In ancient times, alchemy was mostly considered a fringe, esoteric hobby - a passion for some people, but a mystery for others. The great practitioners of alchemy kept their notebooks written in a code known only amongst themselves so that outsiders couldn't steal their secret knowledge of how to manipulate matter. Secrecy was the power they held over the masses. Their knowledge imparted to them the ability to manipulate and control what information was seen by the common man.

The practice known as alchemy became institutionalized and ultimately morphed into the modern academic fields of chemistry and physics, but even to this day, there is information about the world being kept from public knowledge for the benefit of a small number of individuals. The Internet allows human beings from all around the world to connect with each other and share ideas more easily than ever, but institutional powers have done their best to control and disrupt the spread of information about what is happening in the world.

Right now we're seeing it everywhere with censorship and propaganda everywhere you look. It's easy to spot if you know what to look for. Many people have become extremely sensitive to having their ideas challenged because they have been indoctrinated their whole lives into a particular set of beliefs that is constantly reinforced by those in positions of authority. Any ideas that challenge that authority tend to get censored by those in power.

The antidote to censorship is the free flow of information provided by open-source software and new decentralized technology platforms such as Bitcoin Cash.

Now, more than ever, small businesses need a voice in the online market. Platforms like WordPress and BitPay make it easier for businesses to set up their own website and conduct online transactions, but the fact is many small businesses can't afford to hire a full time developer to integrate a complete crypto-business solution, and even if they did, that developer probably knows very little about digital marketing for a small business.

This is where web agencies usually step in - organizations that manage all aspects of your business's website for you, including hosting, UI/UX design, development, marketing, etc - basically everything except your business's actual operations and customer support. All this heavy lifting being done for you also tends to come with a hefty price tag, often in the 5-6 figure range. This is a major barrier for independent entrepreneurs trying to grow and scale their business.

With Bitcoin Cash and other decentralized information technologies being developed right now, it's never been easier to start an online business, even with no experience, but you still have to be more than a little tech savvy in order to truly keep your money and private information safe, including when it comes to handling your customers' sensitive information.

Most small business owners are not prepared to succeed in this world of technology which continues to grow at an exponential rate. It’s impossible for any entrepreneur to keep up with the latest developments and run their business at the same time.

Additionally, with the crazy amount of censorship and propaganda taking place on all mainstream channels, it's more important than ever that we utilize the technology at our fingertips to keep in touch with each other on platforms that not only respect users’ privacy, but actually gives them the key to their own information. The days of relying on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube to reach an audience are over, especially if your business or ideas are considered controversial by the mainstream.

Until more people make the move to uncensorable social media channels like Yours.org and other blockchain-based technologies, the most effective way to reach a target audience is still direct email marketing. New businesses need to learn how to build an email list and reach their customers in spite of any censorship going on on social media platforms.

I haven't even mentioned the banking and credit card systems that are set up to allow for fraud to take place at every step of a transaction, and at the end of the day they still take a cut out of your bottom line.

Businesses should be making use of tools like Storj, IPFS, LBRY and disseminating digital products using these and other open-source protocols.

This is the idea behind Alchemy Webcraft, a new web development and digital marketing agency aimed at helping small businesses set up and manage their own decentralized technology solutions using primarily open-source software. We’re in need of skilled developers, designers, marketers, business leaders, and anyone else who feels they have something to contribute. The goal is to get businesses operating entirely on cryptocurrencies and the use of smart contracts to automate financial transactions both internal and external, as well as giving those people without a voice in a mainstream access to modern communication technology.

My philosophy is that open-source software and protocols are the most powerful tool at our disposal for spreading knowledge and ideas with the world. There are those who would seek to silence free speech and keep humanity enslaved through mass manipulation of information, but sooner or later they will find that the truth cannot be kept hidden for long.