In this workshop, the Detroit Blockchain Collective will deconstruct the core financial primitives—the “Money Legos”—that power the crypto economy.
You own crypto—but is it working for you? In this interactive workshop, you’ll learn how decentralized finance (DeFi) yield tools put your assets to work through core primitives like staking, lending, and liquidity provision, as well as yield-farming strategies built on top of them.
Target Audience: Crypto owners who understand wallets and DeFi transfers but want to transition from passive holders to active DeFi participants.
You’ll learn the practical mechanics of using lending protocols and yield aggregators to deploy capital on-chain.
Finally, we’ll cover a few basics of building a balanced “Yield Stack” based on your risk tolerance, along with the tools and practices you need to stay safe.
Bonus Handout: All attendees will receive Michael’s “DeFi Safety Checklist & Glossary” PDF, a one-page reference guide for DeFi safety and understanding key acronyms.
Interactive “Follow-Along” Checklist:
If you wish to participate in the live demos, please come prepared with the following
- Laptop: Google Chrome or Brave Browser installed.
- Wallet: Download & setup your DeFi wallet of choice. Some recommendations: the MetaMask or Coinbase Wallet mobile or browser extension.
- Funds: Make sure your wallet is supplied with some ETH on the Base Network.
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Tip: You can withdraw ETH from Coinbase directly to Base, or bridge from Ethereum Mainnet.
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Hosts:
This evening’s workshop instructor, Michael Bardwell, is a Full-Stack Web Developer and the founder of Bardwell Tech Solutions, a consultancy focused on the intersection of Cloud Architecture, AI, and Decentralized Finance. With a professional background in building scalable web applications and a deep focus on the “AI x Crypto” ecosystem, he specializes in demystifying technical protocols for investors and founders. He is passionate about financial sovereignty and helping others navigate the transition from passive holding to active on-chain participation.
Elizabeth Hansson is the Michigan President of Stand With Crypto, and the Founder & Executive Director of the Detroit Blockchain Collective. A digital asset advocate and ecosystem builder with a background in software engineering and decentralized systems, she has led blockchain developer teams since 2017 and works at the intersection of policy, technology, and community to expand Michigan’s role in the future of digital assets.
Sponsors:
Stand With Crypto is a nonprofit uniting crypto advocates worldwide, empowering the blockchain community through advocacy, education, and grassroots engagement.
Red Level – As a comprehensive technology services company, Red Level delivers customized scalable technology solutions designed precisely to our clients’ unique needs – solutions that accelerate growth, reduce costs and enable scalability.
Photography Notice: By attending this event, you consent to being photographed and recorded for use in sharing the event with our broader community.
🗓 Thursday, January 22, 2026
🕔 Time: 6:00 PM – 8:30 PM EST
📍 Red Level – IT Services
40200 Grand River Ave Ste 200 · Novi, MI
✨Founded in 2024, the Detroit Blockchain Collective was created to foster blockchain innovation in Michigan through grassroots community and education.
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