Proof of Thought 001: Build Mode with Luana Cantuarias

Welcome to Proof of Thought, a human-centric ideas index pulling Web3 thought leaders out of the hype cycle and into honest dialogue. 

Through the exploration of cultural competency, unique mental models and breakthrough thinking, Proof of Thought is a space for ideas worth verifying.

In this installment, we explore the mind of Luana Canutarias, Co-founder and host of Buidlmode, blockchain mentor, full-stack developer, and thoughtful narrative leader in Web3.

Through a rapid fire interview, Cantuarias questions the need for decentralization as a buzzword, advocates for a "build mode" mentality and discusses the necessity of a project truly needing to be on-chain for sustainable growth and broader adoption.

Let’s get into it.

So how did you get into tech? 

Crazy enough, I wanted to be a software engineer and I applied to engineering school when I graduated, but was denied because of my credits after high school so I went for marketing. 

You seem like you're really good at marketing.

I'm very creative, so it worked pretty well for me. I was doing a lot of stuff, and I decided to open a marketing agency Watacontnt, here in Miami in 2016. It was my first agency and at the time, I had a lot of clients that would come to me who would ask for help building things like a mobile app in the health and beauty space. I would search for developers who wanted to charge me like $20,000 to build an app and meanwhile most of my clients’ businesses were local and barely had, like, $2,000 for marketing all together. I thought, how difficult can it be to actually build one of these applications?

What did you think of Web3 at the beginning? What was your in-road?

In the beginning, it was just so open, and I will say, a great atmosphere to reinvent yourself into something greater. As someone who had been trying things out, building myself and constantly being into different topics, trying to find exactly what it was I was passionate about, it made sense. Sometimes, I'm just emotionally exploring things, because it really is important that you pick something that you're passionate about more than something that you think is good.

What's your why? 

My why is why not!? I was probably about 28 or 29 and I thought, I'm gonna be in  my thirties already. I want to be able to be free, I don't want to be working in a nine to five, I want to work on something for me. I already launched my first entrepreneurial project, and I really wanted to be in an ecosystem that was able to give me that opportunity. So when I landed in Web3, I felt like I had the opportunity to build something. It was just going to be hardcore, and I was going to become a really good warrior.

You're going in for battle! I think it's a good time for us and I'm just going to run through a bunch of these questions super fast because I feel like we have a good vibe. What's a belief that you hold in Web3, that most people don't?

That not everything needs a token. Sometimes what people need is a reason and not a reward.

What is your favorite tipping point in tech history?

When the internet stopped being read-only, and it became read-write. You know what? Web2 gave us voices, but Web3, now you own it, and I feel that that's exactly the tipping point in tech history for Web3.

When was the last time you changed your mind and why?

I used to think that you had to keep pushing through every closed door, and now I believe that if it wasn't open, there is a reason behind it. So flow matters more than force. Sometimes you have to figure it out. You know what it really is, and this can be applied in every circumstance from lifestyle to work to your love life. 

Yeah, 100% love that. Is this my therapy session right now? It's just great. What are you saying “no” to in 2025?

If it's not real and it would expire in 24 hours, it's not real to me. If there is no authenticity, for me, it’s a no.

What is one buzzword we just have to retire in this space?

I think that we have gone from “decentralization” to “adoption,” and I love that, but I would take out the “decentralization” part, because the way people throw it around is like seasoning with no substance. I think it should be more like, say, less, build more.

What is your favorite life hack?

My daily routine right now is my life hack. My routine is waking up at seven in the morning and hitting the gym so I can feel completely in the flow to continue with the same mindset every day. Wake up, drink water, stop checking the phone, go out there. Think about yourself. Be a little bit selfish. Train your mindset. That's the real mode for me right now.

I love that. It's the flow, it's the authenticity, it all feels very aligned.

I am. I have worked for years for this moment.

What question should people be asking more?

"Does this actually need to be on-chain" is the question people should be asking. Most don't ask because the hype feels better than the homework. We need to nurture really good builders and really good projects and people have to be sure that their tech is going to work, not only in a month, that is going to be sustainable for the longer term. This is a really good question because it allows you to think about the innovation–what exactly are you trying to bring for the user? Because sometimes maybe your project or your idea could be financial technology without having to be on-chain exactly, you can just do an integration of, you know, having cryptocurrency for payments not necessarily having to be on-chain etc.

What are you building for–legacy or escape velocity?

I have been an advisor and I have been supporting people on different campaigns for a long time. I think that a lot of people just build for the moment and then kind of lose themselves. I am building for legacy. Why? Because I think we need to neutralize that thought in this specific ecosystem. I'm building for a community that I have been nurturing for a long period of time and I want my reputation to be not only about who I am, but to be known as someone that can build others up and open doors–that will be a good legacy.

Who outside of crypto shaped your thinking the most?

I have had a lot of mentors, but I'm going to tell you something, my mom has been a very important piece. She survived a lot of dictatorships and a lot of crazy stuff and still had space to be kind. And for me, that's real resilience, you know, not only about the TVL numbers, it's also about being resilient and kind.

What do you love about Web3?

The chance to reimagine systems–systems that have been put in place by people that we don't know. I feel that right now, we have an opportunity to build from scratch, with the tools that have evolved with time in Web3, like SDKs and so many different toolkits that are thrown out there for you to shoot to the moon and see if this is going to work. I am really looking forward to seeing more women building systems that work for women as well. You know, I just like, I feel like a dex for a woman built by a woman would be completely different.

How will it be different?

You know, what? Women have a different perspective. They need more detail. They need more explanation about context. I like context. I need it. I think that anyone can be a good trader, but we have to teach traders right now how to trade in a different way and really look into finances differently. Women get very scared investing money, but women are the biggest investors into anything they like.

What do you hate about Web3?

How people trade community for clout. You know, you can't fork belonging.

Is there a narrative in crypto that you think is hurting the industry?

I think that users should understand everything to participate, and no one understands how the internet works. But here we are. I think that's why I believe so much in blockchain education. It's something that I'm building on my own but I really believe that if we're looking for legislation to work in the US and we're trying to amplify our development forces in the US to build new products and give opportunities to the people that are participating here, then we need to amplify our education systems 100%.

What do you think it will take for mainstream adoption?

Better UX. It's so funny, because we have great developers. But yeah, what's happened to your UX bro? Like, I don't know. Give me better colors. Stop using the same bullet. Okay, that's why we need more women.

What's your Saturday morning soundtrack?

Ooh, I definitely do Rosalia. I need a chaotic type of situation to start cleaning.

Is there anything that you feel like is missing or that you want people to know?

I really want people to get into their build mode. I think it's time for people to kind of bring their ideas and start building different things for the operations that we have daily. You know, stop thinking about what is trending. Bring your idea. You don't need a token. Bring your idea. You don't need a community yet. Just bring your idea. Put it out there. Speak up about what you want to do, because you never know what opportunities will come to you.