DV Cohort 5 Application - Flez (DV-Light, Polkadot focus)

Governance
1

Hi Polkadot Community,

I’m Flez, a US-based founder + web/UI designer with over 20 yrs experience scaling startups, developing websites and mobile apps, and driving digital advertising initiatives. I’ve held DOT since 2022 and never sold a token. Once Cohort 4 concludes, I’ll step down from Permanence DAO to focus on new ecosystem initiatives and to apply for this new DV-Light position. During my tenure in Permanence DAO, I voted on most OpenGov proposals for both Polkadot and Kusama, offering actionable feedback to proposers whenever possible. I also serve as curator of UX Bounty. You can explore my work at flez.xyz.

Areas of Expertise & Voting Focus
Advertising, Marketing, BD, Design and UX

My Governance Lens
I support independent builders, teams, and projects requesting reasonable compensation for work that strengthens the network, drives adoption, or improves user experience. I prioritize proposals with clear deliverables, measurable outcomes, and alignment with Polkadot’s long-term vision. In contrast I tend to vote against large marketing spends or event sponsorships that lack accountability, sustainable ROI, or ecosystem impact. I avoid weighing in on highly technical proposals beyond my domain to ensure responsible governance, and wish to focus my efforts on the Polkadot network, where I’m most active and able to add the most value.

Demand Creation Track Record
I see Polkadot’s primary challenge as not just cutting costs but also driving sustainable demand. I have bootstrapped multiple companies from the ground up and driven millions in sales with lean teams by finding PMF and deploying creative cost effective GTM strategies. I also manage millions in paid marketing spend for over a decade at one of my companies. This hands-on experience equips me to help others in the eco generate real demand while optimizing budgets and aligning incentives for all.

Contributions and Approach
As a Permanence DAO Cohort 4 member, I cast numerous on chain votes to protect OpenGov. I am generally easy to reach and quick to respond to inquiries. Having navigated the proposal process myself, I know how stressful it can be. I often collaborate with proposers to refine budgets, sharpen scopes/milestones and ensure realistic deliverables, guiding builders through OpenGov whenever possible.

Conflict of Interest Policy
As I did in Cohort 4 under Permanence DAO strict voting policies, I will continue to abstain from any vote where I stand to benefit directly or indirectly. Below are some recent examples:

Looking Ahead
I would be honored to serve as a DV Light candidate in Cohort 5. I plan to bring my demand creation expertise, bootstrapped mindset and principled voting philosophy to help steer Polkadot toward measurable impact. For more details on my background and contributions please visit flez.xyz.

Thank you for your consideration.

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