Founders

Moving on is never easy, but the start of a new year feels like the right time to do so. We're winding down Tasseo. 

We were fortunate to work with over 30 amazing artists and 400 amazing collectors and generated a total sales of over $15000. 

Despite this, we couldn’t find a way to make the product more impactful and turn it into a sustainable business.

A look back into the journey, few lessons, and memories.

fragmented moment appreciated by @customhorror

I'm here for the money
http://customhorror.net/listed

ᴄᴏʟʟᴇᴄᴛᴇᴅ ʙʏ
ᴄᴏᴢᴏᴍᴏ, xᴄᴏᴘʏ & ꜰᴠᴄᴋʀᴇɴᴅᴇʀ

Our goal was to help artists create a sustainable livelihood from their art by building a dedicated community of true fans. Artists could launch editions with engaging, participatory mechanics that turned thes drops into a journey. 

These drops would start with the sale of an artwork edition that serves as a pass. Collectors holding this pass unlocked exclusive benefits like free art mints, raffles, and more.

Winter Ghost by @smarahakim

Neo Expressionism Glitch Artist

WINTER GHOSTS 14.2.23

https://opensea.io/collection/winter-ghosts-2

We launched in August 2023 with Custom Horror as our first artist, amid a slowing market for art sales. 

We were incredibly nervous. However, what happened next surprised us.50 people minted the reMEMBER Pass at 0.03 ETH (allowlist) and 0.06 ETH (public). Over 12 weeks, collectors enthusiastically participated in each drop, thanks largely to Custom's incredible execution and art.

But despite a promising start, progress was slow. 

There were 3 key challenges

- The drop process required weeks of commitment from artists.
- Bearish market sentiment made artists hesitant to work with a new team and concept
- High gas fees on ETH reduced artists’ earnings, making the effort less worthwhile

Then something changed! 

In March, 2024 XCopy & Neonglitch86 released an Open Edition named "Mutatio". 

Over 1 million editions were minted by 38K people, all within 24 hours. 22% of the minters were Farcaster users.

We made two key changes:

- Shifted to Base for lower gas fees and used Farcaster for distribution.
- Introduced new mechanics to support shorter programs without losing community engagement.

and for a while it seemed, it worked.

While it took us 8 months to launch our first 4 programs, in May alone, we onboarded new artists and successfully completed 8 drops. 

For the first time, we saw inbound interest from artists and began doing drops more frequently.

A highlight of 2024 was the Inner Visions drop, where 4 artists collaborated on a single canvas, followed by individual drops. 

It was magical.

However, not all was well. 

We struggled to sustain the early success we achieved. Around two-thirds of the drops failed to generate meaningful results for the artists. It felt like we were fighting gravity. 

For the first time, I found myself completely unsure of how to move forward.

deep loop by @alperaym

As a pre-Product-Market Fit startup founder, the key challenge is identifying whether issues stem from product, distribution, or market.

Product:
Tasseo lacked clear, consistent positioning. 

The crypto art space is rich with quality platforms
- SuperRare and Foundation for 1/1s and collections
- Zora and Rodeo for experimental drops
- DIY options like Transient Labs and Manifold

Tasseo was somewhere in middle. 

Distribution:
We were lucky to have collectors who collected multiple times. We also worked closely with artists to help them with the marketing of the drop, i don't think that was enough. 

Market:
A friend once called crypto art the "edge of the edge." The space is small, with 90% of volumes driven by a handful of collectors. 

To be successful you either need to build for them or build something that will onboard more collectors into the ecosystem.

Help me to fly again by @avaaaaart

My conviction in crypto is stronger than ever. I won't say I have complete clarity on what to do next. At this point, I'm spending time chatting with people and building a few experimental products. 

To the friends we made along the way, the artists who trusted us, and the collectors who supported us—building with you has been a privilege.

If there is anyway, I can be of help,  I'm a DM away. 

𝕴𝖌𝖓𝖊𝖒 𝕬𝖈𝖈𝖊𝖓𝖉𝖊 by @swrks

Come join me and see the world through my eyes!!!👁️🪱🎨

https://linktr.ee/avaaaaart

thank you ava! we did make some great memories that am going to cherish all my life.

It was such a great pleasure working with you. Thank you so much for everything you’ve done for us. I believe we’ve created unforgettable memories together.🙏🏻🥹♥️

Art collector. Aspiring flâneur. Photographer. | /art-cc | @artcc

thank you so much and grateful for being part of our journey

Sorry to hear. For the record, I was always impressed w the collecting dynamics, the art, and the artists. Wish you the best of luck in your future endeavors.