Lisa Loud, executive director of Secret Network Foundation, recently sat down with Stephen Sargeant of Around the Coin Podcast. We listened to the fascinating podcast – you can too – but we also produced an article showcasing the highlights of this fascinating interview. We are big fans of Stephen - compliance is my love language – Sargeant and hope you enjoy both the original podcast and our article based on the content.
Please find the original Around The Coin podcast here
Key highlights from Lisa Loud in this interview:
“And I really want my voice to be heard because I believe I can have an impact on the decentralized technology industry and the Web3 industry. I want to share some innovative ideas and solutions that will benefit this industry and people.”
“I’m very motivated to continue raising my profile so I can be a role model. So I can be a thought leader in the crypto space. And then for Secret I believe that this technology is the best technology in the encryption space. And, we just came out too early. Secret came out in 2020, and it was before anybody cared about privacy, before anyone cared about encryption, and now we're like an old project.”
“But turning that narrative around to say, look, yes, we are the oldest project in this space, and we've had the most experience, and we have the best founders and the best researchers. So let us guide you guys into this space in a way that's even more secure and efficient..”
As Executive Director of the Secret Network Foundation, Lisa Loud has emerged as a compelling voice for innovation in blockchain, an advocate for privacy, and a role model for women in technology. With a career spanning tech giants like Apple and PayPal to trailblazing roles in the crypto space, Loud’s journey offers a wealth of lessons on leadership, resilience, and the future of decentralized technology. Here, she reflects on the importance of privacy, the trajectory of blockchain, and the challenges and opportunities for women in tech.
The Next Frontier: Privacy as a Cornerstone of Web3
Loud describes her passion for privacy not as an abstract principle but as a practical necessity for blockchain adoption.
“I’m not a privacy maximalist,” she explains. “I’m pragmatic. Blockchain needs adoption, and adoption requires on-chain data protection.”
For her, privacy is about enabling both individuals and businesses to engage confidently in the decentralized ecosystem without compromising sensitive data.
Imagine a future where everything, from ordering food to booking rides, happens on-chain. While this opens new possibilities, it also creates a potential nightmare of surveillance. Loud paints a vivid picture:
“If everything you do is on-chain, someone could map out your daily schedule, your net worth, and your movements. It’s a privacy and safety issue.”
Secret Network, the blockchain she helms, aims to mitigate these risks by providing tools for developers to encrypt sensitive data on-chain.
“It’s about hiding portions of data while keeping transactions transparent,” she explains. “For instance, if someone uses blockchain to order a ride, Secret’s encryption technology ensures their pickup and drop-off locations, as well as wallet contents, remain private. This innovation could prove critical not just for individuals but also for businesses, allowing them to secure intellectual property, trading strategies, and treasury balances.”
Loud likens Secret Network’s role to privacy as a service for blockchain developers.
“We’re building tools to make encryption modular and accessible. Whether you’re building on Solana, Ethereum, or any other chain, you can integrate Secret’s encryption libraries to secure your data without learning an entirely new system,” she explains.
Privacy Is Essential for the Next Wave of Innovation
Loud believes privacy will be a cornerstone of Web3’s evolution.
“In Web2, you close your blinds at night, lock your doors when you leave the house, and protect your personal data. Why should Web3 be any different?” she asks.
For her, ensuring data protection is not just a technical challenge but a moral imperative.
Secret Network isn’t alone in the privacy space, but Loud highlights its unique approach. While zero-knowledge proofs (ZKPs) excel at binary questions and fully homomorphic encryption (FHE) offers ultimate security at a high computational cost, Secret Network’s use of trusted execution environments (TEEs) strikes a balance between speed, affordability, and security.
“We’re the longest-running project in the TEE space,” she notes. “Our aim is to provide developers with flexible tools that let them choose the level of privacy they need for their applications.”
Secret is also working on integrating complementary technologies like ZKPs and FHE to create a unified platform for confidential computing. “Ultimately, we want to offer builders a dashboard where they can write a single smart contract and select the level of security they need—whether that’s ZK, TEE, or FHE,” she says.
Lessons Learned: From Apple to Web3
Loud’s career trajectory is nothing short of extraordinary. Starting as a software developer at Apple, she quickly rose to manage software development teams and integrate newly acquired technologies into Apple’s ecosystem.
“I was young, inexperienced, and learned a lot from my mistakes,” she recalls.
Her time at PayPal further honed her skills. Tasked with launching PayPal Canada, she coordinated across 15 departments to overcome regulatory and technical hurdles.
“It exposed me to the inefficiencies of large organizations and taught me how to fix systemic problems,” she says. She later devised a company-wide system to prioritize marketing initiatives, a move that earned her a leadership role overseeing merchant acquisition for North America.
These experiences have shaped her approach to leadership at Secret Network.
“Every job comes down to people. Whether it’s fear of disruption or ambition to gain something, human psychology drives decisions,” she says. By understanding and addressing these motivations, she aims to foster trust and collaboration within the decentralized tech space.
The Role of Women in Tech: Breaking the Glass Ceiling
As one of the few women in leadership roles within blockchain, Loud is deeply committed to empowering others to follow in her footsteps.
“When I started my career, I had almost no role models. It’s hard to imagine yourself in a position of leadership unless you see someone like you in that role,” she says.
Her advice to women in tech? Take risks and embrace challenges, even when they hurt.
“In big companies, you’ll hit your head against shatterproof glass ceilings. In emerging industries like blockchain, you can break through—but it’ll cut you. Count those scars as badges of honour,” she says.
Loud also emphasizes the importance of persistence. “Most people think of success as a straight line, but it’s more like a zigzag. You try, you fail, you learn, and you try again. That’s how you grow,” she explains.
As an industry leader, Loud makes it a priority to mentor women and amplify their voices.
“Anything you can imagine, you can be,” she says. “If you see someone doing something you admire, take note—that’s a sign you’re capable of it too.”
A Vision for the Future of Blockchain
Looking ahead, Loud sees privacy as the bridge between traditional and decentralized finance.
“The ultimate goal is to create a seamless experience where institutions and individuals alike can choose their level of privacy,” she says. She envisions a future where builders can “flip a switch” to adapt their applications for regulatory compliance or user preferences.
On a broader scale, Loud is optimistic about blockchain’s potential to disrupt entrenched systems and foster innovation.
“This technology is coming, whether people are ready or not. Embrace it early, and you’ll be in a stronger position when it becomes the norm.”
For Secret Network, the path forward involves scaling its privacy tools and educating developers about their value.
“We’re not just an old project—we’re the most experienced in encryption. That’s a strength we’re doubling down on as we continue to innovate,” she says.
Final Thoughts: Leading with Vision and Heart
Lisa Loud’s career is a testament to the power of resilience, vision, and integrity. As she leads Secret Network into the next phase of blockchain innovation, she remains focused on her mission: enabling privacy, empowering builders, and inspiring the next generation of women in tech.
“Privacy isn’t just a feature—it’s a fundamental right,” she asserts. And with leaders like Loud at the helm, the future of blockchain looks brighter, more secure, and more inclusive than ever.
