Due to advances in technology and the rise of centralized systems that limit privacy, the very nature of how we think about money and the government’s role in it is evolving.

The clearest manifestation of this is the rise of cryptocurrencies, of which bitcoin is the most prominent.

In today's conversation, we go back 5,000 years to explore the beginning of money and then trace how the way we think about money and how we distribute money has evolved over time. Along the way, we touch on gold, central banking, Modern Monetary Theory and yes, bitcoin. It’s a wild ride!

My objective in this episode is to give you some historical context that has led to the development of bitcoin and how it is being used today so you can speak more confidently to your clients when they ask about it.

My guest to discuss all this is Michael Casey. Michael is a true pathfinder. He spent over three decades in journalism including 18 years with Dow Jones and the Wall Street Journal. He's been in business and academia, and he has a real grasp on the big technological, geopolitical, economic, and social trends that impact businesses, communities and individuals.

Currently, he’s the chief content officer at CoinDesk.

In addition, he's the author of five highly acclaimed books including:

• "The Truth Machine: The Blockchain and the Future of Everything"
• "The Social Organism: A Radical Understanding of Social Media to Transform Your Business and Life"
• "The Age of Cryptocurrency: How Bitcoin and the Blockchain Are Challenging the Global Economic Order"

In a Nutshell: To stand out from all the fake news and clickbait cluttering your audience's inboxes, you have to produce content that's authentic, entertaining, interesting, and above all, human.

Guest: Brooke Southall, the founder of RIABiz. Back in 2009, Brooke built his online-only news publication on traditional journalistic values like using multiple sources and editorial analysis. Brooke and his team captured the rise of new models for providing client-first financial advice against the backdrop of Wall Street's decline during the Great Recession. Today, RIABiz is one of the go-to sources for deep, sophisticated analysis of the most important issues affecting the RIA business.

My Key Takeaways: To create engaging, authentic content:

• Don't be boring. Before you even start writing, ask yourself, "Is this an article I would click on or swipe past?"
• Slow down. Brooke believes that the race to be first has really hurt online journalism. Working important news into your regular communication rhythm will result in better content than a rushed newsletter.
• Keep your eyes open. Brooke says the key to writing good articles isn't great writing ability, it's curiosity about the world and other people.

Also Learn:

• Why hiking with his dogs is an integral part of Brooke's writing  process.
• How to use other people's stories as a jumping-off point for your next blog or newsletter.
• What separates a compelling headline from pure clickbait.
• Why Brooke believes showing weakness is more important to good writing than demonstrating success.