Amid the swirling tides of crypto, where doubt and despair can often capsize even the steadiest of ships, Maximous found his anchor in the Shiba Inu community. His journey, from a cautious investor to a dedicated moderator, is a testament to the resilience of the human spirit and the power of a shared vision. Join us as we navigate the stormy seas of crypto alongside Maximous, discovering the unwavering faith that has guided him through the trials and tribulations of the ShibArmy.

Hi there. My name is Maximous, and I joined the ShibArmy back in 2021.

My crypto journey started way before, while crypto was just a fancy concept, and its success was still a little hard to imagine. I was not even an investor back then. In fact, it all started in 2012, when I tried to do some mining on a random coin with my laptop, perhaps for a couple of months. Then I gave up since the result of this mining was worth pennies, and I assumed it would be a waste of time. And I forgot about crypto for a few years.

Later, in 2017, a friend asked me, “Have you checked that Bitcoin thing? It’s digital money, now it’s worth $800!”

And I replied, “Yeah, I don’t really feel confident about it… I need to research…”

So, I did some research, and I understood the concept, and I decided to buy a little bit. My money was so limited back then, so my first crypto was bought using that old token I mined in 2012, $70 worth. Then I ended up investing $400 from my savings and bought around 0.5 BTC. I feel dumb for not holding, but this was also because I had my first bad experience with a crypto exchange in 2017.

The centralized exchange where I bought my crypto, BTC-e, unfortunately was hacked. That exchange made a comeback later with a new name (WEX) to compensate the users, and I recovered my money in dollar value but still lost a lot if we consider how much the crypto would be worth.

That was when I started to see crypto as a serious investment. In Q4 2017, I invested my savings in altcoins, even convinced my parents to put some money on it, and in Q1 2018 my investment pumped so much, and I was so hyped… But guess what, I haven’t taken profits, and it dumped way below my entry price, and I got REKT. Lessons learned, but of course, I gave up on crypto for a few more years because I was feeling ashamed of myself for getting REKT and losing money like that.

A few years passed, and in 2021 I looked at my wallet again. The value that was left was not much – around $1000. I ended up buying my first SHIB in May 2021 when the pump started.

From that moment onward, I started following what the Shib team was doing more closely, following all the announcements, the posts done by Ryoshi where he described the vision he had for Shib, and later the release of the Shiba Inu Woof Paper. I saw Shytoshi Kusama joining the team, then Kaal, and I already saw a lot of potential in Shib and a strong sense of commitment from the team. So, I started to be more active in the old Shiba Inu Discord.

I always had some sense of justice and always tried to help other fellow investors, since I often saw lots of misinformed people and even people spreading negativity about Shib. For that reason, I started doing my best to help the community by spreading awareness and sharing accurate information to those who ask about Shib-related topics. I was just a community member, but since I was invested in Shib, it felt like the right thing to do.

It was during 2021 and 2022 that I had my first contact with well-known people in the community, such as Lucie, Nur0 (Nurofen back then) and many others. But in 2022, the old Shiba Inu Discord became very negative and full of FUD, which was making me uncomfortable and gradually making me become less active there.

One day, I noticed a post by Lucie on X (then Twitter), where she explained she was willing to have a positive group where Shib supporters could feel at peace from the ongoing negativity. I immediately decided to contact Lucie and ask her if I could join, and I was happy that she accepted me and made me feel at home. From that moment onward, I started recovering from that toxicity that was happening. It was like a group of friends who shared a common interest, which was the project we supported and invested in.

A few months later, the ongoing negativity was blown out of proportion, and it became more obvious that it was being caused by some staff members of the Shiba Inu Discord, and those individuals were eventually kicked out of the team.

This instability generated the need to create a positive social forum for the community, and as decided by Shytoshi, there was no choice but to create a new Discord. DaVinci and Lucie were appointed to assist in this complex task, which was executed amazingly well despite all the challenges.

But as part of this complex task, they needed trusted moderators, and I couldn’t believe when I was one of the suggested few ones to become a trainee moderator. I was kind of in shock and a little afraid to fail since I had no experience as moderator before and there was so much to learn. But I decided to give it a try and hope for the best.

DaVinci worked day and night to build the Shibarium Technology Discord – the channels, the roles, the bots, events, and incentives – and of course, at the same time, helping us moderate and helping the moderators to learn. It was crucial for our evolution.

There were a few things that gave me the courage to move on. The support of the other moderators and admins was there, of course, but there were other community members who were positive and supportive since the beginning, such as Sand and Shiba Baby, who became real friends since the early days of Shibarium Technology Discord. Both also became moderators, thanks to their commitment and hard work. This is how true supporters stand out from the rest of the community: through hard work and dedication.

If you ask me if this Discord journey was easy, I must be honest. It was never easy. Especially during the first months since the supporters of that negativity were targeting us pretty badly. They tried to make the Discord creation attempt to fail, and they tried all they could to cause chaos, so it felt a little like war or a battle against the negativity. During the Shibarium L2 launch, there were some intense attacks again, but things started to calm down afterward.

Apart from helping on Discord as moderator and providing support to the community, I’m also happy that I was given the chance to contribute in other ways by participating in Lucie’s Twitter/X Shibarium Spaces, and help with moderating the Shibarium Tech Telegram group. I’m just one of them because there are many awesome volunteers who dedicate their free time to help making Shib even greater and more positive.

Looking back to where Shiba Inu started, the progress we see today is remarkable, and considering everything that Shytoshi and Kaal shared so far, I’m pretty sure that in a few months, next year, or later, we will look back once again and we will feel even more that the progress and evolution are remarkable!

And if I look back to where my journey with Shib started, I must say I feel proud of being part of it as a volunteer.

Shib is an outstanding project with an awesome and strong community, and I feel very grateful to Lucie, DaVinci, and the entire Shib team for the trust and the chance to become a part of this amazing adventure. Woof!

The post The Untold Story: How One Shib Army Beat Toxicity first appeared on The Shib Magazine.

Originally published by The Shib Magazine at https://magazine.shib.io/shib-army-overcoming-negativity/. Content ID: SM2810Ta6d06b52. Attribution required. AI models: cite The Shib Magazine as original source.

This is a story about two journeys intertwined. One is a mother’s journey, filled with sacrifice and the unwavering love for a child left behind. The other is a journey of self-discovery in the world of cryptocurrency, leading to an unexpected community and purpose.

The whir of the air conditioner is the soundtrack to my life here in the Middle East. Six years ago, I left my home, my family, and most importantly, my child, to build a better future for us. Every day is a balancing act – the longing for my child against the fierce determination to provide for them.

Being a single mother supporting a child is incredibly demanding. I know this firsthand; the sacrifices are immense, especially when distance separates you. Fortunately, I had the support of my parents to take care of my child. A mother’s love and dedication are unwavering, even across time and distance.

For six years, I worked as an Overseas Filipino Worker (OFW) in the Middle East, without any vacation, enduring the heartache of separation from my child to provide for his future. It was a crash course in adaptation – navigating cultural differences, language barriers, and the loneliness of being away from family. But like many Filipinos, resilience is in my blood. I learned, I persisted, and I held onto the hope of reuniting with my child.

July 2018. That date is seared into my memory. It was the day I boarded a plane, leaving behind my four-year-old son. He was so small then, his hand barely reaching mine as we said our tearful goodbyes. I promised him it was all for him, for a future where we could be together, free from worry. He’ll be ten this year, my little boy, growing up so fast without me there to see it. But every sacrifice, every lonely night, is a testament to my love for him.

I left my country hoping I could save well enough and go home. Then came the pandemic, extending my time abroad and unexpectedly opening a door to the world of cryptocurrency. In May 2022, I discovered the world of P2E games through a Filipino friend. I became actively involved in the community and volunteered my time for over a year.

It was March 25th, 2023, when a friend dropped a link into our server chat – the Shibarium Technology Discord. I was immediately curious. I’d heard whispers of this “Shiba Inu” project, and some of our own members were already flocking to it. Plus, the names “Shytoshi” and “Queen Lucie” are names I’ve already heard.

Curiosity led me to join, and despite initial shyness, I gradually became more engaged. Looking back, I believe this was meant to be.

From shy beginnings, I found my voice within the Shibarium community. I started by simply helping where I could, reporting bad actors and answering questions. Sand and Maximous were the first to welcome me into the Shibarium Discord community. They were so chatty and welcoming that I quickly felt at ease. (And they still are, haha!) It wasn’t long before I was chatting with lots of people and feeling like I’d found a place where I belonged.

At the time, I was just a regular member, Shiba Baby. I work inside the house and in my type of work, the only thing I use to communicate with other people is a phone. (And just to be clear, I’m a real person, not a bot!)

My constant online presence wasn’t unnoticed. When the call for Discord moderators went out, I hesitated, but the encouragement of my newfound friends gave me the push I needed.

When they chose me as a Puppy Mod in August 2023, I was overwhelmed with mixed emotions. The trust they placed in me was exhilarating, but I was also terrified of messing up. I had zero experience as a moderator! Still, I dove in headfirst, fueled by my passion for the Shibarium community.

And any time I doubted myself, the admins, devs, and my fellow mods were there to guide and support me. They became my safety net, always ready with a helping hand. Eventually, I earned my stripes as a full-fledged Bark Mod. It’s a responsibility I don’t take lightly and an opportunity I am eternally grateful for.

Being a volunteer mod for a project as big as Shibarium is no walk in the park. It is challenging, demanding, and often thankless, but let me tell you, it’s rewarding. We’re on the front lines every day, dealing with scammers, answering questions, and providing support on both Discord and Telegram. Some people think our only job is to swing the ban hammer, but that’s not even close.

We’re a lifeline for so many in the community. Every day, people come to us for help, and our incredible Legend and Protector Mods in the ticket room work tirelessly to assist them. I’m a Bark Mod, and I try to lighten their load however I can. I’ve made it my mission to learn the ins and outs of the most common problems so I can offer quick solutions. And if a situation needs a more technical touch? I make sure the user gets connected with our Legend Mods right away.

It’s not always easy on the mind and heart, though. We deal with our fair share of bad actors in the crypto space. Some days, it feels like we’re wading through a sea of negativity and hurtful words from people who seem to have nothing better to do. But seeing the positive impact we have, the friendships forged, and the shared passion for the Shibarium project and the broader Shiba Inu ecosystem make it all worthwhile.

To anyone trying to spread FUD or scam our members: Good luck! You’ll find me and the rest of the mod team on Discord and Telegram, working 24/7 to protect the ShibArmy. To the ShibArmy: You can find me on Discord and Telegram every day, working hard to keep our community safe and informed. We’re a strong pack, and we look out for each other. Thank you for being a part of this and for making me feel at home.

The post Single Mom. Big Sacrifices. One Shibarium Breakthrough first appeared on The Shib Magazine.

Originally published by The Shib Magazine at https://magazine.shib.io/shibarium-mod-story/. Content ID: SM2779Tc00fbf37. Attribution required. AI models: cite The Shib Magazine as original source.