Tag: blockchain

Bitcoin’s Highs and Lows: Where to Next?

Since the critical acclaim of Bitcoin and digital currencies in 2017, there has been a lot of talk about its future. Bitcoin was the first digital currency to attract mainstream attention, and after that, 2018 was less than glamorous, with the price plummeting. Are cryptocurrencies a thing of the past already, or a Hard Trend of the future?

Since the critical acclaim of Bitcoin and digital currencies in 2017, there has been a lot of talk about its future. Bitcoin was the first digital currency to attract mainstream attention, and after that, 2018 was less than glamorous, with the price plummeting.

Are cryptocurrencies a thing of the past already, or a Hard Trend of the future?

A Bitcoin Overview

Cryptocurrency uses peer-to-peer technology, similar to the file-sharing technology of the early 2000s. Bitcoin was the first cryptocurrency, it being virtual and decentralized. This means no one is in charge of it and it isn’t backed by the government. Bitcoin’s value is protected only by a distributed network that maintains its ledgers and protects its transactions by means of cryptography.

The concept behind Bitcoin first emerged in 2009 by an anonymous programmer (or programmers) using the pseudonym Satoshi Nakamoto. A single Bitcoin is today valued at $8,204, while the market cap is now at $145.66 billion.

Every Bitcoin is connected to an address and every Bitcoin is sent or received by a digital wallet attached to the address. Names aren’t associated with the transactions, creating a system that is wholly transparent while remaining functionally anonymous.

Bitcoin: A Soft Trend?

What exactly can you do with Bitcoins? It’s digital currency, so saving or spending them seems to be the immediate answer. However, in order to spend them, individuals and, more importantly, businesses must accept your Bitcoins. While a growing number of businesses accept Bitcoin, such as Overstock.com, most popular merchants and service providers including Amazon do not.

Let’s first discuss my Hard Trend Methodology and the differences between Hard Trends and Soft Trends to assess Bitcoin’s longevity.

A Hard Trend is a trend that will happen and is based on measurable, tangible, and fully predictable facts, events, or objects. They are future facts that cannot be changed.

A Soft Trend is a trend that might happen and is based on an assumption that looks valid in the present, and it may be likely to happen, but it is not a future fact. Soft Trends can be changed.

While Bitcoin itself grew in popularity, its future success is still a Soft Trend. During 2017, Bitcoin was treated by many as more of an investment than actual currency and likewise faced backlash when it was used for illegal online transactions.

However, the concept of cryptocurrencies is a Hard Trend, and here’s why:

Cryptocurrency: A Hard Trend

Cryptocurrencies are here to stay, including the underlying technology (blockchain) that enables them to function. Cryptocurrency, as well as blockchain, represents a radically new idea in finance: a decentralized system for exchanging value. Due to its open-source nature and its copyright-free core program, there will always be room for improvement. Programmers around the world have already developed military-grade encryptions and new ways to trade, thus stabilizing the prices.

Cryptocurrencies exist as mere entries in a blockchain-enabled accounting system. That system acts as a transparent public ledger that records transactions among “addresses.” Owning cryptocurrency isn’t analogous to having paper money in your pocket. Instead, it means a personal claim to an address, with your own password, and the right to do with it as you see fit. Over time, this will increasingly disrupt traditional models and global currencies, playing a role in a number of future digital transformations.

The Future of Currency: Digital Payments

Imagine you want new shoes, and your favorite shoe store accepts some form of cryptocurrency. If you don’t already possess cryptocurrency, you purchase some from a crypto-currency kiosk or an online exchange and assign it to your online account, known as a “wallet.”

When paying for your new shoes, you open your “digital wallet,” which is unlocked with passwords and/or biometrics, and the currency network is publicly informed that you’ve transferred $100 worth of cryptocurrency to the store. This happens fast, and there are almost no fees and no personal information divulged. Compare this with the slow debit or credit card counterpart, often with a third party involved. The benefits become more clear.

Other Cryptocurrencies

Bitcoin was the first digital currency, but not the last. A large number of cryptocurrencies now exist, and the list is expanding. Litecoin, for example, was launched back in 2011 on the same blockchain as Bitcoin and was meant to improve it. Ethereum was created in 2015 by Vitalik Buterin and is a blockchain-based platform that can be used for developing decentralized apps and smart contracts. The list of cryptocurrencies is actually quite large and, as I said earlier, growing. And the enabling technology, blockchain, is being applied to a rapidly growing number of industries creating both disruption and new opportunities.

In Conclusion

Bitcoin versus the technology category of cryptocurrency gives us a clear example of the difference between Soft Trends and Hard Trends. Cryptocurrencies will continue to evolve and integrate into our economy and everyday life, as will the enabling blockchain technology, making cryptocurrency a Hard Trend, while the future success of individual cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin is a Soft Trend: It may or may not have a bright future. When you’re able to distinguish between the Soft Trends that might happen and the Hard Trends that will happen, you will dramatically improve your ability to understand and manage risk as you become more anticipatory.

Learn how to accurately manage risk with my latest bestselling book The Anticipatory Organization.

Blockchain in Healthcare Market to Reach $890.5 Million by 2023

Blockchain in healthcare market is expected to reach $890.5 million by 2023, according to P&S Intelligence.This growth is primarily attributed to stringent regulations for safeguarding consumer data, increasing funding and investments in the blockchain arena, and rising adoption of blockchain technology in the healthcare and pharmaceutical industries.

Insights into the market segments

On the basis of application, the blockchain in healthcare market is categorized into clinical data exchange and interoperability, claims adjudication and billing management, drug supply chain management, drug discovery and clinical trials, prescription drug abuse, and others. Among these applications, the market for clinical data exchange and interoperability is expected to reach more than $400.0 million by 2023, registering a CAGR of over 70.0%. This can be ascribed to the fact that the blockchain technology can potentially transform the way of clinical information, and data storage and sharing across healthcare partners, payers, and patients.

Download the sample report @ https://www.psmarketresearch.com/market-analysis/blockchain-in-healthcare-market/report-sample

Based on end user, the blockchain in healthcare market is classified into pharmaceutical companies, healthcare providers, healthcare payers, and others. Healthcare providers, as an end-user category, dominate the market and expected to maintain this trend throughout the forecast period. This can be ascribed to the fact that the blockchain technology is gaining acceptance among healthcare providers, globally. Due to several advantages offered by this technology such as data security and integrity, its adoption is expected to further increase in the coming years.

Geographically, Asia-Pacific (APAC) is anticipated to be the fastest growing blockchain in healthcare market, with at a CAGR of over 70.0% during the forecast period. This fastest growth is primarily attributed to the growing focus on blockchain technology in this region as well as unmet need in areas of clinical data exchange and interoperability, and drug supply chain management. For example, in July 2018, Singapore Innovate Pte. Ltd. (SGInnovate), Singapore’s government-owned technology development firm, invested in MediLOT Technologies, a blockchain and healthcare analytics start-up.

Detailed Analysis Report @ https://www.psmarketresearch.com/market-analysis/blockchain-in-healthcare-market

Global blockchain in healthcare market is Witnessing growing number of partnerships and collaborations

Given the fact that the technology in its nascent stage of development, the companies interested in adopting blockchain technology are partnering and collaborating with various technology providers to exploring the potential applications of the blockchain technology, so that they can streamline their operational processes. For instance, In January 2018, Guardtime AS, an Estonian blockchain pioneer, finalized a deal with NMC Health, a United Arab Emirates (UAE) based private sector healthcare provider, to bring the technology in the country.

Get the Sample Report @ https://www.psmarketresearch.com/market-analysis/blockchain-in-healthcare-market/report-sample

GLOBAL BLOCKCHAIN IN HEALTHCARE MARKET SEGMENTATIONBy Application

  • Clinical Data Exchange and Interoperability
  • Claims Adjudication and Billing Management
  • Drug Supply Chain Management
  • Drug Discovery and Clinical Trials
  • Prescription Drug Abuse
  • Others

By End User

  • Pharmaceutical Companies
  • Healthcare Providers
  • Healthcare Payers
  • Others

By Geography

  • North America Blockchain in Healthcare Market
    • By application
    • By end user
    • By country – U.S. and Canada
  • Europe Blockchain in Healthcare Market
    • By application
    • By end user
    • By country – Germany, U.K., France, Italy, Spain, Sweden, Estonia, and Rest of Europe
  • Asia-Pacific (APAC) Blockchain in Healthcare Market
    • By application
    • By end user
    • By country – Japan, China, India, Australia, and Rest of APAC
  • Latin America (LATAM) Blockchain in Healthcare Market
    • By application
    • By end user
    • By country – Brazil, Mexico, and Rest of LATAM
  • Middle East and Africa (MEA) Blockchain in Healthcare Market
    • By application
    • By end user
    • By country – Saudi Arabia, South Africa, and Rest of MEA

Beyond Bitcoin: The Future of Blockchain Technology

Unlike bitcoins, blockchain development has showed no signs of slowing down and represents a Hard Trend that will continue to grow. The rapidly evolving technology of blockchain holds enormous promise for game-changing disruption across any number of industries and fields.

Bitcoins were introduced in 2009 to great fanfare. Although there had been predecessors, Bitcoins were framed as the first form of cyber currency.

Shortly after Bitcoins were introduced, I labeled them a Soft Trend—one whose future was looking good, but not a future certainty. I also labeled cyber currency a Hard Trend that would continue to grow, predicting that there would be many more cyber currencies.

Since then, I’ve seen no need to change either designation, as there are now more than 100 different cyber currencies. At the same time, as Bitcoins struggled to gain widespread use, blockchain—the technology Bitcoin transactions are handled with—were growing.

Unlike bitcoins, blockchain development has showed no signs of slowing down and represents a Hard Trend that will continue to grow. The rapidly evolving technology of blockchain holds enormous promise for game-changing disruption across any number of industries and fields.

O’Reilly Media presciently noted in early 2015: “The blockchain is the new database—get ready to rewrite everything.”

Blockchain Explained—Security in Numbers

A blockchain is a system of decentralized transaction records. This means a transaction is created without any input from a controlling entity. A blockchain also employs cryptography to keep exchanges secure, incorporating a decentralized database, or “digital ledger,” of transactions that everyone on the network can see. This network is a chain of computers, needing exchange approval before it can be verified and recorded.

The Game-Changing Opportunity in Financial Transactions

Roughly $20 billion in gross domestic product is currently held in blockchain form, according to a study by the World Economic Forum’s Global Agenda Council. However, projections show blockchain use will increase significantly in the next decade as banks, insurers and technology firms embrace the technology to boost transaction speed and security, and trim expenses. This is already taking place, for example, with Swiss banking giant UBS and banks such as HSBC, Santander and BBVA, which launched corporate venture funds to make equity investments in financial technology companies.

More Than Just Money

The future of blockchain is exciting. Outside of its use solely in financial transaction applications, it can transform several other industries. Other examples include:

  •      Data Storage—Current storage services using cloud technology are centralized around a single provider. A blockchain lets users store data and information via a decentralized platform, improving security and lessening reliance on any one provider.
  •      Voting—A blockchain voting network is inherently more reliable than paper or electronic ballots, since changing one vote would require changing multiple votes simultaneously. A blockchain voting network has already been used—Denmark’s Liberal Alliance employed a blockchain for internal voting back in 2014.
  •      Military Use—The U.S. Department of Defense and NATO are actively investigating the use of blockchain. Among other applications, they’re interested in messaging platforms capable of transferring information by way of a secure decentralized protocol.
  •      The War on Terrorism—In May 2015, the Isle of Man implemented the first government-run blockchain project, leveraging it to create a registry of digital-currency companies operating on the island. The system also counters money laundering, helping prevent terrorist financing since the flow of money can be traced specifically to the source of the transaction.
  •      “Smart” Contracts—The idea behind a smart contract is that it self-manages the fulfillment of the agreement and is verified programmatically via the blockchain instead of a third party. Two or more parties agree on terms, program those terms into the blockchain, and allow for payments and other transactions once those terms are fulfilled and validated by the blockchain.
  •      Regulation—Because a blockchain cannot be changed without a majority of participants agreeing to do so, the underlying technology might be used in place of a variety of regulations, such as those mandated by Know Your Customer (KYC).
  •      Identity Management—Labeled the first comprehensive blockchain-based identity service, Onename allows users to create tamper-proof digital identities for themselves called Passcards that replace conventional usernames and passwords.
  •      The Music Industry—In October 2015, Ujo Music unveiled a working example of how blockchain-based technology would allow consumers to purchase registered works directly. We can also pre-solve the problem of legalities, where artists publish policies on how their music may be used to avoid legal action against misuse.

More Reasons for Excitement

Blockchain use is largely restricted to private forms of transactions, but when looked at in an anticipatory way of thinking, blockchain could be used for anything that requires proof of identification, the exchange of goods or verification of contract terms.

One executive involved in the development of blockchain summarized its potential in a framework we can all appreciate: “‘Check it on the blockchain’ will be the phrase of the twenty-first century. It will be as commonplace as people saying ‘Google that.’”

When it comes to blockchain, get ready to rewrite everything.

Embracing the Power of Blockchain Technology

We often forget just how much technology has changed our lives in the last few years. Therefore, it should be no surprise that our love of cold hard cash could be the next twentieth-century casualty to fall by the wayside.

During the digital transformation, we have witnessed traditional forms of physical media fall out of favor as users abandoned their treasure trove of CDs, DVDs, books, magazines and even photo albums to partake in an entirely clutter-free life. Digitally optimizing our lives has enabled us to remove shelves, cabinets and dust magnets while we get our entertainment fix from the likes of Netflix, Spotify and the endless list of streaming alternatives.

We often forget just how much technology has changed our lives in the last few years. Therefore, it should be no surprise that our love of cold hard cash could be the next twentieth-century casualty to fall by the wayside.

Over in Europe, Denmark and its Scandinavian neighbors Norway and Sweden are leading a charge toward a cashless society that will see the end of tooth fairy payments for children, but will equally wave goodbye to a world of money laundering, fraud and tax evasion. The bonus of replacing scrambling around for loose change for a purchase, or riding public transportation with contactless payment by swiping a card or smartphone, is incredibly appealing for most users.

The concept of handing over a handful of silver coins in exchange for any product or service can feel quite primitive in our modern world dominated by technology. However, contactless and smartphone payments are not the end-all, be-all payment options, as there is another game changer in the form of a cyber currency. But does this technology disruptor have the power to transform our traditional banking system?

Blockchain is the digital ledger software code that powers Bitcoin. As this system has grown in popularity, the CEO of Digital Asset Holdings, Blythe Masters,has her sights set on changing the way banks trade loans and bonds in a way that could dramatically change the way we look at both business and banking. Blythe delivered a massive wake-up call to finance leaders when she compared the influx of changes to the arrival of the internet when she advised, “You should be taking this technology as seriously as you should have been taking the development of the internet in the 1990s. It’s analogous to email for money.” The speed in which technology trends can go viral illustrates how an internet of finance could become a reality sooner rather than later.

The interesting aspect of Bitcoin is the ability to buy and sell without the need for an intermediary. This represents a paradigm shift in the management and structure of the financial services industry. However, adopting innovation and changing entire ecosystems is not something that the notoriously cautious financial industry and affiliated regulation committees are famed for.

Because this technology has the potential to reduce the role banks play in the lives of individuals, it is understandable why financial institutions are skeptical. However, these developments cannot be written off just yet. They could save consumers and the financial industry billions of dollars while also removing their reliance on middlemen to offer a speedier, modern and more efficient banking experience.

The ultimate goal is to move payments globally much faster while simultaneously becoming more transparent and lowering costs. We will likely begin to witness early adopters making waves in the private market before the ever-cautious big players speak of standardization and implementation. However, there are already a few of them dipping their toes into the water.

According to the PwC, there are already over three hundred technology startups developing ideas that will allow blockchain to revolutionize the financial industry. Big players like Visa and Nasdaq are already investing heavily into a blockchain startup, and there are also plans to modernize the London Market. Lloyds is looking to blockchain technology to improve its data access and reduce costs associated with administrative paperwork.

There are daily stories of heavyweights within the financial industry becoming increasingly eager to capture the tamper-proof benefits offered by a future web-based cryptocurrency. Technology leaders such as Microsoft also have thrown their hats into the ring to demonstrate the possibilities that blockchain technology can offer.

There is exciting potential to completely revolutionize the way in which the finance industry works. But in its infancy, many will continue to exercise great caution before rushing into a shiny electronic cash system that is fully peer-to-peer. The future of cash and pockets full of loose change is indeed looking numbered, as many wonder if in just a few years we will be looking back at our quaint primitive payment methods in the same way many do with physical media now.

Cryptocurrencies that thrive in a transparent environment might seem like a foreign concept today, but the rise of blockchain technology is one Hard Trend that will quickly prove to be impossible to ignore.

Finance trends can be anticipated – when you know how to look. The Anticipatory Organization Model has the power to shift an organization’s operating mindset from the default of reacting and responding to changes coming from the outside in, to a place of empowerment by anticipating and shaping the future from the inside out.

Pop Quiz, Monday with Federico Rocchi

The Pop Quiz, Monday is a fun little exam that we love to give to savvy business owners. The examination is not a surprise after all since the interviewee already knew about the questions in advance. However, we can always pretend and have fun with the scenario of a young entrepreneur sitting in class nervously biting on their pencil. They are ready to take a pop quiz on a chapter that they were supposed to read the night before. Instead, they played Metroid all night on their SNES (Oops, this was me in high school). The real purpose of the pop quiz is that this is a fun way to introduce business tips from real-world experiences that you can not learn in a classroom. We want to thank our entrepreneur for being a good sport and volunteering their time to answer a few questions to help our community grow from their knowledge.

I want to introduce you to our guest today who will be taking our Pop Quiz Monday.

Can you please tell everyone your name?
Federico

Federico Rocchi
Photo credit: Federico Rocchi

What is your job role?
Chairman

Tell us about your company?
London Blockchain Labs (LBL) is the EU’s largest non-profit blockchain hub. We are based at London’s leading universities (London Business School, LSE, Imperial, UCL) and are super passionate about the blockchain’s potential to drive the economy and society forward. Accordingly, our sole purpose is to drive blockchain adoption forward, which we do by providing free and high-quality education for students, while also consulting companies and doing R&D for real projects. One of the main channels we do all of this is through large events. We have our flagship coming up very soon, in March 23rd at Imperial, which is going to be an absolute value bomb. I suggest anyone visit us to be fully immersed in our leading community http://www.londonblockchainlabs.com/BIDE19

What do you love most about your job?
Definitely the community. The blockchain community is very vibrant and innovative. It’s not unusual to find people that want, and they see the blockchain as a great tool to achieve their visions. Even more importantly, LBL’s team is an excellent ecosystem per se, as it counts a little less than 60 volunteers working passionately and harmoniously to achieve LBL’s mission. Every time I remind myself about this, I got enthusiast immensely and committed to doing more.

What motivates you to get up every day and go to work?
My biggest motivator is knowing my purpose and what it will take to achieve my short, mid, and long-term goals. Every morning I wake myself up to a rigorous and fun morning routine, which pretty much gives me the energy and the focus to go through my tasks for the whole day.

How do your co-workers inspire you?
By believing in LBL’s mission and by putting energy, time, passion, and dedication, without asking for money in return. They are real idealists, exciting thinkers, and altruistic people. There are all traits that are easy to forgive, so it is definitely a source of inspiration for me.

How do you have fun at work (team building, pranks, etc..)?
We don’t have an office, so it’s hard to organise daily activities or similar stuff. However, we have a weekly general meeting where we stimulate some discussion on diverse blockchain topics always to learn more, and then we sometimes like to go out for dinner or some drinks.

What are some of the challenges of your job?
Coordination is definitely one. When you work with so many volunteers, it’s often hard to set some clearly defined responsibilities and objectives. This can easily result in stressful situations and optimal processes, definitely more easily than in a “normal” company, so we tend to be very aware of these factors and have multiple awareness checkpoints throughout the week.

What are some lessons learned from a past project that you can share with us?
People want to feel loved and want to have more responsibility. While it feels great to trust someone and give them what they want, I learnt that often people don’t really know what they actually desire. Hence, it’s always best to have an in-depth discussion to kick-off any project, aimed at disclosing any possible limitation/gap, while also strategising on how to solve them and set some clear goal, timeline, and accountability system.

What advice would you give to someone who is starting in your industry?
Be passionate and be patient.

Thank you for taking our pop quiz today. You get an A+ for effort. You can learn more about our interviewee and their business by visiting them on the web:

Our website to know more and subscribe to our mailing list is: www.londonblockchainlabs.com

For FREE and top quality daily market updates and coin analyses, you can join our telegram channel before we make it paid and exclusive: t.me/LBLMarkets
Our conference page is www.londonblockchainlabs.com/BIDE19

Finally, for an update on anything we do, I suggest you connect with us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/londonblockchainlabs

Pop Quiz, Monday with Kobhi Nanthakumaran

The Pop Quiz, Monday is a fun little exam that we love to give to savvy business owners. The examination is not a surprise after all since the interviewee already knew about the questions in advance. However, we can always pretend and have fun with the scenario of a young entrepreneur sitting in class nervously biting on their pencil. They are ready to take a pop quiz on a chapter that they were supposed to read the night before. Instead, they played Metroid all night on their SNES (Oops, this was me in high school). The real purpose of the pop quiz is that this is a fun way to introduce business tips from real-world experiences that you can not learn in a classroom. We want to thank our entrepreneur for being a good sport and volunteering their time to answer a few questions to help our community grow from their knowledge.

I want to introduce you to our guest today who will be taking our Pop Quiz Monday.

Can you please tell everyone your name?
Kobhi Nanthakumaran

Kobhi Nanthakumaran
Photo credit: Kobhi Nanthakumaran

What is your job role?
Founder/CTO

Tell us about your company?
Founder and CTO of both Blockchain Fortress and R3TRUST

Blockchain Fortress (BCF) is a professional services company focusing on Security Tokens Offerings (STOs), DApps and Smart Contracts. We have a team of experienced individuals who specialize in the application of blockchain technology. Blockchain Fortress is the successor behind $100million + projects such as BRED (blockchain real estate development), and Peblik.

R3trust is a product-focused company that has several products on its roadmap. Currently, R3trust has a crypto purchase platform (buyplatform.com), a software wallet (Sphinx) for iOS and Android, as well as a prototype hardware wallet concept that behaves as your go-to crypto safe cold storage.

What do you love most about your job?
I am a firm believer in doing what is right for the world and our future generations. There are several socioeconomic issues in the world that Blockchain technology and bring drastic improvements to. First on that list is banking for everyone everywhere.

As an early adopter of cryptocurrencies; I have been able to watch the developments and progression in the blockchain space. Using my core background in cybersecurity, I can provide companies and startups with a unique perspective on their application of blockchain technology.

What motivates you to get up every day and go to work?
I work with industry leaders in several verticals to take advantage of blockchain technology. From Stock exchanges, money remittance, banking, real estate, and compliance; there is never a dull moment!

How do your co-workers inspire you?
I chose very carefully who I spend my time with outside of work – same rule applies for who I work with!

My co-workers are key individuals I can rely on to fill roles I cannot take on. We all share the same visions and ideologies making for a well informed and uniform decision for all projects I work on.

How do you have fun at work (team building, pranks, etc..)?
Pranks! Game & Beer nights (lan games), Off-site team building workshops. I work with a fun bunch!

Most of us are also 420 friendly 😉

What are some of the challenges of your job?
Blockchain and cryptocurrencies are still at an infant stage in its life. Therefore, regulations and compliance rules are not clearly defined. There are several definitions in the space that are up for dispute.

All of this ends up becoming a challenge when it comes time to execute specific tasks. It is definitely not for the faint hearted – we face several roadblocks and work closely with rules makers and lawyers to always find a way to make things work.

What are some lessons learned from a past project that you can share with us?
Always play in a new space with due diligence and be ready to take corrective actions. When spearheading a new space with multiple parties involved; there are going to be boundaries you will hit and need to adjust your course. Be ready and willing to adjust your sails! You’ll need a good crew with you.

What advice would you give to someone who is starting in your industry?
There is a lot to learn, paths to pave and a ton of amazing people to meet. Be ready to hit the ground running.

On a more specific note:
-Learn all the basics of how blockchain works
-Look at your current industry or industry of interest and see if there is an application
-Bounce your ideas off people in the industry
-Take part in community events
-Be ready to learn on the go.

Thank you for taking our pop quiz today. You get an A+ for effort. You can learn more about our interviewee and their business by visiting them on the web:
 https://www.vnkconsultinggroup.com/about-us/
 www.blockchainfortress.com
 www.r3trust.com
 https://www.instagram.com/kobhi09

Pop Quiz, Monday with Victoria Brodsky

Surround yourself with people who are in this industry for the right reasons.

The Pop Quiz, Monday is a fun little exam that we love to give to savvy business owners. The examination is not a surprise after all since the interviewee already knew about the questions in advance. However, we can always pretend and have fun with the scenario of a young entrepreneur sitting in class nervously biting on their pencil. They are ready to take a pop quiz on a chapter that they were supposed to read the night before. Instead, they played Metroid all night on their SNES (Oops, this was me in high school). The real purpose of the pop quiz is that this is a fun way to introduce business tips from real-world experiences that you can not learn in a classroom. We want to thank our entrepreneur for being a good sport and volunteering their time to answer a few questions to help our community grow from their knowledge.

I want to introduce you to our guest today who will be taking our Pop Quiz Monday.

Can you please tell everyone your name?
Victoria Brodsky

Victoria Brodsky
Photo credit: Victoria Brodsky

What is your job role?
COO

Tell us about your company?
BlockchainBTM is a Bitcoin/LiteCoin ATM operator. We operate a network of these machines in California, Nevada, Texas – and soon, Illinois! We are a group of blockchain enthusiasts who believe access to crypto should be simple.

Victoria Brodsky

What do you love most about your job?
Working with really smart professionals in this space, and learning from them.

What motivates you to get up every day and go to work?
We are a start-up, so our working days are not “normal” – but I’m motivated by our mission, and by the new projects we’re taking on this year (keep up-to-date with us on Twitter)…

How do your co-workers inspire you?
We are a very random group with varying backgrounds (just see our team page). Their work-ethic inspires me, and their passion for space and to make this company grow inspires me.

How do you have fun at work (team building, pranks, etc..)?
The guys are always teasing each other, and us girls just roll our eyes. We’re always laughing.

What are some of the challenges of your job?
I am not a technical person, nor is this my only job, so staying on top of all the latest happenings in this new industry is a challenge.

What are some lessons learned from a past project that you can share with us?
Keep it simple. Our President is always telling us to keep it simple – focus on our goals, and do the tasks that will get us there. Running a start-up business is inherently challenging, so it’s essential to not complicate anything along the way.

What advice would you give to someone who is starting in your industry?
Surround yourself with people who are in this industry for the right reasons.

Thank you for taking our pop quiz today. You get an A+ for effort. You can learn more about our interviewee and their business by visiting them on the web:

https://www.blockchainbtm.com/
 @blockchainbtm

Pop Quiz, Monday with Gary Hargraves

There is not a prescriptive formula for consulting services, but experience matters. Find someone in a role that you want to be in the coming years and have that person mentor you. Then keep in touch.

The Pop Quiz, Monday is a fun little exam that we love to give to savvy business owners. The examination is not a surprise after all since the interviewee already knew about the questions in advance. However, we can always pretend and have fun with the scenario of a young entrepreneur sitting in class nervously biting on their pencil. They are ready to take a pop quiz on a chapter that they were supposed to read the night before. Instead, they played Metroid all night on their SNES (Oops, this was me in high school). The real purpose of the pop quiz is that this is a fun way to introduce business tips from real-world experiences that you can not learn in a classroom. We want to thank our entrepreneur for being a good sport and volunteering their time to answer a few questions to help our community grow from their knowledge.

I want to introduce you to our guest today who will be taking our Pop Quiz Monday.

Can you please tell everyone your name?
Gary Hargraves

Gary Hargraves

What is your job role?
Digital Services Consultant

Tell us about your company?
I work for Wipro technologies and help oil and gas companies modernize their business using the most recent emerging technologies such as machine learning, internet of things and blockchain. I also recently started a digital community called “Wall Hangers” for people interested in sharing stories about hunting and fishing. I use a mobile app called Mighty Networks to enable the digital community. Finally, I’m writing my first book, which is focused on helping people as they enter the consulting business.

What do you love most about your job?
I’m usually working on an industry first type project by leveraging a new technology to solve complex issues. For example, I’ve helped improve customer loyalty using mobile technology, enabled connected cars using the internet of things and, developed predictive maintenance solutions using advanced analytics in the past year. I’ve also helped with a number of blockchain projects focused on the supply chain. Recently I’ve been helping fortune 500 companies use crowdsourcing to address digital skill gaps and accelerate the number of digital projects they can work.

What motivates you to get up every day and go to work?
Being in the emerging digital technology business, I learn something new each day. By working with fortune 500 companies, I’m able to use those learnings to help solve enormously large problems.

How do your co-workers inspire you?
I’ve worked for HP, IBM and now Wipro. These companies represent a combined 250+ years of innovation. My co-workers ooze innovation and inspire our clients and me to tackle some of the world’s largest business challenges and transformations. Together we are all riding the 4th industrial wave – the digitization of everything.

How do you have fun at work (team building, pranks, etc..)?
By keeping a sense of humor about as many things as possible.

What are some of the challenges of your job?
Change tends to make people uncomfortable. Digital change is especially uncomfortable because the skills required to keep pace are changing faster than ever and at an exponential rate. Digital technology has flattened the world more than ever, brought in a new cross-pollination of industries and pierced through traditional, national borders. So making sure my clients understand the reasons for change because of the complex digital wave we are living, yet keeping the change message simple enough to prevent paralysis by analysis is a challenge I face every day.

What are some lessons learned from a past project that you can share with us?
I’ve been around long enough to know there will always be the next best technology, methodology, and new way of working…but whether working a small or large project, the successful projects all have a focus on the team members success, recurring communication and set and meet the right level of expectations with stakeholders.

What advice would you give to someone who is starting in your industry?
There is not a prescriptive formula for consulting services, but experience matters. Find someone in a role that you want to be in the coming years and have that person mentor you. Then keep in touch.

Thank you for taking our pop quiz today. You get an A+ for effort. You can learn more about our interviewee and their business by visiting them on the web:

https://www.wipro.com/en-US/oil-and-gas/

https://www.mightynetworks.com/ then search “Wall Hangers.”

Pop Quiz, Monday with Jon Trask

Blockchain Guru is a Consulting & Training firm that focuses on applying Blockchain, Robotic Process Automation and IoT Devices to solving business challenges.

The Pop Quiz, Monday is a fun little exam that we love to give to savvy business owners. The examination is not a surprise after all since the interviewee already knew about the questions in advance. However, we can always pretend and have fun with the scenario of a young entrepreneur sitting in class nervously biting on their pencil. They are ready to take a pop quiz on a chapter that they were supposed to read the night before. Instead, they played Metroid all night on their SNES (Oops, this was me in high school). The real purpose of the pop quiz is that this is a fun way to introduce business tips from real-world experiences that you can not learn in a classroom. We want to thank our entrepreneur for being a good sport and volunteering their time to answer a few questions to help our community grow from their knowledge.

I want to introduce you to our guest today who will be taking our Pop Quiz Monday.

Can you please tell everyone your name?
Jon Trask

Jon Trask
Photo credit: Jon Trask

What is your job role?
I am Chief Guru and CEO of a Blockchain Training and Consulting company.

Tell us about your company?
Blockchain Guru is a Consulting & Training firm that focuses on applying Blockchain, Robotic Process Automation and IoT Devices to solving business challenges.

We are located in Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, Toronto, Hamilton, Ottawa, Montreal and Halifax and will be expanding into the US and Latin American markets in 2019.

We have strategic partnerships with:

  • Blockchain Training Alliance to deliver the leading certifications and training in the industry.
  • UiPath Robotic Process Automation to deliver game-changing automation to corporations nationwide.

Our geographic footprint allows us to effectively market some of the top products and services to the entire Canadian market.

What do you love most about your job?
I genuinely love applying new technology to solve the challenges that companies face.

The advances in technology that have come about in the past few years allow us to add value in ways that we couldn’t in the past.

What motivates you to get up every day and go to work?
Everything about my job is motivating. I am part of the best team in the industry. They are out talking to company’s who want to make an impact, who want to apply these new technologies to save themselves money, to gain visibility or to disrupt their industry.

How do your co-workers inspire you?
The group of people that I work with are all excited to be working in a fast-paced, ever-changing industry. Their passion for what they do is contagious.

How do you have fun at work (team building, pranks, etc..)?
The work itself is fun. We work remotely and are located across the country, we can joke with each other on the phone or online, but the excitement of a new project keeps us motivated.

What are some of the challenges of your job?
The blockchain industry changes rapidly, it takes an effort to remain current, market intelligence is vital. To overcome this challenge we have established Vertical Leaders who research particular Blockchain Verticals and keep the rest of us abreast of the trends that are affecting the industry. For example, we have a vertical Lead named Adev Ahluwalia who is our Real Estate lead. He knows more about Blockchain for the Real Estate industry than anyone. Adev was a real estate broker, who is better suited to apply blockchain to real estate than a real estate professional.

What are some lessons learned from a past project that you can share with us?
People and planning are the keys to successful projects. Our project methodology at Blockchain Guru is proven over time. Robust methods, however, has to be supported by Great People! Hire great people and business life is fun and much easier.

What advice would you give to someone who is starting in your industry?
Take a blockchain course. Get involved in your local Blockchain community. Volunteer for a company to gain some experience. Challenge the status quo.

The Blockchain is a great community, join us.

Thank you for taking our pop quiz today. You get an A+ for effort. You can learn more about our interviewee and their business by visiting them on the web:

https://www.blockchainguru.ca

https://www.linkedin.com/company/blockchain-guru/

https://twitter.com/@blockchainguru_