Michael Terpin CoFounder BitAngels, the world’s first angel network for digital currency startups, in May, 2013, and now serves as its chairman. The distributed angel network currently has more than 600 members, and it has made more than 25 investments in bitcoin and cryptocurrency companies with two exits and several follow-on rounds. Terpin is also co-founder and managing partner of bCommerce Labs, the first technology incubator fund focused on e-commerce companies for bitcoin and the blockchain, and a partner at Flight VC, where he started the AngelList Bitcoin Syndicate with legendary super-angel Gil Penchina. Terpin has spoken widely on bitcoin at leading conferences globally, including Bitcoin 2014, BitFin, CoinAgenda, Coin Congress, CoinSummit, Inside Bitcoins (Berlin, Hong Kong, Las Vegas, London, NY), La BitConf (Brazil), North American Bitcoin Show, Satoshi Roundtable, and TEDx Hollywood. He has organized the bitcoin/blockchain sessions at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) for two year, and run the official bitcoin/blockchain meetup at SXSW for three years. In November 2016, he will hold the first keynote on brands and blockchain at Adtech New York. In addition, Terpin is founder and CEO of Transform Group, a marketing holding company that includes Transform PR, a global PR firm with more than 60 clients in the blockchain field; Coinovate, a cryptocurrency consulting and development company; and SocialRadius, one of the nation’s first social media marketing firms twice named to the Inc. 5000. Notable current anc recent clients include Augur, Bittrex, ChangeTip, Counterparty, Factom, Gem, GoCoin, Gyft, KnCMiner, Kraken, MaidSafe, Omni, Rivetz, Safe Cash, ShapeShift,Tether and Voxelus, Transform Group is headquartered in Las Vegas, with offices in Santa Monica, Silicon Valley, and San Juan.
Interviews
Lance R. Vick Security Researcher #simswapprotection
Lance R. Vick Security Researcher/President/Founder Hashbang I am a security researcher and software architect specializing in applied cryptography, physical security, supply chain integrity, side channel attack mitigation, hardware security modules, and web service hardening. Over the past 20+ years I have been involved this space I have started multiple companies, designed and deployed hundreds of projects, and solved problems for many Fortune 500 companies. Currently I do security R&D in the fintech industry, and help maintain the #! community which focuses on freely teaching security, privacy, and self hosting to anyone interested.
Jamie L. Pearson, COO Bhang Corporation #cannabisbusiness
Jamie L. Pearson, COO Bhang Corporation Jamie is responsible for the overall vision and direction of the company on a global scale and its entrée into international distribution and capital markets. The daughter of a cannabis cultivator, she literally grew up in the industry and has watched it evolve from Reagan’s war on drugs to where it is now. In her professional life before Bhang, Jamie founded and oversaw the day-to-day leadership, general management and operations for a successful real estate investment, finance, and management firm. Jamie currently owns a real estate portfolio that spans three countries. In 2015, she co-founded a celebrity cannabis agency, working with iconic artists such as Cypress Hill and Die Antwoord to initiate ventures with brands like Bhang and Natural Cannabis. She has personally owned cultivation operations in Northern California and Montana and has been a cannabis-friendly landlord for over 15 years. At Bhang, she is in charge of all areas of operations including corporate management, strategic planning, banking and finance, global licensee & vendor relationships, supply chain, customer service, hiring and personnel oversight. A certified team builder, published author and popular speaker in both the cannabis and real estate industries, Jamie’s “best-of-both-worlds” experience is not only unique and unmatched, it provides a breadth of knowledge that appeals to newcomers and veterans alike. Selected as one of High Times Most Influential Women of Weed 2018, she is described as “… a widely recognized win/win deal-making ninja, and leader of all negotiations for global joint ventures and licensing deals for Bhang—the world’s most-awarded and distributed cannabis house of brands featuring the eight-time Cannabis Cup winning line of gourmet chocolate bars and an award-winning line of CBD products.” Jamie studied German at the University of Wuppertal (Wuppertal, Germany), has a B.A. from Vassar College and a Masters in Leadership from the University of Oregon. She is on the advisory board of Liberty Leaf Holdings (CSE:LIB) and The Original Jack Herer Group.
Erin Gore Founder/CEO Garden Society #cannabisbusiness
Erin Gore Founder/CEO Garden Society, a California-based, cannabis-focused benefit corporation serving women in search of new, more holistic ways to rejuvenate from the rigors of their daily lives. Garden Society offers high quality, low dose artisanal confections and sun-grown pre-rolls that connect biodynamic farming, sustainable ingredients and strain-specific cannabis in a variety of products. Erin is an active member of the Northern California cannabis community, and frequently speaks on the topics of cannabis and entrepreneurship. She’s a fearless advocate for women-owned cannabis businesses, and equally dedicated to breaking the stigma and rewriting the script around the plant. With a degree in Chemical and Biological Engineering from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Erin is also fluent in the science-based talk of cannabis and production.