Bitcoin Journey is full of helping hands – Bitcoin Magazine
This is an opinion editorial by Justin Raglandco-organizer of Rocket City Bitcoin.
It all started with the bitcoin crash of 2017. My first thought was, “What the hell have I gotten myself into?”
All the money I put into bitcoin the previous year had dropped by 80%. I slowly watched my exit strategy and newfound wealth sink before my eyes. What I thought was one of the most significant investments I’ve ever made, instantly turned into one of my worst nightmares. After days of disbelief, I began a journey to find out what this bitcoin thing was and how I could make the most of what the crash left me with.
I’m originally from the Rocket City (aka Huntsville, Alabama) – where the main risk is related to whether you’re an Alabama or Auburn fan and gauging who to reveal this information to – but here I faced the most challenging question of all new Bitcoiners are met with: Am I selling now? I know people reading this are probably screaming, “Oh no!” but back in 2017 it looked like a no-brainer. This is partly why I am passionate about teaching Bitcoin beginners because I have been there before. As a newbie myself, I researched and bought almost everything with bitcoin just so I could learn.
I read “The Internet Of Money” by Andreas M. Antonopoulos, watched tons of YouTube videos and listened to the “Tales From The Crypt” podcast, among other things my wife still hasn’t forgiven me. But reading “The Bitcoin Standard” by Saifedean Ammous was when I was completely orange pilled. My fascination and discovery turned into full Bitcoin evangelism to family, friends, strangers at the grocery store, and anyone who would listen. Surprisingly, almost everyone I spoke to listened and they still thank me for introducing them to the hardest money ever.
I was called the “bitcoin guy” in my family and circle of influence. Fast forward to the 2020 bull run. I was bombarded with phone calls, texts and DMs from those who didn’t listen to my soapbox messages. As time went on, I started thinking about the best way to get all these people together so that I didn’t have to have the same conversation multiple times. I took to Twitter to see what some of my favorite podcasters and authors were discussing and I discovered #BitcoinTwitter. It was like the movie “Ready Player One” – full of quirkiness, individuality, inside jokes, shitposting and trolling. I found myself scrolling for hours, unable to retweet or reply because this was my first foray into the Twitterverse.
I found out about a Bitcoin meetup in Nashville but waited a couple of months to attend because I wasn’t sure what to expect. Here I was, the “bitcoin guy,” but no one else outside of my circle knew it. I needed to change it, but I didn’t know where to start.
When I finally decided to attend the meetup, I just wanted to see what it would be like to teach others about Bitcoin and potentially connect with other Bitcoiners. I had no idea that this encounter would catapult my journey and earn me the new nickname “The Connector” by my friend who runs the Asheville meetup.
Stepping out on faith and trusting God led me to this meeting. God and my newfound Bitcoin family have been extremely good to me. I cultivated relationships with other meet organizers and shared my ideas and visions with them and was invited to a two-day conference in Austin, Texas hosted at Pleb Lab. My time there was eye opening and their attention to detail blew me away. They have a formula that works and I was honored to learn from them. From walking the streets of Austin to walking into the biggest conference I’ve ever attended, which seemed like luck to me at the time, but I believe it was bigger than that, it was truly the favor of God.
The Bitcoin 2022 conference was beyond anything I could have imagined. Attending it solidified my interest and goal to work in the Bitcoin space. It exposed me to some of the most brilliant people around the world who share the same hunger to create careers, orange peels and change the lives of everyday people. When I wasn’t at the conference, my time was spent at an Airbnb that housed me and other Bitcoiners. We could easily have a reality TV series with all the personalities, conversations, brainstorming and food choices. My relationships with each of these people have developed, and I am eternally grateful for that bonding time and experience.
Everything came full circle when I got the chance to volunteer at the meetup stand during the conference. Back in 2014, there was a “Bitcoin Magazine” sitting on a rack at a local brewery that stood out to me. I had no idea what it was, so I picked it up and started reading it. In this journey, it is crucial to remember your beliefs and the reason you started on the Bitcoin path. For some it’s for gains or a hedge against inflation, for others it’s to have “Fuck you money.” To me, those are the things and a chance for everyone to have freedom and sovereignty that would not be realized in today’s world without Bitcoin. I eventually met another local Bitcoiner and we agreed that we needed to start our own meeting in Rocket City.
The Rocket City Bitcoin Meetup was the first step, but I had to join the Twittersphere. I had no idea how to be interesting, so I decided to be interested. Interested in what others did, said, sold or started. I noticed people; if a person needed what someone else was offering, I connected them. Involving others and experiencing this journey together is something I am committed to and passionate about.
I encourage all plebs to orange pill their families, friends and social circles. Start the conversation with them in a way that they are able to understand and not give up. They want to know why you are passionate about Bitcoin. Take your involvement a step further and organize a meeting or attend one in your neighboring towns. Community support will go a long way. For those who are interested in Bitcoin but have no idea where to start, I suggest reading the books mentioned earlier and attending a local Bitcoin meetup. Ask questions, gain an understanding and build a community. Newbies miss out on opportunities because it seems hard to keep up, but if you ask questions and seek an understanding, you’ll leave empowered instead of discouraged.
Being interested in others is how I started this journey. I have made amazing friendships and met incredible mentors along the way. With their guidance, I have expanded my local meeting and network. And I’m just getting started.
I want to personally thank God, the Rocket City Bitcoin Meetup members and my co-host, my closest friends and mentors, my Austin Bitcoin family – especially the Pleb Lab – Nashville Meetup organizers and members, and my Ohio Bitcoin family. Special thanks to Car Gonzales for pushing me out of my comfort zone and inspiring me to write this article and Texas Slim for telling me, “I don’t need to ask permission.”
This is a guest post by Justin Ragland. Opinions expressed are entirely their own and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of BTC Inc. or Bitcoin Magazine.
