Bitcoin as industrial plumbing explained on the Brittany Bitz podcast
CoinGeek’s Alex Moon joined Brittany Faslun on the Brittany Bitz podcast to discuss Bitcoin SV, entrepreneurship on the blockchain, and the grand vision of Bitcoin as a global network.
How do we get people to think in more entrepreneurial terms?
Faslun starts the conversation by asking Moon how we can get people in BSV to think more business-oriented.
Moon replies without hesitation that “BSV is the plumber.” He believes this is a key concept for others to understand. Apart from this, he believes that people should think about how they want to change the world and why they exist, noting that this is what people really buy into.
Moon addresses legendary marketing philosopher Simon Sinek and his concept of The Golden Circle. Sinek talks about why, how and what as the most important stages of product development rather than what, how and why as the order in which most entrepreneurs tackle it. He says that CoinGeek approached things this way, getting the why right first before going on to how and what, and encourages other entrepreneurs at BSV to focus on how they communicate it in order to attract and retain customers.
Faslun asks Moon if those involved in BSV should stop talking about why it is better and just demonstrate it. He replies that talking about why it is better has its place in specific contexts, but that in the end it is just about using it and showing how it works, the way forward. He emphasizes that it is plumbing, similar to the TCP/IP protocol he uses to communicate with Faslun on the podcast.
Moon gives examples of great apps that work with BSV, mentioning Haste Arcade, La Mint, TonicPow, and Genuine Retweets. Bitcoin powers these, but customers don’t need to know. “They’re just good apps,” Moon says, driving his point home.
How does BSV fix various industries and enable them to provide the services we need?
Moon answers this question by saying that it depends on the challenges of the industry in question. Using the example of marketing, which is close to his heart, he notes that improving traditional marketing platforms is one problem. He says that without third-party integrations, marketers will have to deal with spam, bots and competitors clicking on links to drain their competitors’ budgets. Furthermore, he points out that large platforms such as Facebook and Twitter have no real incentive to stop this since they make money from it. He points to ToincPow as a unique solution to these problems.
In summary, Moon says that no matter the industry, the question is “how can it be improved with easy, fast transfers of data?” powered by micro- and nano-payments, allowing users to audit and verify results.
How does BSV become 5 years from now? How are we going to get there?
Faslun is curious to hear Moon’s view of what BSV will look like in five years compared to today and how we will get there.
“Five years from now, I’ll be talking about the blockchain of things,” Moon replies. He points to IPv6 and all the potential use cases it, combined with Bitcoin, makes possible. However, he sees changing the mindset of internet users as a challenge. Right now, they pay with time and data to use platforms like Instagram, and many neither know nor care.
Moon admits he doesn’t know where things will be in five years. He believes it could either be the most adopted technology in the world, or it could still hang around where it is now, fighting to get the truth out.
“It’s about finding solutions to problems,” he emphasizes, saying once again that people in certain industries will be able to better understand the problems they face and how solutions using Bitcoin can help them. For example, he says, entertainers can use NFTs to provide buyers with unique experiences and benefits not available to viewers watching a show on YouTube or through other traditional means. Another example would be paying for content on demand rather than paying for monthly packages full of content a given customer may never see.
Faslun speculates that some developers with potentially world-changing ideas may think they are too early in the game, and she asks Moon if he agrees. He replies that those with an idea should go for it, saying that if they make a legitimately great product that solves problems, there will be a market for it. However, he says that in some cases, customers may need to be educated about Bitcoin to some degree; it all depends on the nature of the product. Speaking to those who had an idea and perhaps waited too long, Moon reminds them that Windows wasn’t the first to launch an operating system, but it still dominates much of computing today. “Make it better,” he says.
Instead of trying to communicate what Bitcoin can do or improve the image of BSV on social media, Moon advises entrepreneurs to talk about what their Bitcoin-based business can do for customers. He says there are more than a few such businesses that go quietly without making noise on social media, making deals with customers who need their solutions.
Focus on how you want to communicate to your target group and customers. Everyone in the BSV ecosystem will support you and champion you wherever you go, provided you do things the right way and have good faith because we believe this technology is changing the world,” Moon noted.
How do we deal with people who think BSV is good but want to be able to use it in the real world?
Faslun highlights a critical problem with digital currencies in general, including BSV. She notes that many people think the technology is great, but they want to be able to use it in the real world. She wonders how we can solve this problem.
Moon says he has a simple solution, and it’s called CentBee. He points out that purchasing vouchers for real-world businesses could allow for the purchase of real-world goods using Bitcoin. He points out that most people buy digital currencies because they want dollars, but it is our job to show people how to use Bitcoin in the same way as fiat currencies. This involves teaching people who in turn can teach others, creating a snowball effect.
Sticking with the theme of solving problems, Moon asks Faslun to imagine where micropayments could be most useful. He notes that earning subcent fees isn’t very exciting for Westerners, but that many people out there can get excited by earning fractions of pennies.
Similarly, Moon focuses on merchants, pointing out that payment processors earn transaction fees on each payment, and they are almost certainly higher than the fees on Bitcoin SV. These fees add up, especially when you’re dealing with higher-ticket items like computers. Faslun can relate as she owns a local retail store with her mother and pays over 3% on every transaction.
Is Bitcoin Really Necessary?
Faslun points to comments made recently by Ryan X Charles when he left the BSV ecosystem, saying he no longer believes Bitcoin is necessary and that most of the problems it aims to solve have already been solved by companies like Stripe. She asks Moon his opinion on this.
Moon starts by saying it’s a shame Charles left, but he doesn’t think he sees things from a “global 10,000-foot perspective.” He reminds Faslun that people in the Western world are privileged because they can easily open bank accounts, obtain necessary documents and obtain medical records. He believes that it is the people who do not have these privileges that Bitcoin can help the most. He hopes that in time Charles will come back and realize his mistake.
Watch: BSV Global Blockchain Convention Presentation, Making Blockchain Easy for Real-World Use
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