9. Ana - Community Lead @ MetaMask

Welcome to product3 - where we explore the world of web3 product development through the eyes of its builders.

This week, I'm thrilled to introduce someone I've had the privilege of working alongside at Consensys - Ana (@anawestfal), the Community Lead at MetaMask. Ana has a perfect blend of strategic thinking and a natural gift for bringing people together which makes her amazing at what she does. Her methodical approach to community building, combined with an authentic passion for the space, has been instrumental in fostering multiple communities in the space.

In 500 words, she shares:

• Effective community-building strategies

• Measuring community health

• Differentiating speculation from genuine adoption

What community-building strategies have you found most effective in the web3 space?

One of the most effective strategies I’ve found is meeting people where they are, whether that's on Discord, X, Reddit, or in real life. Consistent presence, real conversations, and making people feel heard goes a long way. Onboarding calls, incentivized activations, and IRL events like hackathons or meetups help create deeper bonds and real momentum. I’ve also seen great success with empowering community members to take initiative by giving them the tools, trust, and visibility to lead within the ecosystem.

How do you measure community health beyond token price and trading volume?

For me, community health goes way beyond charts. I look at things like how engaged people are in conversations, the quality of questions and feedback, and whether newcomers are being welcomed and supported. Consistent participation in community calls, turnout at events, and how often folks take initiative or help each other are strong signs of a healthy space. I also pay attention to sentiment, retention, and how well the community collaborates with core teams, I think those are the real indicators of long-term value.

How do you differentiate between speculation-driven engagement and genuine product adoption?

Speculation-driven engagement usually spikes fast and fades just as quickly. You see a lot of noise, high follower counts, quick surges in activity, but not much depth in conversations or long-term commitment. Genuine product adoption looks very different. People ask better questions, give thoughtful feedback, stick around after the hype, and often become advocates or contributors. I also look for organic usage patterns, repeat engagement, and whether users are integrating the product into their workflows or communities, I think that’s the real signal.

What are some unique challenges you have faced, and how did you tackle them?

One unique challenge I faced was jumping from the structured world of corporate finance, where I analyzed data for major consumer brands, into the wild west of web3 with its fast-moving pace and decentralized nature. The pace, structure (or lack of it), and communication style were completely different. My approach to overcome this was to lean into the community aspect: joining projects, showing up consistently, listening, and offering help wherever I could. That hands-on, collaborative approach helped me build trust and grow into leadership roles across support, community, and ecosystem strategy. It also helped me think more freely and expose my ideas without fearing judgements.

In your opinion, what are the most exciting or influential trends shaping the future of web3 at the moment?

What really excites me right now is how web3 is moving closer to everyday life, stuff like DePINs and real-world asset tokenization are making things more tangible, and AI is helping protocols get smarter and more user-friendly. I’m also really into how MetaMask is evolving, especially with the MetaMask Card, it’s starting to feel like a hub or a kind of auto-custodial neobank, which is a big step toward making crypto more accessible and practical for more people.

If you’ve enjoyed this micro interview, share it with fellow web3 product people and give Ana a follow on X (@anawestfal).

Got a builder in mind whose wisdom we should share? Please share!

See you in the next edition!