What I’ve learned from podcasting for two months

Today’s blog post is a different fromt he usual bunch. I want to showcase what I’ve learned from podcasting for the past two months and how you can use this to your advantage as well!

This blog is usually all about Bitcoin, fintech, and how decentralized protocols will improve the financial world in the future. I mostly give my personal opinions or talk about experiences I share with everyday people.

Today’s post is a bit different. I want to give the insight I learned from podcasting for the past two months. In case you missed it, I’m one of the co-hosts of Rabbit Hole Stories, and for the past two months, I’ve published one episode per week.

The premise of the show is simple. We have guests on and listen to their rabbit hole stories. Later we talk about specific issues, events, or talking points in the Bitcoin landscape. We want to feature the people in Bitcoin and show there is more to the industry than you read on Twitter.

So far, we have had different guests with different opinions. There were many things I would like to highlight, and at the end of the article, I also share some of the things you can do as a reader to improve your life or next project or pay attention to things in general.

Don’t lose hope in people, and listen to what they have to say

If you read or watch the news these days, we all hate each other and knock ourselves out. Combine that with general social media, and you lose any hope you have left in humanity.

Which is something I started to feel as well. Because of my job, I have to consume a lot of news for different markets. Next to this, I’m also very active on Twitter.

However, thanks to the podcast, I spoke to many people and saw the opportunity from the other side. These worries fade away if you get some time and sit down with people.

People are still amazing and often need that 10 to 15-minute prep talk to ease into a conversation. We usually do this before we hit the record button. So if the red light goes on, they don’t feel pressured and can speak their mind.

Personal branding is excellent, but so many of us hide behind a mask

This second point goes hand in hand with the first one. Because we constantly debate with someone, we tend to build a personal brand. Some build them authentically and interact online precisely the same as if you meet them in real life.

Most people out there aren’t that authentic, though. They start building an online persona or go full anon and don’t interact with their legal name. I’m not saying this isn’t good, but most people start living their online lives differently than if you meet them in person.

This is different with the podcast. Because we do audio and video, we get to see our guests' faces. So far, we were lucky, and everyone was willing to show up fully doxxed. We will have some people, who go by pseudonyms, but that’s not an issue. We respect that.

However, having people on a call and getting to ask them what they want to talk about, why they ended up here, and what they plan on doing soon is a magic formula.

Long-form content and conversations are the way to go

I was never really the guy who went out and talked to people for hours, but the podcast changed that. I’m keener to listen to what my friends or family tell me. I take more time on the phone and ask them how their days were and what they think about particular topics.

Also, the podcast changed my perspective on many things in my day job. Although I love my Bitcoin clients and always make the extra effort to support them, I also appreciate the insight I get from my fintech and tradfi clients.

Before the podcast, I used to look at some of them and treat them as money-making machines. I wasn’t fully engaged and used them to pay the bills. I was extremely stubborn and never wanted to listen to anything they had to say. Silly, I know.

But in the months leading up to launching the podcast, I realized how big of a help they are! These aren’t monsters or the enemy, just because they don’t work in Bitcoin. The jobs and tasks I need to do for them are solving everyday problems.

This was the feedback I got from a lot of them. Instead of being the silly Bitcoin guy, I turned into someone with an open mind. Someone they could ask for an unbiased opinion about their fields. Remember, these are family offices or wealth managers who’ve spent decades in the legacy financial system. They often don’t understand technology or growth markets.

This was probably also why I was hesitant to accept their criticism of Bitcoin and evolving technologies. At a certain point in life, all of us become blind to our own beliefs.

Instead of confronting the problem, we tend to pull back into our bubbles and live with a massive confirmation bias. After all, everyone around you will agree with what you have to say.

Make the jump if you want to change, and be more open to new ideas. Ask around and see what kind of feedback you get. From personal experience, the guidance you need might be closer than you think!

Conclusion

Podcasting helped me to get out of a personal slump and see the world with a new set of eyes. Bitcoin is great and all, but we still need to improve many things.

Normal users still don’t understand the difference between Bitcoin and altcoins. They’re not interested in monetary policy or the next halving. They want to know how it can be a valuable asset for their portfolio.

The same has to be said for us Bitcoiners. We tend to shut people out who are in disagreement with our beliefs. Just because someone has worked in finance and doesn’t understand Bitcoin yet, doesn’t mean you have to be rude to them.

Please sit down, listen to what they don’t understand, and try to explain it to them like a normal human being. Also, be open to hearing what they have to tell you. You might be surprised how similar both your viewpoints are…