Metagood, a blockchain technology and digital assets company, announced the successful completion of a $5 million series seed funding round aimed at advancing its Osura marketplace, focused on art within the Bitcoin ecosystem, according to a press release sent to Bitcoin Magazine.

“Osura is embarking on a groundbreaking collaboration with artists to immortalize their creations on Bitcoin, the blockchain synonymous with unparalleled security and longevity,” said Danny Yang, CEO of Metagood. “I’ve been building on Bitcoin for over a decade and couldn’t be more excited about the possibilities that lie ahead for us on the Ordinals protocol which is simple, elegant and powerful.”

Spearheaded by Sora Ventures, the series seed round saw participation from key investors including ACTAI Ventures, Bitcoin Frontier Fund, UTXO Management, London Real Ventures, and Peach.xyz, among others.

This funding milestone, part of Metagood’s larger financing endeavor of $10 million, marks a new era in propelling the development of more technology and product innovations within Osura. Metagood aims to redefine industry standards by merging technology, art, and community engagement in the Bitcoin digital asset marketplace.

“Metagood is setting the gold standard for technical innovation and spearheading the Ordinals market,” says Jason Fang, Founder and Managing Partner at Sora Ventures. “Sora Ventures stands firm in the conviction that the most valuable digital artifacts will find their home on Bitcoin. Leading the round for Metagood is not just an opportunity but a testament to our unwavering belief in the Ordinals space.”

The infusion of capital will bolster the company’s efforts in forging partnerships with artists, advancing technological enhancements on Osura, and expanding its engineering and marketing talent pool to accommodate client and user growth.

“With this new funding, Metagood is poised to elevate the Osura marketplace to new heights, further solidifying our standing as an industry leader in premium digital artifacts,” stated Amanda Terry, Chief Operating Officer of Metagood. “As we navigate the exciting landscape leading up to the Bitcoin halving in April 2024, we believe the timing is impeccable for growing our team and advancing our commitment to innovation on Bitcoin.”

Disclaimer: UTXO Management’s parent company, BTC Inc., is also the parent company of Bitcoin Magazine.

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Needless to say, most of these attempts ended up falling on deaf ears. So I started asking myself “why would this person in front of me care about Bitcoin?” and immediately realized that getting a response was particularly challenging because—even among Bitcoiners—there is no common understanding of what Bitcoin is in the first place. Is it “peer-to-peer electronic cash” as Satoshi originally defined it? Or should we consider it as “digital property” as Michael Saylor suggests? Or maybe listen to Gary Gensler and define it as a commodity?

As tempting as it is to look for a common definition for Bitcoin, doing so during a time when even the most simple linguistic choices are under scrutiny makes such a venture uninspiring and, frankly, pointless.

What I decided to do instead was understand what each of those people really cared about and how Bitcoin could fit into their view of the world rather than expecting them to understand a subject they are barely interested in. As the saying goes, “If the mountain will not come to Mohammed, Mohammed must go to the mountain.”

By doing so, I realized it was unreasonable to act like Morpheus and expect my interlocutors to take a big orange pill. After all, if that approach barely worked with Neo who was “the chosen one”, why would it work with my brother-in-law or with a stranger sitting next to me on the plane?

Because I’ve known for a while that Bitcoin’s nature is multifaceted, the very idea of one single entry point to a multifaceted concept did not sound right. Depending on where one lives, social status, professional background, set of beliefs, values, and environment, there will be a different (and smaller) orange pill that will be more appropriate for each person.

More categories may emerge in the future (Jason Lowery, for example, proposes a military interpretation of Bitcoin and the recent ordinals frenzy reminded us how valuable Bitcoin’s block space can be as its own use-case), but here are the four main buckets that I have identified so far—which represent four different set of problems that Bitcoin is solving for.

1 – Hard Money

In this sense, it’s more typical of a precious metal. Instead of the supply changing to keep the value the same, the supply is predetermined and the value changes —Satoshi Nakamoto

The first sets of problems that Bitcoin attempts to solve originate from a financial system that is broken in its most foundational aspects. For those not understanding, the problem can be described as having a similar nature (but, of course, different magnitude) to hyperinflation in Weimar Republic and Venezuela. The constant debasement of currencies (even the “mild” 2% inflation we all know about) has a tremendous societal impact, with those who are “close to the money printer” being the only winners—a phenomenon also known as the Cantillon Effect.

Unlike fiat money and commodities, such as gold, Bitcoin’s total supply is capped, which makes it the most scarce store of value in the history of mankind and, therefore, an ideal store of value in the long term.

For all those living in the half of the world that is experiencing double-digit inflation, this is a particularly interesting moment to understand how money printing and currency debasement can affect so many aspects of their lives. In fact, people who have lived through the 70s and those living in countries such as Venezuela, Lebanon, Zimbabwe, Argentina, and Turkey will be more receptive to the idea of Bitcoin as a way to preserve their purchasing power in inflationary environments.

This is arguably one of the most difficult aspects of Bitcoin to understand given the number of assumptions it requires us to challenge (e.g. “controlled inflation is good for the economy” or “fiat currencies are stable”). Yet, it’s arguably the most powerful orange pill that one could take.

2 – Superior Payment Network

Humans have invented the best financial tool in our history, and it’s an exciting time to be alive and use it — Jack Mallers

For the first time in human history, money and a payment network are integrated into one open and global system. Not only can Bitcoin serve as a store of value in the long term as explained above, but it also functions as a global medium of exchange that does not require any third party.

In a few seconds, money can be sent anywhere in the world by only paying a fraction of a cent. Compared to bank transfers, credit cards, and remittances, sending money through Bitcoin is significantly cheaper and faster.

People who don’t like bitcoin as a store of value can just use it as a payment system by converting it to the local currency at the two ends of the transaction. Why do that instead of using legacy systems? Perhaps to quickly send money during earthquakes and wars. Or to bypass remittance companies that take weeks to transfer money and charge up to 10% in fees.

The potential of Bitcoin just as a payment network extends to the most unthinkable areas. Micropayments have the potential to boost the creator economy and or solve the problems that have been haunting social networks.

3 – Freedom Technology

It would be a dark, dark world if Bitcoin didn’t exist — Alex Gladstein

The two previous perspectives address the common criticism that “Bitcoin is useless”. But another common criticism—often paired with the former even though it directly contradicts it—is the fact that (just like cars, computers, and most technologies) Bitcoin is used by criminals.

As crazy as it might sound to many, that’s a feature, not a bug. Because in those instances where it’s ethnicity, religion, sex, or political views that determine whether one is a criminal, having a financial system that cannot be weaponized by the government is one of the best insurance policies you can wish for. That is particularly true for two-thirds of the global population that lives in backsliding democracies or autocratic regimes.

Those who care about freedom and human rights should be paying very close attention to this technology. Bitcoin has already provided lifeline support for individuals in need for over a decade. Wikileaks would have not been able to expose serious violations of human rights and civil liberties without Bitcoin. Similarly, many in North Korea, Iran, Afghanistan, Ukraine, Hong Kong, Belarus, Nigeria, and Russia also use Bitcoin as a tool to escape the control and government censorship.

As we move away from physical money and the potential for financial surveillance and censorship increases exponentially, the world will greatly benefit an additional set of checks and balances to limit the power of governments and corporations. Understanding this is very important for all those that are active in promoting individual freedom and human rights in the most authoritarian corners of the world.

4 – Energy Buyer Of Last Resort

It is a win-win-win for everybody. It’s a win for the environment and an inarguable win for the economy — Dennis Porter

Lastly, there is a relatively small crowd of people who might be able to appreciate Bitcoin for a very different set of reasons. Bitcoin constitutes an unprecedented opportunity to build a cleaner, more resilient, and more efficient energy infrastructure. Bitcoin can mitigate the problem of intermittency—the demand/supply mismatch that occurs with renewable energy—and help with the $13B problem of congestion of the electric grid in rural areas.

Bitcoin miners can strengthen these grids and incentivize the deployment of more renewable energy by adapting to the fluctuations of power generation schedules since their rigs can be turned off at any moment without notice. Commonly referred to as “energy buyers of last resort”, Bitcoin miners are perfect for Demand Response programs. Last year, Bitcoin miners in Texas “returned up to 1,500 megawatts to the grid, enough to heat over 1.5 million small homes or keep 300 large hospitals fully operational”.

Bitcoin miners are also finding very creative ways to utilize energy that was previously wasted and many are arguing that Bitcoin is “the only available, practical and scalable technology when it comes to tackling the world’s most deadly greenhouse gas: methane.”

There’s (at least) four orange pills, and people don’t need to take them all.

One of the things I learned during my Bitcoin journey is that this is not a mono-functional technology like a washing-machine or an elevator. Because Bitcoin solves many different problems, its perceived value and utility will change significantly depending on who you talk to.

Those living in South Carolina might not care about censorship resistance or privacy as much as the local jobs that are created by a new Bitcoin company. The Turkish population might have not cared about Bitcoin as an inflation hedge (given the country’s situation, it should) during the earthquake earlier this year, but just needed a way to receive money as fast as possible. North Korean defectors like Yeonmi Park are not really interested in how Bitcoin micropayments can support artists online while they are being sold for less than $300 as sex slaves.

Listening and trying to understand who you are talking to is the most important thing you can do when presenting an idea. That is particularly true with Bitcoin, given the negative bias most people have towards it, how complex it is to understand, and how difficult it is to challenge some of the greatest assumptions that most people have.

This simple framework is an attempt to strategically identify the areas of interest of people who are new to Bitcoin and avoid overwhelming them with a big orange pill they might not be ready for.

Instead, by choosing between hard money, payment system, freedom technology, and energy buyer, I am now able to better structure conversations and elevator pitches when engaging with people and answering the usual “Uh! Tell me more about this Bitcoin thing!” question.

So go ahead, choose your orange pill and remember the most important question for Bitcoin is “why would one care about it?”

This is a guest post by Jesse Colzani. Opinions expressed are entirely their own and do not necessarily reflect those of BTC Inc or Bitcoin Magazine.

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PRESS RELEASE. The rise of AI-generated art has created ethical concerns and challenges within the art community, as many artists perceive these tools as undermining their skills and exploiting their work for profit. Paysenger, a groundbreaking blockchain-based collaboration platform for content creators, fans, and brands, is poised to tackle these issues with its native token, EGO, and AI integration.

Paysenger introduces a personalized AI model that allows artists to create unique, AI-generated art in their distinctive style. This exclusive, artist-specific AI model uses the artist’s social account for validation and access. By combining personalized AI models, blockchain technology, and NFTs, Passenger aims to revolutionize the art world and foster new opportunities for artists and brands alike.

Paysenger’s cutting-edge technology and proprietary AI have been developed in collaboration with Dr. Tamay Aykut, formerly a visiting assistant professor at Stanford. The company also collaborates with Polygon and ConsenSys, a prominent blockchain software company, further solidifying its position in the industry.

Despite the skepticism surrounding AI projects and the hype they generate, Paysenger stands out as a project backed by substantial investments and focused on addressing real-world challenges. Projects with such foundations are expected to yield impressive results, capturing a significant market share in the long run.

The platform’s native token, EGO, not only serves as a medium for users to interact with their favorite creators and support their work but also provides an incentive for users to perform targeted actions like content publication, paid communication, and purchasing content from creators. As Paysenger continues to develop its ecosystem, the EGO token is poised to become an essential component of the Paysenger platform.

In addition to addressing the ethical concerns surrounding AI-generated art, Paysenger offers a wide range of features for content creators, including AI-generated chat, photo generation, and content requests. These features, combined with the platform’s commitment to fostering a thriving creative community, make Paysenger an appealing choice for those interested in blockchain-based projects with real-world impact.

Paysenger’s success in bridging the gap between Web2 and Web3 technologies and its potential for mass adoption of blockchain technologies present a strong case for the value of its native token, EGO. As the platform continues to grow and expand its offerings, EGO is set to become an integral part of this innovative ecosystem.

On May 25th, Paysenger is scheduled to launch its Initial DEX Offering (IDO), marking a significant milestone for the company.

This is a press release. Readers should do their own due diligence before taking any actions related to the promoted company or any of its affiliates or services. Bitcoin.com is not responsible, directly or indirectly, for any damage or loss caused or alleged to be caused by or in connection with the use of or reliance on any content, goods or services mentioned in the press release.

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This is an opinion editorial by Rebel Money, a visual artist who focuses on Bitcoin themes and advocates for other artists in the space.

For centuries, the traditional art market has been dominated by established auction houses and galleries, where works of art are sold for millions of dollars. Despite its longevity, the art market has been criticized for its opaqueness, exclusivity and the difficulties faced by new collectors when navigating its intricacies. In fact, it has been described as “the most corrupt industry in the world.”

Given that Bitcoin was designed to counter large, corrupt monetary policies, many wonder if it can also disrupt the shady and unscrupulous practices of the art world. If so, how might Bitcoin achieve this transformation?

Closed Source

From an artist’s perspective in the traditional art world, comprehending the intricate economics of selling their artwork and where the funds end up is a daunting task. Unfortunately, artists are often left in the dark about the financial aspects of their craft, which can be disheartening and even exploitative.

There appears to be a deliberate effort to infantilize the artists, depriving them of a comprehensive understanding of the financial transactions involving their work, and rendering them vulnerable to manipulation by powerful intermediaries in the industry. Art galleries are not immune to such practices, as they take advantage of the complex processes involved in the purchase of artworks, which typically requires the involvement of multiple intermediaries such as banks, auction houses and art dealers.

This can create a sort of sleight of hand, making it easier for galleries to obscure the actual sale value of artwork, and resulting in the artist being kept in the dark about the true value of their work.

The murky economic model applies not just to artists but also for new collectors trying to navigate the market. Large galleries often change prices depending on who they are selling to, which can make it difficult for new collectors to acquire pieces. This tactic allows galleries to maintain control over who owns the art, limit the supply and ensure that the art will not end up in the secondary market, leading to a Cantillon-style effect.

In addition to the challenges faced by new collectors, museums and prestigious collectors often have access to special work and can pay less for pieces. Having their names associated with certain pieces can also boost the value of the artwork. For example, the Guggenheim has reportedly received discounts of 30% or more for certain pieces because of their association with the museum.

These pricing tactics and exclusivity practices can leave new collectors feeling frustrated and unable to acquire pieces, no matter the cost. Even celebrities like Daniel Radcliffe, known for his role in the “Harry Potter” movies, have been turned down when trying to acquire pieces. Radcliffe told Time Out London that, in 2012, he attempted to purchase a Jim Hodges piece but was told, “No, we’re waiting for a more prestigious collector to take that.”

While it may be tempting to assume that large auctions at industry giants such as Sotheby’s or Christie’s are fair and open, the reality is that the price of art at auction can still be manipulated. Despite the seemingly-transparent nature of auctions, there are still ways for insiders to control the outcomes. One example is the practice of “chandelier bidding,” where an auctioneer takes extra phantom bids from non-existent bidders in order to artificially inflate the price of a piece. This technique is used to create an illusion of competition, driving up the price and creating a sense of urgency among bidders. In addition to chandelier bidding, collectors may also bid on lots simply to raise the bidding temperature, even if they have no real interest in the accompanying piece, in order to protect the value of their existing collection.

As a result, auction prices may not always reflect the true market rates, and may instead be influenced by these behind-the-scenes tactics.

Can Bitcoin Fix This?

The use of Bitcoin in the art world has the potential to address the issues of corruption and inequality in the industry. Bitcoin offers a more efficient and transparent transaction mechanism, eliminating the need for multiple intermediaries and enabling immediate payment for artists after the sale of their artwork.

However, the human layer of Bitcoin adoption in the art world is complex. While Bitcoin has the potential to be a powerful tool for good, it can also be misused by those with malicious intentions. Nonetheless, Bitcoin has the ability to incentivize ethical behavior in the art world. As Bitcoin is not subject to inflationary pressures, it reduces the exploitation of artists in revenue sharing and eliminates the need for potentially-questionable practices.

Bitcoin auction sites such as Scarce.City and Plebeian Market have recognized the gap in the market and are leveraging Bitcoin’s capabilities to create a more ethical approach to art sales. By charging lower fees and offering a transparent bidding process open to all, these companies aim to disrupt the traditional gallery and auctioneering worlds. With direct payments to artists and collectors after the auction, the use of Bitcoin in the art world could bring more fairness and transparency to the industry.

P(ower)2P(ainters)

And Bitcoin’s disruptive potential extends beyond just providing a more efficient and transparent means of buying and selling art. It has the power to fundamentally change the traditional art world’s structure by offering a decentralized, peer-to-peer relationship between artists and collectors. This shift is crucial because it enables artists to have direct relationships with their collectors, rather than relying on galleries to control access to their work.

In the conventional art market, the artist’s relationship with the collector is often non-existent, and it is the gallery that dictates who gets to collect the artwork. However, with Bitcoin, artists have the opportunity to create beautiful and meaningful relationships with their collectors, as both parties navigate and learn from each other. This relationship-building process is facilitated by the fact that Bitcoin enables transactions to occur directly between artists and collectors, without intermediaries.

The emergence of digital art collectibles, such as Counterparty tokens, Ordinals and Rare Pepes, has further amplified this effect. With these digital art collectibles, artists can easily send their pieces to collectors around the world and reward them with additional sub-assets in the future. This new dynamic empowers artists to grow their work organically as their relationships with their collectors develop.

Fake Rares

Counterfeiting and the forgery of artworks have plagued the art industry for centuries and continue to be major concerns for galleries, auction houses and collectors. In fact, the Fine Art Expert Institute’s report suggests that the market for fake artworks is worth approximately $6 billion per year. Moreover, in some categories of artwork, the percentage of fake artworks may reach as high as 70%. To make matters worse, some experts suggest that up to 20% of art pieces displayed in museums around the world could be counterfeit.

The rise of Bitcoin presents an opportunity to combat art forgery and counterfeiting through its immutable ledger. This technology can provide a transparent and secure platform for art sales, addressing the issue of authenticity and provenance. By embedding tokens in physical art pieces or digital art, these assets can be tracked transparently from owner to owner, ensuring that the buyer is purchasing a piece of authentic art.

This method of tracking art pieces has significant potential to mitigate the risk of forgeries and counterfeits in the art market. It also offers art collectors and investors a transparent way to purchase art pieces with confidence, knowing that they are genuine and have a reliable provenance. Furthermore, it may discourage counterfeiters from creating fake artworks altogether, as their creations can be easily detected and traced back to the source, leading to legal consequences. As such, Bitcoin can play a pivotal role in reducing the circulation of fake art, ensuring that the art industry remains a safe and secure place for art collectors, investors and enthusiasts.

1494 All Over Again

More and more art and artists are being drawn to Bitcoin every day. This is not a surprise, as creators are primed for adoption of Bitcoin. Artists know that proof of work and energy transmutation have always been a part of the alchemical process of painting. Selling artwork for sats is an artist’s way of mining.

With greater adoption, Bitcoin principles such as leveraging open-source information, emphasizing transparency, remaining borderless and promoting decentralization will influence the traditional art market through the nuts and bolts of the network and, perhaps more importantly, the culture and behavior surrounding it.

It gives artists and collectors new tools to sell art and forge relationships directly. While there will always be a role for the gallerist, transparency is the basis for growth in Bitcoin art, and building off of it can create a more ethical and creative ecosystem.

In 1494, the invention of double-entry accounting ushered in a new era of human prosperity and a golden age of artistic expression. While it’s not a silver bullet, Bitcoin offers a real hope of echoing history and paving the way for a Renaissance in the art world in terms of creativity, freedom and ethics. Embrace the great restoration.

For more, listen to the Bitcoin Magazine Podcast episode featuring a conversation between Rebel Money, Dennis Koch and X Nardo.

This is a guest post by Rebel Money. Opinions expressed are entirely their own and do not necessarily reflect those of BTC Inc or Bitcoin Magazine.

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This is an opinion editorial by Source Node, a former sales account manager with a background in training and industrial-organizational psychology.

When I pitch Bitcoin to a relative, to a friend or to a complete stranger in the bathroom stall next to me, they will inevitably ask, “How is this benefiting you? Are you going to make money from me buying bitcoin?”

In one sense, the honest answer is yes, but my main objective is actually to alleviate suffering.

Will any single investor buying bitcoin make my bitcoin increase in value? Not unless I’m convincing a hyper-rich communist sympathizer like Charlie Munger to hop onboard. The average investor buying $1,000-worth of BTC is not going to change the price of bitcoin. In fact, even a very wealthy investor allocating $100 million may not significantly change the price of bitcoin. In that sense, I am not benefiting directly from convincing individuals to buy bitcoin at all.

However, given the early stage of adoption that we are currently experiencing, the asymmetric upside of investing in bitcoin today has the potential to turn a relatively-small investment into life-changing financial security. For this reason, the motivation to pitch Bitcoin to people I care about is greater now than it will be in the future. The potential future which Bitcoin enables for myself and for society is the primary driving force behind my participation in the network. The prospect of living in a world of abundance, voluntary behavior and geopolitical cooperation is becoming more achievable by the block. I wish to benefit from the transition to that world and I wish for those whom I love (as well as random strangers I encounter) to benefit from it as well.

I know I am not the only one who holds this view. It seems to be a natural inclination for nearly every Bitcoiner to compulsively pitch Bitcoin to their friends, relatives and acquaintances. Unfortunately, I have seen many people become exhausted with these pitches. This exhaustion seems to slow down adoption more than support it, which indicates to me that some of what I have to share regarding sales may be helpful.

Every Bitcoiner who crosses the threshold into this decentralized organization brings with them a unique profile of knowledge, skills and interests. I have always had a passion for the discipline of sales. But as a third-generation salesman on my father’s side, I am frequently disgraced by the state of the trade. The word “salesman” often conjures up visions of a pushy vacuum peddler on your doorstep, a slippery used car dealer or an overpaid executive who is better at golf than he is at demonstrating the product that his company manufactures. This is not the vision I have of sales as a vocation or as an art.

Illustrated broadly, everyone is engaged in sales. Most sales people know this. There is nothing invasive about representing oneself in a conscious manner, sharing a vision and educating in a way that caters to individual differences. Sales is about influencing the perspectives of others to motivate behavioral change. Nowhere in that process does a salesperson have to sacrifice honesty, integrity or reputation.

Throughout this article, I will refer to anyone we might be pitching Bitcoin to as a “customer.” This isn’t meant to be cold and impersonal, but rather an illustrative metaphor. There are tools which can assist us in developing an effective approach to discussing Bitcoin with prospective customers.

The following information is a summary of what I have found to be effective in pitching Bitcoin and my best attempt at describing the attitudes which have supported the greatest success stories.

The Outer Strategy

The Bitcoin sales cycle is long. Bitcoin isn’t just sold once, it’s sold continuously every moment that a person chooses to hold it. Bitcoin is conceptualized and utilized differently by each participant in the network based on their unique needs and lifestyle choices. Due to the longevity and complexity of a proper Bitcoin pitch, I have found that “The Challenger Sale” model is especially well suited for selling Bitcoin.

“The Challenger Sale” by Matthew Dixon and Brent Adamson outlines research on sales performance across many industries and outlines five basic types of salespeople. The salespeople who consistently outperformed their counterparts, during strong as well as weak economic conditions, fell under the category that the book is named after. These sales people had certain traits in common and in my observation, many Bitcoiners exemplify these traits as well. I will touch on the research findings briefly, but if you want a deeper dive into nuances of the topic, I would recommend picking up a copy of the book.

“Challengers,” as they are differentiated from their counterparts, frequently hold a unique view of the world, they love to debate, they are not afraid to push the customer and they have a deep understanding of the customer’s business. From my interactions with Bitcoiners over the years, I see these qualities very frequently. Challengers also tend to find themselves in teaching roles, which is reflected through the many books and podcasts created as Bitcoin educational tools.

The challenger is well read on every aspect of the sale and can preempt arguments against their points of view. Achieving this degree of intellectual karate may lead you toward reading about economics, engineering, psychology, history, philosophy, spirituality, physics and ecology. In order to approach a topic holistically, one must understand the foundations, the arguments and the counterarguments. Be ready not just to agree or disagree, but to provide a detailed explanation of your reasoning if required.

Every person you interact with will have a different path to understanding Bitcoin. Certain key pieces of information will ignite a fire of interest in one person and have no effect on another. Learn to find these key areas of interest through practice and repetition. As a general tip, I have found that pitching Bitcoin to people close to my own age is more effective than trying to sell across generational gaps. Studying integral theory is helpful with the process of understanding customer value systems as well.

There is a critical balance to be achieved regarding debate and pushing the customer. When you are pushing the customer, keep the conversation friendly. It is possible to chip away at someone’s defenses with humor and creativity rather than by annoying or humiliating them. Emotional intelligence is required to find the right balance between pushing, pulling and resting.

It’s important to be up front about bitcoin’s performance over the short term and the long term. It is your job to carefully gauge the customer’s risk tolerance and conviction in the face of volatility. If you get the impression that someone is buying just because they trust what you are saying, tread carefully. Unless the person you are speaking with understands how to responsibly self custody and to avoid trading on leverage, you may want to dissuade them from buying in large amounts. If your customer bites off more than they can chew and gets burned, it will take them even longer to benefit from Bitcoin.

Customers who walk away from a conversation having learned something valuable are much more likely to pick up the phone and call that salesperson back. However, there is a difference between being a source of knowledge and being a firehouse of unsolicited opinions. Sometimes, the best way to start a teaching discussion is to ask some questions. Effective teaching is not a forceful process. It is your job to pique the interest of whoever you are speaking with so that they begin to request further information. Try to avoid going on extensive monologues and maintain engagement from whoever you are speaking with.

Tailoring a pitch to a grocery store cashier or to a hedge-fund manager will be very different discussions. These approaches are unique for each individual, but there are two primary categories: One approach is bottom up (related to price inflation) and the other is top down (related to central banking and market forces). Both begin with a discussion around the dollar and how it functions. Most people will dismiss Bitcoin as pointless until they understand the problem it is solving. When discussing the fiat problem, I have found that speaking rationally about poorly-aligned incentives is generally more effective than launching into a verbal summary of “The Creature From Jekyll Island.”

The corporate media has been fairly effective at turning the word “Bitcoin” into something scary. Most of the time, I don’t even say the word “Bitcoin” until I get a clear sign of engagement. Open-ended questions are an effective way to gauge the level of understanding you’re cooperating with. For example,“How much do you know about Bitcoin?” or, “If I provided you with infinite funds, describe how you would attack the Bitcoin network or stop people from using it.” Leave room for the customer to disagree with you and take their disagreement as a positive step in the debate process.

The ability to transcend political discussions makes controlling the direction of the conversation much easier. Money supersedes politics and the discussion can always be returned to the banking system. I continuously maintain that whatever political issue may be irritating the customer, it will only get worse until the money is fixed. Any effort to fix a societal problem without fixing the money is like using a bucket to throw water out of a ship without addressing the hole causing the ship to sink.

Remember to be measured in your approach. You don’t have anything to prove to anyone. Don’t forget what is most important to you and don’t get caught up in the desire to be right or to prove someone else wrong. When you’re laying on your deathbed, you won’t be kicking yourself for failing to orange pill a relative at Thanksgiving, but you might regret burning a bridge with someone you love over an unnecessary argument.

The Inner Game

Book smarts and creative problem solving are important tools, but when it comes to sales, the most critical skill to develop is emotional attunement. An effective salesperson will accurately read the emotional tone of the conversation in real time and adjust their approach as needed. There are a number of skills involved in this form of emotional intelligence, the most important of which is learning to accurately read and interpret nonverbal communication.

In my experience, the primary impediment to emotional attunement is egotistical dysfunction on the part of the salesperson. The ego is critical to human functioning and is not to be vilified, but it should not be running the show either. The degree to which a salesperson can relate to a prospective customer is a question of spiritual development more than business acumen. Nothing is more attractive or conducive to building trust than authenticity and honesty. In order to live with authenticity, we are required to face discomfort and integrate the aspects of ourselves that we reject. Without understanding your own intentions, you cannot understand the intentions of others.

Present yourself in the most transparent way possible. Deceitful action and hypocrisy are repulsive to the human spirit. The fiat system has a way of holding us hostage in situations which pressure us to compromise our values. As a result, we find ourselves alienated from our true intentions and separated from authentic relationships. Bitcoin enables us to liberate ourselves from these discouraging moral concessions, if we wish to do so.

Regardless of the behavior of those struggling to maintain a broken system, Bitcoiners can choose to persevere in equanimity. This temperament can only serve to vaporize phony criticisms of Bitcoin with the light of truth. Maintaining the higher ground will depend on a certain degree of personal and collective purification. Admit your faults and shortcomings without any reservation as soon as you perceive them. Striving to prove others wrong is a silly game which benefits no one. Striving to be effective in achieving your goals is a worthwhile undertaking.

If you let your ego enter the Bitcoin sales pitch, you are more likely to take criticisms personally and the conversation will drift into alienation. If you approach the discussion honestly and compassionately, you will create an ally rather than an enemy. I have often encountered a tremendous amount of resistance in conversations about Bitcoin and returned to that person months later to find that they have internalized much of what I said.

If the conversation remains respectful, you can walk away and let the orange marinade do its work. This is especially true as bank failures and inflation continue to draw attention to the issue at hand. Very few people are ready to change their minds in a single conversation. In fact, my recommendation would be to forego the intent to change anyone’s mind, but rather to provide information so that your acquaintance can reach their own conclusion.

When anger enters a discussion about Bitcoin, your customer will fail to see the countless hours of research you have applied to understanding the topic. If you get rattled by their questions or comments, they will only see fear, uncertainty and doubt. If you strike a condescending tone, you run the risk of pushing them away from Bitcoin rather than compelling them to learn more about it. If you feel animosity arising, take a step back and breathe.

Another common sales pitfall worth avoiding is “trash talking the competition.” It might be tempting to attack fiat currencies, stocks, bonds, altcoins or gold. Attacks like this exhibit weakness. Handling objections with grace develops confidence in the person you are speaking with. People are often very emotionally attached to their investments. Attacking them will cause the customer to double down and become much less open to hearing what you have to say. I do not denounce anyone for making certain investments, but I will gladly explain why bitcoin is likely to be superior in comparison to other assets.

“It is only against the big waves that (a surfer) is required to use all his skill, all his courage and concentration to overcome; only then can he realize the true limits of his capacities. At that point he often slips into a superconscious state and attains his peak. In other words, the more challenging the obstacle he faces, the greater the opportunity for the surfer to discover and extend his true potential. The potential may have always been within him, but until it is manifested in action, it remains a secret hidden from himself. The obstacles are a very necessary ingredient to this process of self-discovery. Note that the surfer in this example is not out to prove himself; he is not out to show himself or the world how great he is, but is simply involved in the exploration of his latent capacities. He directly and intimately experiences his own resources and thereby increases his self-knowledge.” 

–Timothy Gallwey, “The Inner Game Of Tennis”

The above quote is no excuse for misleading unsuspecting financial refugees. Clown coins, vaporware and moral hazard should be dismissed resolutely. Those who support such misguided activities should be discredited mercilessly. However, all of this can be accomplished without losing your cool. Holding on to hate will not benefit you in any way. Always be ready for your detractors to switch to your side. There is no need to make it harder for them to do so by treating them in a cruel manner.

I have found it helpful to frame all forms of “altcoin” investing as gambling behavior. In this way, I can view these choices through the lens of addictive compulsion rather than stupidity or some other judgmental interpretation. I do not enable addictive behavior by accepting excuses, but I do not criticize it either. The road out of addiction is often barricaded by trauma and maladaptive assumptions. Harsh judgment does not assist in dissolving these barriers, but rather reinforces the separation between the real world and the addict.

The only reason I am able to write this article is because I have broken every suggestion in it at one point or another and witnessed the results. I may continue to break these recommendations in the future, but I maintain a continuous practice of humility, compassion and patience. Self judgment stifles growth more than it fosters it. If you punish yourself for behaving differently than you would like, your actions will become contrivances; like a child who is constantly afraid of their parent’s scorn. This will likely counteract any efforts you apply toward living with more authenticity.

Acting out of a genuine desire to enhance life will help you to root into a more authentic lifestyle. That type of authenticity is magnetic. Look inward at your reservations and intentions. If you are trying to orange pill others to convince yourself of Bitcoin’s value or to prove yourself to the world, you will be better served by reserving your opinions until you no longer have these insecurities. If you are beyond the need for approval, your rate of success will increase dramatically. Act on the truth that you know. Unlike Bitcoin, you don’t need consensus for validation.

This is a guest post by Source Node. Opinions expressed are entirely their own and do not necessarily reflect those of BTC Inc or Bitcoin Magazine.

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