Know that you are a visionary and trailblazer. Don’t spend so much time trying to convince others to see your vision, just go create it and enjoy the ride.”
Marie-Antoinette Tichler is an entrepreneur, military veteran and published author that has recently sought out pursuing the creation of C2Legacy, a blockchain based asset management platform.
Having spent years in the military, the core values or leadership, selflessness and sacrifice were instilled in her early on and “Getting the job done” has been a common element in her daily life. As such, Marie-Antoinette has spent the majority of her life serving others. She’s been a supporter of underprivileged youth, developed outreach programs that teach technology to high school students, and has been a resounding leader for women’s rights.
Her current focus is C2Legacy. She sees the future in applying cryptocurrency technologies, like blockchain, to help with protecting the legacies of the departed and securing the future for the next generation. With Bitcoin now being treated as a commodity in Wall Street, there has never been a better time for her company to enter this growing industry.
Where did the idea for C2Legacy come from?
Well, my son happens to be an astute entrepreneur that has been living overseas for a while. He takes after his father, who lived internationally as well. With all the buzz about Bitcoin and digital currencies, my son decided to start accepting it as an alternative payment method for his online business. When his father moved back to the US from living abroad, he was murdered while picking up dinner after a long work day. He was only 34 years old.
Afterwards, I had to manage his father’s estate and digital legacy, which was all lost. I was tied down with paperwork, court fees, and lawyers and simply had no time to mourn his father’s death. It was frustrating but I had to do what needed to be done.
I wish that no one ever has to go through this experience. This is why I wanted to create a system to protect digital estates for our loved ones after they’re gone. C2Legacy was born out of the idea that taking care of estate holders and our children’s futures should be a simple, secure, and painless process.
What does your typical day look like and how do you make it productive?
My typical day would be super boring to watch. Each and every day I spend a tremendous about of time reading emails, drafting emails and sending emails. I’m passionate about C2Legacy’s ability to transfer digital asset estates to a new generation. This enthusiasm about C2Legacy’s potential is what drives me every day.
How do you bring ideas to life?
My main indicator that I’m about bring an idea to life is when I find myself in the office supply store staring at millimeter sizes of ink pens. I’m most comfortable writing and organizing the outline for my new ideas on preferably pink legal notepads. Once I blown through about a dozen notepads, I’m ready to get out the laptop and begin to breathe life into the idea.
What’s one trend that excites you?
The trend that excites me most is Bitcoin and blockchain technology. I believe it’s going to change our technology potential, create new wealth opportunities, update old industries and impact our lives in a way that dwarfs what we imagined for the internet.
What is one habit of yours that makes you more productive as an entrepreneur?
One of my most annoying habits, to me anyway, is that I can let my creativity get away from me. I feel deeply honored, grateful and blessed to be bestowed the gift of being creative. However, the downside of my creative mind is that sometimes I am rendered powerless to my gift. And this is where having supportive people in my life helps keep me in balance.
What advice would you give your younger self?
I would tell my younger self to trust yourself more. Know that you are a visionary and trailblazer. Don’t spend so much time trying to convince others to see your vision, just go create it and enjoy the ride.
Tell us something that’s true that almost nobody agrees with you on.
Community service and civic service should be high school classes with community & civic services hours and should be mandatory to graduate from high school.
As an entrepreneur, what is the one thing you do over and over and recommend everyone else do?
Create goals. Make physical large signs with your goals on them. Put the signs in locations that are directly in your view, I have C2Legacy goals everywhere. Once the goals are accomplished. Start over.
What is one strategy that has helped you grow your business?
Building a knowledgeable team and embracing constructive criticism has been the strategy that has helped C2Legacy the most. I enjoy the company of people who are highly intelligent in their area of study. I consider myself a big thinker and it benefits the overall mission of the company when the brightest minds are helping to mold my brilliant ideas.
What is one failure you had as an entrepreneur, and how did you overcome it?
When I first started out in business in the early 2000’s, I spent an enormous about of money hiring web developers and graphic designers. After paying over $5000 to get a website built, which was the only representation I had for by brand, crashed after the first update was done and the developer was unreachable. After that tragic event I, learned to code just enough to be dangerous and doing that I was able to create tech colleagues who develop and design.
What is one business idea that you’re willing to give away to our readers?
I’m pretty good at giving out ideas, however it harder to do without knowing specifics or details about the business and the person. An example is… if you’re a woman a you have a non-profit organization, join a pageant. As the reigning Mrs. DeKalb County Georgia International 2017, I highlight my platform TOADD.org, a 501c3 non-profit organization who mission is to educate youth to use technology responsibly. This led to being honored by the DeKalb County Georgia CEO and Board acclaiming August 8th as Mrs. Marie-Antoinette Tichler Day. I will gladly share my ideas, hit me up on Twitter @C2urCryptoQueen and I’ll hook you up.
What is the best $100 you recently spent? What and why?
Recently, the best $100 I spent was ordering a set of gold replica Bitcoin coins for the Bitcoin Blacktie Ball in Atlanta, Georgia on Sunday December 17, 2017. As the Ball co-founder, and coordinator, I’m really looking forward to bringing the Atlanta area Blockchain, Bitcoin cryptocurrency communities together to celebrate our theme “Magic of Bitcoin.”
What is one piece of software or a web service that helps you be productive? How do you use it?
The service that has really made a tremendous difference in C2Legacy’s productivity is Wrike. We use Wrike to collaborate on all our projects. Multiple people can be assigned to a projects and tasks, time spent on task and projects by adding timelines, as well as the ability to upload pertinent information to specific tasks and projects. And what I like most is daily reminders for overdue projects, Wrike rocks.
What is the one book that you recommend our community should read and why?
The one book I would recommend is Eckhart Tolle’s 1997, “The Power Of Now,” if you are wanting a transformational read. Eckhart’s book explains how to live “WOKE.” Reading this book helped me understand how we experience external reality is either through our state of consciousness or unconsciousness.
What is your favorite quote?
I have two favorite quotes. Something my dad says, “People with ideas have no money, people with money have no ideas…working together should be easier.” And I live by Maya Angelou’s quote, “When someone shows you who they are, believe them the first time.”
Connect:
Twitter: @C2urCryptoQueen, https://twitter.com/C2CryptoQueen
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/c2urlegacy/
Mario Schulzke is the Founder of ideamensch, which he started a decade ago to learn from entrepreneurs and give them a platform for their ideas.