Taught from a young age to work hard and think for herself, media professional Natalie Brunel is dedicated to sharing Bitcoin with the world.
Often, when you hear about the American Dream, you think of a heart-warming success story. Entrepreneur who made millions. Or the immigrant family that changed the course of their children. And while there are these inspiring stories, there are many others who came to America in hopes of a better life only to encounter countless obstacles that held them back from achieving their American dreams.
Modern monetary policy drives interest rate volatility and inflation. Many people don’t realize that the US dollar, which was founded on a gold reserve system, wasn’t just off scale Gold standards For more than 50 years, but now it is “supported” by the US military and Petrodollar. The amount of control the US government has over those who live in poverty is enormous. Because of these limiting restrictions, among other factors, achieving the American Dream has become more difficult.
However, Bitcoin can help change this negative cycle.
Natalie Brunel came onto the bitcoin scene in 2021. She was born in Poland and immigrated with her parents to America when she was a little girl. Growing up with a family determined to build a new life in America, the value of hard work and a healthy amount of skepticism has been ingrained in Brunel for as long as she can remember.
With over ten years of experience in the media sector, she took a risk and started on her own Bitcoin podcast. since then, Currency stories It has been hugely successful and influential in highlighting the powerful players in the Bitcoin space.
Her story is inspiring and welcome to anyone interested in starting their own Bitcoin journeys.
How did you first get to know Bitcoin and what exactly drew you to it?
I first learned about Bitcoin in 2016 from a group of friends while working as a local news reporter covering breaking and investigative stories in Sacramento, California. I didn’t understand Bitcoin’s technological innovation or the Bitcoin proponents’ mission to address systemic problems in our financial system. In fact, I modified it at that time by investing in stocks.
Luckily, I bought a little bit and held my way through my first bear market. I also relayed a story about Bitcoin to my news outlet and ended up reporting on a local Bitcoin ATM. I was fascinated by this emerging technology, but my station wasn’t keen on covering more stories about it, so I left it running as a reporting assignment.
It wasn’t until a few years later that my teacher told me to read Bitcoin standardI started my journey down the bitcoin rabbit hole. Seifeddine Ammous’s book changed my view of money and sparked my idea of money Currency stories The podcast, which ultimately changed my career and my life.
What attracted me to Bitcoin was the idea of removing the state’s monopoly on money and creating an opportunity to rebuild our economy on a sound monetary unit immune to manipulation. I imagine a world where money is based on value rather than proximity to politics and power.
What made you leave your traditional media job to pursue Bitcoin?
Ever since I was a little girl, I aspired to be a broadcast journalist. My family immigrated from Poland to Chicago when I was five years old. My family was always in touch with the news at home because the programs helped my father learn to speak English and kept us informed about current events abroad and in our new home. My role model growing up was Barbara Walters.
I’ve always believed in journalists as watchdogs, not government dogs. My parents grew up under a communist regime and were always suspicious of both central authority and media propaganda. I am grateful for this upbringing because it made me question everything around me and made me a more determined reporter.
I have spent over ten years working for mainstream news media and have been disappointed by the increasing bias I have seen on the various networks. I was fortunate to be able to cover in-depth investigative articles on my latest TV reporter site and it wasn’t politicized, but the industry around me was moving in the direction of partisanship, censoring alternative viewpoints, and prioritizing access to politicians rather than following through. and demand accountability.
When preparation meets opportunity, it is “luck”. I possessed communication skills and media training (preparation) and there was an increasing demand in the market for knowledge (opportunity). Bitcoin presented me with an opportunity to leave mainstream media in October 2021 to develop my own podcast and promote Bitcoin education. I decided to bet myself and see if I could build a company to do something I thought would eventually impact the world more than my news reporting. I have never felt better about what I do and am driven by a sense of duty to help people understand our financial system and the benefits of Bitcoin, a revolutionary solution for our money.
How do you usually respond to those who reject Bitcoin, especially those close to you (eg your close friends, etc.)?
I replied with, “I know; I was there once, too.” Being skeptical and critical is a good thing, it means that you are not easily persuaded or sold on the latest fad. This means that you think for yourself. This is already a win. I’m trying to meet the person where he is. One of my mentors, Jeff Booth, has an excellent question for skeptics and newcomers to Bitcoin. This question is, “If technology is supposed to make things cheaper and easier to produce, why is the cost of living around us constantly rising?”
It’s a simple but powerful question that drives to the heart of the problem in our monetary system: inflation.
Every year, it gets more and more difficult to afford a home, college education, and retirement. The rich are getting richer, the poor are getting poorer, and we are all working harder to have less and less valuable coins. This is not a normal phenomenon of our existence. It is the synthetic result of the state’s monopoly on money, and it affects every aspect of our lives.
When I interact with friends on the topic of Bitcoin, I encourage them to note the different crises they hear and read about, or perhaps go through firsthand. Most people feel like things are really hard right now, and it looks like we’re moving in the wrong direction. Once this foundation is laid, I can pique their curiosity as to why Bitcoin offers such a powerful alternative.
Why do you think it is important to close the gender gap in Bitcoin interest and adoption?
I released the first episodes of my podcast at the Bitcoin 2021 conference. I attended the event via a media pass and brought my best friend, Paula, for the company because I didn’t know anyone personally into Bitcoin. My intention was to meet fellow bitcoiners and try to ask individuals I admired to appear on the show, with no intention of building a career in the space.
I have never attended industry conferences and I was surprised by the size and number of attendees. But it was hard not to notice a significant gender gap in this audience. In fact, nowhere was it more evident than when I looked into any conference restroom area: There would be a line of men stretching around a corner on one side, and a vast empty space on the women’s side.
I began to think deeply about why women are so underrepresented in this industry. As we know, finance, engineering, and computer science are all male-dominated fields that intersect organically with Bitcoin, so it only makes sense that a male audience would discover this amazing technology in front of a female audience. Social media also tends to perpetuate the “crypto bro culture” that obscures the global community of bitcoin pioneers who are doing great, honest work. Bitcoin is an inherently multifaceted technology that takes time and effort to understand and even requires some re-education about money in general. I believe all newcomers to Bitcoin, and women in particular, including my closest friends, who are already busy industry leaders and savvy investors, need reliable and accessible evidence to help get past these barriers.
I saw this glitch as an opportunity to expand the space and connect with these newcomers. Since that first conference, I’ve decided to become a resource for ordinary workers, especially women, to learn more about Bitcoin and how our global economy works.
Bitcoin for everyone. Bitcoin is the instrument of freedom and prosperity for every gender, age, race, language, cultural background, and political affiliation. Bitcoin is leveling the playing field and can bring us all together in collaboration. I’m excited to teach other women about Bitcoin because I want them to have a seat at the table of this financial revolution and empower themselves and their families for the long term. We often feel more comfortable learning from and engaging with people who look and sound like us. If I can be a welcoming voice for the new women in the bitcoin space, I would consider it an honor. I love being a woman, I love learning from and connecting with other women, and I’m very proud to be a bitcoin woman. Discovering Bitcoin is incredibly possible, and we need to continue building a supportive and curious community for this journey.
This is a guest post by Becca Bratcher. The opinions expressed are entirely their own and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of BTC Inc or Bitcoin Magazine.