I met Cali Lewis yesterday. Don't know her? I didn't either, but her story tells you a lot about why I am jumping into Podcasting and Videoblogging and Second Life with both feet.
She started her videoblog in December (she does the Geekbrief videoblog). A mere six months ago. Today she is getting millions of downloads a month. Yesterday she and her husband and partner told me:
"We just quit our day jobs to do this full time."
Now what I really noticed was the joy on her face.
Oh, by the way, I'm talking about competitors again. She's working for Adam Curry, who runs the Podshow network. They already are doing some of the most interesting stuff right now and, if Cali's story is typical, are seeing rapid growth.
I forget who said it, but I learned long ago that an industry will only be strong if it has great competitors in it. Imagine a mall that only had one shoe store. How boring. The most vibrant mall has dozens of shoe stores. How can they all survive? Easy, their competition draws more people into the mall.
But what Cali is showing us all is that you can get a low-cost video camera, make an interesting show in your nights and weekends, and within six months get such a large audience that you are quitting your day job.
Yesterday I was talking with Amanda Congdon, one of the co-founders of Rocketboom. Her videoblog is now seeing about 300,000 viewers a day. That's, what, a year or so old? Did you know that advertisers are now paying her $85,000 per week? That's almost as much money as I made in an entire year of working at Microsoft.
Now, I have no delusions that I'm either Amanda or Cali. I'm not half as cute as either of them, for one. Nor am I as smart. Or as visionary. I'll just have to work harder (which is going to be very tough, since Amanda tells me she and her team are working nearly around the clock right now to put together their three-minute videoblog).
But I had the same smile on my face when I told Cali I just quit my day job too to work in this new media industry.
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On Thursday I was sitting on the lawn in the front row at my son's graduation from Elementary School. One part of the graduation that effected my decision was when the teachers read off what each kid would like to do when they "grow up." I loved some of their ideas. Veterinarian. Policeman. Actress. Videogame designer (whoa, Bill, hire them now!)
Anyway, my son was so cute. He said he wanted to be a famous blogger like me and work at a big company like Apple or Microsoft. That made my heart warm.
But it also made this decision clearer. I only have a couple more years left before Patrick wants nothing to do with me (that's how almost every teenager behaves, it's just natural). Maryam and I were definitely tired of the every-other-week flights and drives to see Patrick. Being closer to him just was a major part of this decision. Microsoft, by the way, offered to move us down to Silicon Valley, which was very flattering (thanks Jeff and Vic) but I just knew that if I stayed at Microsoft all the action would be up in Redmond and that would be tough to manage.
This morning I saw Vinnie Mirchandani's post about his hanging out with his 12-year-old son and it reminded me of Friday's lunch with Jonathan Schwartz where we talked at length about our kids and the kind of world we were leaving behind for them.
One of the strongest arguments that Sanjay, Vic, and Jeff gave me for staying at Microsoft was the family that had built around me. All of us have kids and we had lots of great discussions about what's important in life. In a few minutes I'll be leaving to go pick up Patrick, who is staying with us for the summer. I can't wait to see him and that certainly played a huge part in this.
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The BMW. One thing about the BMW. It has a jack to plug in a cell phone or an iPod. Now, it's a rich-man's toy, right? But what that tells me is that there's a huge growth in the distribution channel for podcasts coming. Why? Cause what the rich man can buy today you'll be able to buy tomorrow.
Steve Wozniak, co-founder of Apple, taught me that. I remember in 1990 when he had bought one of the valley's first dye-sublimation printers. It was a color printer that cost $40,000. I thought to myself then "I really want one of those." Today, about 16 years later, a $70 printer does a better job than his did. So, if you're not rich and you want something that a rich guy has, just stick around!
But, back to the car. It made me realize that there's a new media-distribution network being built. We're still in the very early days of that. I feel like we have lived through the first few years of Television. Or radio. And I can see nothing but incredible growth ahead.
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This morning on some of the blogs I see people saying that Microsoft is clueless for letting me go and that they don't care about this new stuff (or that they won't "get it").
I have a totally different viewpoint. Did you not see on Engadget that Microsoft is working on a portable media player? I can't break wind about it, but when Microsoft comes into that market it'll create new opportunities. New media distribution channels. Translation, that product will create new "Amanda's" and new "Cali's." And it's not the only one coming. I've seen and heard about some really awesome stuff coming soon from other companies as well. That all spells OPPORTUNITY for all of us.
Oh, and then there's the little thing about Google vs. Microsoft. When two big companies are struggling to build audiences to stick advertising next to it creates new opportunities. Startups can zig and zag where big companies just can't take advantage of new opportunities the way someone like Cali can. Remember, she didn't exist six months ago. SIX MONTHS AGO!!! And who the hell is Amanda? She didn't exist 1.5 years ago. Now she's been on CSI and big huge media companies are vying to get near her brand. What a world!
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Will I lose my audience? That's a question I've seen on the blogs.
Yes.
Huh? You will unsubscribe if I don't give you a payoff. For many of you Microsoft was that payoff. Yes, Microsoft is still an interesting company for many many people in the world. When I was at my mom's funeral, what did we end up talking about at lunch afterward? Microsoft. Everyone had an opinion about Microsoft. Everyone knew who it was. What it did.
PodTech.net? Huh? Who are they? What are they? Why do I care?
Over the next few months if I don't give you a payoff you'll leave. That'd be OK with me, I didn't do this for the audience. When I started blogging there were only a few hundred blogs that I could find. I never thought it'd get to the point where I'd help build a media property that had 3.5-million unique visitors last month (http://channel9.msdn.com).
But, when life hands you a metaphorical equivilent of a gold coin you better do something with it. Invest it in something else. If you don't I believe that's unethical. My ethical system says that you should reinvest your talents and your luck to make the world a better place.
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The team. One of my interviews was with Karen Edwards, who is on the management team at PodTech.net. She was, if I remember right, the 17th employee at Yahoo. She got her job by writing to the kids who started Yahoo and saying something like "you need me to build you a global brand." They took a chance on her and she did just that.
She isn't the only superstar at PodTech. You'll hear about others after I get there (I start July 5th).
Just about a year ago John Furrier interviewed me at the Supernova conference. I thought he was the nicest guy who I had ever met. That was important to me. Why? Cause nice guys attract great teams. I've seen that with Sanjay, Vic, and Jeff and many other experiences in my life. It was very important to me that I join someone who was nice.
Speaking of which, I've gotten to know John's family. I thought John was nice, but his kids and his wife are even nicer. And they play an important role in the company too. You'll hear more about that next month too.
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Silicon Valley.
On Friday I started up my videocamera and filmed as I went into one of my last conversations with John and his team before making my decision. I passed under the sign that said "Sand Hill Road."
It is the dream of many entrepreneurs around the world to come to Sand Hill Road and talk a venture capitalist out of a few million dollars to start a company.
I've never worked for a venture capitalist before. When I mentioned the companies that were backing John Furrier to my friend Buzz Bruggeman, his voice dropped and he said "wow." (They were USVP and VenRock). Now, if you know Buzz, you know he knows everyone in the tech industry. So, I knew then that John had gotten the best.
John later told me how he did it: he interviewed a bunch of venture capitalists. He said that process taught him a lot about how clued in each firm was, and how much they'd help PodTech along after the money came.
I'm sure we'll talk a lot more about what it's like working for a venture-backed firm.
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My wife. Maryam. She was involved in the discussions too. And, even, was my negotiator. She told me during one of the negotiations "shut up, will you?" Heheh. It's always good to have someone on your side. John said at one point during the negotiations "you're a shark." She answered back "I'm a guppy."
I love my guppy. Maryam and I are a team. More on that team later in the week.
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Christopher Coulter. Oh, Christopher, my arch-nemisis. Last week he wrote a rant about the podcasting and videoblogging industry and how lame it was. He had no idea I was considering taking a job in that industry.
I thought to myself "oh, it'll make him mad? Even better!"
So, blame this all on Christopher. Heheh.
More later, journalists are calling left and right. Thanks so much for everyone's support!
As a long early podcast junkie I have always wanted to listen to them while driving. The pain is moving the ipod back and forth between the car and computer. I want a wireless device for the car which will update podcasts from my wireless network overnight and be ready with fresh casts in the morning. I was hoping the UMPC would serve this purpose but it is two to three times too expensive. Drive time has the biggest media audience and I believe that’s your future market if we can get cheaper connected devices. “Push” radio will die when we get the equivalent of a TIVO for podcasts in our cars. Success to you in your new venture.
As a long early podcast junkie I have always wanted to listen to them while driving. The pain is moving the ipod back and forth between the car and computer. I want a wireless device for the car which will update podcasts from my wireless network overnight and be ready with fresh casts in the morning. I was hoping the UMPC would serve this purpose but it is two to three times too expensive. Drive time has the biggest media audience and I believe that’s your future market if we can get cheaper connected devices. “Push” radio will die when we get the equivalent of a TIVO for podcasts in our cars. Success to you in your new venture.
[...] @_@ is that even possible? I was reading BBC News about a Top Microsoft Blogger who was about to resign. So I went to checkout his blog at http://scobleizer.wordpress.com. Yup he uses WordPress as well. From there, I saw this post about Amanda’s videoblog getting 300,000 visitors a day and getting paid like USD85,000 a week!!! And guess what? She just started it like 6 months ago! Btw, you will need QuickTime to view her videoblog. (she is probably getting paid by Apple to use QuickTime. hehehe). [...]
Another one in the “rants about podcasting and videoblogging industry and how lame it be” series…
Podcasting Reality
1. Commodity Market Already – Existing content (Radio, TV, Video) can be flipped over without much more than an re-encode. It’s a pre-made commodity market, no need to pay Silicon Valley charlatan-hustlers thousands of dollars to “show you how”.
2. Start Line on the Faddish Cycle – Like anything “new new” on the net, it runs through the usual cycle: massive experimental euphoria with tons of venture-speculation money thrown around, and then the serious bubble-popping cool-off phase, with a full-circle return to rational value-added markets. World changing? No. Some limited niche value? Yes. Hucksters trying to quick cash in on the boom before the bust? Tons.
3. Not Discoverable – No channel surfing, no radio-scanning check-out concepts; you can skim thousands of news sites and blogs (or other online reading materials) in no time, not so with podcasting.
4. No ROI – It takes a heck of a lot longer to listen to podcasts, over reading the same material online. Most of the market, outside of certain niches, isn’t going to invest that time.
5. Lack of Talent and Quality – People want to hear existing Radio/TV shows and Audio Books, not geeks and goofball Rocketbloomish amateurs playing with gadgets and whatnot. And the podcasting hypesters are populated with the eternally wrongheaded “Medium is more Important than the Message” types. As lesser barriers to entry, is only that, it doesn’t confer any sort of talent or quality along with it.
6. Passivity – The market wants media without work, pre-packaged in easy forms, not eternal geeky tricks of twiddling and syncing.
7. Land Grabbing – Audio Books, Audio/Video Training Material, loooong been around. If a certain codec now works on a portable device, it’s now somehow podcasting?
8. Over-hyped – It’s all venture-fueled, a new new techie hot branding — firehose money at it. It’s JUST a distribution mechanism; and just because you can do it and download it, still doesn’t mean anyone is listening.
Another one in the “rants about podcasting and videoblogging industry and how lame it be” series…
Podcasting Reality
1. Commodity Market Already – Existing content (Radio, TV, Video) can be flipped over without much more than an re-encode. It’s a pre-made commodity market, no need to pay Silicon Valley charlatan-hustlers thousands of dollars to “show you how”.
2. Start Line on the Faddish Cycle – Like anything “new new” on the net, it runs through the usual cycle: massive experimental euphoria with tons of venture-speculation money thrown around, and then the serious bubble-popping cool-off phase, with a full-circle return to rational value-added markets. World changing? No. Some limited niche value? Yes. Hucksters trying to quick cash in on the boom before the bust? Tons.
3. Not Discoverable – No channel surfing, no radio-scanning check-out concepts; you can skim thousands of news sites and blogs (or other online reading materials) in no time, not so with podcasting.
4. No ROI – It takes a heck of a lot longer to listen to podcasts, over reading the same material online. Most of the market, outside of certain niches, isn’t going to invest that time.
5. Lack of Talent and Quality – People want to hear existing Radio/TV shows and Audio Books, not geeks and goofball Rocketbloomish amateurs playing with gadgets and whatnot. And the podcasting hypesters are populated with the eternally wrongheaded “Medium is more Important than the Message” types. As lesser barriers to entry, is only that, it doesn’t confer any sort of talent or quality along with it.
6. Passivity – The market wants media without work, pre-packaged in easy forms, not eternal geeky tricks of twiddling and syncing.
7. Land Grabbing – Audio Books, Audio/Video Training Material, loooong been around. If a certain codec now works on a portable device, it’s now somehow podcasting?
8. Over-hyped – It’s all venture-fueled, a new new techie hot branding — firehose money at it. It’s JUST a distribution mechanism; and just because you can do it and download it, still doesn’t mean anyone is listening.
Best of luck in your new adventure. I hope it allows you to balance family, job, and blog…
Best of luck in your new adventure. I hope it allows you to balance family, job, and blog…
While we’ll miss your MS news, I look forward to hearing from you at PodTech. I’m a podcaster/vidcaster and the space is very exciting.
While we’ll miss your MS news, I look forward to hearing from you at PodTech. I’m a podcaster/vidcaster and the space is very exciting.
Whoa, I’m still messed up by the big “Scoble quits Microsoft” thing floating over the internet. But I should say “way to go, Robert”. You’d rather do what you like most and that’s one of the things I like about you a lot.
I’m not one of your regular readers, but this shift made me subscribe to your feed. You’ve just won one
Whoa, I’m still messed up by the big “Scoble quits Microsoft” thing floating over the internet. But I should say “way to go, Robert”. You’d rather do what you like most and that’s one of the things I like about you a lot.
I’m not one of your regular readers, but this shift made me subscribe to your feed. You’ve just won one
Amen. The notion of you being just another irrelevant blowhard without information I need fo my livelihood is priceless. I would have personally bought you a ticket to bloviated obscurity.
Amen. The notion of you being just another irrelevant blowhard without information I need fo my livelihood is priceless. I would have personally bought you a ticket to bloviated obscurity.
Good timing. Amazon delivered your book “Naked Conversations” on Saturday and after reading the first few chapters I checked techmeme and your name was all over it.
Great decision, Great Book. Your are certainly a visionary in this open-source marketing movement.
Now Cuban’s Mavericks just need to win the title and help bring blogging further into mainstream culture.
Good timing. Amazon delivered your book “Naked Conversations” on Saturday and after reading the first few chapters I checked techmeme and your name was all over it.
Great decision, Great Book. Your are certainly a visionary in this open-source marketing movement.
Now Cuban’s Mavericks just need to win the title and help bring blogging further into mainstream culture.
@46. Ah, I see. So it appeals to a market that has no money to buy the products being advertised on the site? Interesting model.
“The place where people hang out?” What people? Not normal people, or people with all the money.
@46. Ah, I see. So it appeals to a market that has no money to buy the products being advertised on the site? Interesting model.
“The place where people hang out?” What people? Not normal people, or people with all the money.
w00t! I’ve never been happier for someone I don’t even know. I posted a while back I’d like to see what you could do without the restrictions of big co and now we’ll get to find out. Congrats.
w00t! I’ve never been happier for someone I don’t even know. I posted a while back I’d like to see what you could do without the restrictions of big co and now we’ll get to find out. Congrats.
Hey! Winer is saying move to the East Bay! DO IT!! I moved from there to LA last summer and I’ve missed it every day since! Props to da nickle-dime!!
Oh… And congrats on the move… *8-)
Hey! Winer is saying move to the East Bay! DO IT!! I moved from there to LA last summer and I’ve missed it every day since! Props to da nickle-dime!!
Oh… And congrats on the move… *8-)
“For many of you Microsoft was that payoff.” And for some of us you were the payoff, and the Microsoft content was overshadowing you.
So there are undoubtedly several readers like me who’d wandered off elsewhere over the years, who may be more consistent now.
Good on you for the move!
“For many of you Microsoft was that payoff.” And for some of us you were the payoff, and the Microsoft content was overshadowing you.
So there are undoubtedly several readers like me who’d wandered off elsewhere over the years, who may be more consistent now.
Good on you for the move!
I recommend your book to all my colleagues at Google, thanks for the great job evangelizing corporate blogging.
I also liked your recent posts about what’s important in life, they reminded me some great posts from the first blogger, Michel de Montaigne, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michel_de_Montaigne, in “Les Essais”, circa 1580.
Good luck with your new company: looking forward to read (hear and watch) more of you.
P@
I recommend your book to all my colleagues at Google, thanks for the great job evangelizing corporate blogging.
I also liked your recent posts about what’s important in life, they reminded me some great posts from the first blogger, Michel de Montaigne, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michel_de_Montaigne, in “Les Essais”, circa 1580.
Good luck with your new company: looking forward to read (hear and watch) more of you.
P@
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I wasn’t really a regular reader of this blog. Was going thro BBC news and saw news about Mr Scoble. and have been stuck to this reading since past two hours. All snippets/comments/trackbacks. They have been overwhelming.
Got stuck at the lines :
“My ethical system says that you should reinvest your talents and your luck to make the world a better place.”
Good luck. You’ll find me on your blogs more than often now. Good for me.
I wasn’t really a regular reader of this blog. Was going thro BBC news and saw news about Mr Scoble. and have been stuck to this reading since past two hours. All snippets/comments/trackbacks. They have been overwhelming.
Got stuck at the lines :
“My ethical system says that you should reinvest your talents and your luck to make the world a better place.”
Good luck. You’ll find me on your blogs more than often now. Good for me.
I just want to know where the mall is with dozens of shoe stores. Please tell me ASAP…I need to know! It sounds like a wonderful place where I’d like to live.
Kidding aside, best of luck, Robert. I am sure that you will continue to do great things.
I just want to know where the mall is with dozens of shoe stores. Please tell me ASAP…I need to know! It sounds like a wonderful place where I’d like to live.
Kidding aside, best of luck, Robert. I am sure that you will continue to do great things.
Robert,
I’ve read your weblog for quite some time. I work at Microsoft as well (although considerably lower profile than you). I’m a divorced father of two boys.
You’ll never regret living closer to your son.
This Microsoft stuff and podtech as well, while nice, will never compare the work you do as a father.
Enjoy the extra time with your son.
Robert,
I’ve read your weblog for quite some time. I work at Microsoft as well (although considerably lower profile than you). I’m a divorced father of two boys.
You’ll never regret living closer to your son.
This Microsoft stuff and podtech as well, while nice, will never compare the work you do as a father.
Enjoy the extra time with your son.
[...] So, in reading about some of Rob Scoble’s reasons for leaving Microsoft, I was very happy to see that he would be spending more time with his son. My daughter’s about the same age as his son and I’m going to be attending her elementary graduation this week too. The time goes by way too quickly with these kids. I know it’s not always possible, but when it is, don’t waste precious moments by being away from them. [...]
[...] Vloggercon was a lot of fun. I got to meet Robert Scoble, and he even blogged about it! I met a ton of great people, including Amber Mac and Tim, the Executive Producer of French Maid TV. This of course is not a full list – so many amazing people were there. Unfortunately, I didn’t get a chance to meet Amanda Congdon from Rocketboom, but I did finally meet Andrew Baron, the Director and Producer of Rocketboom, in person. [...]
[...] ADDED: I’m starting to understand, now. Technorati Tags: Microsoft, VLoggerCon, Scoble [...]
[...] das bekannteste Videoblog im Web, Rocketboom.com mit der unvergleichlichen Amanda Congdon nimmt laut Scoble mittlerweile ca. 85.000 USD an Werbegeldern pro Woche ein (Amandas Interview mit Robert Scoble wegen seinem Weggang von Microsoft) mit : Yesterday I was talking with Amanda Congdon, one of the co-founders of Rocketboom. Her videoblog is now seeing about 300,000 viewers a day. That’s, what, a year or so old? Did you know that advertisers are now paying her $85,000 per week? That’s almost as much money as I made in an entire year of working at Microsoft. [...]
[...] Om and scoble have left their positions at b2.0 and microsoft, respectively, to throw the dice into the current startup craze. Services:These icons link to social bookmarking sites where readers can share and discover new web pages. [...]
Robert: Sorry to hear you’re leaving MSFT. I totally understand why you made your decision. Kids are only young so long– and if you snooze you lose.
One other thing… The rich man isn’t the only one with the audio plug in his new BMW. Our nephew Cory, just got a new SCION XB, with the audio plug installed. Not bad for about $15,000. Sure beats the hell out of the price of the new X5 BMW we looked at 3 weeks ago at over $50K!
Robert: Sorry to hear you’re leaving MSFT. I totally understand why you made your decision. Kids are only young so long– and if you snooze you lose.
One other thing… The rich man isn’t the only one with the audio plug in his new BMW. Our nephew Cory, just got a new SCION XB, with the audio plug installed. Not bad for about $15,000. Sure beats the hell out of the price of the new X5 BMW we looked at 3 weeks ago at over $50K!
Cali’s a lucky girl. I wish I was able to quit my day job to do this full time… then I might not have to go to bed at 5am and wake up at 8am!
Cali’s a lucky girl. I wish I was able to quit my day job to do this full time… then I might not have to go to bed at 5am and wake up at 8am!
[...] Boy, I never figured Robert Scoble’s leaving Microsoft would have THIS much of an impact. It seems that Bill Gates is leaving day to day operations as well. I guess he just couldn’t bear the thought of going on without Scoble. [...]
[...] He asks an interesting question and it is a question that other bloggers have posed as well. The question is: will he lose his audience? Without hesitation, he says yes. You will unsubscribe if I don’t give you a payoff. For many of you, Microsoft was that payoff. Yes, Microsoft is still an interesting company for many many people in the world. [...]
[...] On June 11, 2006 Robert Scoble said: Yesterday I was talking with Amanda Congdon, one of the co-founders of Rocketboom. Her videoblog is now seeing about 300,000 viewers a day. That’s, what, a year or so old? Did you know that advertisers are now paying her $85,000 per week? [...]
[...] Scoble kaandika habari fulani hivi karibuni ambazo zinatuonyesha uwezo wa blogu kuzalisha mapato na kutoa ajira kwa wanablogu (wale wanaopenda kwenda mwelekeo huo). Wakati ambapo Scoble alikuwa akifanya kazi katika moja ya kampuni kubwa duniani, Microsoft, mshahara wake kwa mwaka mzima ulikuwa ni sawa na mapato yanayotokana na tangazo moja kwa wiki moja katika blogu ya video ya Rocketboom! Tangazo moja kwa wiki moja katika blogu hii hulipiwa dola 85,000 za Kimarekani. Habari hizi zijazusha bali nimepata toka kwenye blogu ya Scoble mwenyewe. [...]
First a note about BMW iPod integration: you must have noticed that Mercury is showing TV ads with iPod specific attachments – Mercury! Ok, so it offers no real integration per se, but still, the nod is there.
Podcasts are a way of hearing something different and interesting to listen to without 25 mattress store commercials per cuommute. Certainly I use my iPod to filter out crap I don’t want to listen to…
First a note about BMW iPod integration: you must have noticed that Mercury is showing TV ads with iPod specific attachments – Mercury! Ok, so it offers no real integration per se, but still, the nod is there.
Podcasts are a way of hearing something different and interesting to listen to without 25 mattress store commercials per cuommute. Certainly I use my iPod to filter out crap I don’t want to listen to…
[...] Sarah wants to get into podcasting so I’ve made some efforts at understanding podcasting. In my research I discovered that Rocketboom has grown! Yesterday I was talking with Amanda Congdon, one of the co-founders of Rocketboom. Her videoblog is now seeing about 300,000 viewers a day. That’s, what, a year or so old? Did you know that advertisers are now paying her $85,000 per week? That’s almost as much money as I made in an entire year of working at Microsoft. [Source] [...]
[...] I believe that Techcrunch is (or soon will be) earning $6k from Google Ads and $40k from sponsored ads per month. [source] I believe that Rocketboom is (or soon will be) earning $340k per month from advertising. [source] I would appreciate any feedback on these estimates. Does anyone have any guesses on the ad revenue of Boing Boing or other blogs (video or text)? Does anyone have any links to studies on this topic? Thanks for any help. [...]
[...] I want to mention a video podcast called GeekBrief. I want to start off by saying that I like the show. Mostly for the content (geeky) and for the hosts blunders at the end of the video. But I have to wonder, why video? Where is the video giving me a better experience? How is it adding to the show? I’m picking on this show in particular just because it’s climbing the charts pretty quick (this post got me thinking about it). [...]