Building a successful blockchain project or DAO rarely comes down to having the flashiest names. What actually moves the needle? The unsung heroes operating behind the scenes.

Think about it—every major protocol has them. The developers grinding through documentation, the mods keeping communities sane, the ops people nobody notices until something breaks. These "glue" contributors don't always make headlines. They don't farm airdrop hype. Yet without them, your star players would have nothing to build on.

The real problem? Rewards systems rarely acknowledge this. Token emissions favor visible leadership. Governance votes celebrate the charismatic founders. But who actually held everything together during the bear market?

If you're building in crypto, this matters. The healthiest projects recognize that lasting success isn't about assembling superstars—it's about creating conditions where the connective tissue stays strong. The people who make everyone else better, even when nobody's watching.