From Tech Girl to Blockchain Baddie: My SheFi Season 13 Story

Before I discovered SheFi, I was already entrenched in the world of tech.

I knew how to build apps, navigate back-end systems, deploy APIs, and create digital products that people not only used but loved. I was comfortable speaking the language of logic, code, product sprints, and UI/UX debates. But despite how fluent I felt in this world, something was changing. I could sense it—an invisible tremor rippling through the foundations of the tech industry. A quiet but persistent call to something new. Something... decentralized.

At first, I couldn’t quite put my finger on it.

I started hearing buzzwords about “Web3.” I saw tweets about protocols, DAOs, tokens, and wallets. Gas fees, stablecoins. All of it wrapped in hype and hashtags I didn’t yet understand. I tried diving in solo—Googling terms, lurking in Twitter threads, even opening a MetaMask wallet once only to abandon it in confusion. It was like standing at the edge of a dense forest, knowing there was something magical hidden inside but being unable to find the trail.

That’s when I found SheFi.

More specifically, I found Season 13—a digital campfire where women and nonbinary folks gather, week after week, to decode the mysteries of Web3 and rebuild the future of finance. SheFi wasn’t just a course; it was a catalyst.

Cracking Open Web3: The SheFi Way

From the very first session, SheFi didn’t toss us into the deep end with a sink-or-swim mentality. Instead, it welcomed us in with warmth—a rare thing in the tech world.

They said, “Come sit down. Let’s start from the beginning.”

We began by unpacking what Web3 actually is—not just as a technological evolution, but as a movement. A shift from centralized systems owned by a few to decentralized systems governed by communities. We explored the big players in this world: DeFi, NFTs, DAOs, and Ethereum.

“We didn’t just study these ideas on slides. We played. We clicked. We experimented.”

We sent transactions, joined DAOs, minted tokens, and laughed through our mistakes. We asked the so-called “dumb questions”—which, I quickly learned, were often the smartest ones in the room.

One night, I opened up Aave for the first time, SheFi guidebook in one tab and my wallet in the other. I clicked around, deposited some crypto, and suddenly realized—I had just lent money, without a bank, to a global pool of borrowers. In seconds. Permissionlessly.

It hit me like lightning:

“I don’t need a bank anymore.”

That moment wasn’t just cool. It was empowering. It was revolutionary. And it was just the beginning.

Wallets, But Make Them Wonder

Before SheFi, the word “wallet” meant one thing to me: the leather clutch in my bag holding credit cards and cash. But SheFi flipped that script entirely.

My Web3 wallet became something much deeper: my digital passport, my identity layer, and my home base in this new frontier. We dove into Zerion, where I saw how a wallet could be more than a storage tool. It was a dashboard, a portfolio tracker, a dApp launcher, and a DeFi hub all in one.

“Your wallet is your identity, your bank, and your keys to Web3.”

I downloaded Zerion and set up my wallet like I was furnishing a new apartment. I copied down my seed phrase like it was sacred scripture. I learned how to send, receive, and swap tokens. I toggled between chains. I began to see how my assets flowed—not as numbers on a screen, but as pieces of a living ecosystem I was a part of.

And with Zerion’s sleek interface, I didn’t just feel like a user—I felt like a DeFi strategist.

Stablecoins: The Calm in the Crypto Storm

One of the most eye-opening moments for me was understanding stablecoins.

I used to think digital dollars were just weird crypto knock-offs of fiat. Why would anyone use them? How could they possibly stay “stable” in a market known for its volatility?

SheFi broke it down in a clear and engaging way.

We studied DAI, a decentralized stablecoin backed not by dollars in a bank, but by crypto collateral like ETH and USDC. It exists within the MakerDAO protocol, governed by code and community votes.

“DAI is overcollateralized with other crypto assets, not dollars. It’s decentralized and transparent.”

Stablecoins, I soon realized, aren’t just tools for DeFi enthusiasts. They’re lifelines.

In countries with hyperinflation, stablecoins help people protect their savings. In regions with unstable banking infrastructure, they provide a financial on-ramp. I stopped seeing them as mere price-stable assets and began to see them as agents of economic justice.

Now when I use DAI, it feels like a quiet act of rebellion.

Ethereum’s Many Glow-Ups

Ethereum was always the blockchain I’d vaguely heard of—usually in the same breath as NFTs or crazy gas fees. But SheFi brought it to life in a way that changed my perspective forever.

We explored Ethereum’s timeline: from the early Proof of Work days to the incredible shift to Proof of Stake (a.k.a. The Merge), and the rise of Layer 2 solutions like Arbitrum and Optimism. I learned that Ethereum isn’t just a blockchain—it’s the infrastructure layer for a decentralized internet.

“Ethereum is the infrastructure layer for the decentralized internet—and it’s only getting better.”

What blew my mind most was Ethereum’s evolution. It’s not static. It upgrades. The Merge wasn’t a company shipping a v2.0 product—it was a decentralized, global community coordinating to transform the network’s foundation, without breaking it.

To a developer like me, that’s not just tech. That’s magic.

NFTs: More Than Monkey Pics

Let’s be real—I used to roll my eyes at NFTs. The media painted them as overpriced JPEGs for rich dudes. But then came SheFi, shining a light on the creative possibilities within Web3.

We explored platforms like Zora, Sound.xyz, and Manifold. We saw how NFTs can be more than flexes—they can be proof of presence, digital zines, music albums, community passes, and creator royalties.

“NFTs are provably unique digital assets issued on blockchains and therefore cannot be copied, destroyed, stolen or frauded.”

Minting my first NFT was a moment of personal triumph—not to flip it, but to mark a moment. It was a timestamp. A digital artifact saying, “I was here. I made this. I belong.”

NFTs showed me that Web3 isn’t just about finance. It’s about culture.

Staking: Letting My ETH Work While I Sleep

Staking was one of those crypto buzzwords I had heard but never fully engaged with. It sounded technical, risky, and a little too “finance bro” for my taste.

But SheFi made it digestible.

We broke down platforms like Lido and Rocket Pool. We compared liquid staking to solo staking. We discussed validator rewards, slashing penalties, and the idea of securing the Ethereum network by participating in it.

“Staking lets you secure the network and earn yield, but watch out for slashing and lockups.”

For the first time, I realized that staking isn’t just about passive income—it’s participation. It’s helping Ethereum stay decentralized and secure. It’s casting your vote for a network you believe in.

I didn’t just buy ETH anymore. I engaged with it.

DAOs: Where Internet Friends Become Founders

DAOs (Decentralized Autonomous Organizations) blew my mind. The idea that a collective of strangers on the internet could pool money, vote on proposals, and build things together felt like sci-fi.

“DAOs are internet-native collectives with shared bank accounts and transparent rules.”

We explored tools like Snapshot (for voting) and Gnosis Safe (for treasury management). We studied real-world examples of DAOs funding art projects, open-source software, and even real estate.

Could my next startup be DAO-governed? Could the future of work be cooperative, transparent, and global? After SheFi, the answer felt like a resounding yes.

Web3 Social: A New Identity Layer

We also explored Web3 social platforms like Lens Protocol and Farcaster. I realized that social media doesn’t have to be extractive; it can be sovereign. In Web3 social, I own my identity—my posts, my followers, even my data.

If Twitter disappeared tomorrow, I wouldn’t lose my community because my social graph lives on-chain.

That kind of resilience is the foundation of a freer, more equitable internet.

Confidence Was the Real Reward

Yes, I left Season 13 with a wallet full of tokens, NFTs, and staked ETH. But the biggest thing I gained? Confidence.

The kind of confidence that comes not from knowing everything—but from knowing I can learn anything.

SheFi gave me the permission to explore, the structure to stay curious, the language to ask better questions, and the courage to show up messy, learn in public, and grow in community.

“SheFi is where curiosity meets courage—and becomes confidence.”

I used to peek into Web3 from the outside. Now, I walk through it like I own the place. Because I do.

You’re Not Too Late—You’re Right On Time

If you’ve been lingering at the edges of crypto, wondering if it’s too late or too complicated—hear this:

You belong here.

Whether you come from tech, finance, design, activism, art, or none of the above—Web3 has a place for you. And SheFi is the guide you didn’t know you needed.

Because SheFi isn’t just about blockchains. It’s about unlocking yourself.

Ready to Begin?

Join the next SheFi cohort. Your journey starts with a wallet—but trust me, it won’t stop there.
Check SheFi out at https://shefi.org