Sterlin Builds 🛠️💡💻

I also made a decision for myself: not to use AI at all for writing or editing content. Mostly because you can already read AI-generated posts in plenty of other channels, and there are thousands more of those popping up every day. So here you’ll have to deal with my clumsy writing and my mistakes 😅

Now for the hard part. First, the week before last I got hit by a pretty rough emotional dip. Everything piled up at once, I got around five rejections from potential clients, and suddenly it felt like everything was pointless, nothing would work, and the whole thing was doomed. Usually, when you have partners or a team around you, even if they’re not actively supporting you, just their presence alone helps. Right now I don’t really have that yet. Second, I started realizing there are a lot of competitors in this market, and there’s a brutal price war going on between them. For example, pretty much every clipper started messaging my first client and offering to undercut the price. And since people still don’t really understand the advantage of working with a more technological platform, you end up having to fight on price, dump, and get dragged into this ugly little knife fight. On one hand, that’s good — it pushes you toward efficiency. On the other hand, it’s annoying as hell. Still, competition is good. It means there’s a market. Oh, and the main fail of the week: I spent the whole week building AI banner generation instead of selling. I hoped to finish it last weekend, then spent Saturday and Sunday on it, then every day this week kept thinking, “I’ll wrap it up today,” and now it’s Friday evening, my wife is off to play padel, and I’m staying home to finish this damn one-click animated banner generation feature 😅

Alright! People voted for two options, so I guess I have to do all of them 🙂 As for how the project is going. At the moment, I’m the only full-time person on the team, so right now product development, support, sales, and marketing are all on me. And on one hand, it really did turn out that all of this can be done solo. But it requires elite-level time management and the ability to switch between completely different kinds of work. It’s insanely hard to be coding a new feature one minute, then jump into sales calls, and then go moderate live ad campaigns. So this week I started building the team. On one hand, that turned out to be easier than I expected — I already have a pretty clear sense of who I need and at what level. On the other hand, it’s scary, because for now I’m funding the project out of my own pocket, and there isn’t that much of it 🙂 You think very differently about spending when it’s your own money and not an investor’s. I found my first BD manager, I’m close to finalizing things with two more team members, and some потенциальные partners/helpers are also starting to appear around the project — people I might be able to build the service with. One of the biggest wins this week: I successfully ran the first pilot. We pushed the first few thousand dollars through the system, which for me is already a very strong signal that I’m not building complete nonsense. With that budget, we delivered more than 70 million impressions for our first client and almost doubled the number of orders for their services. So now we’ve started discussing a multiple increase in volume. Also, I now have a bot (with a web app, even!), and the first hundred creator-video-clippers have already signed up. These are the people posting videos with banners like this and making money from them. Very happy to have you here, guys — hope we work well together and make money together 🤝

Question for subscribers! Two weeks ago I said I’d share how the project launch is going, and then I got completely swallowed by vibe coding / building 😅 What would you like me to post about? a) What vibe coding actually is, which AI tools I used and keep using to build — react with ❤️ b) How the project is going: what’s working, what isn’t, and what I’ve managed to build so far — react with 🔥 c) It’s Friday, let’s just do cursed cat photos instead — react with 🥰

What is VibeVO in one sentence? VibeVO is a platform for video clipping and native ad buying in short-form video across TikTok, YouTube Shorts, and Instagram Reels. 🚀 We focus on two things: I. We run turnkey native ad campaigns with influencers. II. We launch and manage turnkey ambassador / creator programs — from creator moderation to payouts. What we handle: 1. sourcing creators who can produce content based on a brief; 2. moderating creators and the videos themselves; 3. anti-fraud and quality control, making sure content fits the brief and views are not inflated; 4. creator payouts. 💸 What you can do with VibeVO: 1. launch large-scale short-form video campaigns around your brand; 2. run ambassador programs with payouts for valid posts; 3. turn creator chaos, video volume, and manual operations into a more controlled workflow. ⚙️ For example, with VibeVO you can: - run a 100 million-views video campaign built around your brand; - launch an ambassador program with payouts tied to valid video uploads with thousands of creators. At its core, VibeVO is about making the short-form video market more manageable for brands, agencies, and creator teams.

Starting again turned out to be scary The strangest feeling after a successful project isn’t euphoria. It’s the fear of starting from scratch again. Once you already have something behind you that worked, every new idea gets measured against the last one. And the start no longer feels like: “nice, a new chance,” but more like: “damn, what if the next one is weaker?” Also, once you’ve gone through a real business, you understand much better how much pain sits inside any company. The first time, you go in with naivety. The second time, you go in with memory 😅 But there’s good news too. You’re not really starting from zero. You already have: - experience, - scars, - mistakes, - pattern recognition, - and a lot less romanticism than before. So yes, starting again is scary. But maybe that’s just the normal price of entry to the next level.

Two months ago I wrote here that I had exited AdsGram. Honestly, I thought I’d finally take a breath after that cycle. Rest a bit, reset, walk around with an empty head. I lasted three days 🙂 On day four, I had already started building the next project - VibeVO.io I don’t want to dump everything into one post yet. But in the next few posts I’ll share: - why I’m going in this direction, - what problem caught my attention, - and why I think this is a very interesting moment to build something new. I also want to relaunch this channel a bit. Not just random thoughts on the market, but a more honest log of building a company: what I see, what I test, where I’m wrong, what works, and what doesn’t. So yeah - a new run has started 🚀

Thank you and goodbye, AdsGram! 👋 Friends, it’s time for an important update: I am exiting AdsGram and closing this chapter of my entrepreneurial journey. It has been an incredible 2-year ride. We’ve achieved what many only dream of: 🚀 Scaled from a mere idea to the #1 company in the TMA ads market; 💰 Reached a consistent 7-figure revenue; 🤝 Built a powerhouse team of dozens of talented professionals. My deepest gratitude goes to: - The Team: You are the heart and soul of this project. Thank you for the drive, the late nights, and for believing in the vision. - Our Partners: For the trust and synergy that fueled our rapid growth. - Everyone who supported me: Your energy kept me moving forward. AdsGram is in safe hands and will continue to evolve. I’m certain the team has many more records to break. 📈 What’s next? I’m taking a short break to recharge and reset. I plan to stay within the tech & growth space, but I’m wide open to new ambitious ideas and joint ventures. Let’s stay in touch! 🤙 Reach out to me here: @vadim_adv

🎤 Speaking at TG Conf on October 15–16! I’ll be talking about traffic in Telegram Mini Apps — where it really comes from, how it performs, and what’s changing in the ecosystem. As the founder of AdsGram, the first and second-largest ad network for Mini Apps, I’ll share real market data, trends, and insights — and will be happy to answer your questions live. We’ll also have an AdsGram booth at the event — feel free to drop by, chat with the team, and say hi 👋 🗓 About the event: TG Conf ’25 — the biggest conference on traffic and sales in Telegram — takes place on October 15–16 at MTS Live Hall (Moscow). Headliners include Artemy Lebedev and Maxim Ilyakhov, plus a panel on the future of the platform with a State Duma deputy and a big company expo. 🎶 And yes — there’s an afterparty with Band’Eros. 🎟 Tickets → tgconf.ru

How Do Market Makers Make Money? Market makers (MMs) don’t primarily profit from token capitalization (though it can happen), but mainly through fees:

💵 Profit from trading operations 💵 Selling tokens for investors and teams 💵 Fixed fees for managing trades and providing liquidity 💵 The price difference between a certain volume of tokens at the start and the end of the contract

By the way, market makers generally follow two main models: 🃏Retainer Model In this model, the MM provides software for placing orders for a fixed fee. They may also take an additional commission from trading profits or a percentage on withdrawals. 👉 This model is suitable for smaller projects, as MMs don’t take tokens or affect the price. Examples: Gotbit, Kairon Labs. 🃏Loan-Type Model Here, MMs profit from the token price increase. They buy tokens at a fixed price and sell them at market price. The advantage of this model is that the risks are shared between the MM and the project — if the price doesn’t rise much, the MM doesn’t need to pay much for their services. 👉 But if the price skyrockets, their profit can be enormous. Examples: DWF, GSR.

The Role of Market Makers in Project Launches First, let’s break down who they are👇

A market maker (MM) is a large trader with significant liquidity reserves who ensures that there are always enough buy and sell orders in the market to prevent excessive price volatility.

✏️ The main goal is to make sure that anyone can buy or sell the token at any time without causing drastic price swings. Without this, launching a token would feel like a rollercoaster ride… 👉 A simple example: a large holder decides to sell their tokens at night, when the market is quiet. Without an MM, such a sale could crash the token price, and the community might think the asset has suddenly dropped in value, even though it’s just market volatility. BUT, I’d recommend postponing the choice of an MM until the last moment, as it can significantly limit your project during the launch! (Some exchanges don’t like certain MMs, and investors can feel the same way🤫) ❗️ FROM PERSONAL EXPERIENCE: Investors have offered me funding on the condition that I choose their market maker. But I’ve always declined, as it would create a conflict of interest where the investor's or MM's priorities come first, disrupting the balance at launch.

How to Build a Project’s Tokenomics! 👉 Tokenomics refers to the distribution of a project’s tokens: how many there are, where they go, and how they’ll be used. There are 3 main sections in tokenomics: 🟪 Token Utility This is the purpose of the token. The clearer its functions, the better for the project.

It’s important to remember that a token can’t just be a tool for distributing profits — otherwise, it risks being classified as a security and falling under regulatory scrutiny.

🟪 Token Distribution It’s crucial to know where and how the tokens are allocated. Here are the main categories:

🟡 Various investment rounds (pre-seed, seed, private, public, strategic, KOL, etc.).

🟡 IDO — also known as the Public round.

🟡 Airdrops / community / marketing — tokens that will be given to the community.

🟡 Team — tokens for the project team.

🟡 Treasury — tokens held by the project for liquidity and as a “reserve fund” for the project.

Key points to consider: 🟨Investor allocation: usually no more than 30% of the tokens to avoid a massive sell-off after launch. 🟨Community/marketing/airdrop allocation: at least 10%, and in some projects, it can reach up to 50%. 🟨Team allocation: no more than 25% to prevent the developers from concentrating too many tokens. 🟪 Vesting Vesting controls how quickly tokens become available. This is essential for preventing large-scale sales at launch. Vesting ensures that tokens are yours, but they don’t become available immediately — instead, they’re released after a certain period or based on milestones.

What are the different exchanges, and how do they differ? Friends, let’s take a moment to understand exchanges, because their role also impacts the success of a token launch 👌 The most important difference between exchanges is their audience. The more traders and retail investors a platform has, the higher the chances your token will catch their attention. These traders are often looking for new tokens with x100 potential and are willing to invest even small amounts. Now, let’s look at the top exchanges👇 🟡Binance — the absolute leader. Listing on Binance can bring tens of millions 💵 in trading volume and boost the token price by 40% or more. 🟡OKX — another major exchange trusted by millions. Launching on OKX is a huge achievement for any project.

By the way, an interesting fact — all the top exchanges are Chinese. So having a Mandarin-speaking team member in crypto can really help with negotiations :)

🟡Bybit — growing rapidly and catching up to OKX in terms of trading volume, especially in some regions. 🟡Kucoin — offers solid trading volume and great growth opportunities for tokens. Tier-3 exchanges👇 🟡Gate and Bitget — while they rank lower, they can still show decent trading volumes and have active communities. Decentralized exchanges (DEX)👇 Listing on DEXs is much easier, and access to these platforms is unrestricted — any project can appear there. However, the presence of a token on a DEX doesn’t necessarily indicate its quality❗️

$FTON is launching! The moment has finally arrived — the $FTON token is officially live! 🪙 Starting today at 13:00 (UTC), our gaming token will be listed and available for trading on three stock exchanges: 👉 Kucoin 🥇 👉 Gate 🟪 👉 MEXC 🟦 And if you prefer decentralized platforms, from 13:15 (UTC), $FTON will be available on STON.fi, but you’ll need a TON wallet to purchase. Stay up-to-date with all the important news on our channels: 🟡Fanton EN 🟡Fanton RU And in our community on X (Twitter): 🟡FantasyFanton This moment is a major step forward in Fanton’s growth, and we’re thrilled to have you with us 💜

Token Launch: Behind the Scenes Honestly, launching the token has been the most challenging moment for me throughout my work on Fanton. You’d think it’s the final stage, but this is where the interests of many parties intersect — and they don’t always align... 🟨Exchanges They carefully select projects for listing. The cost of being listed can range from tens of thousands of dollars for exchanges like BingX or MEXC to seven-figure sums for tier-1 exchanges. 🟨Community For them, a token launch is often associated with airdrops — free token giveaways. They hope the token price will rise so they can profit from it. 🟨Investors They often sell tokens immediately after listing to recoup their investment. Some leave the project, while others stay, believing in its potential. 🟨Market Makers (MM) They profit from price volatility — that’s their bread and butter. Their goal is to create “rollercoasters” on the token price chart to shake out weak players from the market. 🟨Launchpads These are major investors who pool funds from many small, non-professional investors and enter projects with a single large check during public rounds.

Their goal is for their community to profit too

💵

🟨The Project and the Team The team wants to profit and launch the token in a way that keeps the community happy.

But❗️if they sell too many tokens, it can negatively impact the price, so teams are often given KPIs for token price growth after listing.

To sum it up, every participant has their own expectations, and the team's task is to ensure that no one walks away disappointed 👌🏽

The Launch of the $FTON Token! 🪙 Well, friends, the moment we've all been waiting for has arrived — we’re getting ready to launch our gaming token, $FTON! 💥 It will be listed on several CEXs and at least one DEX. With $FTON, you'll be able to do A LOT: participate in tournaments, staking, farming, buy NFTs, and use it for future gaming utilities that we’ll be adding throughout the football season ⚽️ By the way, we’re joining the Open League — a great opportunity for us to collaborate with key partners in the TON ecosystem. Spoiler: there's going to be a lot of exciting stuff! 🤫 After $FTON’s listing, we’ll be working on partnerships with football leagues and clubs to make Fanton even cooler! For those who are new here, here’s a brief intro to our project👇🏽 For the past two years, we’ve been building a play-to-earn game on the TON platform, actively developing a mini-app to attract and teach football fans from Web 2 how to use TON. This is our passion project, and we’ve poured a lot of effort and heart into it 💜 And without strong support, building something valuable wouldn’t be possible, but we’re lucky to have Animoca Brands, Kenetic, Hashkey, Delphi Digital, and TON Ventures on our side — amazing investors who believe in us and help us move forward 🪙 In turn, we’ll continue to increase the value and circulation of $FTON, so trust me, friends, with this level of support and team — it’s a great investment. There’s more to come. I promise ⚽️

Or maybe you should start working in crypto? Friends, let’s continue our platform review :) Today, we’ll talk about Web 3.

👉 This is decentralized architecture — in simple terms, this is the crypto world!

The advantages of working in crypto: ➕ Easier capital raising These startups are often valued higher, and the process of attracting investments is more accessible. The due diligence process is simpler here. ➕ Unique tools for building a community Using NFTs and tokens helps form an active community that feels like a part of the project. This is a huge growth driver in crypto. ➕ Higher earnings Successful founders and employees of Web 3 startups often earn more than in traditional Web 2. But of course, there are downsides too: ➖ Regulatory gray area Crypto is largely unregulated, and bringing a company into a “white” (fully legal) zone can be quite challenging. ➖ Security risks Web 3 is prone to cyberattacks and hacks, with minimal legal protection available. ➖ Hiring challenges Finding a skilled team to work in Web 3 is harder — not everyone is ready to enter this industry. Conclusion: Both paths have their advantages, but I lean toward the idea that Web 3 currently offers more opportunities for growth and profit. Yes, crypto comes with higher risks, and it’s not for everyone, but based on my experience and that of my colleagues, I can say it’s definitely worth the gamble 😉

Where should you launch a startup — in the traditional world or in crypto? Personally, I have experience working in both, so I can confidently say that each approach has its pros and cons. Let’s break it down in detail, starting with Web 2 🤓

Web 2 is the Internet we're all familiar with, where companies dominate by offering services in exchange for your personal data. The main downside is the centralization of data.

Now, let’s look at the pros of Web 2 startups: ➕ Easy registration and documentation Setting up a company and opening a bank account is simpler here, and you can work “by the book” right from the start. ➕ Access to traditional investors You can collaborate with with traditional ventures, corporations, and take advantage of the global economy's opportunities. ➕ Convenient payment methods Your clients and partners can use familiar payment systems. ➕ Government support In some countries, you can access startup support programs. Now for the cons: ➖ Competition The Web 2 startup market is a real "red ocean" (a highly competitive market). Breaking into the global scene is no easy task. ➖ Bureaucracy and accounting From day one, you'll need to pay close attention to bookkeeping and compliance. ➖ Expensive hiring Officially hiring employees can increase costs by 30-70%! — a heavy burden for a startup in its early stages. Friends, soon we’ll dive deep into Web 3 — the crypto world! In the meantime, I’d love to hear your thoughts on starting a Web 2 startup. Would you give it a try? 😁

What's the most reliable way to make money in crypto? The crypto world can seem intimidating for beginners: countless coins, terms, regulations, and at the same time, stories of million-dollar earnings — and equally big losses. Navigating all this without losing money is a challenge in itself. And making a profit? Even harder 🙈 But there’s a way to increase your chances of success — start your own project. ✅ First, it forces you to dive deep into everything hands-on. Through the mistakes of your own project, you'll quickly understand how everything works and gain invaluable experience, even if the first attempt doesn’t take off! ✅ Second, you'll build a network within the industry. This allows you to create a circle of useful contacts quickly and opens up exciting new opportunities. ✅ Third — it's a chance to earn. Unlike buying tokens, where many lose money, creating something of your own equips you with knowledge that can help you avoid serious mistakes and eventually turn a profit. It's worth trying — this is your opportunity not just to play the market, but to create something truly valuable!

Liberté, Égalité, Fraternité #FREEDUROV Follow AdsGram: Website / Telegram / X / CIS