Welcome to the first edition of People Protocol, a newsletter dedicated to exploring how Web3 companies find, attract, and retain top talent. To kick things off, we spoke with Benjamin Wu, Talent Partner at a16z crypto and former Lead Talent Partner at Chainlink Labs. From helping scale a team to 650+, to advising early-stage founders, Ben shares his lessons on mission-driven hiring, the traits that define top Web3 talent, and what it takes to build in a rapidly evolving industry.
How did you first get into Web3, and what led you to your roles at Chainlink Labs and now a16z crypto?
During the 2020 lockdowns, I fell deep into the crypto rabbit hole. A friend introduced me to Bitcoin, which led me to blockchain technology, smart contracts on Ethereum and Solana, and eventually to the oracle problem, where Chainlink had a first-mover advantage. As I explored DeFi, I was fascinated by how decentralized exchanges and automated market makers were disrupting traditional finance. The idea that I could send money to a friend in Ecuador without relying on Western Union was a game-changer.
I landed my role at Chainlink through Clubhouse. I was hosting free talks, engaging with the community, and eventually connected with the team during a recruiting event. Nine days later, I had a job at Chainlink. Over four years, I helped scale the company from 120 to over 650 people. About six months ago, a16z reached out about a Talent Partner position. Given my success at Chainlink, I felt it was the right time to explore venture capital, where I could work across multiple startups and broaden my experience in Web3.
You're in the early days at a16z, how does your role as Talent Partner differ from your position at Chainlink?
At Chainlink, my focus was singular: hiring for one company's mission. That was exciting and kept me engaged for years. But at a16z, my work spans multiple startups across different verticals - consumer applications, gaming, NFTs, and more. Many assume blockchain is only relevant to finance, but there’s so much more to explore.
Another key difference is working with companies at various stages, from seed to Series B. The challenges of going from zero to one are vastly different from scaling a team at Series B. At Chainlink, I helped build playbooks for growth. Now, I get to help founders and heads of talent overcome early-stage hiring challenges and scale effectively.
Hiring in Web3 is highly competitive. What strategies have you found most effective for attracting top talent?
Startups can rarely compete with larger companies on compensation, so the key is mission alignment. You need true believers - people who are passionate about your vision.
At Chainlink, we had a strong community team, and I was part of the community before joining the company. The best hires often come from organic enthusiasm, people so excited about the product that they naturally become advocates.
Compensation isn’t always the first priority for candidates. They consider the founding team, career growth, and upside potential. Early employees at a startup can shape their roles, wear multiple hats, and accelerate into leadership positions. Compare that to joining a larger company as employee #50, where you’re executing someone else’s playbook. If you sell the vision, learning curve, and market opportunity, you can attract top talent - even without the highest salary.
What traits distinguish high-performing Web3 employees, and how do you identify them during hiring?
The most important trait is curiosity. Web3 moves fast, what happened in a year in other industries happens in a week here. The best people are always asking, “What’s next?” They explore new protocols, question how things work, and stay ahead of trends.
During interviews, I assess how well candidates keep up with the latest developments. Do they understand new consensus mechanisms? Can they compare Layer 1 and Layer 2 solutions? Do they have a passion for the space beyond just riding hype cycles? Those who are genuinely curious are more resilient and mission-driven, making them better long-term hires.
Should Web3 startups hire generalists or specialists?
It depends on the stage. Early-stage startups need generalists - people who can wear multiple hats. An engineer might work across backend and frontend, and a salesperson might handle both pre and post-sales. Flexibility is crucial when you're still finding product-market fit.
As the company scales and raises more funding, you need specialists. Leaders bring in experienced hires who can create repeatable playbooks and build operational excellence. At that point, it makes sense to have structured teams rather than relying on scrappy generalists.
What leadership qualities are most critical for success in Web3?
Leading by example is crucial. Web3 is new, and traditional playbooks don’t always apply. Leaders can’t just delegate, they need to be hands-on. If you’re in sales, you need to be in the trenches defining the value proposition. If you’re in engineering, you need to rethink tech stacks for Web3’s unique architecture.
The best leaders know the details of their team’s work but strike a balance between being involved and avoiding micromanagement. They create a culture of adaptability and experimentation, which is essential in this fast-moving space.
What advice would you give to professionals looking to transition into Web3?
Get hands-on experience. Web3 is permissionless and open-source, so start experimenting. If you’re interested in DeFi, download a wallet, use decentralized exchanges, and understand how they work.
Compare Web3 applications to their Web2 counterparts. For example, taking out a loan in traditional finance vs. using Aave - what’s the difference in experience, risk, and efficiency? Or look at consumer applications like Blackbird, where users earn tokens for restaurant visits. Seeing real-world applications helps you grasp the value of blockchain beyond speculation.
Whether you’re technical or not, diving in and using these products will give you the understanding you need to break into the industry.
