Gary Leland is the founder of the BitBlockBoom Bitcoin conference. In this interview, we discuss the importance of Bitcoin conferences, how to organise, market and run Bitcoin events, and Gary’s path to Bitcoin. We also talk about approaches to Bitcoin investment and spending, our entrepreneurial journeys, travel experiences and approaches to parenting. The conversation concludes with a discussion about football and the offside rule!

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Gary Leland is a seasoned entrepreneur, Bitcoin enthusiast and podcaster with whom I have a lot in common: we have shared experiences, insights, and lessons learned, and we are now both Bitcoin conference organisers! Albeit, I have a long way to go to match Gary’s impact, given the BitBlockBoom event in Texas next year will be his 7th consecutive conference.

The positive influence such conferences have on the Bitcoin community can not be understated. Gary's journey into Bitcoin began at the Texas Bitcoin Conference, which sparked his interest in the concept of Bitcoin as an internet protocol for money. This led him to invest in Bitcoin and become a staunch advocate.

We discussed the importance of Bitcoin in relation to our upcoming events. While the price of Bitcoin can influence ticket sales, we agreed that it alone won't determine the success of the conference. We shared our experiences of selling tickets with Bitcoin and how it has impacted our sales. Gary mentioned that he had more Bitcoin sales for his previous conference, even when the price was down.

Concerning Bitcoin investment and spending, Gary compared his approach to holding onto his Bitcoin to being like a "crack addict," not wanting to dip into his stack unless absolutely necessary! He believes in using Bitcoin for things he couldn't afford otherwise, like gifts for others or a house for himself.

Gary shared his entrepreneurial journey to where he is now, which is a testament to resilience and learning from failures. Gary reflected on how running his Bitcoin event, BitBlockBoom, has given him a different perspective on Bitcoin. He believes that being involved with the event has allowed him to connect with a larger network of people than the average person. It has also connected him to me and allowed me to explain football’s offside rule, so, every silver lining…

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Show notes: https://www.whatbitcoindid.com/podcast/driving-bitcoin-forward

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