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In this episode, we sit down with Justin Hunter, founder of Graphite. Built on Blockstack, Graphite is an open source, decentralized and encrypted replacement for Google G-Suite and Microsoft Office. We explore Justin’s interesting path to blockchain, what problems Graphite is solving, why he chose to build Graphite on Blockstack and much more.
Justin has a somewhat atypical background and path to crypto compared to others in the space. Up until a year and a half ago, Justin had only dabbled with HTML and CSS. After several unsuccessful attempts over the years to learn how to code, he mixed up his approach to learning and it finally stuck. That led him down the path of developing a token portfolio app called Coinicle and now Graphite – both on Blockstack. His passion for solving real problems is evident and refreshing.
Despite keeping the team very lean and working on this outside of his full-time job, Justin has developed Graphite into one of the few truly usable and functional decentralized apps out there. Hearing about his experience developing on Blockstack and interacting with the Blockstack community is incredibly interesting and exciting.
Enjoy!
Show Notes
- Intro and path to crypto [0:53]
- The origin story of Graphite [6:39]
- Why put this on a blockchain? [8:01]
- Development timeline for Graphite [9:49]
- Biggest hurdles throughout the development process [11:27]
- Why Justin chose Blockstack versus other blockchains [13:40]
- Validating assumptions around target market and business model [18:05]
- Justin’s process for understanding user pain points [23:03]
- How Justin prioritizes his time and what features to build [25:56]
- Tactics for measuring adoption of features and getting user feedback [29:55]
- Key challenges building on top of blockchain [34:21]
- Benefits of engaging with the Blockstack team and community [39:47]
- Evolution and future of Graphite team and roadmap [42:01]
- Team planning and development process [46:35]
- Funding and upcoming launch [49:31]
- How future Blockstack token launch may affect Graphite and its ambitions [51:19]
- Measuring success in the world of blockchain [54:15]
- What gets committed to the blockchain when using Graphite and why [59:31]
- Personal tidbit about Justin [1:03:35]