Thursday June 15, 2017 we welcome back #Pioneer #Visionary Cate Colgan to our weekly Entrepreneur Social Club (TM). We’re back at our headquarters, the historic DTSP venue NOVA 535. Cate’s been working, as usual, on the bleeding edge of things. She’s a force of nature, always sniffing out the newest of the new, leading those around her into the future. Back in 2009, Cate appeared and talked me into our first Tweet-Up. Actually it was one of the first anywhere. Tonight she’s got us tuning into the launch of Boardwalk, by Swarm.City. We’ll learn more about Cryptocurrencies and Blockchain. Let’s call tonight’s story “Swarm.City Boardwalk Release for Blockchain Enabled Commerce.” Title, keyword and URL all gotta match up, ya know!
Swarm.City is a decentralized commerce platform. What the hell does that mean? 🙂
Commerce happens when two or more people trade goods or services for other things of value like cash or crypto, and it requires two things:
- the ability to communicate
- the ability to transact
Swarm.City enables people to communicate and transact in a completely decentralized way – without anyone in the middle. Source: Swarm.City
So what is Blockchain? Blockchain is a digital ledger in which transactions made in bitcoin or another cryptocurrency are recorded chronologically and publicly. “We can actually have a look at the blockchain and see evidence of what’s going on.” Source: Google Search
TOP REASONS to use a Blockchain Enabled Currency:
1. Security. Miner = a machine solving encryption. Offers a unique registry…. it’s a unique existence. You can create something and “completely” secure it; well nothing is 100% secure.
2. Instant processing. (blockchain must sync) but no clearinghouse.
3. Anonymity. You can go online and buy your weed, mail order bride, what-have-you, and do it anonymously.
4. Highly Speculative. CoinMarketCap.com. Think penny stocks speculative. 100% Supply and Demand.
5 .Lower Cost. For ALL of us, consumers and merchants, we all HATE those EXCESSIVE visa/mastercard and especially AMEX fees. Well Blockchain enabled commerce virtually eliminates those fees. Of course the HIGHLY speculative nature of those cryptocurrencies (CC) currently adds a layer of riskiness, since you may get paid at value X and when you go to use your CC that value may likely be X-Y. Same risk you take with any currency exchange, except since CC is so new the value swings will be much greater. Make no mistake though, this is where the future lies.
I just finished reading our ESC pal and mentor, Daniel Priestley’s newest book, 24 Assets. As usual Daniel presents an easy to read, common sense approach to improving yourself, your business and the world. I’m working on my first (of many) books, and his style and voice is fantastic. You always feel inspired, infused with practical steps on how to improve, plus he always accurately describes our world and offers a smart glimpse at where we are likely headed. I usually devour his books within days of them being published, ever since “Become a Key Person of Influence,” his book I recommend almost daily. Like yesterday to my Uber driver, a mid twenty something recent college grad, Physics degree, searching for a life full of meaning and solving problems.
In 24 Assets, Daniel mentions that” …the inability for central banking to function. Central banking is a system of endlessly expanding debt to fuel economic growth…. without Millennials earning more, getting into debt and having lots of kids, the Central Bank need to keep adjusting interest rates down – except they are already at zero. (..continuing..) It’s likely that the world will put more trust into the blockchain backed digital currency.” Daniel is another visionary that sees what Cate is seeing. Central Banks are the old, blockchain backed digital currencies are the future. Stay in touch and check out our new ESC BOOKS section. When you buy from there, the ESC does get a lil affiliate $.
Daniel, like Cate, is always helping others. Daniel mentions in 24 Assets, “that we should select a Global Goal” and put some of our time, $ and energy towards it. Goals like No Poverty, Zero Hunger, Clean Water, etc. Part of my goal is connecting the world’s Entrepreneurs into one ‘family’, kinda like the ESC here. So we can – by forbidding religion and politics – focus on working together, in peace, towards a much brighter future for us all. Another is Clean Water. Otherwise we’ll be like those Dinos that had a good 300+ million year run, but ultimately nothing to show for it. Notes in ancient history. We humans can AND WILL do better. Can’t we???
QUICK TECK TALK: Here are some of the tech terms the super geeks were sharing with us:
Digital Assets. DLC = Downloadable Content. Rare Pepe. Peer to Peer. Fluid Ecology. Micro-Transactions. Your online reputation has real value. (Get this into your brain so I’ll repeat it again (poetic!). Your online reputation has real value!
Steemit.com posts that rise to the top have real $ values. According to their website, “Steem is a blockchain-based social media platform where anyone can earn rewards. Collectively, user-generated content has created billions of dollars worth of value for the shareholders of social media companies, such as Reddit, Facebook, and Twitter. Steem supports social media and online communities by returning much of its value to the people who provide contributions by rewarding them with virtual currency.”
From the Pateron website “Patreon allows artists, podcasters, animators, etc like you to get paid by running a membership business for your fans.”
Members in attendance tonight (that haven’t already been mentioned):
Newcomers: Troy Funk has a Real Estate Office in Sarasota, found the ESC via Jeff Sassano. Also through Jeff is Tracy Hurt offers small business consulting via her 30Elephants.com. Plus she hosts a podcast “How Business Really Works.” Bill Scarborough of WineClubEntrepreneur.com, welcome Bill, Troy, Tracy!! To be clear, this wine business is an MLM which we don’t define as Entrepreneurial. Seth Mattox joined us and provides server hosting through his bairkan.com. We also welcome Patrick MacGuire who helped Cate explain Swarm.City and blockchain and finally Carl Goodney of Florida Medicare Options. Several newcomers in tonight to learn about and discuss these new technologies, their usages and potential ramifications. A warm ESC welcome to you all!
Continuing with members in attendance was Cheryl Long and Patrick Maguire who came in with Cate Colgan. Jeremy Beal, a student at SPC, Monya Swaans with MonyaFlora.com, and Nancy Alexander of NancyAlexanderProperties.com. Nancy is a Residential Homes Sales specialist. Tonya Seay of successbuilders.com, Mark McDermott is with Verizon, and Jenna Michael the lovely photographer. WELCOME!!
Dinner tonight was here at NOVA 535, via Hook’s Sushi and OLD NE Pizza, thanks to Cate!! Of course we did head deeper into DTSP to our fav Queenshead, to drink, dine and hang with owner Tracy Asalita. Thanks Tracy!
Here are ALL the approved photos, and don’t worry, my photos and videos are always reviewed and approved for public consumption, just ask Chris Jenkins.
Join us Thursday nights for dinner and drinks, for networking and to learn about subjects like tonight’s’ “Swarm.City Boardwalk Release for Blockchain Enabled Commerce. Check our upcoming location schedule!
PS: If you’re searching for that 5-Star event venue – weddings, holidays parties, film shoots, corporate events – then make sure to visit NOVA535.com the #1 rated venue in St. Pete / Tampa.