This episode follows Scoopy Trooples’ path from a stable career in education into crypto, DeFi, and eventually co-founding Alchemix. He shares how teaching shaped his communication style, why anonymity matters, how the project scaled quickly and what the stress, internal conflict, and recovery looked like on the other side. Together, we discuss the human cost of building in crypto, lessons learned about team structure and security, and how making wellness a priority changed both his work and his life. Key topics: Leaving teaching: Working 60 to 70 hours a week eventually left him feeling trapped and burned out. Finding a new path: Discovering Bitcoin in 2016 gave him a financial cushion to leave teaching and reconsider what he wanted to do next. Learning to build: After exploring early Ethereum apps in 2018, he taught himself to code, including front-end, back-end, and Solidity. Starting Alchemix: A group of builders formed through DeFi Discord communities and launched the protocol in February 2021. Rapid growth and responsibility: Alchemix reached more than 500 million in TVL within about two months, bringing excitement—and intense pressure around security. What team conflict taught him: Scoopy reflects on disagreements over responsibilities and direction, co-founder departures, and why clear roles and accountability matter. Anonymity and safety: He explains why he protects his identity and family, especially given the risks facing people associated with crypto. Teaching as a leadership skill: His classroom experience helped him become a stronger communicator, planner, and public speaker. Burnout and recovery: Chronic pain, repeated attempts to return to work too quickly and how therapy, physical therapy, and training helped. The Curve hack: He describes the two-week effort to recover funds, the community support that helped, and the emotional toll that followed. What’s next for Alchemix: He previews a Base deployment, shorter redemption periods, and a product designed to support fixed yield and yield looping. A side project: Scoopy shares the idea behind Positive Sum Pepe’s, which he describes as a less extractive response to meme coin culture. Useful links: https://x.com/scupytrooples https://alchemix.fi/
Timestamps:
00:00 - Welcome and the purpose of the podcast
02:24 - From teaching into crypto
04:52 - The 2016 Bitcoin run and a chance to reassess
05:48 - Discovering Ethereum DApps and deciding to build
06:45 - Teaching himself to code and learning Solidity 08:00 - COVID, DeFi, and building during lockdown
08:51 - Early experiences with MakerDAO, Uniswap, Compound, and Curve
11:42 - Buying ETH near the bottom and feeling vindicated
12:49 - Credit to his wife for encouraging him to take risks
14:03 - How the name Scoopy Trooples came about
16:00 - Early Twitter: explaining DeFi, replying, and shitposting
17:42 - Why anonymity remained important as Alchemix grew
18:31 - Crypto security risks and protecting family
20:49 - Fundraising and the value of trust and network connections
22:35 - The team’s first in-person meeting
24:00 - Alchemix’ launch timeline and its first five founders
25:04 - Building a dapp front end as a new developer
26:30 - Unexpected growth and more than 500 million in TVL
27:33 - Security concerns and getting help with code review
29:33 - The pressure, excitement, and exhaustion of rapid growth
31:42 - Internal conflict, co-founder departures, and losing a friendship
35:06 - Clear roles, hierarchy, and the problem with a power vacuum
38:07 - Scoopy’s approach to leadership and shared ownership
39:53 - How teaching helped him communicate and speak publicly
42:42 - Twitter pressure, self-censorship, and the post-FTX downturn
47:48 - V3, stronger team dynamics, and renewed optimism
49:49 - The Curve hack and waking up to a crisis
50:35 - Recovering funds, LP losses, and negotiating with the attacker
54:42 - The emotional aftermath of the hack
56:43 - Burnout cycles, chronic pain, and finding support
59:26 - Physical therapy, training, and feeling better
63:19 - Alchemix’ Base deployment
64:13 - How redemptions work and why duration matters
66:36 - Fixed yield, looping, and the Base product’s potential
68:52 - Making wellness a priority for himself and the team
69:43 - Positive Sum Pepe’s and a different take on meme coins
71:03 - Testnet plans and the project’s playful concept