For the fourth instalment of Women in Crypto we chat to blockchain expert, businesswoman and tech-wizard, Teresa Truda.

We discuss how to thrive in the blockchain industry and discover where her journey into the industry began.

Falling Down the Rabbit Hole and into Crypto

I’m sitting down with Teresa Truda today in a bustling Melbourne cafe. It’s only 8:30 am but Teresa has been awake for several hours, fitting in a gym session and her regular morning meditation before her busy day begins. Coffee in hand, Teresa begins to reflect back to where her entry into crypto all began.

As a self-confessed “geek”, Teresa’s transition into the crypto and blockchain space was seamless. Before she knew it, Teresa found herself completely immersed in the industry.

I’ve always loved tech, the evolution of it and being able to make products with tech. It seemed like a natural progression that I would get into blockchain.

And it did seem natural for Teresa to end up in crypto – with a background working in digital advertising in some of Australia’s top agencies.

Taking on the Chinese Tech Industry

What happened next is perhaps what Teresa is now most known for. Flying off to China with her business partner, Teresa began to create what would later become Chozun. This all-encompassing travel app pioneered applications of blockchain technology in modern society. Combining artificial intelligence, data science and powered by blockchain and crypto, Chozun would become an app that would take China by storm.

Though others told her she was “mad” or crazy to even contemplate going to China, Teresa did not let that stop her from trying. Perhaps this only motivated Teresa even more, as she became utterly determined to make Chozun work.

And work it did. Through her sheer hard work and persistence, Chozun is now live in 22 cities across South East Asia, China and Australia. Through Chozun, Teresa won the GBC Women Entrepreneurship award alongside her business partner. She also showed the world how two foreign women could prevail in a competitive tech environment like China.

We had to be super resilient – we were two females in China in a tech company.

Following this venture in China, Teresa began to utilise blockchain to overturn the traditional travel-review industry. With fake reviews prevalent and seemingly unstoppable, Teresa and her team released that the solution lay in blockchain technology. Offering an open source and traceable alternative, blockchain became a force to “authenticate” the travel industry.

Education is the key to success

Now back in Australia, Teresa is working hard to make blockchain and crypto more accessible to the mainstream. This is specifically through education, as Teresa is working with individuals, businesses, organisations and crypto enthusiasts alike, to make the industry a space for everyone.

Teresa supports women who are interested in the industry. She understands that it can be initially intimidating for some women entering the male-dominated crypto space. But it’s a shared passion for blockchain and cryptocurrencies, not gender, that brings the crypto-community together.

I don’t let [the gender imbalance] get to me. I walk into a room and don’t even think about it.

Being able to succeed in a range of different environments is a testament to Teresa’s strong, ambitious and courageous character. Teresa has already made such an incredible mark in the industry and we look forward to whatever comes next.

To keep up with Teresa, you can follow her on Linkedin or even find her at crypto, blockchain and tech conferences across Australasia.

If you want to read about other amazing women in crypto, check out our exclusive interview with Amy-Rose Goodey, Skye Dunworth or the Crypto PR Lab Duo. You can also subscribe to our weekly newsletter to stay up-to-date on all things crypto.