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My Crypto Journey: From Michelin Star Kitchens to Onchain Trenches
I used to work in Michelin-starred restaurants and 5-star hotels for 5 years.
Then COVID hit in 2020 — and it forced me to stop and think.
A friend tells me in March 2020: “Look into Ethereum. Smart contracts. That’s the future.”
ETH was $100.
I made my first investment and ended up with 100 ETH.
A few months later — ETH does x3.
I’m shocked. I sell half my ETH and buy a Volkswagen Golf for $15k.
Felt like a genius. 😄
Then ETH hit $1,500.
Then $4,500.
My Golf cost me 50 ETH.
I tilted. Hard.(Golf for 220k)😅
2020–2021 Altseason
Turned $10k into ~$150k.
I was a complete noob. No experience with losses. Thought I had figured out crypto forever. Went all in on alts.
Then 2022 arrived.
FTX. Luna. -90% on my portfolio.
Left with $10k.
During that period of stress and alcohol — I gained 20kg. A 5-year relationship ended. I was alone with my depression.
Early 2023. Wake up call.
“Stop drinking. Nobody cares if you don’t save yourself.”
I stepped away from crypto completely. Made a plan. Hit the gym. Running every day. Zero alcohol.
6 months later — lost 20kg. Got my mind back. And met the woman who became my wife. 🙏
End of 2023 — I notice Solana starting to move. Memes launching everywhere.
I start exploring. Buying 1–2 SOL on meme launches. Just watching. Learning.
5–6 runners hit 100x.
By early 2024 — I was back to $150k. Life felt good again.
But crypto always humbles you.
The meme hype faded. Markets turned ugly Jan–Sep 2024. Lost 70% again. (Also spent too much 😅)
But I felt something — onchain is where the money is.
September–October 2024.
I start looking at Base and Virtuals Protocol. Back when there were fewer than 50 agents in the ecosystem.
Allocated $5k to this new game.
By year end — that $5k was worth 100x. 🤯
I caught the entire AI agents narrative at the start. The whole market pumped but AI agents were THE narrative.
Was early on $Tibbir , $Game , $Vader and many others.
This time I was smarter — or so I thought.
Locked profits into ETH, VIRTUAL, USDC. ETH at $4,800. VIRTUAL near $5.
Went on vacation. Watching interviews @ethermage . Bullish on AI agents. (He was right about Ai Agents)
Decided to put half back into promising agents.
Then Trump tariffs hit.
ETH dropped to $1,400. Portfolio down 50%. Again.
Emotionally — at rock bottom. Again. Believed again. Lost again.
But I didn’t quit.
I launched my Twitter account — @3dmax_virtuals
I had experience. I had alpha. And when I was winning, I wanted to share it. Over 2 years I gave away $10k+ to 2,000+ people in giveaways.
From 0 → 1k → 5k → now 13,700 followers.
Starting that account was one of the best decisions I ever made.
April 2025 — Virtuals Genesis launches.
I allocate $50k. In a few months — x8. 📈
ATH portfolio. October 2025. Thought I finally broke the system.
Took half profits. Held the rest.
Then October 10th.
Woke up -$60k on futures. Money was there. Then it wasn’t. In one day.
February 2026 — BTC -50%. My “tech” portfolio down even more.
Maximally tired. Maximally disappointed.
Friends leaving the crypto. Many with nothing left.
Then I find out I’m going to be a father. 👶
New motivation unlocked.
Sold part of the portfolio. Created a backup. Withdrew from crypto — so I don’t end up at zero.
June 2026.
Sentiment is the lowest I’ve ever seen in my 6 years in this space.
My trading wallet was drained — $40k Bad but not dead.
I’m still in the trenches. Still here. Grateful for the experience.
Portfolio took damage — but not for the first time.
What I’ve learned:
After every failure — there is a win. That’s just life. The question is patience and risk management.
When everything is great and you want to screenshot for your friend — take profits and withdraw.
When your feed is full of red candles and everyone is screaming — those are the opportunities to DCA
Work for your families — if not you, who will build a future for them?
See you onchain 🫶
I used to work in Michelin-starred restaurants and 5-star hotels for 5 years.
Then COVID hit in 2020 — and it forced me to stop and think.
A friend tells me in March 2020: “Look into Ethereum. Smart contracts. That’s the future.”
ETH was $100.
I made my first investment and ended up with 100 ETH.
A few months later — ETH does x3.
I’m shocked. I sell half my ETH and buy a Volkswagen Golf for $15k.
Felt like a genius. 😄
Then ETH hit $1,500.
Then $4,500.
My Golf cost me 50 ETH.
I tilted. Hard.(Golf for 220k)😅
2020–2021 Altseason
Turned $10k into ~$150k.
I was a complete noob. No experience with losses. Thought I had figured out crypto forever. Went all in on alts.
Then 2022 arrived.
FTX. Luna. -90% on my portfolio.
Left with $10k.
During that period of stress and alcohol — I gained 20kg. A 5-year relationship ended. I was alone with my depression.
Early 2023. Wake up call.
“Stop drinking. Nobody cares if you don’t save yourself.”
I stepped away from crypto completely. Made a plan. Hit the gym. Running every day. Zero alcohol.
6 months later — lost 20kg. Got my mind back. And met the woman who became my wife. 🙏
End of 2023 — I notice Solana starting to move. Memes launching everywhere.
I start exploring. Buying 1–2 SOL on meme launches. Just watching. Learning.
5–6 runners hit 100x.
By early 2024 — I was back to $150k. Life felt good again.
But crypto always humbles you.
The meme hype faded. Markets turned ugly Jan–Sep 2024. Lost 70% again. (Also spent too much 😅)
But I felt something — onchain is where the money is.
September–October 2024.
I start looking at Base and Virtuals Protocol. Back when there were fewer than 50 agents in the ecosystem.
Allocated $5k to this new game.
By year end — that $5k was worth 100x. 🤯
I caught the entire AI agents narrative at the start. The whole market pumped but AI agents were THE narrative.
Was early on $Tibbir , $Game , $Vader and many others.
This time I was smarter — or so I thought.
Locked profits into ETH, VIRTUAL, USDC. ETH at $4,800. VIRTUAL near $5.
Went on vacation. Watching interviews @ethermage . Bullish on AI agents. (He was right about Ai Agents)
Decided to put half back into promising agents.
Then Trump tariffs hit.
ETH dropped to $1,400. Portfolio down 50%. Again.
Emotionally — at rock bottom. Again. Believed again. Lost again.
But I didn’t quit.
I launched my Twitter account — @3dmax_virtuals
I had experience. I had alpha. And when I was winning, I wanted to share it. Over 2 years I gave away $10k+ to 2,000+ people in giveaways.
From 0 → 1k → 5k → now 13,700 followers.
Starting that account was one of the best decisions I ever made.
April 2025 — Virtuals Genesis launches.
I allocate $50k. In a few months — x8. 📈
ATH portfolio. October 2025. Thought I finally broke the system.
Took half profits. Held the rest.
Then October 10th.
Woke up -$60k on futures. Money was there. Then it wasn’t. In one day.
February 2026 — BTC -50%. My “tech” portfolio down even more.
Maximally tired. Maximally disappointed.
Friends leaving the crypto. Many with nothing left.
Then I find out I’m going to be a father. 👶
New motivation unlocked.
Sold part of the portfolio. Created a backup. Withdrew from crypto — so I don’t end up at zero.
June 2026.
Sentiment is the lowest I’ve ever seen in my 6 years in this space.
My trading wallet was drained — $40k Bad but not dead.
I’m still in the trenches. Still here. Grateful for the experience.
Portfolio took damage — but not for the first time.
What I’ve learned:
After every failure — there is a win. That’s just life. The question is patience and risk management.
When everything is great and you want to screenshot for your friend — take profits and withdraw.
When your feed is full of red candles and everyone is screaming — those are the opportunities to DCA
Work for your families — if not you, who will build a future for them?
See you onchain 🫶
