Internet pioneer Will Pemble built and sold Web.com, one of the world’s largest domain hosts. Will is one of the Top 100 Domain name millionaires and a serial entrepreneur, who has been building and growing businesses for over 25 years.
In addition to Web.com, Will built and sold a national technical training company, and one of the first Internet Service Providers in San Francisco. Through his executive and personal consulting and coaching, Will brings his passion for giving back to millions of people in person and online.
An avid learner, Will has earned certifications as a Stockbroker, Flight Instructor, Certified Product Manager, Technical Trainer, Commercial Pilot, Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer, Cisco Certified Network Associate, and Certified Professional Behavioral Analyst, to name a few. He lives in Northern California with his wife and two children, where his hobbies include hiking, cycling, rowing and backyard roller coaster engineering.
In our interview with Will, we talk about his new NFT project called CoasterPunks.
Hello Will and thank you for participating in this Q&A session. We would like to start by asking what originally peaked your interest in NFTs and Blockchain technology?
Will: NFTs and Blockchain technologies have captured the interest of the public in ways I haven't seen since the early days of domain name registration. I find the technology interesting because it raises important social and cultural issues and at the same time it offers technical solutions and business opportunities we haven't seen before.
In the past entrepreneurs have been quick to adopt new technology without thinking about the long term social and environmental impact. Do you see any downside to the use of Blockchain technology?
Will: Ethereum and Bitcoin are extremely inefficient and wasteful of natural resources. So was the Model T Ford. There are already blockchains like Solana, Polygon, and others that have solved the environmental problems which have rightfully gotten so much attention. The environmental impact of blockchains is, in my view, akin to growing pains. It must be addressed. But, it's temporary.
Let’s talk about your NFT project CoasterPunks. Why did you start the CoasterPunks NFT project?
Will: I started CoasterPunks.com to grow an existing community of science, physics, roller coaster, and space enthusiasts that I created nearly ten years ago. The CoasterPunks.com NFT project gives us the opportunity to explore not only the NFT technology itself, but also allows us to create exciting, big projects to help teach teens and tweens important STEM and STEAM concepts in a super engaging and fun way.
Please talk us through the design of CoasterPunks characters. Are they regenerative NFTs, hand drawn or is each character individually software designed?
Will: The CoasterPunks characters are generative works of digital art. Each character is comprised of 16 or more "layers" that combine to create a unique character. Visual attributes of the characters also indicate which perks, freebies, and utilities are included with each. CoasterPunks images are "hidden" until they are purchased, at which point the benefits of each are revealed.
I started CoasterPunks.com to grow an existing community of science, physics, roller coaster, and space enthusiasts that I created nearly ten years ago. - Will Pemble
Are there any benefits associated with owning a CoasterPunks character? For example, do owners get access to a special club, join a Metaverse community or own the copyright associated with the CoasterPunks’ character?
Will: Each CoasterPunks.com NFT represents a lifetime membership in the CoasterPunks.com Project. In addition to the membership, certain benefits, perks are randomly included. The current list of perks includes:
Invitations to private planning and design sessions with the team.
Early access to updates and build videos throughout the project.
Access to Private Members-Only Channels in the CoasterPunks Discord.
Celebrity & Influencer meet and greet opportunities.
Invitations to Build Day Events when you can help us work on the ride itself.
A CoasterPunks E-Ticket for you and a friend to experience the finished ride for yourself at our launch event.
CoasterPunks T-shirts and hoodies.
Aristarchus Electric T-shirts and hoodies.
Moonshot T-shirts and hoodies.
Disneyland Park Hopper Tickets for you and a friend Cameo Appearance in the Project Moonshot TV Series.
Universal Studios Hollywood VIP Tour for you and a friend.
Moonshot Lunar Habitat Floor Tile Naming Rights.
Aristarchus Solar Panel Naming Rights.
More perks and benefits will be made available and announced through out the project.
What’s were CoasterPunks’ launch milestones and how can buyers get their hands on a CoasterPunks character?
Will: There were three big launch milestones. On June 20th 2022, was our Whitelist Mint Day, which was when a very small, highly exclusive group of people were able to mint a CoasterPunks NFT before anyone else.
June 21th 2022, was our Reserve Mint Day. It was super fun because as a Reserve Member of The CoasterPunks Project, you get access to our public minting area, a full 24 hours before the general public. Even if you didn’t make it onto the whitelist, there was still a good chance you would get your very own CoasterPunks NFT on Reserve Mint Day.
June 22nd 2022, was officially when public minting began. If for some reason you didn’t make the whitelist, or you didn’t sign up for the Reserve Mint Day, you can still mint your CoasterPunks NFT from this date, while our supply lasts. CoasterPunks are in extremely short supply, and demand is through the roof. So make sure you mint yours while our supplies last. Visit us at https://coasterpunks.com.
The CoasterPunks.com NFT project gives us the opportunity to explore not only the NFT technology itself, but also allows us to create exciting, big projects to help teach teens and tweens important STEM and STEAM concepts in a super engaging and fun way. - Will Pemble
Do you have any forecasted growth figures for CoasterPunks NFTs?
Will: CoasterPunks.com NFTs are digital works of art that represent a lifetime membership in the CoasterPunks.com Project. While these memberships are transferrable, we do not make any forecasts about the future value of this membership.
Before concluding this interview, How much will a newly minted CoasterPunks character cost?
Will: A Lifetime CoasterPunks.com Membership costs $500 or the Polygon(MATIC) equivalent.
Thank you Will for participating in this Q&A session. We wish you all the best.
Will: Thank you!
This article was originally published in Issue 13 of The Business Anecdote magazine.
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