YouTube is a juggernaut. They are, without question, the video sharing platform for content creators. However, many top creators are finding huge drops in views and, in turn, are receiving less money.

Some YouTubers have started switching distributors, such as Vidme or Vimeo, but find those platforms do not have the massive install base and monetization capabilities YouTube has. What about other types of content such as written work or music? For many creators, it can feel like throwing a published work into an ocean full of other content, all looking to get to the surface.

Enter LBRY (pronounced “library”), a Manchester, NH-based startup looking to change the way digital content creators share their work. LBRY sets itself apart from other distribution platforms by utilizing blockchain technology.

The LBRY protocol can be downloaded onto a user’s Internet browser. Then, the user can look through LBRY’s collection of content. The content itself can be purchased for download through the company’s own cryptocurrency, LBRY Credits. The software is also open source, where any user can create and input their own APIs. The open source community has grown to include over 100 contributors to the project.

The company is the brainchild of Jeremy Kauffman, Josh Finer, Jack Robison, and Jimmy Kiselak. Kauffman was an early adopter of Bitcoin back in 2013, after a friend introduced him to the cryptocurrency. After becoming more entrenched in the culture surrounding it, Kauffman became more interested in some of the other aspects of cryptocurrency.

“I was reading a conversation between [Alphabet Executive Chairman] Eric Schmidt and Julian Assange about the applications of Bitcoin to information distribution,” Kauffman said. “What made me interested in learning more about it was the fact that it was decentralized. I began asking myself ‘What other things can be decentralized?’”

While the protocol works for any kind of media or digital content, the current focus of LBRY is on video.

“At first, we didn’t realize how frustrated YouTubers were frustrated with the current system,” the CEO said. “We also had no idea how bad it was becoming. With LBRY, we want to fix these problems.”

“Taking on a giant like YouTube may seem overambitious, but with decentralized technology, there is potential to shake things up, ” Kauffman adds.

While the company is still scaling, several popular YouTubers have become clients of the company, including Casually Explained.

Last summer, LBRY had a booth set up at the Porcupine Freedom Festival, where they showcased the video streaming quality and how their blockchain-inspired technology for the cryptocurrency crowd.

“We were able to stream the first Hollywood film via blockchain,” he said. “A lot of the festival goers were stopping in their tracks to see what we were doing.”

Video streaming is not the only form of content LBRY can distribute; the company supports content of all types, including pictures, written work, and music.

“We even host our own content. I have experience putting some white text on an image and creating memes,” Kauffman said with a laugh. “It’s not exactly high-quality content, but we are users of our own protocol.”

Last month, LBRY entered an open beta, and any first-time user can download the protocol and receive LBRY credits of their own.

Cryptocurrency and blockchain is no longer just an underground movement. Many entrepreneurs and investors in the Boston tech scene are taking a closer look at it, and what it could possibly do for the future.

For digital content creators, knowing there is a startup like LBRY utilizing this type of technology is eye-opening. On top of being part of a new and developing tech sector, LBRY could potentially spearhead a new way to distributing content.

Colin Barry is a contributor to VentureFizz. Follow him on Twitter @ColinKrash.

As a leader in the people space, workplace environment has always played a role in my thinking about the evolution and scaling of culture. Last week, I had a tipping point moment.

I was fortunate enough to be invited to a summit that focused on the future of the workplace. Though the whole trip was a sum total of 30 hours, including travel, it had a tremendous impact on jolting my perspective on a topic that candidly. I hadn’t given a significant amount of time to except during times of busting at the seams and needing to move space.

Let me start with some backstory. At Rapid7, we have grown significantly during the almost seven years I’ve been here. When I started, we were in classic startup mode. Seventy-five people, three small offices, and incredibly modest space. We grew quickly and needed a new headquarters a few years later. The new office was no doubt an upgrade -- in a prestigious building -- with elements that nodded to the company we aspired to become. That said, it was a little like a teenage boy wearing his dad’s suit to the prom - it just didn’t fit us. We felt we had really made it three-and-a-half years ago when we became the anchor tenant and the first big technology company to move into the Financial District. We relished the opportunity to become a trendsetter - sure, Kendall Square and Seaport are hot locations, but we thought we could pioneer the new “cool” destination for tech in the Boston community. And we did. Working with some fantastic designers, we finally created a space that felt like it truly represented our company, and our culture, well.

Zoom ahead to present day. Given our current size, our days of being able to be really flexible are gone. We have hundreds of people in our primary location to provide for. After having attended this off-site session last week, I have to admit, I’m thinking about the future of workspace very differently as I consider what edits I’d make if I could start over.

Here is what I learned. Read on, and see if these learnings prompt you to ponder your own workspace a little differently.

Workplace must reflect your culture
The space we create to work in is a physical manifestation and expression of who we are, and what we value. Simply stated, it’s the body language of our culture. And while it’s truly difficult to manage culture, you can manage the behaviors that contribute to your culture. When you tie the core elements of what’s important to your culture to your work environment, you are making a clear and impactful visual statement about what’s important to you.

Note to leaders: you can’t just invest in a creating a super cool space and assume it’s going to support your culture. Leaders need to embody both the culture AND how that is lived in the workspace. As I understand the story, Twilio asks their customers to send them their own shoes, and once received, they hang them in their customer area. It’s a constant reminder to walk in their customer’s shoes. While that symbolic move might not resonate with all, it speaks volumes both emotionally and visually as to what’s important to them.

Workplace is all about engagement
In fledgling startups, the Ikea desks you need to assemble as a team can feel like a true luxury. As you begin to grow, however, where you work plays a key role in your ability to attract and retain talent. It’s not a one-size-fits-all proposition, however. Different types of workers need to be able to work authentically. While a salesperson might elect to bolster their energy levels by standing up the majority of the day and enjoying bright natural sunlight while speaking on the phone to potential customers, developers historically have opted to configure their workspaces to a quieter locale. When designing your space, you need to consider all workstyles; not just configure the same way for all. Many companies are opting to provide a “kit of parts” to their people; essentially allowing to select from some primary options, but configuring them in a way that it speaks to their individual work style.  

Workplace must inspire innovation
Here’s the harsh reality: if you are hell bent on solely working from a fixed cubicle, you are going to end up jobless. A bit of a dramatic statement for certain, but the general thesis is a trending reality. Workspace needs to be able to tap into the intersection between spatial, social and informational work. That suggests that rather than focus on the budget on the fixed workspaces of the past (think offices, permanent cubes, conference rooms), there is a move to create an equal split between that primary space, and “ancillary space.” People like choice and control. Sitting at your desk all day, it turns out, isn’t particularly inspiring. Providing people with plenty of different spaces to have impromptu conversations, spark ideas, or just brainstorm together is really critical in fostering innovation. This might just mean old school practices of sitting teams in their own clusters is no longer the right approach. Providing people the flexibility to truly work cross collaboratively on projects with co-workers in whatever space makes sense for them for optimal innovative is the more forward-thinking approach.

Workplace spaces must advise
“Big data” is everywhere these days, and many of us suffer from volume overload. And yet, being able to cut through the numbers and really understand the story behind it is essential.  

Einstein said, “learn to measure what matters.” We need to measure and support the elements of our culture and how people truly work best over the coming years to learn of the trends to inform and support our choices. In the workplace of the future, spaces will become much smarter, and ultimately educate us on our behaviors so that we can edit organically over time - rather than just making point in time changes when you’ve found it is time to refresh.

One of my favorite parts of my job is being able to step outside of my everyday world and go learn something new. I know it’s been a good day when I don’t just take in new input, but when it truly transforms my perspective. My trip last week did just that. And I sure look forward to applying the learnings to transform, as my company considers new space as we grow.

Christina Luconi is Chief People Officer for Rapid7. Follow her on Twitter: @peopleinnovator.

Image courtesy of Unsplash.

When some people think of an introvert, they may picture a person hiding in the safe confines of their house, or perhaps someone quiet, shy, and a bit of a loner. Of course, there are all levels of introversion, but most of the time it’s not as dramatic as one might think. And it certainly doesn’t affect one’s ability to be a successful employee.

I always find it interesting when people are surprised when I tell them I’m an introvert. They’ll see me out and about and I’ll be smiling, chatting up a storm, and participating. “No way,” they’ll say to me. “You’re always involved in the conversation.” Inside, I know differently.

An introverted person can appear extroverted when the occasion calls for it. After all, we introverts have to make a living and have to interact with other people on a regular basis. It’s just how life goes. However, often times as I’ve developed in my career, I worry how being an introvert might affect my progression. Would my fear of public speaking (even to a couple people) hold me back? Would my preference to schedule calls rather than pick up an unexpected one send the wrong message? Would my partiality to work remotely or away from my desk in quiet areas of the office make my colleagues think I didn’t like them?

There are a lot of quirks to being an introvert that can make you feel like you won’t reach your full potential. But you need to know that being introverted doesn’t mean you can’t do amazing things. Albert Einstein, Bill Gates, Eleanor Roosevelt, and Mark Zuckerberg are all considered introverts and look at what they’ve done. You can be successful as an introvert in the workplace, too. You just have to find a way to make the workplace work for you.

Find Better Ways to Communicate

Maybe it’s just me, but I hate receiving unscheduled phone calls. I wonder who is calling or, if I do know, I wonder what the conversation will be about. It throws me off if I don’t feel mentally prepared for the conversation. I want to add value to the conversation and sometimes it takes a moment to consider the best response. This goes for drop-bys at my desk also. A simple heads up even just a few minutes before stopping by or calling can go a long way to making the most out of that interaction. If a vendor emails me or a coworker shoots me an IM prior to giving me a ring, I feel much more prepared for our conversation.

Set up the expectation with people you normally talk to. It may be an extra step but a simple one that can get you in the right frame of mind.

Prep for Meetings and Face-to-Face Time

Rushing from meeting to meeting with barely a moment to spare between can be stressful. You may need to spend a few minutes trying to decompress and process from the last meeting that you could miss important information in the one you’re currently sitting in.

If possible, give yourself some buffer time between meetings. Block off your calendar so people can’t schedule you back to back. If not, try to give yourself a moment or two before a meeting to mentally prepare. Take a breath and always bring something to take notes so you can mull over things later without missing a beat.

Join Groups & Events that Make Sense to You

They say introverts like to be included but also like the option to not have to participate. It can take a lot to muster up the energy for small talk, especially after a long day of work. And forcing yourself to participate in everything can burn you out super fast. I learned that the hard way.

The important thing is to not feel guilty if you don’t participate in everything. It’s all about finding a balance; know which events/groups are important for you to show face and rub elbows and which ones are simply nice to stop by if you’re feeling up for it. Understanding this will help you build relationships and get involved without completely overloading yourself.

Take Advantage of Intranets

Maybe large crowds aren’t the easiest way to build relationships for you. Thanks to technology, a lot of companies are now finding ways to increase communication through various channels such as workplace social media groups, Intranets, chat rooms/instant messaging, and more. Take advantage of these platforms to post, comment, and communicate with your fellow colleagues. It could be a great way to build relationships if you aren’t a huge fan of traditional networking initially.

Manage Your Digital Communication

Being put on the spot may make you feel off-kilter. Having endless emails or IMs coming in may also make you frazzled. For me, I feel the need to respond to things right away for a sense of closure but if you work in a role where you receive a ton of messages a day, this can be draining to manage while also trying to do quality work.

To manage my distractions but also provide timely responses to my colleagues, I like to dedicate time in the morning and before I sign off for the day to focus strictly on my responses to emails that take more than a quick answer. Setting aside this time allows me to focus and dig deeper into the request to ensure I’m providing the best information possible. It also limits the amount of distractions that pop up so my mind can focus on important tasks at hand.

More importantly, it helps me manage my inbox. An inbox with a ton of messages (especially unread ones) can get overwhelming so this method not only puts my mind at ease but also makes sure I’m providing a level of support to the people who are reaching out to me.

Find the Right Organization Tools

To feel like I’m in control, I need a plan. To feel like I’m on top of everything, I need to make sure I’m documenting it. Over the last couple of years, I fell in love with Trello. This tool has been great for project management. I love to use it as a way to create to-do lists, checklists, and document responses and updates. The less energy I have to focus on wondering what I need to do next, sorting through old emails, or worrying if I forgot something, the more I can spend actually collaborating with others and getting work done. It really is the little things that can make the difference.

Limit Your Distractions

Working from home was one of the best things I discovered in my career. Most people say that the isolation and quietness of being home all day would drive them mad but this was some of the best work I’ve done. I’ve accomplished more, have grown my career faster, and have felt better about the work I was doing.

When I had to go back to an office environment, I learned why I did better. Working in an office (especially one with an open floor plan) meant constant stimulation. People walking and talking, events, and phone conversations were all around me. Not to mention people popping by my desk and the back to back meetings in different areas of the building with no time to recuperate in between.

Distractions are everywhere and a part of the workplace so it’s important to find time or space to limit these. Can you book a conference room or hang out in a quieter section of the office during the week? Can you avoid back to back meetings so you aren’t dashing around like a lunatic? Can you schedule 10-minute breaks where you go outside and take a breath alone? These things can help. When working on a campus, the two minutes I took walking outside between buildings helped lower the stress levels. The fresh air, sunshine, nature, and quiet were enough to help boost my energy.

Managing the workplace as an introvert isn’t as hard as it might seem. It’s about taking time to manage energy level and stress, and also finding some time to process and decompress. Little tips like these can not only help you do better at work, but can also help you build better relationships with those around you. You don’t have to change who you are, you just need to find ways to make work work for you.

Ashley Perez is the Talent Brand Ambassador at Carbon Black. Follow her on Twitter: @ashlaurenperez