Hi! 👋 Welcome to #3 of Hive community spotlight!

In this edition, we have the honor of interviewing @dreemsteem, a prominent figure in the hive community. Dreemsteem is known for her dedication to fostering connections and supporting writers through the dreemport.

Stay tuned as we delve into her journey on hive and learn more about dreemport project and more initiatives to come!

Can you share a bit about yourself and your journey on Hive? What drew you to the platform initially and what inspired you to stay this long?

Dreemsteem: Of course, thank you for the honor of an interview, Madilyn! I’ll share what brings me joy - and maybe that will be the best way to tell you about myself. I love spending time with my family, I love traveling to visit online friends who have become parts of my heart, I love writing fantasy (though that has taken a backseat to DreemPort for now), and I love finding and connecting dreemers! My friend brought me to the legacy chain back in 2016 - and I wanted nothing to do with it. Haha I didn’t understand the crypto, didn’t see the need to write, didn’t think anyone would bother reading, and just didn’t want the hassle. However, he was right and I was wrong. It opened up a brand new world, and I became absolutely addicted to the excitement of making connections all over the globe that were united by a common passion: writing.

To be honest, I did have to leave for a bit after Hive forked from Steemit. There were a lot of broken hearts, damaged trust, and anger all around. It just wasn’t a nice place to be anymore. I had hope that Hive would rise from the ashes, but I was still very stung from watching two major projects that we had built, fall apart with the demise of Steemit. I needed time to heal and a reminder of the reasons why I first became addicted to this community. But you know, they say if you love something - set it free. If it returns, it was meant to be with you. That’s how I felt about Hive. I left, returned, and found my peace again.

Could you tell us more about the Dreemport project and its mission within the Hive community?

Dreemsteem: DreemPort is a website that allows you to have control over your own visibility. When content creators start out, they are often “invisible” for a while, and have to wait for people to find them and show them around. While they are waiting, this is a very lonely place to be writing, and some even leave, thinking they’ve done something wrong - or worse, that they aren’t good enough. Writers want readers, and connection. DreemPort gives you the ability to have your very first post read by people who understand exactly what you’re feeling - because they’ve been there also! Before you can submit your post, we ask you to first curate 5 randomly selected posts. After that, you’re free to share your content, which will be shared in the pool for the next day! We call it “pay-it-forward curation”!

Since we aren’t a community, we don’t compete with other communities on Hive. As a matter of fact, every month we collaborate with other communities in the hopes that we will connect dreemers with new opportunities that they might have been intimidated to try. This also helps dreemers to keep getting a new taste of Hive each month, as they simply follow DreemPort to sample new monthly challenges.

What inspired you to start Dreemport, and what are some key achievements or milestones you've reached with the project so far?

Dreemsteem: DreemPort is a project that we built to stand on its own. I mentioned that other projects we had built had come to their end once the legacy chain had died. We did this again on another platform, and lost the entire project when THAT platform died. That’s when I made the decision that I’m not building another project that is tied so closely to the success or failure of another project. When we built DreemPort, we wanted to do something that no one else was doing. Most platforms have followers, host content, and depend on you choosing “them” over another platform in order for them to succeed. Users with bigger wallets usually have more influence, and voices are no longer equal. Most people ONLY visit their friends’ blogs and become very comfortable in a rut. DreemPort is different in all of those cases and more. We don’t allow followers, we don’t host content - we promote it, we actually direct people BACK to your blog (even personal blogs) to give YOU the traffic- not us, we invite you to use ANY community, on ANY platform, your vote is the same - no matter your level, and we purposely take you to new places to show you all that is out there and actually HOPE that you find your home. Since we work alongside every community, it’s not at all a detriment to us if you find a place that you thrive. On the contrary, it makes us better at what we do!

As far as milestones, this may sound like a small one - but it is probably the one I value the most. In the face of the last 3 years of a crypto winter, DreemPort has not collapsed, but has grown in spite of a market crash. Many other projects have had a meteoric rise, only to burn out quickly. Our mission was to build slow, stable, scalable and strong, and always with integrity.. We have no partners, no investors, and our token distribution is not skewed unfairly to the Dreem Teem (staff). We have always ensured that our dreemers have always had just as much opportunity to buy/earn tokens and be on the rich list as much as any staff have. Many of our staff hold many tokens because we believe in the project and actually BUY it back from dreemers who have earned them on DreemPort. We feel that this is a win/win/win/win situation! (and everyone knows that it must be 4 wins to be dreemie approved! haha)

Another very important aspect that will always be dear to my heart, is our Dreem Teem. I have never met a more dedicated Teem than these dreemers. We all believe that something special is happening at DreemPort, and it shows. It shows in the staff, and it shows in the dreemers we attract. There is nothing quite like the heart of a dreemer!

Are there any upcoming projects or concepts you're particularly excited about?

Dreemsteem: I’m super excited about our Marketplace which will finally allow dreemers to buy/sell/trade their DreeMerge cards! I’m even MORE excited about our DreeMerge:Season 2 coming up in April. The first season was just to get everyone’s feet wet, but season 2 is going to be pretty fun! I’m MOST excited about our Dreem Teem Retreet, coming up in December 2024, where 7 teem members will be vacationing in Mauritius, and where one staff member and one dreamer will win the opportunity to join! Working online with people that you love is such a blessing - but getting to cross the ocean to actually hug them, eat with them, laugh with them, dance with them… there is nothing quite like it! I’m very much looking forward to seeing who will win the drawing to come meet us! I think I'm looking forward to that more than they are! Haha We hope that next year we get to do it again, with more winners!

What type of contents on hive do you enjoy reading the most, and why?

Dreemsteem: Even though I’m a fantasy writer, that’s actually not what I enjoy reading most on Hive. I will always love personal stories most of all. The human heart, the struggles we face, and the journey that defines us is what interests me. It’s real, it’s genuine, it’s what we are here for - to connect with other human beings and share feelings, lessons, joy, tears, and more. I love to see victories. I love to hear about growth. I love to witness the power of the human spirit. Each person is so different, and yet we all have threads that tie us together. What better place to share that than a blog?

Every journey comes with its challenges. Can you share some obstacles you've faced on Hive and how you've overcome them?

Dreemsteem: I think Steemit’s challenges were the best training grounds for me to enjoy Hive on a different level. I expected too much from Steemit, and I learned to not expect more from Hive. Hive is not perfect, and the people here are no different. We are all flawed human beings both online and offline. Why would we expect some utopia when it's filled with the same damaged human beings in the real world? I’ve learned to understand that deeply, and I tread lightly. However, I’m also not too intimidated by perceived power, wealth or influence. People are people, no matter where they’re from, how much they’re worth, and who they know. Treat people with respect, speak truth in love, live with integrity, be gentle with your approach, and stand up for what’s right. If that’s not enough to overcome an obstacle, then you might be the one putting the obstacles in your own way.

What are some key lessons you've learned from your experiences on Hive, both as an individual user and as a project leader?

Dreemsteem: I think one of the strongest lessons I’ve learned is to hear both sides of a story before making any decisions. It doesn’t take that long to find out more info, and we are usually too hasty in our opinions. It’s ok to take the time before - because it will save you a lot of time (and regret) later. Ask questions, listen, weigh out, and then respond calmly with respect. Save the venting for your most trusted friend’s dms! hahahaha

Looking ahead, what do you envision for the future of Dreemport and your involvement in the Hive ecosystem?

Dreemsteem: Since we allow for content from any platform, we are a little bit of a “gateway” to Hive. Why? Because in order to get the full benefits of DreemPort, you should have a Hive wallet in order to collect DREEM - which is a Hive 2nd layer token. When we brought people into DreemPort from read.cash, they ended up becoming Hivers! We envision that we will start to spread our reach out more to other platforms, and show them the benefits of Hive. It’s a natural and organic conclusion for them to at least try Hive, and most do stay. As DreemPort grows, and reaches more users, that will hopefully mean a nice inflow of newbies to Hive. So, once again, a win/win/win/win.

How do you see Hive evolving in the coming years, and what role do you hope to play in its continued growth and development?

Dreemsteem: That’s a good question, and I’m not sure that I can answer it. Hive is molded by communities, and communities are made of individuals. When the people that have influence listen to what individuals want, and what makes communities actually joyful to be here - I think we have a huge potential to thrive. But that all rests in the ability for people to speak freely (and respectfully) and listen heartily (and respectfully). Social media and being “anonymous behind a screen/username” has allowed a lot of people to grow rude and arrogant. It takes courage to speak your mind while treating the person on the other end of the screen as a human being. I think if we all learn to step up in this area, it will have a ripple effect. The only role I play is to choose to demonstrate that well. If I fail, I hurt us all. If I succeed, it’s a win for us all.

What advice would you give to newbies joining hive?

Dreemsteem: Join DreemPort ASAP. hahaha Every day you submit your post, you’ll have dreemers reading and hopefully connecting too! But - that is on YOU as a writer to make them WANT to connect. We only bring them, it’s up to you to keep them!

Any positive message for the hive community?

Dreemsteem: I recently wrote a post called “The Dos and Don’ts of Hive, and Life”. Hehe It was fun to write and I was proud enough of it to pin it to my blog. I think that’s what I’d share. @dreemsteem/the-do-s-and-don

Thank you very much for this interview, Madilyn. There were some great questions that really made me pause and think - I like that! I wish you success on your interview series!! When you’re famous, I’d like to say - “Hey! She interviewed me!!” haha Have the sweetest day!

Also please I'd love to know if there's someone else you suggest should be interviewed too

Dreemsteem: I think a WONDERFUL person to interview would be @snook! She has been around for a long time too, and is a beautiful friend, a great writer, an amazing encourager, and just fun to talk to! If you ever get the chance to hear her speak on a live show - wait for her laugh! As soon as you hear it, you can’t help but laugh with her! She’s contagious!!! Hahaha I think she has a wonderful journey about developing as a writer also! That might be something very special to help other new writers to know that practicing your craft is necessary to truly improve, and that you should never give up!!! Yeah - @snook! Hehee She is my suggestion!

Thank you so much dear Dreemsteem for your participation in this interview and for your valuable contributions to the Hive community. Your passion and dedication are truly appreciated!

Thanks to @thekittygirl for suggesting dreemsteem for the spotlight, and for all of your support for this series 🌺.

Just like dreemsteem, there are a lot of beautiful users on hive with very nice projects, we hope to be able to interview as many of them as possible, hoping that we can learn a lot from them.

Thank you for staying to this point, your suggestions will also be appreciated in the comments.

Who else do you want to be featured here?

Let me know in the comments! See you in the next edition!!!

Previous Editions

Community spotlight introduced

Hive community spotlight #1. Premiere with @thekittygirl 🌟

Community spotlight #2 Featuring @shadowspub