May 15, 2025 • 20 mins
Michelle Lilly—the first Black woman globally to earn a Master's degree in blockchain and digital currency—is transforming how we understand cryptocurrency's potential for building generational wealth.
The racial wealth disparity demands innovative solutions beyond traditional financial systems. Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies represent that opportunity, not just as investments but as revolutionary tools for economic empowerment. Speaking with the conviction of someone who's lived this transformation, Michelle shares her remarkable journey from Bitcoin skeptic to cryptocurrency educator after watching her $30,000 investment grow to over $1.2 million during the pandemic.
"You're at risk right now anyway," Michelle emphasizes, challenging listeners to make educated financial choices rather than continuing with systems that haven't served our communities. With major institutions like Fidelity projecting Bitcoin could reach $1 billion by 2038, even owning a fraction could translate to life-changing wealth. These aren't just abstract numbers—they represent real possibilities for those who understand the technology's potential.
Beyond investing, Michelle's approach centers on education and community. "A lot of people want to just give you their money. And it's like no, I want you to fish. Because generational wealth is built when we pass it on. Not only do we pass on the money, we need to pass on the education." Her mission to educate one million people about cryptocurrency wealth creation stems from this philosophy.
For newcomers feeling intimidated, Michelle offers straightforward advice: start small with regular investments through dollar-cost averaging, use reputable platforms like Crypto.com to establish a wallet, and approach Bitcoin as a long-term treasury. Whether you begin with $10 or $10,000, the key is consistency and patience.
Ready to transform your financial future? Follow Michelle at @IamMichelleLily on Instagram and discover how cryptocurrency can help close wealth gaps while creating opportunities previous generations could only dream about.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Fidelity is expecting one Bitcoin to be worth $1
billion by 2038, with a B, andso you may not have enough money
to buy one Bitcoin right now.
But what if you could buy atenth of one Facts?
And what if they're right?
And in 13 years, one Bitcoin isworth $1 billion.
That means you're worth $100million?
Speaker 3 (00:21):
Let's get it, let's get it, let's get it.
What if they're wrong?
Speaker 1 (00:25):
And it only goes to $500 million.
That means you're worth $50million.
Look at that.
Speaker 3 (00:31):
Even the way that you thought about that.
Right there, light bulbs, eyesjust open.
Speaker 1 (00:35):
I'm trying to get us, as black people especially, to
understand.
You're at risk right now,anyway.
Yeah, but if you're going totake a risk, take an educated
one.
Speaker 3 (00:44):
Facts what up D?
What up Welcome, welcome,welcome.
Yeah, it's your boy, bobby D,and we're back here backstage
with Bobby D at the Black WealthSummit here at Florida Memorial
(01:05):
University.
Did you know this is the onlyHBCU in South Florida?
Speaker 4 (01:09):
No, I didn't know.
Speaker 3 (01:10):
Yeah, big shout outs to Ted and everyone that's here
supporting here at the BlackWealth Summit.
And we got a special guest thatjust came off the stage and
it's hot.
I mean, she's hot, I promiseyou.
Michelle Lilly, welcome her tothe stage.
Oh, thanks for having me oh mygosh, let me tell you, um, I was
walking with you backstage andI'm, like, so mesmerized by the
(01:32):
story, the impact and themessage that you really dropped
for those that are attending,and I'm so looking forward for
everyone to be able tounderstand the value around
bitcoin, cryptocurrency, and howthat's going to change people's
lives.
So give us a quick introduction, let us know where you're
coming from and calling in, anddefinitely we're going to talk
about Bitcoin today.
Speaker 1 (01:50):
OK, well, I live here in Miami now, but I'm
originally Chi-Town in thebuilding.
Speaker 4 (01:56):
Always.
Speaker 1 (01:59):
I lived in.
I got to give H-Town some shoutout too, because I lived in
Houston for 16 years before Imoved to Miami.
But it's Chi-Town some shoutout too, because I lived in
Houston for 16 years before Imoved to Miami, but it's
Chi-Town in the building.
Speaker 3 (02:07):
Yeah, yeah, for sure, For sure.
That's what's up Now.
The topic that we covered or Iseen on stage was about Bitcoin.
And tell me how you first gotstarted in Bitcoin.
I mean, for me you're like aPhD on Bitcoin, for me as much
as I've been doing some research.
Speaker 1 (02:25):
Yeah Well, I do have my master's degree in blockchain
and digital currency Firstblack woman in the world to hold
that title.
Speaker 4 (02:31):
Beautiful Give her a round of applause for that.
That's a gem too.
Speaker 1 (02:34):
just in case nobody heard First black woman in the
world.
Speaker 4 (02:39):
Yeah, yeah, that's a gem Okay.
Speaker 3 (02:42):
I know you say that again.
Speaker 1 (02:51):
I'm like, have a responsibility.
So I I don't say that to brag.
I say that because theresponsibility comes with that
and that's to educate our peopleabout, uh, the power of
cryptocurrency and being able touse cryptocurrency as a vehicle
to create wealth.
But how I got started incryptocurrency in 2017, I was
(03:12):
introduced.
I attended a meeting and I wasintroduced to Bitcoin.
It actually was for the secondtime.
The first time, I ignored itand, like I said on stage,
thought I was smart and you know, figure like what they doing.
I knew something they didn'tknow when.
I didn't know anything about it,which is most people.
So in doing so, I startedinvesting at twelve hundred
(03:35):
dollars buying Bitcoin, and itwas the year that it went up to
over twenty thousand dollars.
Speaker 4 (03:39):
Amazing.
Speaker 1 (03:40):
And I had to understand it.
Bitcoin had my full attentionat that point because I was like
what is this, why did it do itand how do I do this again?
And so from that I went on ajourney.
Like I said, I had tounderstand it, and so I spent
years and thousands of dollarsto figure it out.
I went and got blockchaincertified.
(04:02):
I went and got Ethereum.
Food of Greece got Ethereumcertified.
Shout out to that.
She's going deep yeah and uh.
In january of 2022, obtained mymaster's degree in uh blockchain
and digital currency top fiveuniversity, in the world
university of nicosia, and um,and since then I've been um not
(04:23):
only an active investor in themarket, but someone who has been
out here just educating andtelling anybody who will listen,
from my cashier at Walmart.
I know we boycotting Walmartand Target right now, but when I
was anyone who would payattention, I'm just sharing.
I don't care if you spend $25every time you get paid, just
(04:44):
buy you a little Bitcoin, justbuy you a little.
Speaker 4 (04:45):
Bitcoin.
Speaker 1 (04:46):
Just buy you a little Bitcoin Just out here
championing it, because we havea racial wealth disparity.
We need a hack to close thatgap.
Speaker 3 (05:00):
The traditional ways are not going to get us there,
because the traditional ways aregoing away a lot right now and,
um, our means of income andeverything is moving fast and so
we need to move fast with itroger that right, roger, that
now that's something that'struly like impactful in terms of
just, uh, understanding how wecan close this gap, because, uh,
(05:22):
whenever I talk about bitcoinand just from me just being
involved in bitcoin, um, I canalready see that the gaps has
helped me close, and if I'mleaving my people behind, I'm
like yo, how can I keep movingforward and leaving people
behind?
So it's so passionate to hearthat you're not only making the
investments, getting theeducation, but giving back to
our community.
So tell us a little bit aboutsome of the workshops and
(05:44):
services that you offer.
Speaker 1 (05:45):
Sure.
So you know, I've partneredwith the source, Ted and Hillman
, and we are on a mission toeducate 1 million people to
utilize cryptocurrency as avehicle to create wealth.
Speaker 3 (06:00):
I'll give that a big round of applause.
She said 1 million.
That's what you're shooting for.
That's what's up.
Yeah, blessings to you.
Speaker 1 (06:08):
And so I teach courses from small workshops,
which is introductory for peopleto understand, Because my goal
is to you know, a lot of peoplewant to just give you their
money.
Speaker 4 (06:18):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (06:18):
And it's like no, I want you to fish Because
generational wealth and wealthis built when we pass it on.
Speaker 3 (06:27):
And so not only do we pass on the money, we need to
pass on the education.
Yeah, 100%.
And in terms of just myexperience of learning and
developing whenever I've beeninvolved with workshop, group
learning and group environments,I excel even more because I see
other people that are numberone, may have some challenges,
may ask a question that I don'tknow, and or is just open up my
(06:48):
insights into.
like man, I never even thoughtabout it like that.
So not just and this is thepart about it not just telling
people, hey, go and do it, butgiving them the tools to
actually do it, which is amazing.
Speaker 1 (07:00):
You just touched on something.
Community is important.
You know you can't go at thisalone, because even I tell
people you know they went well,michelle, you're such an expert.
I'm like you know it's.
It's not a lot of experts inthis space and I don't it.
Technically I would be deemedan expert, but it's so much to
learn when it comes to thedigital currency space and
everyone has their lanes yeah soyou want to link up with a
(07:22):
community where I get some of mystudents that tell me about
coins that I didn't knowanything about.
Speaker 4 (07:28):
Look at that, you see what I'm saying.
Speaker 1 (07:30):
So now, when they tell me I get to share with the
other students and so communityis important when it comes to
really building a portfolio andreally starting to understand
what cryptocurrency is.
And this is not like tellingyou to quit your day job or, you
know, shut down your business.
It's saying learn about a newmoney that you're going to
(07:51):
utilize anyway, because most ofus, the reason we haven't made
the wealth gap we have right now, is because we are financially
illiterate yeah, yeah, 100.
Speaker 3 (08:01):
and and I like the way that you describe Bitcoin in
terms of the new money Tell mea little bit more on what you
have received from peoplepushbacking like, hey, I don't
want to get into it, or maybehesitant, and stuff like that.
Speaker 1 (08:15):
One of the major criticisms that I've heard about
Bitcoin is that it's volatile,that it's too volatile.
But you know, I invest based ondata and so the reason why most
people can't stand thevolatility is because
emotionally they can't handlewhen it drops.
But, like right now, Bitcoin isdown compared to 108.
(08:38):
But it's all about where youbuy right, Because if you would
have bought two months ago, itwas $68,000.
Speaker 4 (08:47):
Right.
Speaker 1 (08:48):
If you would have bought last year, it was 40
something.
If you'd have bought the yearbefore, it was 24.
So it's all relative to whenyou get in.
I say.
I say you you'll pay the price.
You know you'll get the priceyou deserve.
Speaker 3 (09:00):
Yeah, but what I'm really getting to is just trying
to debunk or give give peoplesome like insights into, like
those questions that hold themback from making sure sure.
Speaker 1 (09:08):
So volatility is definitely one um, I get that
all the time.
But if let's do the math andlet's do the facts, bitcoin has
outperformed every asset classover the last 15 years.
So if you're looking to getrich quick, then you might say
that you know you got in and twomonths later you want to be
rich.
Then yeah okay but if you lookover time, like I gave the big
mama story.
Speaker 3 (09:29):
Yep, yep.
Speaker 1 (09:29):
My mother bought Bitcoin at $2,200.
Didn't even know it was Bitcoin.
She called it BiggerCoin.
Speaker 3 (09:38):
Big shout out to mom, though.
I seen that video on herbirthday.
Speaker 1 (09:41):
She was there jamming .
We was jamming and she wasexcited because big mama in
Bitcoin now.
So big mama like I got Bitcoin,I'm happy.
You Because big mama in Bitcoinnow.
So big mama like I got Bitcoin,I'm happy, you know, and so you
know she didn't know what itwas.
So what keeps us away, too, isour ignorance, and because we
don't understand it, we shy awayfrom it.
But we'll go throw our money insomething.
(10:02):
Totally like you don'tunderstand how the casino works
against you Facts, but you'll go.
I got $2,000.
I can go to the casino tonight.
So I would say education is oneof the things.
And then one of the things thatI get all the time which is so
interesting to me is that well,what if the Internet goes down?
(10:22):
And my response to that is ifthe Internet goes down, do you
think you're about to walk intoyour bank, america or wells
fargo and pull your money out,your money?
yo, if the internet goes down,the internet goes down on
everything facts you're notabout to go and hop, just waltz
in the bank for me.
You know the internet went down.
It's time for me to pull mymoney out.
(10:43):
Well, you got bigger problemsif the internet goes.
Yeah, for sure 100.
Speaker 3 (10:48):
Another thing that've seen on stage that you talked
about is just the use case forit.
Sure, I've seen when you werebringing up like hey, now we do
Apple Pay like it's nothing, butbefore it was like yo, what is
this new app?
Do you feel like that adoptionwill help us move our mindsets
away from that?
Speaker 1 (11:05):
Sure, they're putting in the infrastructure right now
.
And what I'm encouraging peopleanother reason I'm encouraging
people to get into the market isbecause you want to be
investing in the infrastructure,these coins that's on the
cryptocurrency market.
They're building theinfrastructure that allowed no
different than the internet whenapps were being built.
Speaker 3 (11:26):
Roger, that they're building the infrastructure.
Speaker 1 (11:28):
Amazon was building an infrastructure for a retail
market, so if you would haveinvested in Amazon in those
years.
Google was building aninfrastructure for the
encyclopedia to go away.
Yeah, you know, and so I sharedabout Blockbuster.
You know I'm still, like I said, some of y'all probably still
owe late fees, y'all glad.
Blockbuster went bankrupt.
Speaker 3 (11:49):
Facts right.
Speaker 4 (11:49):
I like Blockbuster said some of y'all probably
still owe late fees.
Y'all glad blockbuster wentbankrupt.
Facts right.
The good old days right a lotof memories.
Speaker 3 (11:54):
But hey, did you turn that movie back in though?
Speaker 4 (11:57):
if not, that's that three dollar charge fee.
Speaker 3 (11:58):
They do all right, but it's so true in terms of
just adoption and evolution andevolving and and going.
You know where the directionand the wind is blowing.
It's like my mindset has alwaysbeen to not you know.
Everybody's like, hey, go again.
No, you got to go with thegreen.
You're already seeing it.
Trans is your friend Right.
It's like how easy it is rightnow in terms of money.
(12:21):
You mentioned this on the stage.
How many people carrying cashin their pocket Right Me?
I'm definitely not.
Who definitely not.
Who me you're gonna carry cash.
Speaker 4 (12:30):
I'm still old school oh come on you're an 80s baby.
That's why my mom always say ifyou don't have no money in your
pocket, yeah, you're not a man.
Speaker 1 (12:36):
Oh, I'm from shy town so I carry some cash just
because I don't know who I'mgonna have to pay I might have
to pay somebody and I am to makesomething happen for me while
Speaker 4 (12:45):
I'm out, I'm not alone.
I appreciate, let me shout outto that.
Speaker 3 (12:49):
Shout out to that, right there, now they're moving
these streets, but in general,it's like this momentum that I'm
really hoping that events likethis, summits like this, or even
just our vibe, the scene thatpeople can just understand.
Speaker 1 (13:00):
We're doing it for them no-transcript want to
semicolon what you said about awallet with a few bitcoins.
One of the things that I gavein on the stage that I hope
(13:23):
people really call is thatfidelity is expecting one
Bitcoin to be worth $1 billionby 2038.
With a B, let's make that.
With a.
B, and so you may not haveenough money to buy one Bitcoin
right now.
But what if you could buy atenth of one Facts?
And what if they're right?
And in 13 years, one Bitcoin isworth $1 billion.
(13:47):
That means you're worth $100million, let's get it.
Speaker 3 (13:51):
Let's worth 100 million, let's get it, let's get
it, let's get it.
What if they wrong?
Speaker 1 (13:54):
and this only goes to 500 million.
Speaker 3 (13:56):
That mean you worth 50 million look at that like
even the way that you thoughtabout that.
Right there, light bulbs, eyesjust open, right it's.
It's like take the risk.
What do you have to lose?
Right?
Speaker 1 (14:08):
so one thing I didn't share on stage um was in 2020,
this was so I had learned aboutbitcoin.
So I still had some, somebitcoin, but I had 34 000.
This was during covid and I had34 000 in my bank account.
That was it I'm not talkingabout.
I had some bitcoin, but youknow, I played.
(14:29):
Know, bitcoin is my savingsaccount.
That's how.
Speaker 4 (14:31):
I look.
Speaker 1 (14:31):
It's my treasury and so I took my bills every month
was $4,000 at that time and Itook $30,000 and put it in the
market and it turned to over$1.2 million in less than a year
.
Let's give that a round ofapplause right there.
Because in my mind $30,000wasn't any money.
Speaker 4 (14:53):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (14:54):
And in the big scheme of things, it's not.
I was going to spend it anyway,so either I was going to blow
it this way or I was going toblow it that way, but either way
I had to go make some moremoney.
I just pressured myself to doit.
You got $4,000 left to pay yourbills next month and you better
go get some more money.
(15:14):
But it was the decision that Imade to take the risk, because I
was at risk anyway, and that'swhat people I'm trying to get us
, as black people, especially tounderstand you at risk right
now anyway, yeah.
So, but if you're going to takea risk, take an educated one.
Speaker 3 (15:28):
Facts Facts, facts With the projected trajectory
heading in that nice gracegrowth that we all need to be
looking for, not that quick richright and I don't know if you
mentioned it or the speakerbefore said something about
being rich versus wealthy rightwe don't want to get no quick
rich.
We want to build somethingthat's going to build wealth
absolutely oh, my gosh, onequestion I do have for you
(15:50):
because, um, I do find um, atleast when I speak to my elders
about bitcoin.
Um, one of the things that theycome up with is like hey, this
new, uh bitcoin etfs and lookingat their 401ks and be like hey,
I want to make sure I'mdiversifying and moving that
direction.
So what do you feel aboutBitcoin ETFs?
Speaker 1 (16:08):
I mean Bitcoin ETFs is a way for people to.
I always encourage people tojust get in the market, right?
But if you can, you investingin a Bitcoin ETF is no different
than you investing in your ownBitcoin, so you might as well
own and control it and have itin your control.
Speaker 3 (16:25):
Yeah, 100%, and I even I started Bitcoin.
This is just a little bit aboutmy journey back in 2015.
I was out in Silicon Valley, Iwas working at Twitter for a
minute, so you know I'm around alot of people that don't know.
Speaker 1 (16:37):
You was in that tech world.
Speaker 3 (16:38):
You know what I'm saying and the whispers and
talking about the paper thatcame out and I'm reading it and
I'm like, oh, the technology,the concept, blockchain, data
that can only be written onceand can there?
Oh, this one definitely.
And I was like a little bithesitant.
I had a buddy of mine.
I was like yo, let's go putsome money.
I was that one day I wasdriving into the city they said
(17:04):
Bitcoin was $10,000.
I was like oh my gosh, like Ididn't even know.
And for me it was like being inthe right room, being in the
right setting, being in theright environment, hearing that
knowledge and then taking therisk.
I didn't have to throweverything at it, but lining,
but lining myself up so that Iget just a little bit, just a
little bit, and then just watchit grow.
So it's always in terms of justmy feedback that I give to our
(17:25):
audience and definitely thosethat are going to be following
along, because people are goingto come following you.
And you got two books too.
So maybe more I only know abouttwo, but in general it's like
you just don't be afraid to takethe risk.
That has the potential to makea life impactful change Right,
absolutely.
Has the potential to make alife impactful change right,
absolutely.
So it's definitely alwaysinspiring for me when I hear
these great speakers and mindstalking about and bringing it to
(17:47):
light is I'm just grateful thatpeople will have a chance to
hear this stuff right?
So I want to say, first of all,thank you so much, thanks for
having me.
Speaker 1 (17:53):
Thank you so much.
Speaker 3 (17:54):
And the last thing before we end our conversation
is you mentioned something aboutactionable things.
What would you say to theaudience, those that didn't get
a chance to attend, those thatare in the rooms you know be
like oh I want to hear thisstuff.
What would be the thing thatyou want to make sure that
they've took an action when theyactually hear this?
Speaker 1 (18:09):
so if you, if you, if you have a wallet or don't if
you don't have a wallet, get one, um, you can go to cryptocom
and I'm use that simple it's anapp on your phone you can
register for Cryptocom.
And so, if you do have a walletso this is now for both people
is to, when we talk about dollarcost averaging, every time you
(18:32):
get paid I don't care if it's$10, $25, $50, get a recurring
buy where it automatically comesout.
You put it in there and itautomatically comes out, and all
you do is buy bitcoin everytime.
Don't touch it, don't thinkabout it, use it as a treasury,
(18:52):
let it build, let that be yoursavings account, if you want to
say yeah and just sit down forthe next five to ten years sit
down and don't worry about itand
Speaker 3 (19:06):
get wealthy oh wow, my lord any question before we
end.
I had a lot.
Speaker 4 (19:11):
I don't think we have that time to say the truth, but
there's a lot of people that II speak to a little.
I want to get your your opinionon basically, um, what about
those, the ones that says thatyou know bitcoin is a hundred
thousand, let's say, for example, and you only invest in, maybe
to like five thousand into it?
Speaker 1 (19:29):
uh, that's five percent, remember we let's go
back to the, to the billion.
If it goes to a billion and youown five percent, you got 50
million.
If you don't have a plan tomake 50 million dollars in the
next 13 years and let's be realeverybody in their fantasy can
act like they have one, but mostpeople don't have a plan to
make 50 million dollars in thenext, uh, in the next 13 years,
(19:50):
for sure yeah five percent,that's your plan, right there in
case anybody got in here atfive percent that's what's up.
Speaker 3 (19:58):
All right, d hustle cue that music up player.
Well, I want to say thank youso much for pulling up.
Thank you very much for yourlisteners D Hustle always
holding it down in the cut hegot the stickers all stuck on.
I don't know what's going on,bro come on, man, that's our
advertising man.
But anyway, I want to say thankyou all so much for tuning in.
Did not know there's a rewindbutton.
(20:19):
There's a button that you goback and listen and watch it
again.
I want you to press that button.
Take a listen.
We marked it with the specialsound.
What's the special sound?
D?
There you go right.
Only here at the BlackwellSutton we're at Florida Memorial
University.
Speaker 1 (20:32):
Yes, sir, the only HBCU in South Florida, south
Florida Big shout outs and yeah,yeah, you got two books, I got
four books actually, oh, my bad,my bad, my bad, my bad On
Amazon.
You can follow me atIamMichelleLily on Instagram and
let's get it.
Speaker 3 (20:50):
Let's get it.
Let's get it.
Thank you all so much fortuning in, always backstage with
Bobby D.
Fidelity is expecting one Bitcoin to be worth $1
billion by 2038, with a B, andso you may not have enough money
to buy one Bitcoin right now.
But what if you could buy atenth of one Facts?
And what if they're right?
And in 13 years, one Bitcoin isworth $1 billion.
That means you're worth $100million?
Speaker 3 (00:21):
Let's get it, let's get it, let's get it.
What if they're wrong?
Speaker 1 (00:25):
And it only goes to $500 million.
That means you're worth $50million.
Look at that.
Speaker 3 (00:31):
Even the way that you thought about that.
Right there, light bulbs, eyesjust open.
Speaker 1 (00:35):
I'm trying to get us, as black people especially, to
understand.
You're at risk right now,anyway.
Yeah, but if you're going totake a risk, take an educated
one.
Speaker 3 (00:44):
Facts what up D?
What up Welcome, welcome,welcome.
Yeah, it's your boy, bobby D,and we're back here backstage
with Bobby D at the Black WealthSummit here at Florida Memorial
(01:05):
University.
Did you know this is the onlyHBCU in South Florida?
Speaker 4 (01:09):
No, I didn't know.
Speaker 3 (01:10):
Yeah, big shout outs to Ted and everyone that's here
supporting here at the BlackWealth Summit.
And we got a special guest thatjust came off the stage and
it's hot.
I mean, she's hot, I promiseyou.
Michelle Lilly, welcome her tothe stage.
Oh, thanks for having me oh mygosh, let me tell you, um, I was
walking with you backstage andI'm, like, so mesmerized by the
(01:32):
story, the impact and themessage that you really dropped
for those that are attending,and I'm so looking forward for
everyone to be able tounderstand the value around
bitcoin, cryptocurrency, and howthat's going to change people's
lives.
So give us a quick introduction, let us know where you're
coming from and calling in, anddefinitely we're going to talk
about Bitcoin today.
Speaker 1 (01:50):
OK, well, I live here in Miami now, but I'm
originally Chi-Town in thebuilding.
Speaker 4 (01:56):
Always.
Speaker 1 (01:59):
I lived in.
I got to give H-Town some shoutout too, because I lived in
Houston for 16 years before Imoved to Miami.
But it's Chi-Town some shoutout too, because I lived in
Houston for 16 years before Imoved to Miami, but it's
Chi-Town in the building.
Speaker 3 (02:07):
Yeah, yeah, for sure, For sure.
That's what's up Now.
The topic that we covered or Iseen on stage was about Bitcoin.
And tell me how you first gotstarted in Bitcoin.
I mean, for me you're like aPhD on Bitcoin, for me as much
as I've been doing some research.
Speaker 1 (02:25):
Yeah Well, I do have my master's degree in blockchain
and digital currency Firstblack woman in the world to hold
that title.
Speaker 4 (02:31):
Beautiful Give her a round of applause for that.
That's a gem too.
Speaker 1 (02:34):
just in case nobody heard First black woman in the
world.
Speaker 4 (02:39):
Yeah, yeah, that's a gem Okay.
Speaker 3 (02:42):
I know you say that again.
Speaker 1 (02:51):
I'm like, have a responsibility.
So I I don't say that to brag.
I say that because theresponsibility comes with that
and that's to educate our peopleabout, uh, the power of
cryptocurrency and being able touse cryptocurrency as a vehicle
to create wealth.
But how I got started incryptocurrency in 2017, I was
(03:12):
introduced.
I attended a meeting and I wasintroduced to Bitcoin.
It actually was for the secondtime.
The first time, I ignored itand, like I said on stage,
thought I was smart and you know, figure like what they doing.
I knew something they didn'tknow when.
I didn't know anything about it,which is most people.
So in doing so, I startedinvesting at twelve hundred
(03:35):
dollars buying Bitcoin, and itwas the year that it went up to
over twenty thousand dollars.
Speaker 4 (03:39):
Amazing.
Speaker 1 (03:40):
And I had to understand it.
Bitcoin had my full attentionat that point because I was like
what is this, why did it do itand how do I do this again?
And so from that I went on ajourney.
Like I said, I had tounderstand it, and so I spent
years and thousands of dollarsto figure it out.
I went and got blockchaincertified.
(04:02):
I went and got Ethereum.
Food of Greece got Ethereumcertified.
Shout out to that.
She's going deep yeah and uh.
In january of 2022, obtained mymaster's degree in uh blockchain
and digital currency top fiveuniversity, in the world
university of nicosia, and um,and since then I've been um not
(04:23):
only an active investor in themarket, but someone who has been
out here just educating andtelling anybody who will listen,
from my cashier at Walmart.
I know we boycotting Walmartand Target right now, but when I
was anyone who would payattention, I'm just sharing.
I don't care if you spend $25every time you get paid, just
(04:44):
buy you a little Bitcoin, justbuy you a little.
Speaker 4 (04:45):
Bitcoin.
Speaker 1 (04:46):
Just buy you a little Bitcoin Just out here
championing it, because we havea racial wealth disparity.
We need a hack to close thatgap.
Speaker 3 (05:00):
The traditional ways are not going to get us there,
because the traditional ways aregoing away a lot right now and,
um, our means of income andeverything is moving fast and so
we need to move fast with itroger that right, roger, that
now that's something that'struly like impactful in terms of
just, uh, understanding how wecan close this gap, because, uh,
(05:22):
whenever I talk about bitcoinand just from me just being
involved in bitcoin, um, I canalready see that the gaps has
helped me close, and if I'mleaving my people behind, I'm
like yo, how can I keep movingforward and leaving people
behind?
So it's so passionate to hearthat you're not only making the
investments, getting theeducation, but giving back to
our community.
So tell us a little bit aboutsome of the workshops and
(05:44):
services that you offer.
Speaker 1 (05:45):
Sure.
So you know, I've partneredwith the source, Ted and Hillman
, and we are on a mission toeducate 1 million people to
utilize cryptocurrency as avehicle to create wealth.
Speaker 3 (06:00):
I'll give that a big round of applause.
She said 1 million.
That's what you're shooting for.
That's what's up.
Yeah, blessings to you.
Speaker 1 (06:08):
And so I teach courses from small workshops,
which is introductory for peopleto understand, Because my goal
is to you know, a lot of peoplewant to just give you their
money.
Speaker 4 (06:18):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (06:18):
And it's like no, I want you to fish Because
generational wealth and wealthis built when we pass it on.
Speaker 3 (06:27):
And so not only do we pass on the money, we need to
pass on the education.
Yeah, 100%.
And in terms of just myexperience of learning and
developing whenever I've beeninvolved with workshop, group
learning and group environments,I excel even more because I see
other people that are numberone, may have some challenges,
may ask a question that I don'tknow, and or is just open up my
(06:48):
insights into.
like man, I never even thoughtabout it like that.
So not just and this is thepart about it not just telling
people, hey, go and do it, butgiving them the tools to
actually do it, which is amazing.
Speaker 1 (07:00):
You just touched on something.
Community is important.
You know you can't go at thisalone, because even I tell
people you know they went well,michelle, you're such an expert.
I'm like you know it's.
It's not a lot of experts inthis space and I don't it.
Technically I would be deemedan expert, but it's so much to
learn when it comes to thedigital currency space and
everyone has their lanes yeah soyou want to link up with a
(07:22):
community where I get some of mystudents that tell me about
coins that I didn't knowanything about.
Speaker 4 (07:28):
Look at that, you see what I'm saying.
Speaker 1 (07:30):
So now, when they tell me I get to share with the
other students and so communityis important when it comes to
really building a portfolio andreally starting to understand
what cryptocurrency is.
And this is not like tellingyou to quit your day job or, you
know, shut down your business.
It's saying learn about a newmoney that you're going to
(07:51):
utilize anyway, because most ofus, the reason we haven't made
the wealth gap we have right now, is because we are financially
illiterate yeah, yeah, 100.
Speaker 3 (08:01):
and and I like the way that you describe Bitcoin in
terms of the new money Tell mea little bit more on what you
have received from peoplepushbacking like, hey, I don't
want to get into it, or maybehesitant, and stuff like that.
Speaker 1 (08:15):
One of the major criticisms that I've heard about
Bitcoin is that it's volatile,that it's too volatile.
But you know, I invest based ondata and so the reason why most
people can't stand thevolatility is because
emotionally they can't handlewhen it drops.
But, like right now, Bitcoin isdown compared to 108.
(08:38):
But it's all about where youbuy right, Because if you would
have bought two months ago, itwas $68,000.
Speaker 4 (08:47):
Right.
Speaker 1 (08:48):
If you would have bought last year, it was 40
something.
If you'd have bought the yearbefore, it was 24.
So it's all relative to whenyou get in.
I say.
I say you you'll pay the price.
You know you'll get the priceyou deserve.
Speaker 3 (09:00):
Yeah, but what I'm really getting to is just trying
to debunk or give give peoplesome like insights into, like
those questions that hold themback from making sure sure.
Speaker 1 (09:08):
So volatility is definitely one um, I get that
all the time.
But if let's do the math andlet's do the facts, bitcoin has
outperformed every asset classover the last 15 years.
So if you're looking to getrich quick, then you might say
that you know you got in and twomonths later you want to be
rich.
Then yeah okay but if you lookover time, like I gave the big
mama story.
Speaker 3 (09:29):
Yep, yep.
Speaker 1 (09:29):
My mother bought Bitcoin at $2,200.
Didn't even know it was Bitcoin.
She called it BiggerCoin.
Speaker 3 (09:38):
Big shout out to mom, though.
I seen that video on herbirthday.
Speaker 1 (09:41):
She was there jamming .
We was jamming and she wasexcited because big mama in
Bitcoin now.
So big mama like I got Bitcoin,I'm happy.
You Because big mama in Bitcoinnow.
So big mama like I got Bitcoin,I'm happy, you know, and so you
know she didn't know what itwas.
So what keeps us away, too, isour ignorance, and because we
don't understand it, we shy awayfrom it.
But we'll go throw our money insomething.
(10:02):
Totally like you don'tunderstand how the casino works
against you Facts, but you'll go.
I got $2,000.
I can go to the casino tonight.
So I would say education is oneof the things.
And then one of the things thatI get all the time which is so
interesting to me is that well,what if the Internet goes down?
(10:22):
And my response to that is ifthe Internet goes down, do you
think you're about to walk intoyour bank, america or wells
fargo and pull your money out,your money?
yo, if the internet goes down,the internet goes down on
everything facts you're notabout to go and hop, just waltz
in the bank for me.
You know the internet went down.
It's time for me to pull mymoney out.
(10:43):
Well, you got bigger problemsif the internet goes.
Yeah, for sure 100.
Speaker 3 (10:48):
Another thing that've seen on stage that you talked
about is just the use case forit.
Sure, I've seen when you werebringing up like hey, now we do
Apple Pay like it's nothing, butbefore it was like yo, what is
this new app?
Do you feel like that adoptionwill help us move our mindsets
away from that?
Speaker 1 (11:05):
Sure, they're putting in the infrastructure right now
.
And what I'm encouraging peopleanother reason I'm encouraging
people to get into the market isbecause you want to be
investing in the infrastructure,these coins that's on the
cryptocurrency market.
They're building theinfrastructure that allowed no
different than the internet whenapps were being built.
Speaker 3 (11:26):
Roger, that they're building the infrastructure.
Speaker 1 (11:28):
Amazon was building an infrastructure for a retail
market, so if you would haveinvested in Amazon in those
years.
Google was building aninfrastructure for the
encyclopedia to go away.
Yeah, you know, and so I sharedabout Blockbuster.
You know I'm still, like I said, some of y'all probably still
owe late fees, y'all glad.
Blockbuster went bankrupt.
Speaker 3 (11:49):
Facts right.
Speaker 4 (11:49):
I like Blockbuster said some of y'all probably
still owe late fees.
Y'all glad blockbuster wentbankrupt.
Facts right.
The good old days right a lotof memories.
Speaker 3 (11:54):
But hey, did you turn that movie back in though?
Speaker 4 (11:57):
if not, that's that three dollar charge fee.
Speaker 3 (11:58):
They do all right, but it's so true in terms of
just adoption and evolution andevolving and and going.
You know where the directionand the wind is blowing.
It's like my mindset has alwaysbeen to not you know.
Everybody's like, hey, go again.
No, you got to go with thegreen.
You're already seeing it.
Trans is your friend Right.
It's like how easy it is rightnow in terms of money.
(12:21):
You mentioned this on the stage.
How many people carrying cashin their pocket Right Me?
I'm definitely not.
Who definitely not.
Who me you're gonna carry cash.
Speaker 4 (12:30):
I'm still old school oh come on you're an 80s baby.
That's why my mom always say ifyou don't have no money in your
pocket, yeah, you're not a man.
Speaker 1 (12:36):
Oh, I'm from shy town so I carry some cash just
because I don't know who I'mgonna have to pay I might have
to pay somebody and I am to makesomething happen for me while
Speaker 4 (12:45):
I'm out, I'm not alone.
I appreciate, let me shout outto that.
Speaker 3 (12:49):
Shout out to that, right there, now they're moving
these streets, but in general,it's like this momentum that I'm
really hoping that events likethis, summits like this, or even
just our vibe, the scene thatpeople can just understand.
Speaker 1 (13:00):
We're doing it for them no-transcript want to
semicolon what you said about awallet with a few bitcoins.
One of the things that I gavein on the stage that I hope
(13:23):
people really call is thatfidelity is expecting one
Bitcoin to be worth $1 billionby 2038.
With a B, let's make that.
With a.
B, and so you may not haveenough money to buy one Bitcoin
right now.
But what if you could buy atenth of one Facts?
And what if they're right?
And in 13 years, one Bitcoin isworth $1 billion.
(13:47):
That means you're worth $100million, let's get it.
Speaker 3 (13:51):
Let's worth 100 million, let's get it, let's get
it, let's get it.
What if they wrong?
Speaker 1 (13:54):
and this only goes to 500 million.
Speaker 3 (13:56):
That mean you worth 50 million look at that like
even the way that you thoughtabout that.
Right there, light bulbs, eyesjust open, right it's.
It's like take the risk.
What do you have to lose?
Right?
Speaker 1 (14:08):
so one thing I didn't share on stage um was in 2020,
this was so I had learned aboutbitcoin.
So I still had some, somebitcoin, but I had 34 000.
This was during covid and I had34 000 in my bank account.
That was it I'm not talkingabout.
I had some bitcoin, but youknow, I played.
(14:29):
Know, bitcoin is my savingsaccount.
That's how.
Speaker 4 (14:31):
I look.
Speaker 1 (14:31):
It's my treasury and so I took my bills every month
was $4,000 at that time and Itook $30,000 and put it in the
market and it turned to over$1.2 million in less than a year
.
Let's give that a round ofapplause right there.
Because in my mind $30,000wasn't any money.
Speaker 4 (14:53):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (14:54):
And in the big scheme of things, it's not.
I was going to spend it anyway,so either I was going to blow
it this way or I was going toblow it that way, but either way
I had to go make some moremoney.
I just pressured myself to doit.
You got $4,000 left to pay yourbills next month and you better
go get some more money.
(15:14):
But it was the decision that Imade to take the risk, because I
was at risk anyway, and that'swhat people I'm trying to get us
, as black people, especially tounderstand you at risk right
now anyway, yeah.
So, but if you're going to takea risk, take an educated one.
Speaker 3 (15:28):
Facts Facts, facts With the projected trajectory
heading in that nice gracegrowth that we all need to be
looking for, not that quick richright and I don't know if you
mentioned it or the speakerbefore said something about
being rich versus wealthy rightwe don't want to get no quick
rich.
We want to build somethingthat's going to build wealth
absolutely oh, my gosh, onequestion I do have for you
(15:50):
because, um, I do find um, atleast when I speak to my elders
about bitcoin.
Um, one of the things that theycome up with is like hey, this
new, uh bitcoin etfs and lookingat their 401ks and be like hey,
I want to make sure I'mdiversifying and moving that
direction.
So what do you feel aboutBitcoin ETFs?
Speaker 1 (16:08):
I mean Bitcoin ETFs is a way for people to.
I always encourage people tojust get in the market, right?
But if you can, you investingin a Bitcoin ETF is no different
than you investing in your ownBitcoin, so you might as well
own and control it and have itin your control.
Speaker 3 (16:25):
Yeah, 100%, and I even I started Bitcoin.
This is just a little bit aboutmy journey back in 2015.
I was out in Silicon Valley, Iwas working at Twitter for a
minute, so you know I'm around alot of people that don't know.
Speaker 1 (16:37):
You was in that tech world.
Speaker 3 (16:38):
You know what I'm saying and the whispers and
talking about the paper thatcame out and I'm reading it and
I'm like, oh, the technology,the concept, blockchain, data
that can only be written onceand can there?
Oh, this one definitely.
And I was like a little bithesitant.
I had a buddy of mine.
I was like yo, let's go putsome money.
I was that one day I wasdriving into the city they said
(17:04):
Bitcoin was $10,000.
I was like oh my gosh, like Ididn't even know.
And for me it was like being inthe right room, being in the
right setting, being in theright environment, hearing that
knowledge and then taking therisk.
I didn't have to throweverything at it, but lining,
but lining myself up so that Iget just a little bit, just a
little bit, and then just watchit grow.
So it's always in terms of justmy feedback that I give to our
(17:25):
audience and definitely thosethat are going to be following
along, because people are goingto come following you.
And you got two books too.
So maybe more I only know abouttwo, but in general it's like
you just don't be afraid to takethe risk.
That has the potential to makea life impactful change Right,
absolutely.
Has the potential to make alife impactful change right,
absolutely.
So it's definitely alwaysinspiring for me when I hear
these great speakers and mindstalking about and bringing it to
(17:47):
light is I'm just grateful thatpeople will have a chance to
hear this stuff right?
So I want to say, first of all,thank you so much, thanks for
having me.
Speaker 1 (17:53):
Thank you so much.
Speaker 3 (17:54):
And the last thing before we end our conversation
is you mentioned something aboutactionable things.
What would you say to theaudience, those that didn't get
a chance to attend, those thatare in the rooms you know be
like oh I want to hear thisstuff.
What would be the thing thatyou want to make sure that
they've took an action when theyactually hear this?
Speaker 1 (18:09):
so if you, if you, if you have a wallet or don't if
you don't have a wallet, get one, um, you can go to cryptocom
and I'm use that simple it's anapp on your phone you can
register for Cryptocom.
And so, if you do have a walletso this is now for both people
is to, when we talk about dollarcost averaging, every time you
(18:32):
get paid I don't care if it's$10, $25, $50, get a recurring
buy where it automatically comesout.
You put it in there and itautomatically comes out, and all
you do is buy bitcoin everytime.
Don't touch it, don't thinkabout it, use it as a treasury,
(18:52):
let it build, let that be yoursavings account, if you want to
say yeah and just sit down forthe next five to ten years sit
down and don't worry about itand
Speaker 3 (19:06):
get wealthy oh wow, my lord any question before we
end.
I had a lot.
Speaker 4 (19:11):
I don't think we have that time to say the truth, but
there's a lot of people that II speak to a little.
I want to get your your opinionon basically, um, what about
those, the ones that says thatyou know bitcoin is a hundred
thousand, let's say, for example, and you only invest in, maybe
to like five thousand into it?
Speaker 1 (19:29):
uh, that's five percent, remember we let's go
back to the, to the billion.
If it goes to a billion and youown five percent, you got 50
million.
If you don't have a plan tomake 50 million dollars in the
next 13 years and let's be realeverybody in their fantasy can
act like they have one, but mostpeople don't have a plan to
make 50 million dollars in thenext, uh, in the next 13 years,
(19:50):
for sure yeah five percent,that's your plan, right there in
case anybody got in here atfive percent that's what's up.
Speaker 3 (19:58):
All right, d hustle cue that music up player.
Well, I want to say thank youso much for pulling up.
Thank you very much for yourlisteners D Hustle always
holding it down in the cut hegot the stickers all stuck on.
I don't know what's going on,bro come on, man, that's our
advertising man.
But anyway, I want to say thankyou all so much for tuning in.
Did not know there's a rewindbutton.
(20:19):
There's a button that you goback and listen and watch it
again.
I want you to press that button.
Take a listen.
We marked it with the specialsound.
What's the special sound?
D?
There you go right.
Only here at the BlackwellSutton we're at Florida Memorial
University.
Speaker 1 (20:32):
Yes, sir, the only HBCU in South Florida, south
Florida Big shout outs and yeah,yeah, you got two books, I got
four books actually, oh, my bad,my bad, my bad, my bad On
Amazon.
You can follow me atIamMichelleLily on Instagram and
let's get it.
Speaker 3 (20:50):
Let's get it.
Let's get it.
Thank you all so much fortuning in, always backstage with
Bobby D.
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