A BNB Entrepreneurship Story Without "Shandong Connections"
- Core Argument: Using Flap's success as an example, the author refutes the notion that "developing on BNB Chain requires relying on connections ('Shandong Connections')." The article emphasizes that the true underlying logic in the crypto world is meritocracy, where excellent products, genuine communities, and user support are the keys to success.
- Key Elements:
- As a project not part of the "inner circle," Flap's interaction volume and number of token creations have already placed it among the top projects on BNB Chain, proving that success is possible without relying on connections.
- The author's reason for choosing to continue building on BNB Chain is its genuine community and massive user market, not just its technical narrative.
- Facing competition from giants and threats of copying, Flap's strategy is to focus on rapid product iteration and deep community service to build its moat.
- By relentlessly pursuing product-market fit, Flap's daily token creation volume and number of "graduated" tokens have consistently ranked first on the BNB Chain.
- The article's core message advocates that developers should focus on building great products and serving their communities, rather than seeking shortcuts, asserting that PMF (Product-Market Fit) trumps "Shandong Connections."
Author: Cedric, Founder of FLAP, a Launchpad platform on the BSC ecosystem
The Elephant in the Room
Every friend keeps asking me: "Cedric, has BNB Chain turned into a bureaucratic playground? If you don't play that 'Shandong networking' game, are you doomed to fail?" "If you're not a 'direct descendant' incubated by Binance, are you only left with scraps?"
I've heard this FUD for a long time. People say you have to play the 'Shandong networking' game on BNB.
My answer might offend some: this view is wrong. At the very least, Flap's rise proves it's nonsense.
Data doesn't lie. Flap's interaction volume and token creation numbers are growing rapidly, making it one of the top protocols on BNB.
I've Never Met He Yi
To this day, I have never met He Yi or CZ, and I've never attended any so-called "high-end gatherings."
Flap's rise contains 0% "Shandong networking." What does this prove? It proves that the rumor "BNB is a paradise for the well-connected" is a bubble that bursts at the slightest touch. In the crypto world, despite all the noise, the most fundamental logic remains Meritocracy.
Why BNB?
Rewind the clock one year, and Flap was just a 3-person hackathon-winning team. Over the past year, we've tried Base, deployed on Monad, and explored other EVM chains. As cross-chain entrepreneurs, we have some perspective:
Many chains are cool with cutting-edge tech. But in the end, we chose to build on BNB. Why? Because it offers entrepreneurs the most precious gift: a real community and a massive market. Other chains might have great narratives, but BNB has real people. The grassroots community here is vibrant; it's just waiting for more great products to awaken it. For entrepreneurs, community and users are ten thousand times more important than flashy technical jargon.
Facing Giants and Copycats
When we first started, reality was indeed harsh. The "direct descendants" seemed to have more resources, and giants were busy using BNB Chain as a stepping stone to get listed. Some even asked me: "Cedric, what if you succeed and the giants copy you?"
My answer is: Let them copy. This is the norm in business competition. Code can be forked, but culture cannot; the skeleton can be copied, but the soul cannot. While competitors are discussing copycat strategies, we've already iterated three versions; while they're at networking dinners, we're replying to DMs in the community. Our pace of innovation will always be faster than their Ctrl+C.
The Silent Explosion
So, while the giants were gazing at the stars, we were down in the mud, serving users overlooked by "high-end projects." We obsessed over PMF (Product-Market Fit).
Slowly, the wind changed direction. Not because we knew someone, but because users and the community voted with their wallets. Today, Flap's daily token creation volume and number of graduated tokens have been consistently ranked first on BNB Chain for over a month. We didn't buy traffic. We used lines of code and stood with our community to forcefully reclaim market share from the giants.
On Injustice and Struggle
Have I never faced difficulties? Of course I have, countless times. Have I never felt things were unfair sometimes? Honestly, I have.
But that's precisely the meaning of our entrepreneurship. If it's unfair, we use our product to make it fairer. If it's not open, we use the power of the community to break down the door. This is also what moves me the most: whenever we hit a bottleneck, the community always steps up to support us first. It's the power of the community that forces the rules to bow to value.
PMF Trumps 'Shandong Networking'
I'm sharing Flap's startup story to tell all developers: Tear up your business plan, forget those 'Shandong networking' dinners.
There is still a vast wilderness on BNB, and the people here are desperately hungry for good products. You don't need to know anyone. You just need a group of partners willing to grind out the details during the lows, a product that truly respects its users, and the courage to do what is difficult but right.
Conclusion
If you're like me—not the best with words, but with a fire in your heart; willing to start over, willing to stay up until dawn to fix a bug. Come to BNB.
You don't need to know He Yi. You just need to know your code, and your users.
