I ❤️ JUP
I want to celebrate this Valentine's Day with something that has become an unexpected yet integral part of my crypto journey — Jupiter.
A Simple Start
I started using Jupiter swap in 2023, initially to exchange in-game tokens of a Solana NFT-based game — The Heist. I used to swap a small amount of tokens every few days.
I am not a trader. Not an airdrop farmer as well. Just a regular user who swaps a small amount of tokens regularly. Jupiter has the best rates and no fees, so I never had to look anywhere else.
Then came the Jupuary airdrop in January last year. I wasn’t expecting anything so it was a pleasant surprise for me to receive a few JUP tokens for using the product which I would have anyways used otherwise as well. And the Jupuary airdrop happened again this year as well. Even if the amount is small, it is on top of the other benefits I get from using the product. More than the amount it’s the thought of rewarding the user that mattered.
Finding My Voice in the Jupiverse
I have been lurking in the Jupiter discord for a long time just reading the chats but never truly engaging. I was not an active contributor to the Jupiverse even though I was using the Jupiter products regularly.
But one day, while reading the Jupiter DAO weekly newsletter, I came across some areas where the DAO was looking for contributors across many areas.
I am a product manager by experience and felt few of the open areas matched my expertise and interests. I reached out to Slorg and Morten requesting some time from them. They are 2 of the nicest and most hardworking people I have known in the DAO. We got into calls to discuss my background and understand how I can contribute in these areas — and exchanged ideas and suggestions. And that has changed a lot of things in the last few months.
Before submitting a formal grant request, I wanted to make meaningful contributions and prove my value to the community first and let my work speak for itself.
What I’m Contributing in the Jupiverse
Beyond The Swap
I started with this blog you are reading this story on— Beyond The Swap.
Most of the Jupiter content is meant for crypto Twitter. But long-form content was nonexistent. To bring new users into Jupiverse, especially those from web2 both product and ecosystem understanding are needed.
That’s how Beyond the Swap was born bridging the gap between web2 and web3 users with easy to understand essays.
Structuring Product Feedback
The next challenge is around product feedback. Right now the feedback is scattered across X. While the discord feedback is picked up almost immediately, feedback on X is not systematically captured. I am working on a structure to capture the feedback systematically so that the team can access the feedback without having to spend time across platforms.
Instead of only reactive feedback, I am also focusing on proactive feedback gathering as well — conducting 1:1 interviews to understand how they are using the product and their pain points.
The People Who Make the Journey Special
We always discuss product lines, new launches, and the token price but the community also has a bunch of amazing people. Some of the most talented, hardworking, and supportive individuals who ensure that those who want to contribute are guided and supported properly.
Morten: Well he is a kind human and omnipresent. You DM him at any hour and you will receive a reply almost immediately. I think he is the glue that holds everything together. (Seriously though, respect his time — do your research first before reaching out to him!)
Slorg: Slorg supported by giving my content permance by highlighting them on Jupresearch. He helped me with more reach with RTs from the official Jupiter account as well. The key is to deliver good work and the leaders start taking note of you.
Cas: He ensures to highlight the best content out there during the PPP hours. And he has been highlighting my content to the larger community even when lots of content is out there.
YY: One of the super-talented devs in Jupiter. When we worked together on the Jupiter Station, it was amazing to see how fast he operated and the kind of ideas he had. When I met him IRL, I got to know that he is a self-taught dev who learnt to code recently. It is super inspiring. Even I am considering doing a bit of coding inspired by him.
AG: AG is always helpful even with his busy schedule. He is direct with his critical feedback but those are constructive feedback which ultimately helps you deliver better.
What Keeps Me Going?
It is nice to see the work you do being appreciated — whether through messages, shoutouts or any other form. And that is the driving factor to continue to do even better work.
Jupiter DAO is serious about the appreciation. There is also a formal recognition mechanism in place in the Discord server where anyone can appreciate a fellow member.
But it’s not just about appreciation. It’s about the support. If you create something valuable, the DAO and the team amplify it.
A few of my threads have crossed over 250 likes. For someone with less than 1000 followers on X, these are crazy numbers.
Jupiter Z thread:
JLP Thread:
Jupiter is not only about building products it is also about building people. Everyone is welcomed and empowered.
Each Member is Empowered.
In the Jupiter DAO each member who has staked JUP can vote on the proposals.
How the opinions of the community members are valued was evident from the recent Jupuary vote itself.
- The 1st proposal for Jupuary did not pass, there was major FUD.
- The 2nd one passed comfortably crossing the already high threshold set by the team.
This turnaround of Vote 1 and Vote 2 was possible because the team heard the feedback of the members and made changes to the proposal. The team walks the talk. Decisions here are not made behind closed doors but they are made by members like you and me.
Catstanbul: 1st IRL Event of Jupiter
Till now everything I mentioned was virtual. But recently Jupiter organized a 2-day event that brought everyone from the community together. While there were tons of product announcements, one of the goals was to bring the community together with this event.
It was nice to meet a lot of the people in real life with whom I interacted only virtually till then: Soju, Xian, Rolex, Lost, Rakunaa, Gurk. Eyves, Mirea, Fabiano, Scarlet, Lochie, Mitch and a few more amazing cats
Jupiter even provided up to $2,000 in subsidies for 500 contributors to attend the event. It was amazing to see how a community cares about its members and goes the extra mile.
If you are interested in what happened at Catstanbul check the link for the Product announmcment Roundup: https://beyondtheswap.medium.com/everything-catstanbul-19639450bf68
The Only Regret? Not Starting Sooner
If there’s one thing I regret, it’s not contributing earlier. But better late than never. The way Jupiverse is expanding, there’s always something to build, improve or fix.
If you are looking to contribute, check this guide to get started — https://catdets.jup.eco
If anyone wants to understand more about Jupiter or the overall Solana ecosystem in general, I am happy to help.
I ❤️ JUP. Not just for the product. Not just for the token. But for the people, the mission, the vision and most importantly — for being seen and appreciated.
For any feedback or suggestion please reach out to me @its0xRay on X, Discord, Telegram. If you found this essay helpful, do consider sharing it with your friends who may be interested in exploring the Jupiverse.
