer, tech enthusiast, and musician. How do these different interests influence your creative process?
I think of them as extensions of myself and channels to understand the world and express myself in different ways. And creativity is a form of expression to me.
Writing is a powerful means to leave my print in this world and in the hearts of people that may read. And it allows me to articulate my thoughts and paint a picture. When I consider how the prints I leave are permanent, every word and how it is presented counts. However, I grew up totally fascinated by tech. Transitioning from enthusiast to creator, it increasingly becomes about creating value as it is about exploring and consuming tech content, and that sparks my creative side. As for music, it's mainly just my guitar and me at the corner of my room, speaking a language that everyone understands: music. Understanding how sounds work to a certain level gives a new perspective on being expressive. Somehow, all three of them—writing, tech, and music—see eye to eye at some points.
What has been the most rewarding aspect of being part of the Hive community, and how has it impacted your personal and professional growth?
Making valuable connections, building something somehow, and exploring untapped potential in different ways. I am by many counts a better person and more driven than ever here and now. And it's only the beginning. Being here, showing up every day, seeing you all do YOU, learning every time—it's all inspiring.
How do you stay inspired and motivated to create consistently, especially when managing multiple roles and projects?
You make time for what you value. There are indeed on and off days. Nobody ever really sees the part of the iceberg beneath the sea level. But I value the time I spend here, the content I share, and the people I look forward to seeing every now and then, and so I just somehow show up to where I need to be when I have to. And it all just works somehow.
As someone involved in both creative and technical fields, how do you balance innovation with artistic expression in your work?
I have fun in the little ways I can. Leisure, make jokes, play games, talk with friends. That's how I try to balance things up. I am generally a curious person, so I cool off by loosening up a bit sometimes. You'd be surprised by the craziest places inspiration could come from. For example, a pair of baby twins reminded me about how it's important to save yourself while you try to save others, and sometimes even before. It inspired me how there's someone else waiting for my move, and I shouldn't disappoint. But I only intended to watch videos of babies being hilarious.
What challenges have you faced in your journey on Hive, and how have you overcome them to keep growing your presence?
Finding my path, as well as being consistent and regular. I never used to make posts as much as I do now, and it was because rewards weren't enough to keep me going, especially on days that nothing much comes. I wasn't sure of my style or niche, too. So, coming every day, the number one issue was that I lacked flow. And I always wondered, "Where do you all sleep at night to be inspired in the morning?"
What I learned to do is show up every day and try something, check out what others were doing every day and see what sticks, and then reduce the pressure on myself that it always must be perfect. You know what they say: the perfect is the enemy of the good. I then found myself in the middle of hard-working friends that held my neck daily for not being accountable.
I figured my niche was more than just tech, music, and film reviews. My niche is Olujay, and you all get everything that comes with it. So I try to find a mix of my many colours and put myself out there in the most creative ways possible. Guess what? Clarity joined the train with time.
What's one thing you wish you knew when you first joined Hive that you think could help new users now?
I wish I tried to understand crypto way earlier. I would have made different moves through the market cycles and made better informed decisions. Understand the system early and become more knowledgeable. And dare to defy. You're only a newbie for as long as you allow yourself to be.
Project/Community Highlight
In the interview, @olujay mentioned his involvement with the Nigeria Hive Community, where he plays a significant role in promoting local content and connecting Nigerian Hivers with the broader Hive ecosystem. His efforts in this community are aimed at empowering Nigerian content creators and expanding Hive's presence in Nigeria. He also collaborates with other communities on Hive, contributing his expertise to foster engagement and growth across the platform.
@olujay is also involved with the Digital lifestyle Community, which focuses on discussions and content related to technology, innovation, and the digital world. In this community, @olujay actively engages in topics that resonate with tech enthusiasts and digital creators on Hive, helping to promote knowledge-sharing and tech-driven content. Check out the digital lifestyle community using the link below:
@olujay/introducing-the-digital-lifestyle-community
In addition to the Digital Hive Community, @olujay is involved with the LeoFinance Community, which focuses on finance, cryptocurrency, and blockchain topics. He engages with content related to financial literacy and the growing blockchain economy.
I would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to @olujay for taking the time to share his journey with us. Your commitment to building communities and educating new users is truly commendable. We appreciate all the hard work you put into making Hive a more welcoming and inclusive space. To everyone reading, if you're not already following @olujay, now is the perfect time to do so. His insights and projects are ones you won’t want to miss! Be sure to connect with him, support his initiatives, and engage with his content.
Conclusion
Thank y'all for your time here, I hope you've learnt something new from here. Stay tuned for more interviews as we continue to celebrate the individuals who make Hive the thriving platform it is today.
Special thanks to:
@thekittygirl
@wesphilbin
@snook
For their valuable support. See you all in the next edition 🤗
View Previous interviews here 👇
