Taught from a young age to work hard and think for herself, media professional Natalie Brunell is dedicated to sharing Bitcoin with the world.
Often when you hear of the “American Dream,” you think of a heartwarming success story. The entrepreneur who made millions. Or the immigrant family that changed the trajectory of their children. And while these inspiring stories exist, there are many others who have come to America in hopes of a better life only to encounter countless obstacles that have kept them from achieving their American dreams.
Modern monetary policy is based on fluctuating interest rates and inflation. Many people don’t know that the US dollar, which was founded on a system of gold reserves, was not only out of gold standard for over 50 years, but is now “supported” by the US military and petrodollar. The degree of control exercised by the United States government over those living in poverty is astronomical. Due to these restrictive restrictions, among other factors, the American Dream has become much more difficult to achieve.
However, Bitcoin can help change this negative cycle.
Natalie Brunell burst onto the Bitcoin scene in 2021. She was born in Poland and immigrated with her parents to America when she was young. Growing up with a family determined to build a new life in America, the value of hard work and a healthy dose of skepticism had been ingrained in Brunell for as long as she could remember.
With over ten years of experience in the media industry, she took a risk and started her own Bitcoin Podcast. From, Parts Stories has had resounding and influential success in highlighting powerful players in the Bitcoin space.
His story is inspiring and welcoming for anyone looking to embark on their Bitcoin journeys.
How did you first hear about Bitcoin and what specifically attracted you to it?
I first heard about Bitcoin in 2016 from a group of friends while working as a local reporter covering news and investigative stories in Sacramento, CA. I did not understand the technological innovation of bitcoin or the mission of bitcoin proponents to solve systemic problems in our financial system. In fact, I likened it back then to investing in stocks.
Luckily, I bought some and withstood my first bear market. I also pitched a bitcoin story to my media 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 as a feature.
It wasn’t until a few years later that my mentor told me to read The Bitcoin standardthat I started my journey down the Bitcoin rabbit hole. Saifedean Ammous’ book changed my view of money and sparked my idea of Parts Stories podcast, which ultimately changed my career and my life.
What drew me to Bitcoin was the idea of removing the state monopoly on currency and creating an opportunity for our economy to rebuild on a solid monetary unit that is immune to manipulation. . I imagine a world where money is based on value rather than proximity to politics and power.
What made you quit your traditional media job to pursue Bitcoin?
Ever since I was a young girl, I had aspired to be a broadcast journalist. My family immigrated to Chicago from Poland when I was five. My family always had the news at home because the programming helped my parents learn to speak English and kept us up to date with news both abroad and in our new home country. My idol growing up was Barbara Walters.
I’ve always believed in journalists as watchdogs, not government watchdogs. My parents grew up under a communist regime and were always skeptical of central authority and media propaganda. I am grateful for this education because it made me question everything around me and made me a more determined journalist.
I spent over ten years working in mainstream news media and was disappointed by the growing bias I saw on various networks. I was lucky enough to be able to cover in-depth investigative stories in my last TV correspondent job that weren’t politicized, but the industry around me was going in the direction of partisanship, point censorship viewpoints and prioritizing access to politicians rather than prosecuting and demanding accountability.
When preparation meets opportunity, it is “luck”. I had the communication skills and media literacy (preparation) and the market had a growing demand for knowledge (opportunity). Bitcoin offered me the opportunity to leave mainstream media in October 2021 to develop my podcast and promote Bitcoin education. I decided to bet on myself and see if I could build a business doing something that I thought would ultimately have more impact on the world than my reporting. I have never felt so fulfilled by what I do and I 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 generally respond to bitcoin scorners, especially those closest to you (like your close friends, etc.)?
I answer: “I know; I was there once too. Being skeptical and critical is a good thing, it means you are not easily persuaded or convinced by the latest fad. It means you think for yourself. It’s already a victory. I try to meet the person where they are. One of my mentors, Jeff Booth, has a great question for skeptics and newcomers to Bitcoin. That question is, “If technology is supposed to make things cheaper and easier to produce, why is the cost of living around us continually rising?”
It’s a simple but powerful question that gets to the heart of the problem with our monetary system: inflation.
Every year, it becomes more and more difficult to afford a house, a college education and retirement. The rich get richer, the poor get poorer and we all work harder for currencies that are worth less and less. It is not a natural phenomenon of our existence. It is the synthetic result of the state’s monopoly on money, and it impacts every aspect of our lives.
When I engage with friends on the subject of Bitcoin, I encourage them to write down the different crises they hear and read about, or maybe even experience firsthand. Most people feel like things are really tough right now, that we seem to be going in the wrong direction. Once these basics are laid, I can spark their curiosity as to why Bitcoin offers such a powerful alternative.
In your opinion, why is it 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 with a media pass and brought my best friend, Paula, with me because I didn’t know anyone personally to bitcoin. My intention was to meet other Bitcoiners and try to get people I admired to appear on the show, with no intention of having a career in the space.
I had never attended industry conferences and was surprised by the size and number of attendees. But it was hard not to notice a huge gender gap in this audience. In fact, nowhere was this more evident than when looking at any conference restroom area: there would be a line of men stretching around a corner on one side, and a vast empty expanse on the women’s side.
I started thinking more deeply about why women were so underrepresented in this industry. As we know, finance, engineering, and IT are all male-dominated fields that organically intersect with Bitcoin, so it only makes sense that a male audience would discover this amazing technology before a female audience. Social media also tends to perpetuate a “crypto bro culture” that obscures the global community of bitcoin pioneers doing brilliant, unqualified work. Bitcoin is an inherently multifaceted technology that takes time and effort to understand, and even requires some re-education around money in general. I believe that all newcomers to Bitcoin, and women in particular, including my closest friends, who are already busy industry leaders and smart investors, need reliable and accessible guides to help them overcome these obstacles.
I saw this imbalance as an opportunity to expand the space and connect with these newcomers. Since that first conference, I have been determined to become a resource for everyday workers, and especially women, to learn more about Bitcoin and how our global economy works.
Bitcoin is for everyone. Bitcoin is a tool for freedom and prosperity for all genders, ages, races, languages, cultural backgrounds and political affiliations. Bitcoin levels the playing field and can bring us all together in cooperation. I am passionate about educating other women about bitcoin because I want them to have a seat at the table in this financial revolution and empower themselves and their families for the long term. We often feel more comfortable learning and engaging with people who look and sound like us. If I can serve as a welcoming voice for new women in the Bitcoin space, I see it as an honor. I love being a woman, I love learning and connecting with other women, and I’m so proud to be a woman in bitcoin. Discovering Bitcoin is incredibly empowering, and we need to continue building a supportive and curious community on this journey.
This is a guest post by Becca Bratcher. The opinions expressed are entirely their own and do not necessarily reflect those of BTC Inc or Bitcoin Magazine.
