The foundation of humanity has always been helping each other. There are people, and certainly animals, who are less fortunate than us. Animal-based charities are in perpetual need of financial support—only an estimated 10% of all charitable giving is directed towards animal -based charities; but unfortunately, these charities also suffer from the same issues of funding and governance many charities face.
Now, imagine a charity token existing to address such animal welfare needs with transparent, seamless, and documented donation.
Meet Caroline Lafferty, who leveraged this relatively new world of cryptocurrency to open new avenues of donation for needy animal charities by founding CaliCoin.
CaliCoin is the first and only cryptocurrency devoted to helping, what Caroline terms, Animals of Determination (animals that suffer from a disability and/or are homeless) around the world. It provides a 100% flow-through of funds (0% commissions, overhead fees, or other charges) directly to pre-qualified animal-based charities serving AODs around the world. It ensures CaliCoin donors that their donations are helping animals of determination, and their funds are going directly to helping the animals without any of the issues which can plague existing charitable giving options. Caroline wears the hat of the CEO in the company.
A Blend of Passions
CaliCoin is a wonderful blend of passions.
Caroline has always been an avid animal lover. She along with her husband James Michael Lafferty moved to Dubai with their wonderful Yorkie dog, “Cali”. Shortly thereafter, they discovered that she has a genetic disorder of her bones. So, they, unfortunately, had to amputate one of her legs. Cali however never let this situation bring her down; she continued to romp and play and enjoy life, inspiring them all. Shortly after, they both found an abandoned kitten on the street in a pile of rubble, who followed them home. She is a lovable Arabian Mau named “Karma”. Both are best friends and integral parts of the company’s family. The three-legged dog and the orphan cat!
Besides her love for animals, Caroline also had a special affinity with the emerging world of cryptocurrency. She has been deeply involved as an investor for the past 5 years. She saw a unique blend of the two, an idea in which it could leverage cryptocurrency and the universe of crypto users, to open entirely new pathways to support Animals of Determination. And that is how CaliCoin was born! CaliCoin marries Caroline’s love of the cryptocurrency world with her love for animals.
Making the World a Better Place for Animals of Determination
In essence, CaliCoin was created out of the pandemic to bring urgent help to animal charities around the world that saw their donations and financial support dry up. Caroline hears from many charities about how CaliCoin has helped keep them operating and serving Animals of Determination. “I get a huge sense of pride and joy in being able to help these noble causes. I firmly believe it represents the best of humanity when we can help those on our planet truly less fortunate than ourselves. It’s hard to imagine a population more in need than animals who suffer from disabilities or are homeless and roaming the streets,” expresses Caroline.
CaliCoin’s mission is very noble: It helps perhaps the most disadvantaged subset on this planet—Animals of Determination. The team at CaliCoin has financed 100% of the start-up of CaliCoin and it takes no fees or commissions on donations.
Built from the Scratch
The biggest challenge for Caroline by far was doing what any entrepreneur knows well—doing things prudently and on your own! Most ICOs are executed via large teams and the engagement of many consultants and advisors, whereas Caroline and her husband launched CaliCoin entirely with an internal team of just a handful of people. The team created this entire project from scratch with limited budgets and lots of sweat equity, all driven by a combined passion for giving back and helping animals in need. And so far, she is proud of the early results: CaliCoin has gained global traction and has appreciated over 300% since its launch.
Sources of Inspiration
Caroline was greatly influenced by her parents. She learned from them, the courage and will to succeed. They emigrated from Hong Kong to Canada with nothing and built a life so that Caroline and her brother could have opportunities they never had. She watched them sacrifice and work endless hours, just to give their kids a chance. She wasn’t going to let them down and squander the sacrifices they made.
Caroline was a top student and thus, she worked to get into the best schools such as the University of Toronto and studied the most demanding fields. CaliCoin is only the latest of several successful start-ups she has launched over the past decade.
The second great influencer was her husband James, who co-founded CaliCoin along with her.
The Pinnacle of Professionalism
Caroline has always believed that success starts and finishes with people. Her small team is like a family to her, and she takes care of her family! She tries to breed a culture of ownership, where every employee “owns” a piece of CaliCoin. She further believes in developing talent, as people are most inspired when they see themselves grow. She says, “We are fair and principled, and we do the right thing. It’s a passionate and caring team and I think this directly reflects on the culture we put people in at CaliCoin.”
A Profound Note to the Emerging Ones
In her advice to emerging CEOs, Caroline says “This industry, cryptocurrency, is rife with questionable ethics and people out to make a quick buck. And it is undermining the entire space and the adoption of what is an amazing and forward-thinking concept. Be able to look in the mirror at yourself and be proud. Look at any industry and eventually, ethics wins out. If you want to be both proud and sustainable, embrace strong ethics as a core of your business. It will be harder and take more time. But choosing the “harder right” over the “easier wrong” is always the winning way.”