The Bad Crypto Podcast turns the crypto-curious into crypto newbies — and how you can, too. It all starts with asking the right questions.
While I greatly admire the brilliant thought leaders and engineers driving the blockchain revolution, not all of them excel at explaining it to the average person. When I first started exploring crypto, I couldn't orient myself. It took longer than I care to admit to figure out how to find the blockchain, let alone interact with it. But I was persistent — and eventually found my bearings.
The Bad Crypto Podcast gets it right
I was kicking myself when I stumbled upon the Bad Crypto Podcast two years into my journey. It was exactly what I had needed as a newbie. Hosts Travis Wright and Joel Comm invite listeners along on their own learning journey, making it immediately clear that they're figuring it out too — hence the name. They learn from their mistakes in public, don't take themselves too seriously, and manage to be genuinely funny while they do it. Their authenticity convinces you that ordinary people really can navigate this space.
What the rest of the industry should notice
Travis and Joel figured out how to turn the crypto-curious into crypto newbies by meeting people where they are. Rather than producing content that only industry insiders can parse, they address the basic questions that must be answered before the masses will even consider adoption:
- Why should I care?
- How is this relevant to me specifically?
- What are the real-world use cases?
- What does all the jargon actually mean?
- Do the benefits outweigh the risks?
- Why is the UX so bad, and can someone help me get started?
A self-assessment for every blockchain communicator
I'd encourage every industry leader, foundation member, and marketing professional to honestly review their communication strategy and ask: Are you speaking in a language your audience actually understands, or are you talking amongst yourselves? Are you showing up where curious newcomers already are, or only where developers hang out? Does your homepage alienate anyone who doesn't already know what a gas fee is?
A significant number of people on the outside are smart, capable, and would gladly participate if someone helped them find the door. Just like Joel and Travis, we all need to make a more concerted effort to help the curious get in, introduce them around, and show them the ropes.
