Changes at PodTech…

Interesting that in the story you cited Furrier was quoted saying “Of trying to raise new funding, Furrier complained, “Everyone’s elephant hunting, but they don’t know what they’re looking for. I think a lot of people don’t really understand what PodTech’s doing.” ”

When a startup’s executive complains about people not understanding what his company is doing… Well, he’s the guy that has to get that message out. Maybe you should do an video interview with him, blog about it and then we would know.

I don’t have time to go to PODTECH and figure out what they are doing. I reed your blog because you have built a level of trust with me and that’s how it works.

PodTech better get focused and get some more revenue streams going or we are going to hear about Robert moving to another company in 2008.

Herschel: that’s a good idea. The thing he was reacting to is that “journalists” are going to press with stories where they don’t do any reporting.

Even the article I linked to was done without getting anyone from PodTech’s feedback on it.

Isn’t that sad.

We have poor reporting going on in the mainstream press and now in the Internet based press.

Why, all in the name of being the first to report the story.

That is why it is so important to have facts correct the first time. Any content creator/reporter gets only a few “forgive me’s” before readers move on to someone more trust worthy.

robert, right now the one thing i would love is an RSS feed with ACTUAL ENCLOSURES for Ill Doctrine so I can subscribe on my N95– can you please, please make this happen?

“However PodTech, which had recently been unsuccessful in seeking a second round of funding to add to the $5.5 million it raised in early 2006 from Venrock Associates and U.S. Venture Partners”

Run for your career.

“He said the company had spent more than $500,000 on GETV. He also stated PodTech has “millions in the bank.””

2? Run for your career.
http://www.alexa.com/data/details/traffic_details?url=podtech.net

I hope it recovers. What is the exit strategy?
It doesn’t have the momentum to go IPO.
Maybe IBM could bail you guys out. Poor Scoble.

Chris: this information is NOT correct. Wish I could say more, though, but this is part of the incorrect information that has been printed about PodTech. Hint: we got more money.

http://siteanalytics.compete.com/podtech.net

but both of these stats miss the point: that most of our traffic isn’t happening on our sites anymore thanks to our gadget strategy.

I hope so, 2 million dollars or whatever low amount he may have meant by putting the “s” on million seems like a lot of money(for 1 person before taxes), but when you have more than 6-7 employees it really isn’t.

Especially not when they travel a lot.

“but both of these stats miss the point: that most of our traffic isn’t happening on our sites anymore thanks to our gadget strategy.”

As long as the adverts show up somewhere.

Chris: we have more than 30 employees at PodTech.

Robert, are you familiar with Steven Colbert’s Green Screen Challenge?: http://colboard.com/cn/greenscreen.php
It was great fun.

I think PodTech should do something along the same lines. You could shoot big name tech guys and tech companies with green screen elements and let your audience create and share their creations.

Getting participation from your audience would be more fun for us and more enlightening for you and for those you video.

Not really very transparent of me, I know.

No surprise, you never practice what you preach.

>No surprise, you never practice what you preach.

I never have preached to post confidential company information. I work with almost 40 other people and have to consider the impact on them before I write anything.

Glad you understand that.

Even at Microsoft I never told you anything about the company’s business that they didn’t want discussed in public. In fact I rarely discussed that stuff at all.

until Spring of 2008

Commitments, don’t have end dates, so that’s an exit strategy. Would you say, “I won’t reevaluate my marriage until Spring of 2008?”

btw, Robert, MyFridj will accept animations and I have access to worldclass animators, including Disney animators. You could offer green screened people and let our animators go to work and then get part of the revenue generated by the final product that’s sold via our site.

I personally love the mix of live action and animation. That’d be cool.

Rodgers: anyone who says they’ll stay at a company for life without reevaluating what they are doing career wise is lying.

What I just told you is that I’m not going anywhere until Spring 2008 and quite possibly after that (I only said that I would evaluate my career then, not that I would make any changes).

I’m not married to PodTech. Glad you think that business is marriage. That demonstrates you are someone who shouldn’t be let anywhere near a business. Thanks!

have to consider the impact on them before I write anything.

Nothing wrong with that, just it makes you a first-rate hypocrite. If you have to “consider” or consult, it’s not transparency, it’s spin.

And successful companies ARE like marriages, ask anyone really committed, who really loves and believes in the service and product, pouring their heart and soul into it, in for the long haul, not the Web 2.0 hype up, cash-out wrecks that pose as companies.

Time to stop talking and get back to work, wouldn’t ja say? Best to all my friends at Podtech, also Irina and Eddie, you all rock and have made the whole vlogosphere a fascinating place!

If you’ve got lots of time on your hands, make a CNN YouTube Debate video for the Demo Debate next week!

@6 “but this is part of the incorrect information that has been printed about PodTech. Hint: we got more money.Hint: we got more money.”

oooookay. You may have gotten more money. Was it more or less than the reported $5.5MM? If less, then the story is correct. Or was PodTech not seeking MORE than $5.5MM or less than $5.5M? Which part of the story is not correct? The $5.5MM number? If you got money, but not the $5.5MM, then the story is correct.

@6 “but this is part of the incorrect information that has been printed about PodTech. Hint: we got more money.Hint: we got more money.”

oooookay. You may have gotten more money. Was it more or less than the reported $5.5MM? If less, then the story is correct. Or was PodTech not seeking MORE than $5.5MM or less than $5.5M? Which part of the story is not correct? The $5.5MM number? If you got money, but not the $5.5MM, then the story is correct.

@13 Then what good does it do to give out your phone number and offer to answer any questions? Are you saying you will divulge information on a phone call but not via your blog?

We got $5.5 million more than a year ago. We still have some of that left. We also just got some more money. Not gonna tell you how much, or who gave it to us — that’s confidential and I’m not allowed to share private financial things — that’s John Furrier’s job, he’s CEO so go ask him. Our revenues are also up and we’re on track to be cash-flow positive this year.

LayZ: I gave that so that reporters can ask us the facts before they publish stories. I’ve found that lots of “reporters” are publishing stories without checking the facts they are reporting. Generally that takes a phone call.

Well really, Robert, so old-fashioned, not wanting to reveal your own company’s proprietary and confidential financial information!

All joking aside: the one way that business really is different from a romantic relationship is that when you part ways, it’s a lot easier to say “let’s still be friends” and mean it. It’s too bad GETV and PodTech didn’t work out, but I look forward to the new direction collaborative projects with Irina and PodTech could take in the future.

Whats podtech?

I never told you anything about the company’s business that they didn’t want discussed in public.

Amazing admission. Well then you were nothing more than marketing, even if not “confidential”, if you only talked about what they wanted discussed, that’s nowhere near a ‘naked conversation’.

I believe in what you say, not what you do.

In the meantime, can reach me at Myspace, Linkedin, Facebook, Twitter, Yahoo Groups, Google Groups, Ustream, Powence, Flickr, Youtube, Meetup, 30Boxes, Wikia, Ning, Blogtv, KyleTV…