In this episode, I chat with Mandrik, a legendary Bitcoin OG who’s been around since 2011. He shares deep honest reflections on proof of work, health and hardship.  

We talk about what it was like working customer support during Mt. Gox, the emotional impact of long bear markets, and why kindness, consistency, and situational awareness matter.  

––– Offers & Discounts –––  

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––– Get To Know Today's Guest –––  

• Mandrik on X: https://x.com/Mandrik

• Mandrik on Nostr:  npub1qex7yjtuucs6ac49kjujdgytrjsphn5a4pdscu2w3qlprym4zsxqfz82qk

  ––– Socials –––  

• Check out our new website at https://TheBitcoinMatrix.Com

• Follow Cedric Youngelman on X: https://x.com/cedyoungelman

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• Follow Cedric Youngelman on Nostr: npub12tq9jxmt707gd5vnce3tqllpm67ktr0mqskcvy58qqa4d074pz9s4ukdcs  

––– Chapters –––  

00:00 - Intro 

01:08 - Mandrik: Bitcoin OG & Baklava Boss 

04:30 - Freedom, Cash Traps & the Baklava Origin Story 

08:30 - Cooking Roots: Diners, Grandmas & Fat Kid Energy 

12:30 - Keto in 2011, Divorce & the First Bite of Baklava in 13 Years 

17:00 - Health Journey, Delayed Gratification & Bitcoin Parallels 

21:00 - Captain Crunch, Crunchberries & Hedonic Burnout

25:30 - Tweets of Struggle: Pushing Through the Pain 

30:00 - Scrubbing Toilets Over Fiat: Escaping a Dead-End Job 

34:30 - Closed Loop Bitcoin Economy in New Hampshire 

39:00 - Cooking at Porkfest, Meeting Bitcoiners Through Food 

43:30 - Jump to Blockchain.info & Early Bitcoin Startup Chaos 

48:00 - Startup Grind, Family Balance & 24/7 Bitcoin Life 

52:30 - Meaningful Work vs. Mediocre Office Jobs 

56:30 - 4 AM Mornings, Short Sleepers & Existential Impact 

1:01:00 - Walking, Sunrises & Psychopath Hour Reflections 

1:05:30 - The Power of Kindness, Random Compliments & Awareness 

1:10:00 - Feeding the Homeless: Lessons from Dad’s Diner 

1:14:30 - Situational Awareness & Travel Safety 

1:19:00 - Bacon Weave Sandwiches & Caitlin Long’s Memory 

1:23:30 - Feeding the Masses: Deep Fried Everything 

1:28:00 - Mandrik’s Roots: Nicknames, Gaming & Identity 

1:32:30 - Toilets & Baklava: Humble Bitcoin Beginnings 

1:37:00 - Getting Paid in Bitcoin for “Low Status” Work 

1:41:00 - Advice to the Young: Take the Risk While You Can  

DISCLAIMER: All views in this episode are our own and DO NOT reflect the opinions/views of any of our guests or sponsors.  

I want to take a moment to express my heartfelt gratitude to all of you for tuning in, supporting the show, and contributing.  

Thank you for listening!