Shel Israel joins FastCompany.tv

January 30, 2008 By

A couple of days ago Shel Israel announced that he was joining FastCompany.tv — the online business and technology video network that I’m heading.

The announcement is true, and I’m excited by what Shel brings to the table. We’re working on several other shows, my goal is to have half a dozen shows by the end of the year, but that’ll depend on getting sponsors, which may be tough in this year of economic turmoil.

Anyway, Shel is the guy who co-authored Naked Conversations (our corporate blogging book — we interviewed 188 businesses about how they were using blogs) with me. Which brings to mind that photo above. Let’s clear this up. We were NOT naked. Just took our shirts off. And that photo was taken in Mike Arrington’s backyard during a TechCrunch party held in honor of our book’s launch.

Some other stories? We argued for at least a month over the book before finding a way we could work together. I still remember pacing around building 119 at Microsoft while getting chewed out by Shel for something or another. One thing I learned from that process, though, is that having people around me who didn’t agree with me made me a better person and brought a lot more value out of me than if I had yes men or women around.

I can’t wait to start work with Shel and get into a good argument with him. Only difference this time? We’ll try to do that on camera since it is pretty entertaining.

If you don’t know who Shel is he’s helped dozens of companies start up in Silicon Valley and used to own his own PR firm. Recently he consulted with tons of startups. Nine of them went onto win Demo God awards (he’s down at Demo right now covering that for Fast Company).

His show will be called “GlobalNeighborhoods TV” and it’ll be interesting to see the conversations he starts on his show and the insights he finds about the new business that’s happening. Welcome Shel!

UPDATE: I should have credited the photo to JD Lasica.

Filed Under: Scoble family
  • http://personalbrandingblog.com/ Dan Schawbel

    Shel is the man. Both of you will play off each other quite nicely. Who else is coming onboard?

  • http://personalbrandingblog.com Dan Schawbel

    Shel is the man. Both of you will play off each other quite nicely. Who else is coming onboard?

  • Christopher Coulter

    Wow, start-up fake-buzz-spam on video now. World Peace is at hand.

  • Christopher Coulter

    Wow, start-up fake-buzz-spam on video now. World Peace is at hand.

  • http://dotnetjunkies.com/WebLog/paul/ paul

    Is FastCompany.tv hiring?

    I think it’s time to launch a Tech video show form NYC.

  • http://dotnetjunkies.com/WebLog/paul/ paul

    Is FastCompany.tv hiring?

    I think it’s time to launch a Tech video show form NYC.

  • http://scobleizer.com/ Robert Scoble

    paul: we’re doing lots of stuff. Hiring? Soon.

    Dan: I can’t talk about people until contracts are signed and all that. Things can always change until the contracts are done.

  • http://scobleizer.com/ Robert Scoble

    paul: we’re doing lots of stuff. Hiring? Soon.

    Dan: I can’t talk about people until contracts are signed and all that. Things can always change until the contracts are done.

  • http://scobleizer.com/ Robert Scoble

    Paul: what would an NYC tech show do? Andy Plesser already does that. How would your show differ?

  • http://scobleizer.com/ Robert Scoble

    Paul: what would an NYC tech show do? Andy Plesser already does that. How would your show differ?

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  • http://www.entrepremusings.com/ Aruni

    What a picture is all I have to say! Congrats on the new gig Shel.

  • http://www.entrepremusings.com Aruni

    What a picture is all I have to say! Congrats on the new gig Shel.

  • http://hoover.montclair.edu/personal/topicm/blog Miloš

    Your brains might be of value, but shirts back on, please! LOL!!!

  • http://hoover.montclair.edu/personal/topicm/blog Miloš

    Your brains might be of value, but shirts back on, please! LOL!!!

  • http://dotnetjunkies.com/WebLog/paul/ paul

    Robert, the New York metropolitan area has an incredible developer community and we have the history from Edison and Einstein to Bell Labs.

  • http://dotnetjunkies.com/WebLog/paul/ paul

    Robert, the New York metropolitan area has an incredible developer community and we have the history from Edison and Einstein to Bell Labs.

  • http://robert.accettura.com/ Robert Accettura

    …Let’s clear this up. We were NOT naked. Just took our shirts off…

    Yea, at the moment when the picture was taken… let the rumors persist!

    Kidding ;-)

    Anyway, what I wanted to say was good luck… I’m interested to see what the site will look like when you guys launch.

  • http://robert.accettura.com Robert Accettura

    …Let’s clear this up. We were NOT naked. Just took our shirts off…

    Yea, at the moment when the picture was taken… let the rumors persist!

    Kidding ;-)

    Anyway, what I wanted to say was good luck… I’m interested to see what the site will look like when you guys launch.

  • http://www.zude.com/craigrosenberg Craig

    There’s nothing wrong with a little shower among friends!

  • http://www.zude.com/craigrosenberg Craig

    There’s nothing wrong with a little shower among friends!

  • http://www.kinlane.com kinlane

    Everytime that picture is used….seems someone walks by my cubicle screen and goes what are you looking at?

  • http://www.kinlane.com Kin Lane

    Everytime that picture is used….seems someone walks by my cubicle screen and goes what are you looking at?

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  • http://globalneighbourhoods.net/ shel israel

    Robert,

    As I mentioned in my announce. The last time we worked together was the best collaboration I have had out of wedlock. I look forward to not just arguing with you this time, in part, because we agree on most important things regarding social media and tech and business and what makes good people.

  • http://globalneighbourhoods.net shel israel

    Robert,

    As I mentioned in my announce. The last time we worked together was the best collaboration I have had out of wedlock. I look forward to not just arguing with you this time, in part, because we agree on most important things regarding social media and tech and business and what makes good people.

  • Caustic Dave

    My eyes! That picture! I have to think of sandpaper to get that shirtless image outta me brain!

  • http:/causticdave.com Caustic Dave

    My eyes! That picture! I have to think of sandpaper to get that shirtless image outta me brain!

  • http://blogs.msdn.com/betsya Betsy Aoki

    Congrats to you and Shel, Robert! But I have to say, the naked picture is not loading for me. I’m not sure if that’s a good thing or a bad thing, but unlike previous posters who seem to have seen the thing, it is not showing up at this moment.

    Betsy

  • http://blogs.msdn.com/betsya Betsy Aoki

    Congrats to you and Shel, Robert! But I have to say, the naked picture is not loading for me. I’m not sure if that’s a good thing or a bad thing, but unlike previous posters who seem to have seen the thing, it is not showing up at this moment.

    Betsy

  • http://scobleizer.com/ Robert Scoble

    Sorry, the photo should load now.

  • http://scobleizer.com/ Robert Scoble

    Sorry, the photo should load now.

  • http://wroxblog.typepad.com/ Jim Minatel

    I had hoped never to see those photos again. But congrats to you both on GlobalNeighborhoods TV and FastCompany.tv !

  • http://wroxblog.typepad.com Jim Minatel

    I had hoped never to see those photos again. But congrats to you both on GlobalNeighborhoods TV and FastCompany.tv !

  • Wreck

    Hey, people have to let it all hang out once in a while. Congrats, Robert. Having fun is part of being human.

    Some people take two men in a photo without shirts too seriously. :)

  • Wreck

    Hey, people have to let it all hang out once in a while. Congrats, Robert. Having fun is part of being human.

    Some people take two men in a photo without shirts too seriously. :)

  • http://scobleizer.com/ Robert Scoble

    Wreck: not to mention we did it in front of about 600 people at a party.

  • http://scobleizer.com/ Robert Scoble

    Wreck: not to mention we did it in front of about 600 people at a party.

  • http://www.blogwriteforceos.com/ Debbie Weil

    Guys, congrats on your new gig(s)! But, er, you look better with your shirts on. :)

  • http://www.blogwriteforceos.com Debbie Weil

    Guys, congrats on your new gig(s)! But, er, you look better with your shirts on. :)

  • Wreck

    Robert… 600 people!? You are a braver man than I.

  • Wreck

    Robert… 600 people!? You are a braver man than I.

  • http://www.themash.tv/ danielmcvicar

    Something is disturbing about all that transparency!
    Congrats to you…..

  • http://www.themash.tv danielmcvicar

    Something is disturbing about all that transparency!
    Congrats to you…..

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  • http://www.yuregininsesi.com nusret

    thanks very