Maria G. Salcedo

BizForge Design Solutions

From Solopreneur to Strategic Design Partner.

I craft captivating Web3 experiences that fuel user growth and brand recognition for ambitious startups. As a full-service agency of one, I wear many hats, taking ownership of all aspects of Web3 design projects, from branding and UI/UX design to crafting compelling marketing materials.

👉 Led cross-functional teams using agile methodologies to deliver impactful design solutions for a diverse range of projects (2D art, web interfaces, social media content, UI/UX).

👉 Collaborated closely with founders and developers to ensure seamless integration of design elements into applications.

👉 Within the Web3 space, this included leading the design of over 8 NFT projects, encompassing 28,000+ unique NFTs and 3,500+ conceptual assets (characters, PFPs, environments).

Let's discuss how I can elevate your project:
https://calendly.com/mgsalcedon/15min

Graphic Designer and Web Developer

Web3 Doers

I'm part of Web3 Doers PRO - Premium Web3 Growth community for Web3 Entrepreneurs - founders, consultants, thought leaders, builders, and content creators!

Our purpose is to create a diverse and inclusive platform that brings together Web3 doers and professionals from around the world, fostering growth, collaboration, and innovation in the Web3 space.

Our mission is to empower every community member to realize their full potential in the Web3 space.

Our vision is to become the world's leading community for Web3 doers and professionals, recognized for our commitment to diversity, collaboration, education, and innovation.

If you're interested in joining the Web3 Doers community, just send me a DM!

Web3 Doers PRO member

Lighthouse Cowork

Fueled community growth at Lighthouse, a crypto-friendly coworking space in Uruguay, by spearheading a cohesive design strategy across all channels.

👉 Crafted eye-catching social media graphics that resonated with their audience.
👉 Designed their entire website with Odoo website builder (They are Odoo Partners).
👉 Produced multiple offline and online design materials (brochures, pitch decks, etc.) that communicated Lighthouse's vision effectively to both crypto enthusiasts and traditional businesses.

Graphic designer 

Realtok

👉 Boosted brand awareness and user acquisition by collaboratively designing marketing materials across all channels (campaigns, social media graphics, website, branding assets, stickers, and print materials).

👉 Supported the sales team by crafting impactful graphic materials (stickers, banners, posters, and cards) that increased nodes per month.

👉 Leveraged design thinking to plan and create visuals for a new website.

WizBuds

👉 Crafted 2D illustrations for the NFT collection, website, and social media platforms, bringing the WizBuds world to life.

👉 Collaborated with a UX/UI team to design an intuitive and engaging website, resulting in a significant boost in traffic and user engagement.

👉 Created a suite of impactful social media graphics and web visuals that resonated with the target audience and strengthened brand recognition.

👉 Stayed ahead of the curve by identifying emerging market trends and incorporating them into the design process, ensuring WizBuds remained at the forefront of the NFT landscape.

👉 Collaborated effectively with the design team to streamline workflows, enhance team morale, and boost productivity in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment.

NFT Artist and Web Designer

UNEFA

If you've made it this far, you're likely curious as to how my background in Telecommunications engineering fits into my current business.

You see, being a tech enthusiast is an integral part of who I am. 

I have a passion for learning about innovative solutions, with a particular interest in IoT protocols and Satellite communications. I possess coding skills as well as the ability to create electronic circuits.

Now, I know what you're thinking: "What does this have to do with design?" 
While it may not seem related, I recognized the potential to leverage these skills in the Web3 space.

As a university professor, I often found myself teaching my students about Starlink and other technical topics. At the same time, I began freelancing and creating unique designs for clients around the world.

Despite being referred to as the "youngest teacher," I loved my job.

However, in 2018, I discovered Bitcoin and became in love with it.
One day I decided to focus all my efforts on designing for Web3 business. 

So I did.

And I won’t lie – turning my passion into a business felt incredibly good.
Web3 is the perfect match for creativity and tech.

So, how does being a "University Professor" make me a better Designer than I am today? 
1. It's easier for me to understand the technicalities of Web3.
2. I learnt how to explain complex things easily.
3. It's me being me. Authenticity rules!

Profesor universitario

Universidad José Antonio Páez

Professor & Lecturer – Telecommunications and Electronics Department

•	Use of technical schematics and manuals to understand operations and make successful repairs.
•	Communicate operational issues and changes to supervisor on regular basis.
•	Providing training and supervision for 6 new technicians and apprentices.

Assistant Electronics Technician – Telecommunications and Electronics Department

I help Web3 businesses improve their brand awareness 🚀 Brand Strategist | Graphic Designer | 2D Artist | Web Designer | I’m passionate about blockchain, NFTs and the power of building decentralized communities.

Hi! If you're reading this, it's likely because:
👉 You want to turbocharge your growth.
👉 You're a designer looking to improve your skills.
👉 You are a Web3 Recruiter looking for a designer.

After years of freelancing, I saw a gap – a need for design that spoke the language of Web3.

I can effectively communicate complex design concepts to both technical and non-technical audiences. I love working collaboratively with developers, product managers, and marketing teams. I'm always looking for new challenges and opportunities to grow as a designer. 

Building in the decentralized world comes with unique challenges. You need to stand out in a crowded marketplace, foster trust with a new audience, and create interfaces that are intuitive and secure. That's where I come in.

Here's how I help you win in Web3:

✅ Web3 Marketing: Create compelling marketing materials that drive adoption and engagement.
✅ UI/UX: Design user interfaces that are not only beautiful but also intuitive.
✅ Branding: Build a strong brand identity that resonates with your audience.

Ready to turn your vision into reality?

🔥 Book a discovery call:
https://calendly.com/mgsalcedon/15min

CORE Member

We are LinkedIn's first official Alpha group & social syndicate.

We work together to learn, grow and build on the LinkedIn platform to ultimately curate inspiration and motivation within our communities.

The community was initially created as a social experiment to see if 100 individuals could work together to help each other grow.

Over the past 5 months, every single community member has seen growth in their relationships, sales, content engagement & impressions.

This is all because we have no leader, we work together, collectively, as a unit to help progress each other's growth.

If you're interested in joining the 100 community, send me a DM!

MBA in Entertainment, University of Southern California | Ex: Disney, JPMorganChase, KPMG, PwC

Fun fact: My LinkedIn isn't my resume. 

So don't come here looking to evaluate hiring me based on my LinkedIn. 

Or maybe you should look at my LinkedIn to realize I beautifully blend data and analytics with entertaining and educational storytelling. 

I always dreamed of being a television programmer. It never happened, so instead I live out my dream programming LinkedIn like my own TV channel. 

Over the past 5 years, I’ve logged 10,000+ hours on this platform. I’ve built a following of 100,000+ by programming my LinkedIn like my own TV channel. My content isn’t random. It’s strategic. Story-driven. Designed to drive real outcomes.

And it’s worked, generating $10M+ in deals for the companies I've worked. Read that one again. Not me, but my companies. The power of companies leveraging LinkedIn is the future of LinkedIn. 

In 2021, I launched a global  events company while working with a Mark Cuban and Ashton Kutcher startup, producing 40+ events in LA, NYC, Dubai, Paris, and London that drove millions of dollars in  revenue. I understand how to leverage LinkedIn so companies can drive real results. 

A few highlights:

-Closed a strategic partnership with CAA
-Raised $7M in funding for a Mark Cuban venture-backed startup
-Secured $4.13M in brand deals for one of the world’s top celebrities

My background spans banking (JPMorganChase), global advisory (PwC, KPMG), and a decade as CFO/COO in the luxury design world, managing 50+ people and overseeing $40M+ in ARR and $1B+ in real estate projects for icons like President Obama, George Clooney, and Cindy Crawford.

I’ve lived and worked in LA, NYC, and Dubai. I’ve built communities in tech, luxury, and now the creator economy. I’m obsessed with solving complex business problems through storytelling, partnerships, and scalable brand strategy.

Always open to meeting new and interesting people that love life, love to win, and love to make the world a better place.

John Kraski

Ben Affleck just sold an AI company to Netflix.

Yes. That Ben Affleck.

While tabloids covered his divorce from Jennifer Lopez, he was quietly building something.

In 2022, he started studying AI.

He admitted it scared him at first.

But instead of running from it, he did something most people wouldn't.

He built a company called InterPositive.

Not AI that replaces filmmakers.
AI built BY filmmakers FOR filmmakers.

Tools that protect the human side of storytelling.

No text-to-video gimmicks.
No "get the human out of it" nonsense.

Real tools for real creators.

This week, Netflix acquired the whole company.

Ben Affleck is now a senior advisor.

Think about that.

The same guy TMZ was photographing looking sad outside his house was simultaneously building technology Netflix wanted to buy.

The headlines you read about someone are almost never the full story.

Everyone saw the divorce.
Nobody saw the company.

That's how it works.

The people building something real aren't posting about it.
They're not seeking validation.
They're heads down, doing the work.

And one day, the news breaks.

What you're building in silence will eventually speak for itself.

How about them apples?!

Partnerships @ Dhar Mann, Forbes #2 Creator I MBA in Entertainment, University of Southern California

My favorite part of working for Dhar Mann?

Giving studio tours.

Because that's when the magic happens.

Yesterday, I had the chance to walk Lynnwood A. Bibbens, Chairman and CEO of ReachTV, through our 125,000 sq ft studio with 65 sets.

And you can literally see the moment it clicks.
People start imagining the possibilities.

Now here's why Lynnwood is so interesting.

He didn't just build a media company.
He built a distribution empire hiding in plain sight.

ReachTV reaches audiences across:

1M+ hotel rooms.
The top 100 U.S. airports.
5,000+ premium properties.

Plus digital, OTT, and mobile.

Oh… and they broadcast every National Football League (NFL) game.

Which means millions of people are watching their screens while waiting for flights, checking into hotels, or traveling across the country.

That's not just media.

That's attention at scale.

As we walked through the studio, we started brainstorming ideas around the World Cup and other global moments.

Because the best partnerships don't start in boardrooms.
They start when two people walk through a space and see the same future.

If you don't know Lynnwood A. Bibbens, you should.

He's quietly built one of the most powerful distribution platforms in modern media.

Trust me on this one.

My most viral post of all time?

It wasn't even on LinkedIn.

It wasn't even me.

Wait what?

Yes. I joined Threads a few years ago.

Started posting. After a few weeks, something weird happened.

I started going crazy viral.

One post did 4.1M impressions.

I was so excited.
I was finally a star.
I was now famous.

Until I started reading the comments.

"Loved you in The Office."
"You and Emily Blunt are couple goals."
"When is Jack Ryan season 5 coming?!"

One guy was genuinely pissed at me for canceling his favorite show.

The lesson?

Social media success isn't about building your dream community.

It's about building John Krasinski's dream community.

So now I have a Threads following that thinks I'm married to Mary Poppins and saved the world for the CIA.

Trust me and John Krasinski on this one.

A powerful reminder from Ryan Reynolds:

My favorite thing about LinkedIn is watching people who I have no clue what they do for work get 300 likes and 300 comments on every post here yet I see Fortune 100 CEOs and executives running billion dollar companies barely get 100 likes. This is why LinkedIn is so beautiful.

LinkedIn is the new Instagram.

I'm serious.

If I had to simplify my LinkedIn success into one thing right now, it's this:

Pictures.

I treat every image like a Hollywood one-sheet.

You know, a movie poster.

You've got less than 2 seconds to capture someone's attention.

Make it pop.

And yes, I see the irony of making a video post about pictures.

Trust me and Thomas Woodhams on this one.

I love you LinkedIn.

But why does this video continue to be the first thing in my feed?

I don’t even wear blush anymore.

Hope this helps.

A powerful reminder from Harry Styles:

The most ridiculous thing about LinkedIn is I’m worth $140M, have 47 million Instagram followers, and was in one of the world’s greatest boy bands, but here on LinkedIn this John Kraski guy has more followers than me.

Yesterday I took a picture in Beverly Hills. 

Didn’t edit it.
Didn’t filter it.
Didn’t use AI to create it.

Just me, my fingers, and my eyes.

Capturing a quick moment of beauty.

Refreshing to know us humans can still be creative without the help of robots.

Fun fact: typed this post without AI as well.

Trust me and Mona Lisa on this one.

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A powerful reminder from Taylor Swift:

The most ridiculous thing about LinkedIn is I’m worth $1.6 billion, have 280 million Instagram followers, and won 14 Grammys, but here on LinkedIn this John Kraski guy has more followers than me.

A powerful reminder from Ryan Gosling:

People like to blame the LinkedIn algorithm for everything going wrong in their lives. Their career problems. Their financial problems. Their marital problems. 

Meanwhile the algorithm is just trying to deliver stale quotes and generic motivational advice to your feeds. 

Leave the algorithm alone.

Work the comments like a DJ.

Stop posting and ghosting.

It doesn't work.

I have 119k+ followers.

And I still spend 5+ hours a week in the comments.

Not just on my posts.
On other people's posts too.

Most people think LinkedIn is a broadcast platform.

Post something clever. Walk away. Hope it goes viral.

That's not how this place works.

The algorithm doesn't reward your post.
It rewards your presence.

Think of it like a DJ at a party.

You don't just drop a track and leave the booth.

You read the room.
You adjust to what's happening.
You keep the energy going.

Your post is the track.
The comments are the party.

If you leave early, don't be surprised when people stop showing up.

LinkedIn is a reciprocal community.

To receive LinkedIn love, you must give LinkedIn love.

Trust me and Thomas Woodhams on this one.

taplio

The Battle

Maria G. Salcedo

John Kraski

Followers

Posts

Engagements

Likes

Performance ScoreJohn Kraski's LinkedIn Performance

Ready to grow your LinkedIn presence?

taplio

The Battle

Maria G. Salcedo

John Kraski

Followers

Posts

Engagements

Likes

Performance Score.css-goub6s{font-size:var(--chakra-fontSizes-md);font-weight:500;color:var(--chakra-colors-gray-600);display:block;margin-top:var(--chakra-space-1);}John Kraski's LinkedIn Performance

Ready to grow your LinkedIn presence?

Performance ScoreJohn Kraski's LinkedIn Performance