Catching the Wave: My Journey from FrontPage to Web3

My First Wave: The World Wide Web

Hop in the DeLorean and let's go back to 1995. Vermeer Technologies, a software company that developed web publishing tools, launched a product called FrontPage, and it revolutionized my world. I was just 12 and had recently assembled my first computer with my cousin's help. The internet was a new frontier, a vast ocean filled with potential and uncertainty. We didn't have Google, Yahoo, or the access we have today, just AOL and an extensive network of BBS boards and murky forums. Applying my father's teachings, I took the plunge without a metaphorical boogie board, studying and experimenting with FrontPage and offering web design services to whoever gave me a chance to learn and grow. 'HTML,' 'web server,' and 'FrontPage' became part of my regular vocabulary as I worked diligently to communicate and teach others what I was learning about. When Microsoft acquired Vermeer Technologies in 1996, that signaled me. I remembered how my father told me to "ride the wave to where it took me and always stay on its edge to keep my eyes ahead ."The acquisition was the fuel I needed. I was onto something no one else was talking about around me. Still, Microsoft just bought them and started rolling out new versions. My conviction was affirmed, and I stuck with each subsequent version of FrontPage and every other web design tool I could find. Because, just like the ocean's wave, I sensed something substantial was building.

Riding the Second Wave: Cloud Computing

The year is now 2004, 3 years till the iPhone drops. I stumbled upon another groundbreaking tool, Microsoft: Virtual PC. My instincts urged me to explore this new aspect of technology. So I delved into the world of virtualization and everything around it just like I did with Frontpage nearly 10yrs earlier. A few years later, in 2006, I learned and dug into what Amazon was building with AWS. Once again, I found myself on the bleeding edge of technology, discussing virtualization, and the emergence of AWS affirmed I was on the right path. Amazon Web Services (AWS) had just launched. I began to test real-world use cases I was building on-prem with Windows Virtual server with their initial offerings - EC2 instances, S3 buckets - I knew I was at the brink of a technological revolution.

I immediately saw the value of resources within a few clicks versus the procurement cycles I was leading. I saw the potential in cloud computing and began looking for every opportunity to build on it. I had no wetsuit, no guide, and no metaphorical boogie board. I knew I wasn't alone and looked for every opportunity to learn and deploy more cloud solutions on AWS. I recognized the emergence of other cloud solutions in the early years of X as a service. In 2009 I saw an opportunity to move cross country and join Deloitte grow, where I knew there were opportunities to sink in, build, learn, and teach while I rode this virtualization and cloud wave. As I drove to grow my role into a backup and infrastructure architect, I came across the Bitcoin Whitepaper. I was familiar with the underlying components that Satoshi's paper brought together. I saw once again that I was on the right path. I continued to learn everything I could about the surrounding technologies moving to a government contractor and then AmeriGas Propane. I had the opportunity to grow into their Enterprise Architect and lead a deep-rooted legacy company and industry into the cloud era, defining cloud transformation before it became a principal practice.

With a firm conviction that the cloud was the next wave and seeing the signals in the industry, I joined AWS In 2017. If I was going to ride the wave, I needed to be on the edge with others creating and riding it. In 2020 it all came together, and I had that conviction that the future was blockchain and its surrounding technology.

The Third Wave: Web3

Now we're in 2023 and there's been another wave surging, and it's called Web3. The layers and technologies in Web3 are the revolution of the internet & Humanity, one that holds the promise of a decentralized and distributed world governed by choice. It will transform humanity, much like the fire did for our ancestors millennia ago.

My journey, from a humble software tool like FrontPage to the complex virtual environments of the cloud, teaching and leading others along the way, has prepared me to lead from the edge of this wave, Just like my father told me.

I'm not leading this wave alone; all my conversations over the last 3yrs and 8 weeks, in particular, signal that others are beside me in this vision. I'm excited to share my expertise with projects and initiatives aligning with my vision for a better world. I am eager to #buildtogether and contribute to the ecosystem. To everyone intrigued by the potential of Web3, I extend an open invitation: join me in this endeavor. Let's meet and discuss the possibilities that lie ahead and build together: https://calendly.com/shaiss

For the past 28 years, I've led emerging technologies, always staying at the forefront and ready to harness the wave's power. Now is when I become the catalyst for change and honor my father's words.

I will share some exciting news on the Monday, June 26th, episode of my biweekly show "The Standup." With my final days at AWS nearly behind me, I am ready to embark on the next voyage as the captain of my rocket ship with others along for the journey. Stay tuned as updates will unfold throughout July!