Shannon Snow is the epitome of a revolutionary changemaker. For most people, that motivation as a changemaker comes later in life, while Shannon found her clarity right after graduation. She studied Communication at Stanford, intending to become a journalist. While interviewing and writing about startup founders in Silicon Valley, Shannon became fascinated with the future they were building. She decided then that she could write about technology or join them to build a better future.
World of Women (WoW) is a global NFT community and web3 brand celebrating representation, inclusivity, and equal opportunities for all. She joined WoW to ensure everyone had an equal chance to benefit from the opportunities created by the Metaverse and web3. As COO of WoW, she supports building an inclusive web3 and inspired a global movement and community who believe in #TheTimeIsWoW for equity in web3.
Before joining WoW, Shannon was Director of Entertainment at Meta, helping entertainment, media, and sports companies move into the Metaverse. She spent over a decade at Google, building and leading teams. She is intentional about changing societal inequalities: today, she angel invests in female and diverse founders to empower the next generation of tech leaders.
“You should be able to express yourself no matter who you are,” Shannon believes. As a changemaker with a profound curiosity about technology, she learned to leverage emerging technology: “It’s a great reminder that while technology changes, community and representation are timeless. If we keep finding new ways to help people be their authentic selves and create community, we will succeed.”
When WoW was founded in July 2021, NFT PFP (Profile Picture) collections exploded in popularity, but the most popular collections only featured male avatars. She says: “How were women, non-binary and diverse people supposed to feel welcome in web3 if it wasn’t possible to represent themselves? WoW’s collection and community have contributed to making web3 a more inclusive and fair place for all – and we’re just getting started.”
Since WoW launched the first women-centric NFT collection, WoW sold out two iconic collections and generated over $400 million in primary and secondary sales. It also garnered support from celebrities, including Reese Witherspoon, Gwyneth Paltrow, and Eva Longoria, who amplify WoW’s mission.
Asked what she finds most promising about this space, Shannon remarks: “What’s exciting about the move to web3 is both people and companies are anticipating how transformational the technology will be and are approaching it mindfully. In one year, we’ve gone from the majority of people not knowing what the Metaverse is to major corporations appointing Chief Metaverse Officers. I believe the adoption of mobile technology and web2 surprised many in terms of how much it revolutionized commerce, communication, and most aspects of our lives. With web3, I
see companies getting proactive by appointing strategic metaverse leaders early and people taking a stand for equal opportunity in web3 early by supporting projects like World of Women.”
Part of the magic of tech revolutions is we have to experiment and try new things to move forward,” Shannon explains. “This means many experiments will fail; that’s part of the process of doing something new.”
Shannon is emphatic about the opportunities presented by the Metaverse and web3: “Right now we have many friction points in web3. If solved correctly, each of those friction points is a business opportunity. If we focus on increasing the diversity of both users and builders, we will be in the best position to make web3 valuable and useful for all.”
According to Shannon, one of the Metaverse’s most tangible benefits is that physical location will no longer limit economic opportunities. “In the Metaverse, it will matter less where you are from and more what you can contribute. Creators have new ways to monetize their art in web3, enabling people to make money doing what they love and better fulfill their human potential.”
As web3 is still dawning as a technology and a technology revolution, Shannon is most excited that people are already using it to make the world more equitable. She shares: “If we continue down this path, our shared legacy will be that in the future, no matter where you are born, or what gender identity you have, you will have equal opportunity to fulfill your full potential.”
Thanks to changemakers like Shannon Snow, #TheTimeIsWoW to make a positive impact in the Metaverse and the world.
Website: ShannonSnow.com
