How to Grow and Support a Mapping Network for a New Global Decentralized Map

Bryan, let’s start with… Since Hivemapper is all about mapping and community, where do you feel most at home?

The beach near my home is definitely my favorite place. It has a slackline park.

If you could choose your birthplace, where would it be? Outer space and fictional places are up for grabs.

Middle-earth or if that’s not allowed then I suppose New Zealand. I love their accents.

“Maps are an ancient form of communication and artistry that help make our world function. Their importance cannot be overstated and this has always been true. Maps can help save lives, not to mention get your sushi burrito to you on time.” — Bryan Jackson,

What are some highlights from your career experiences before you joined Hivemapper?

I’ve worked freelance my whole life before joining Hivemapper. Both in front and behind the camera. It’s not an easy path being unsure of when the next paycheck would arrive, but it also had its own rewards and freedoms. I had to be a jack of all trades and problem solve dynamically both for myself and my clients/collaborators. Ultimately, this gave me a wide skill set that I get to use at Hivemapper daily.

What are some things from your previous career experiences that uniquely prepared you for your role at Hivemapper?

Communication skills developed by constantly interacting with clients and online communities. Passion for technology, innovative problem solving, and content creation.

“So many things excite me about Hivemapper but mostly the role I play in helping to create a decentralized global map built by the people, for the people. Big tech takes our data for free and makes billions of dollars from that information. It’s time to take our data back and make it work for us, not them.” —

Describe “a day in the life” as a Network Operations Specialist at Hivemapper?

I wear many hats at Hivemapper, which I enjoy, and days are rarely “the same.” My typical day usually consists of handling Network support issues, installing hardware (dashcams) for new contributors, testing new workflows by interfacing with our awesome engineering team, interacting with a rapidly growing community on various platforms such as Discord, and generating content to use for both internal analysis and advertising, just to name a few. I like to think of myself as a bridge between our Network contributors and the internal team at Hivemapper. I also work closely with the other members of the operations team to handle various priority tasks depending on our current goals.

What are some things you’ve contributed to Hivemapper so far?

I’ve helped build our contributor Network since we launched it in the summer of 2020 and interfaced with/onboarded folks from all over the world. This was very much a grassroots endeavor and I’ve had the pleasure of working with people I never would have met otherwise. You can also see some of my content creation on the Hivemapper sites/channels in the form of photography, instructional videos, and guides.

Why is Hivemapper a good career opportunity for you?

I fancy myself a bit of a rebel which is why I have never worked for a giant corporation. I want to build something that helps people while also challenging the status quo.

Why did you choose to join a Web3 company?

“I believe the decentralization of information and currency is crucial for humanity’s evolution as a species. If only the select few have access to how information is shared, the world will be held back from its potential as the fatcats get fatter and the majority suffers.” —

What excites you about working at a series A Silicon Valley startup?

Helping to build a Mapping Network that could change the way we interact with our world and being on the ground-floor of that development.

What is your personal mission statement? In other words, what impact would you like to have on our world or your community?

“In both work and life, I want to give more than I take and help empower those around me to be the best version of themselves which encourages the same drive in myself. I want to create things that change people’s lives or at least help them navigate it. I want to tear down the establishment brick-by-brick and make it better.” — Bryan Jackson,

In your opinion, what’s the coolest map you’ve seen? Non-Hivemapper map, that is.

My father had a framed map of the constellations of the Milky Way galaxy in his home as I was growing up and I found it to be mesmerizing both because outer space is cool and the rich history of Greco-Roman gods/deities the constellations represent which encouraged me to research mythology and astronomy.

What’s a fun fact about you? Alternatively, what surprises people most about you?

I slackline which is similar to tight-rope walking. Most people are surprised by how geeky I am deep down, I’m a hardcore fantasy/sci-fi nerd. I can also play the mouth-harp and make sazeracs.

When not at Hivemapper, where/how do you enjoy spending your free time?

I love having board game nights with friends, hiking, cooking, cocktail mixology, and some Mario Kart!

Nice to meet you, Bryan. Thanks for taking the time to answer our questions.

If you’d like to chat with Bryan and learn more about Hivemapper, join our Discord and get in touch with Bryan there.We’re hiring! Would you like to join our Network Operations team? Take a look at this career opportunity.