My story
WHO IS IAN BALINA
Ian Balina is a Blockchain Investor, Advisor, and Evangelist. He has built three million-dollar businesses from the ground up, and appeared in The Wall Street Journal, Forbes, CNBC, Huffington Post, The Street, INC and Entrepreneur Magazine for his work in analytics, cryptocurrencies, and entrepreneurship.
A former Analytics Evangelist at IBM, Ian has brought a data-driven, “money-ball” approach to investing in blockchain startups, called “Token Metrics”.
Ian is a founder and General Partner at 100X Advisors a blockchain investment and advisory firm. Last year 100X Advisors traveled to over 35 countries evangelizing blockchain while investing in 15 different blockchain startups in 15 different countries. Originally from humble means, Ian is dedicated to giving back through his philanthropic efforts with Children of Uganda and Black Girls Code.
NOTE: Ian Balina's transparency disclosures regarding his cryptocurrency portfolio.
AS SEEN ON
MY BACKGROUND
Former IBM Analytics Evangelist
Before turning his cryptocurrency side-hustle into a full-time hustle, Ian used to work at IBM–the second largest company in the world, where he helped drive revenues in the millions of dollars per year. Ian has been recognized as one of IBM’s top employees by being a member of the IBM Hundred Percent Club, due to achieving more than 100% of his million dollar sales quota.
SERIAL ENTREPRENEUR
Ian Balina is the founder of Peer Hustle, a mobile on-demand freelancer marketplace for the sharing economy often called the “Uber for Freelancers,” that currently has over 5,000 freelancers around the world. While working on Peer Hustle, I co-wrote the book, The Complete Freelancer Guide, which is available on Amazon, bookstores, and libraries around the world.
I also founded Fusion Video Producers, a video production company that worked with notable figures such as NFL wide receiver, Pierre Garcon, and Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi. Running this as a side-hustle, I was able to generate up to $7,000 a month on the side as a freelance videographer. Fusion Video released its first film, DC Fashion Week: The Documentary available on Amazon Video.
IAN'S CAREER PATH
I come from a family of six, with two brothers and a sister, and loving parents, who motivate me and provide me with unconditional love and support. I was born in Kampala, Uganda, and immigrated to the United States with my family, when I was eight years old. Shortly after, I moved from Pennsylvania to Maryland, where I attended middle school, high school and would go on to attend The George Washington University (GWU) in Washington, D.C. on an academic merit scholarship. I would graduate GWU with a Bachelors and Masters in Computer Engineering, and won an audition to be one of my school’s graduation speakers, and speak alongside Michelle Obama.
While at GWU, I got the entrepreneur bug and founded my first startup, Leximo, the world’s first social dictionary. After working on Leximo, I went on to work as an independent software developer, then as an IT consultant for Deloitte, the world’s largest consulting firm. Subsequently, I joined IBM as a Tech Evangelist, where I helped evangelize and sell the IBM Cloud and Big Data Analytics Portfolio in North America. After four years with IBM, I retired from the corporate world to become a full-time cryptocurrency investor.
IAN'S HOBBIES
My hobbies include making videos, writing, traveling, and basketball. I am currently writing a book, that shares the ups and downs, that I have had to navigate as a young Black male striving for success. I have always been a lover of different cultures, and Social Studies was my best subject in school. I travel all over the world and document the journey with photos, videos, and blogging. A lover of sports, my goal is to one day become an owner of an NBA team, and revel in my passion for basketball.