We’re requesting blockchain and cryptocurrency dumpers to tell us what they think of this industry… and we will give out a couple of random zingers to keep them on the floor!

This week our 6 questions for Sanja Kon, CEO of Utrust

Sanja Kon is CEO of Utrust, a blockchain-native obligations ecosystem which targets to bridge the gap between tomorrow’s cash and conventional e-commerce. At Utrust, her primary focus is on working with key global players to improve the availability of digital resources and improve adoption by crypto traders. Prior to linking Utrust, Kon was in the corporate world for more than ten years, working for many Fortune 500 businesses, and at eBay directed European partner plan and relationship building. At PayPal, her staff is responsible for supplying and executing the Marketplace Player Payment Experience solution. Kon is fascinated by technological innovations and disruptive startups and has a deep passion for encouraging varied and integrative topics.

1 – What does decentralization imply to you and why is it significant?

I was born in Sarajevo, Bosnia, also saw the catastrophic economic and political impact the war had on people and companies in the prior Yugoslavia. Most people have the privilege of living in a developed nation with a relatively stable currency and government. As a result, we often don’t consider the consequences of placing our trust in governments, institutions and associations. However, countless people today live in countries with unstable governments, war and higher inflation. This is precisely where decentralization has an essential part. For me, decentralization means taking control of money, property and financing in your own hands. It is therefore not surprising that crypto approval is greater in countries with failed financial systems and heavily depreciated currencies such as Turkey, Brazil or Colombia. People are finally finding a solution to safeguard their wealth and take control.

2 – What do you believe is the biggest trend in the blockchain in the next 12 months?

I’d love to see DeFi gain more users during the next 12 months and I will be tracking this trend very carefully. For those from the crypto area, DeFi is currently “old news”. The biggest challenge, however, will be how we enhance the availability of our services to crypto connoisseurs. The first numbers and the increase are intriguing: the complete value of DeFi has increased from $680 million in January 2020 to $41 billion in February 2021! People need to understand the principles of decentralized software, like the fact that these programs belong to the consumers and consequently users not only benefit financially, but also help improve the product itself. So I’m curious to see the way the instructional aspects will improve on those platforms in order to attract new clients. Last but not least, simplifying the user experience are also an important element of adoption.

3 – What is your most embarrassing moment in your lifetime?

When I was working at VodafoneI did a graduate program through the first years of my career where I shifted roles every 5 to 6 months so that I could see numerous rooms. In my second rotation, I had been assigned to that the Corporate Sales Team, where I’d to accompany the sales staff for many weeks. When my group mate introduced me to the group on the first dayI did not see a massive box on the ground in front of me and dropped straight into the box before the entire thing as I walked. ! It’s still being talked about now, even after over ten years!

4 – Which book influenced you the most? Why?

When my grandma died several years ago, I entered a stage of religious discovery and enlightenment. I desired to understand the greater purpose of life, what life is all about and particularly what happens after bodily death. I’ve read a great deal of books in this subject, however Many lives, many masters by Dr. Brian Weiss, who has basically changed my strategy to life. The book is about the work of Dr. Brian Weiss, a traditional psychotherapist who unwittingly starts to bring patients back to preceding lives. As a physician and scientist, he did not believe in supernatural matters in any respect, which appealed to me at the moment, since I had never contested life as it is. I strongly recommend this book as it provides very valuable scientific evidence on reincarnation. The more I know about this topic, the less I feel like I really know and that’s extremely intriguing to me since our presence is so much deeper and richer than the others we could see.

5 – What will occur to Bitcoin and Ethereum at another 10 years?

I see another route for Bitcoin and Ethereum at the next 10 years. I think Bitcoin is picking up the pace and cementing its position as a store of value. We saw this especially in 2020 when the increase in Bitcoin was driven by institutional investment. The participation of these big players in the area gives it the validity to drive its growth in the future. I feel that within the next 10 years we’ll see a growing number of companies, individuals and corporations interested in investing a proportion of their portfolios in one store of value. The trusted and permissionless features of the network, in addition to a predetermined amount of distribution, will ensure that holders keep growing and fiat payments will follow suit. Regarding EthereumI feel it will power a whole new subset of our market and drive the adoption of decentralized financial solutions. In this new market, you do not have to rely on fundamental financial intermediaries such as banks to provide conventional financial services as smart contracts will create protocols on blockchain to replace existing financial services in a more transparent way. Ethereum will also enhance accessibility to cash, make it a tool for everybody, and improve financial inclusion globally.

6 – What do your parents / spouses / friends / kids tell you?

My impatience! I enjoy driving and it is quickly, so I’m very impatient when I have to wait for something to occur or when others push slowly. This manifests itself in everyday life in things like standing in line; I will most likely choose not to wait at the supermarket line rather than having to wait 5 to 10 minutes. (*6*), the majority of the shopping could be done online! Another thing my friends often tell me is to relax more: I’m constantly on the go. When I’m not working, I learn something, exercise, or nourish my thoughts one way or another. That’s good, but it’s also significant to unwind, and I’ve improved that a lot through time, to spend more time doing things such as mindfulness, meditation, or just little pleasures like watching a film or a TV series.