Early Days

By Car

In Early Days, we dive into the early stage—and often chaotic—world of first-time founders. Each episode unpacks the pivotal decisions, unforeseen challenges, and valuable lessons learned along the wa... more

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How many episodes does Early Days have?

The podcast currently has 10 episodes available.

Early Days episodes:

June 03, 2025Alamo Labs by Ge
Summary:

In this episode of Early Days, Car sits down with Ge, the founder of Alamo Labs, to talk about the new Bitcoin hub taking shape in San Antonio — and the grassroots journey that brought it to life.

We explore:
The importance of plebs playing a crucial role in grassroots Bitcoin initiatives.
How the city often guides the direction and energy of local Bitcoin movements.
How building a physical space comes with its own set of challenges and opportunities for Bitcoin builders and community members
Why San Antonio is well-positioned to become a regional hub for Bitcoin in South Texas, with the right vision and support

Chapters:
01:11 The Story of Building Alamo Labs
07:00 Scaling Challenges
16:27 Measuring Impact
21:38 Expanding the Model for Other Cities
33:24 The Reality of Fundraising vs. Revenue
44:25 Unique Identity of Every Bitcoin City
49:46 Breaking Out of the Echo Chamber
1:01:54 Love, Legacy, and Brotherhood

Special thanks to our sponsor, VENTAC – trusted legal resources built for founders.
From contracts to trademarks and fundraising docs, VENTAC makes it easy and affordable to get the support you need to build.
Save 10% with code: PlebLab
https://myventac.com

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...more
1h 6min
May 21, 2025Synonym by John Carvalho
Summary:

In this episode of Early Days, Car sits down with John to discuss the evolution of Synonym, its vision for a decentralized digital economy, and the development of the Pubky protocol.

We explore:
The importance of self-sovereignty, identity, and trust in the digital age
Pubky introducing a public key domain system for censorship resistance.
The Atomic Economy and why it is not just a technology stack.
Future of Pubky, Social Media and it's AI Integration.

Chapters:
05:01 Challenges of Lightning
10:51 Exploring the PubKey Protocol
17:43 Self-Sovereignty and Digital Identity
30:27 Payments and Settlement in The Next Web
36:36 The Challenge of Scaling Bitcoin
40:23 Building a Trusted Payment System
41:07 Understanding the "Semantic Social Graph"
44:47 The Future of Pubky, Social Media and AI Integration
52:32 Creating Meaningful Technology for Families
55:09 The Launch of PubKey

Special thanks to our sponsor, VENTAC – trusted legal resources built for founders.
From contracts to trademarks and fundraising docs, VENTAC makes it easy and affordable to get the support you need to build.
Save 10% with code: PlebLab
https://myventac.com

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Learn more about Synonym
Follow John on Pubky, X
Learn more Synonym
Build on Pubky Core
...more
1h 4min
April 15, 2025Assign Money by Jeremy
Summary:

In this episode of Early Days, Car sits down with Jeremy from Assign Money who shares his builder journey, detailing his love for creation, the challenges of building in Nigeria and why Bitcoin payroll is a growing need in Africa.

We explore:
Jeremy's journey into coding began with a desire to create and innovate.
The Nigerian government strict regulations against cryptocurrency transactions.
Why education is key to increasing Bitcoin adoption in Nigeria.
Despite regulations, there is a growing interest in Bitcoin among the population.

Chapters:
09:36 Challenges of Building on Bitcoin
16:44 The Regulatory Landscape in Nigeria
22:59 Adoption and Understanding of Bitcoin in Africa
27:48 The Development Ecosystem in Nigeria
31:04 What is Assign Money?
41:08 Stablecoins and Payroll Solutions in Africa

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48min
March 25, 2025HeatBit by Alex
Summary:

In this episode of Early Days, Car sits down with Alex from Heatbit who shares his entrepreneurial journey, detailing the inception of Heatbit during the COVID-19 lockdown, the challenges faced in product development, and the importance of market validation.

We explore:
The journey began with a curiosity about Bitcoin mining and heating.
Market validation is crucial before fully developing a product.
Prototyping and user testing are essential steps in product development.
Optimism is common among founders, but realistic expectations are necessary.
Simplicity in product design often leads to better user experiences.

Chapters:
03:28 The Genesis of Heatbit: A Journey of Curiosity
06:38 Passion for Physical Products and Waste Reduction
09:30 The First Iteration: Building the Heatbit
12:29 Design Evolution and Professional Input
15:35 Market Entry: Lessons from Indiegogo
18:37 Navigating Challenges and Market Confirmation
21:38 Building the Team and Engaging Customers
24:38 Marketing Strategies and Customer Engagement
27:37 Production Challenges and Overcoming Obstacles
30:26 The Emotional Journey of Product Creation
32:52 From Prototypes to Production
33:35 Customer Reactions: Excitement and Reality Check
36:25 Lessons Learned: Optimism vs. Reality in Startups
40:03 Simplicity in Design: The Key to User Experience
41:38 Funding the Vision
42:55 The Resurgence of Home Mining
47:29 Navigating Investor Relationships
51:58 Open Source and Privacy in Mining

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1h 2min
March 04, 2025Bitspend by Joshua
Summary:

In this episode of Early Days, Car sits down with Joshua, the founder of Bitspend, to discuss his journey in developing a payment solution using Bitcoin and the Lightning Network. The conversation also touches on the Ark protocol, revenue models for Bitspend, and the application of the 80/20 principle in development.

We explore:
Cross-border payments are difficult, especially from Nigeria.
Bitspend plugin aims to simplify user interactions with Bitcoin.
Bitshala Lab plays a significant role in educating developers.
Nigeria Bitcoin ecosystem
The Ark protocol
The 80/20 principle helps prioritize development efforts.

Joshua shares his experiences with cross-border payments, the importance of verification in Bitcoin transactions, and the challenges faced with the Lightning Network.

Chapters:
03:43 Challenges in Cross-Border Payments
06:37 The Importance of Verification in Bitcoin Transactions
09:29 Introducing the Bitspend Plugin
12:21 User Experience and Security in Wallet Applications
15:39 The Future of Bitspend and its Integration
18:19 Joshua's Background and Interest in Bitcoin
21:27 BitShala and its Role in the Bitcoin Ecosystem
24:13 The Bitcoin Community in Nigeria
33:20 Bitcoin as a Medium of Payment
35:26 The Lightning Network: Pros and Cons
37:44 Exploring the ARK Protocol
43:09 Revenue and Growth Strategies
48:25 The 80/20 Principle
52:41 Bitcoin's Role in Economic Empowerment

Learn more about Bitspend
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1h 3min
February 19, 202521M Comms by Phil
Summary:

In this episode of Early Days, Car sits down with Phil, the founder and CEO of 21M Communications, to discuss his journey in the Bitcoin space and the unique PR strategies he employs for Bitcoin companies.

We explore:
The importance of aligning PR strategies with low time preference values.
How PR and marketing should work hand in hand.
Building relationships with reporters for effective media outreach.
Social listening as a key strategy for identifying trends and engaging with the media.
Leveraging podcasts for brand visibility and engagement.
How consistency in producing content can lead to unexpected opportunities and connections.

Phil discusses the differences between PR and marketing, foundational strategies for startups, and the significance of newsletters and content creation in building a brand’s presence in the media.

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Chapters:
00:00 Introduction to 21M Communications
03:34 Phil’s Journey in Media and Bitcoin
06:50 High Time Preference vs. Low Time Preference in Bitcoin
09:39 The Art of Storytelling in Bitcoin Marketing
12:33 Influencer Marketing in the Bitcoin Space
15:30 Understanding PR vs. Marketing
18:30 Case Study: AMBOSS and Effective Marketing Strategies
32:17 Building a Strong Foundation for Startups
40:43 Engaging with Media and Social Listening
45:14 Creating Impactful Content and Thought Leadership
48:41 The Power of Newsletters and Community Engagement

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58min
February 12, 2025Cozy by Kiki
Summary:
In this episode ofEarly Days, Car sits down with Kiki, a creative technologist and game designer, to dive into her unique journey from artist yogi to Bitcoin hacker and Unreal Engine maxi. Kiki shares how she discovered coding through an artist collective, fell in love with VR, and found her way into the ecosystem through hackathons.

We explore:
The evolution of AR, VR, MR, and XR – and where it's all headed.
The inspiration behind Cozy, her AI-powered Tamagotchi-like agent built on Bitcoin & Nostr.
How machine-to-machine payments and AI assistants could redefine human-to-digital interaction.
The growing wave of Bitcoin-native innovation in gaming, AI, and immersive tech.
Her vision for Cozy and the future of decentralized digital companions.

Kiki’s journey weaves together art, technology, and open-source innovation—tune in for a deep dive into the future of interactive and immersive digital experiences!
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Chapters:
00:00 Kiki's Journey into Coding and Bitcoin
05:16 Understanding AR, VR, MR, and XR
10:22 The Vision Behind Cozy
15:29 The Future of Virtual Agents
20:02 Kiki's Unique Perspective from Venezuela
26:08 Introduction to Cozy and Its Development
32:56 Exploring 3D Tools and Technologies
36:26 Kiki's Educational Journey and Future Aspirations
40:04 The Vision for Cozy and Its Unique Features
43:58 Final Thoughts

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47min
February 03, 2025 Branta by Keith
Summary:

In this conversation, Car talks with Keith, who shares his journey from Bloomberg to founding Branta. He reflects on the challenges of Building on Bitcoin, the need to adapt in a competitive landscape, and the value of long-term thinking when transitioning into the Bitcoin space. Keith delves into Branta’s evolution, highlighting its flagship product, Guardrail, which ensures safe transactions on the Bitcoin Lightning Network. They also explore Branta’s business model, the role of relationship-building in sales, and Keith’s vision for the company's future.

Learn more about ⁠⁠⁠⁠Branta

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Chapters

00:00 Transitioning from Bloomberg to Bitcoin
03:13 The Evolution of Branta
06:18 Guardrail: Ensuring Safe Transactions
09:21 Business Model and Market Positioning
12:29 Navigating Competition in the Bitcoin Space
15:22 Keith's Builder Journey and Philosophy
18:27 Family and Personal Background
21:19 The Significance of Open Source Projects
27:14 Sparrow Wallet
32:57 Open Source vs. Commercial Models
35:44 Navigating Sales and Client Relationships
43:18 Building a Business the Old-Fashioned Way
50:33 The Vision for Branta

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54min
January 27, 2025 Shopstr by Cal
Summary:

In this conversation Car talks with Calvadev for a deep dive into Shopstr, a relatively new marketplace built on Bitcoin and powered by Nostr. Together, they discuss the importance of innovative revenue models, the unique challenges of launching a Bitcoin/Nostr business, and how user experience will shape the future of payments. Calvadev also shares practical advice for aspiring builders—highlighting community engagement, continuous experimentation, and simply getting started.

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Chapters

00:00 The Journey of Building Shopstr
03:30 Community in Entrepreneurship
06:21 The Role of Nostr in Shopstr's Creation
09:26 Bridging the Gap to Mainstream Users
12:14 Innovative Revenue Models for Marketplaces
15:28 Navigating Competition and Collaboration
18:30 Future Directions and Premium Features
21:22 Building on Nostr: Opportunities and Challenges
30:23 The Future of Payment Systems and User Adoption
34:31 Challenges in Building Bitcoin/Nostr Companies
40:24 Opportunities in Nostr Marketplace Development
54:33 Advice for Aspiring Builders

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1h 1min
January 20, 2025 Lightning Bounties
Summary:

In this conversation Car talks with the team behind Lightning Bounties discussing their journey from hackathon MIT participants to building a platform that rewards developers for contributing to open source projects. They share insights on the importance of teamwork, the evolution of their open source project, and the challenges they faced in creating a two-sided marketplace for bounties. The discussion also touches on the future of decentralization, and the role of AI in development, and including valuable advice for early stage startups.

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Chapters:

00:00 Introduction to Lightning. Bounties Team
09:22 The Value of Hackathons
13:26 The Evolution of Lightning Bounties
18:41 Building a Two-Sided Marketplace
26:42 Future Prospects and Concerns
29:43 The Genesis of Lightning Bounties
32:31 Decentralization vs Centralization in Development
35:41 The Future of Work and Value for Value Exchange
39:15 Navigating Challenges in Startup Development
45:28 Building a Strong Team for Success
50:56 Engagement and Future Directions for Lightning Bounties
52:53 Closing thoughts

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54min

FAQs about Early Days:

How many episodes does Early Days have?

The podcast currently has 10 episodes available.