Given his Navy experience alone, Paul McNeal approaches life with a sense of accountability and an appreciation for leadership. Fascinated with crypto and blockchain and brewing with entrepreneurial interests, as well as working in various mentorship capacities, it only seemed natural for Paul to put together his platform, The Crypto Curator, featuring a regularly delivered news brief and podcast. While you can catch him there or on the conference circuit, BitIRA was able to ask him some questions about how he got to where he is today.
BitIRA:How did you start getting involved in crypto?
PM: I came across something from Trace Mayer talking about Bitcoin on Twitter; he actually has an incredible podcast series of his own that’s really taken off. This led me to take the red pill and read the Bitcoin White Paper. From there, I went down the rabbit hole… and the rest is history.
BitIRA: Clearly one of the goals you strive for is to help people believe in and trust in the potential of blockchain and crypto. What drove your faith in them?
PM: I began watching this space all the way back in 2011, and month after month, more and more was happening. It wasn’t until 2013 when I noticed Wall Street Executives actually leaving their jobs to join crypto startups. When Andreessen Horowitz put $25M into Coinbase, I knew for sure that this was not a drill.
BitIRA: What has been the biggest challenge in your career? How did you overcome it? What would you recommend to others in a similar position?
PM: By far, the biggest challenge of my career was having the intestinal fortitude to quick my government job to launch a business with my roommate. I made an educated, calculated decision. The way I figured it was that if it didn’t go well, I still had runway to go back to work. Of all the things that have happened in my career and from which I’ve learned, I think the biggest piece of advice that I’d want to impart to others in a similar position is that when you are young, you need to take risks. Step out into the unknown. At least try, even if you don’t find success every time.
BitIRA: What future developments in blockchain or crypto do you most eagerly anticipate?
PM: I’m excited to watch for more increased adoption of Bitcoin as a form of payment in all capacities, as well as the advanced privacy features soon to be incorporated. Increased acceptance of Bitcoin will make it more functional while also allowing for further innovation as more people want a piece of the pie.
