Lido Community Lifeguards Initiative

This is an exciting initiative and is being proposed at a crucial time for the Ethereum staking ecosystem. Lido V2 modules will allow community stakers to be directly involved in the protocol and greatly expand the Lido ecosystem beyond the existing permissioned operator set.

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If decentralization is one of the main value propositions of Ethereum, then how can I help to make Ethereum more decentralized? Solo home staking is the gold standard for Ethereum decentralization, and I would always suggest that as a first option if someone has 32 ETH. But for people with less than 32 ETH, people looking for liquidity, and many other reasons, community staking with Lido should be an option. Not just “an option”, I would like to ensure that it is an attractive, competitive, sustainable, and secure option that enriches the Ethereum ecosystem.

So, with that in mind, I would like to formally apply for the Community Lifeguard Coordinator role :partying_face:

Why would I be the right person for the Lido Community Lifeguard Coordinator role?

As a solo staker and member of the EthStaker community, I have a lot of experience ideally suited to this role. Supporting communities, creating educational resources and a passion for Ethereum staking are what motivates me. Here are some examples of the contributions I’ve made to the Ethereum staking ecosystem.

EthStaker Knowledge Base

In October 2022 I started the EthStaker Knowledge Base. This has grown into a significant resource for neutral and impartial staking information. I continue to maintain and update the content, which helps to keep my knowledge current on all things Ethereum staking-related.

DVStakers Node Operator

DVStakers is an initiative I started in March 2023 as an educational resource to help people learn more about Ethereum DVT staking. As DVT will be an important part of permissionless and community staking V2 modules this knowledge will be useful as the Community Lifeguard Coordinator.

Obol Documentation Writer

Through my work on the EthStaker KB I was asked by Obol to write and update content for their documentation site. This was a great opportunity to deeply understand the nuts and bolts of how DVT works and has been invaluable when supporting the ongoing Lido DVT trials.

Lido DVT Trials

Lido has been running DVT trials, using Obol and SSV, with their existing operator set and a number of community stakers. I have been an active participant in those trials as well as writing the instructions, technical documentation, and providing support. I’ve enjoyed being part of the trials and seeing how Lido functions internally.

Staking Interview

At the Lisbon Staking Summit in 2022 I was interviewed about solo staking. If you’d like to hear me talking about Ethereum staking, showing the passion and enthusiasm that I would bring to this initiative, please take a look :eyes:

To see all of the projects I’ve worked on check out EridianAlpha.com.

What would I hope to achieve in this role?

Inclusivity is incredibly important to me and in the Lido community, everyone must be welcome. EthStaker has the tagline “Welcoming first, knowledgeable second” which I think is a great ethos and one that I would bring to this role and foster within the Lido staking community.

Attending events and speaking about this initiative is something I’d hope to be able to do, as I think it’s a great way to meet the community in person, hear their feedback, concerns and give the initiative a friendly face :slightly_smiling_face:

The ultimate goal though, is to “significantly increase and diversify the operators participating in the Lido on Ethereum protocol” and I have ideas on how this can be achieved in the short, medium, and long term. In the short term, while robust DVT solutions are being actively developed there are ways to launch community staking initiatives that require bonds, or other structures in place to provide the Lido with the security and assurances it needs. In the medium to long term, as the DVT solutions and the Ethereum protocol matures, there will be greater flexibility and opportunity for community stakers to participate in fully trustless, permissionless, and decentralized ways. So, while I understand the end goal of this initiative, I’m also pragmatic and appreciate that we need to act within the current capabilities of the system. With this in mind, I am eager to contribute my ideas and efforts to help the Lido community staking initiative reach its full potential in a secure, sustainable, and inclusive manner.

Conclusion

I love that this is an open initiative on a public forum. It’s a great first step in building a community to show that the leaders are selected transparently. Also, if you’re reading this and considering applying to be a Lido Community Lifeguard, please do! It would be great to work with people who have a wide range of skills and experiences.

If anyone would like to know more about what I could bring to this role, please let me know as I’d love to discuss this in more detail. Thanks!
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