022
Bitcoin, Nostr & Sovereign Engineering with Gigi
12/09/2025
Pete Winn, Gigi
Pete takes a walking conversation with Gigi who moved to Madeira and found 200+ merchants actually accepting Bitcoin payments.
They dig into eCash solving the micropayment problem for AI services, Nostr replacing username/password systems with cryptographic identity, and the "Netflix problem" of subscription fatigue. Plus why AI might let people build local communities instead of depending on Silicon Valley, and real examples of AI automating rental management businesses.
Description
A walking conversation exploring Bitcoin circular economies, eCash payment systems, Nostr's permissionless internet vision, and AI's impact on business transformation.
Key Discussion Points:
Journey to Madeira and Initial Motivations (02:00-10:00) Guest's discovery of the No Solutions podcast and the Calle eCash episode, previous work in eCash space and early Lightning Network skepticism worldview centered on individual control and localism over centralized institutions
Bitcoin Adoption Reality in Madeira (10:00-22:00)
200+ merchants accepting Bitcoin across the islandSeamless payment experience - "just another payment method" for merchants
eCash and Payment System Evolution (22:00-35:00)
AI services driving demand for micro-payments and permissionless APIs, the "Netflix problem" of subscription fatigue across servicese Cash enabling true "lemonade stands" in cyberspace without KYC barriers, solving the chicken-and-egg problem through prepayment models
Nostr as Internet Infrastructure (35:00-50:00)
Cryptographic identity and money as native internet protocolsReplacing username/password systems with permissionless access, Japanese Nostr communities as example of organic self-organization, moving beyond the "app player renaissance" toward true peer-to-peer systems
AI Business Transformation Strategies (50:00-1:15:00)
Debate over AI as incremental tool vs. fundamental paradigm shift, real-world business automation in rental management and service industries, the cost of building vs. buying existing businesses for AI transformation, human role shifting from process center to "edge interfaces"
Local vs. Global Community Building (1:15:00-1:28:00)
Relocalization enabled by AI reducing dependence on Silicon Valley, Sovereign Engineering cohort as proof-of-concept for prototype-driven development, Nostr enabling global communities with local trust relationships, Bitcoin businesses emerging organically from community connections
Optimism and Future Outlook (1:28:00-end)
Choosing optimism as pragmatic approach to uncertainty, Technology tools creating new possibilities for permissionless innovation, the importance of meaning and human agency in an automated world
Check out more episodes
The Good Stuff is a low-fi dialogue with Pete Winn and Andy David.
Each week, we share our everyday experiences working with artificial intelligence and how it's fundamentally changing the rules of work and business, the economy, entrepreneurship, and human potential. We explore the ripple effects, unintended consequences, and emerging opportunities as AI transforms how we work and create, diving into the tools and technology we're using each week.
Expect a mix of chats out of the back of a van at the beach, walking interviews and general use of dialectic and discussion with insightful guests that lift the lid on complex topics. Chilled out, minimal jargon, authentic.
Connect With Us:
Email: info@otherstuff.studio
Pete: https://x.com/Pete_Winn
Andy: https://x.com/andymdavid
Transcript
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