Nice post. Good luck with the decision. Just keep Maryam, Patrick and Milan happy!
Rob
Sameer
· 1 year ago
All the best to you and Rocky.
BTW, it was great to meet you in person the other day during the WSJ printing press tour and I hope we meet again soon. Rgds, Sameer
Mukund Mohan
· 1 year ago
Good luck Robert'o. Always play offense.
wlai
· 1 year ago
change is good. good luck.
allen stern
· 1 year ago
Good luck to you Robert. My hope is to get to know you better over time. Maybe you can expand your circle as well :)
Dileepa
· 1 year ago
Good luck!
MG Siegler
· 1 year ago
Best of luck with the decision on where to go next Robert. I have no doubt that no matter what it is, it will be interesting.
Greg
· 1 year ago
I wish you luck, Robert. Frankly, I think you should just strike out on your own. If anyone has the following to make that work, it's you. But while I understand you're loyalty to PodTech, I can't see how this company will survive let alone thrive enough to justify the investment in it. Corporate communications? OK, sure, there's a need. But there's also a million established players. PodTech, mostly through you, gave companies an audience for those communications. Without you and without the audience, I can't see how PodTech will be more than another producer/packager/distributor of corporate infomercials. There's nothing wrong with that, it's just not a business that deserves VC funding and lots of hype.
David Cohen
· 1 year ago
Good luck Scoble, hopefully the decision will come easy for you.
MattD
· 1 year ago
Best of luck! Sounds like some exciting changes. As a consumer of (and sometimes participant in) your content, thanks for taking the risks and experimenting in ways that help generate new experiences, new formats and new philosophies.
Kirk
· 1 year ago
I can certainly understand your not making all of this public. Not everything in our happening in our lives needs to be blogged, twittered, etc... I've really enjoyed your work at Podtech and will certainly follow you at your new post, wherever that may be.
Cheers!
Karoli
· 1 year ago
All the best of luck and success to you in your next venture, whatever it is. One of the things that you've really done successfully is to keep this blog as your unique space, no matter who your employer is, and that will work to your benefit in the future.
The only thing you could announce that would disappoint me would be that you were shutting down this blog. As long as you're not doing that, I will look forward to the future.
We may not always agree, but you do make me think. :)
Eddie Codel
· 1 year ago
Hey Robert. Best of luck on whichever path you choose. It was a good run and glad we got to work together for a period of time. Cheers!
Robert Scoble
· 1 year ago
Karoli: shut down my blog? Heh!
Thanks Eddie and everyone else for the kind words.
Eric Gonzalez
· 1 year ago
Robert, best wishes in your new direction. It's wonderful you've continued to put community building at the forefront of your efforts.
Xavier Vespa
· 1 year ago
Let us know when you will be putting up a new team together!
Robert Scoble
· 1 year ago
Greg: that's advice that a LOT of people are giving me and Rocky. Thanks!
dawnkey
· 1 year ago
If you don't mind my saying so, Robert, I don't understand why you don't just go out on your own. You could easily be a consultant to startups as well as to big established companies. You could go all the video and photo stuff for free, but get paid when you talk behind closed doors about this or that.
For example, Amazon could have paid you to look at the Kindle design before they started manufacturing.
I'm sure you'd make a ton of money AND you could write off all your video and travel expenses, since it's meeting with others in the industry that informs your consulting.
Anyway, just my 2 cents. Good luck with whatever it is you do.
bytehead
· 1 year ago
Good luck whatever you choose to do.
I'm not sure about living one's life digitally all the time. I know you don't do that with your personal life, and I don't quite see doing it in your professional life either.
David
· 1 year ago
So are you denying the implication I made from your Facebook post? :)
Robert Scoble
· 1 year ago
David: what implication is that?
Louis Gray
· 1 year ago
Robert, I'm glad you're talking about it. But I think you have a lot more than just two options, and I hope Fast Company doesn't win. I think you would be an extremely valuable free agent, and that you could be courted by the top hardware/software and media firms out there. Rather than rush to conclusion, if Maryam and the kids can handle a little uncertainty, why not look around?
antony
· 1 year ago
Good luck, go robert go.
Colin
· 1 year ago
Brilliant post Robert. You live your life in the open, and lead in terms of internet lifestyle. Best of luck, and keep being you!
Colin
francine hardaway
· 1 year ago
How unbelievable. The dogs and I decide to watch a random half hour of Le Web 3 and it turns out to be your panel and I am there in my bed watching you make your announcement!!!!!! That ROCKS! I am so glad you and Rocky are a team. I believe with Greg that you could do it on your own, but I respect your wish as a husband and father not to do so right now. More important:
Any way I can help, I will help. See you in HMB over Xmas and then at CES. Much love.
fritz
· 1 year ago
well I really liked your work at microsoft all the best on whatever you decide on 15th Jan looking fwd to your post about your decision why do i get the feeling it will have a lot to do with videos, channels ;) and maybe a bit of mogulus too ;)
Good luck, Robert! I'm sure you'll be successful in your next venture as well. :)
-- Steve Cherrier
Christian Burns
· 1 year ago
I think that its great that you and Rocky are sticking together as a team. That you are in a position to consider options together and that you are leaving on your terms.
ok, kids are climbing on me, I will leave it at that
sytycd
· 1 year ago
Interesting post Scoble. It will be fun to see what you end up doing.
Sylvain Carle
· 1 year ago
I have been following the "Scoble Story" since your early blog days at Userland... it's been a great ride and I always liked your approach and your approachability, a real guy that blogs, reads and answers comments and emails and is taking chances with what he believes are the "right" things to do...
So kudos for many yeara of sharing with us what you were up to, and "bonne chance" for many, many more!
Levi Figueira
· 1 year ago
I for one, have been noticing you've been somewhat "quite" in the last few weeks on Twitter, Google Reader Shared and stuff... First of all, I like that you keep your family ahead of everything else! That's really smart and the best choice you could do! If the whole web comes tumbling down, you'll have your family...
On the move, I believe you've weighted your options... repeatedly! So I know you won't be moving lighthearted. And I believe that whatever move you make, you symbolize a movement of user-contributed media (not generated). The interaction between me, a simple geek with not much time or focus, and you, an a-list blogger who focuses on pushing the limit of the new media, is something that makes me love the web the way I do. I can ask you questions and know that if they are relevant in any way, you'll very likely reply! (Twitter helped you a lot on that ;)).
I just wish you all the best, and I'll keep an eye on whatever you'll be doing... I can certainly both enjoy it (I'd love to take one of those Photowalks one day ;)) and learn!
I won't say "I'm fan" because I don't know if that's the appropriate term, but I'm certainly an "appreciator" of what you do!
:) Good Luck Scoble
PS: And I agree the blog doesn't necessarily need to be the first place you write about something... especially personal stuff! :) But thanks for your openness on this one... ;)
Ryan
· 1 year ago
Good luck Robert - I'll be eager to see whatever's next for you.
Edwin Khodabakchian
· 1 year ago
Robert, Good luck with your next move. The vision you are describing seems pretty well aligned with what Loic and Vinvin talk about with Seesmic. May be you should join them and help drive Seesmic on the moon!
Chris Brogan...
· 1 year ago
Hi Robert--
I wish you and Rocky the best on the next leg of the journey.
Counter to the folks saying to go it alone, I actually see the value of your continuing on with an organization of some kind. It allows you to noodle instead of having to chase the business ends all the time. I love that you find places that support your pursuit of these new efforts, and that you can let them all worry about the annoying stuff while you lab up some interesting new ways to make it all useful.
So, this is a vote for going with a team.
The ONLY reason I'm even entertaining the notion of going to CES is because I read that you were doing the CES BlogHaus lounge thing, and I liked that last year. Screw the show. The energy is over there at the lounge.
Best to you and the fam. Safe travels.
Christian Burns
· 1 year ago
Ok, so kids are in bed now. What I wanted to say was, whoever you work for, may you have flexible office hours and a tiny commute :) and that however long you work there may you always move up when you move on :) Those are my words of blessing to you.
Scott Schablow
· 1 year ago
Robert, You are my inspiration and the bellows firing my passion for new marketing. I also know that decisions made at this point in your life are heavily influenced by the fact that you have a family that you need to provide for. Good Luck and Godspeed.
deannie
· 1 year ago
I love that you and Rocky are sticking together as a team. I admire your work and look forward to seeing what is next; what new doors will you open to us readers?
Tom Newman
· 1 year ago
Robert, I'm so glad that you and Rocky are sticking together and heading on a new journey. It will be fun to see what you land.
I'm looking forward to more Photowalkings and sharing drinks on the 18th hole.
Best of luck to both of you.
Ian Hsu
· 1 year ago
Agree with all the positive comments about you and Rocky sticking together. You guys are an awesome team. Fantastic vision for getting more participation, can't wait to watch and learn as you make new discoveries on your new adventure!
Jeremy
· 1 year ago
Hold out for a sufficient level of bling...
vishnu
· 1 year ago
hello checked the scoble show for the first time. would really like to watch it regularly. very interesting. im from india on a 256kbps internet connection. whatever ur doing next, pls try to include a lower bitrate version of the video so that a lot of people in india who have 128kbps speed can watch ur videos/podcast without having to wait for buffering.
thank you
Jonathan Sutherland
· 1 year ago
All the best for the future Robert and Rocky. You make a great team.
sean percival
· 1 year ago
Best of luck on your next adventure. Why not write freelance and start your own product?
Take care
Christopher Coulter
· 1 year ago
Hey, congrats. Yes, you are a crazed tech-marketing goofy ADD blogger, that's more than half a dull tool, always backing the wrong side, but as a person you are a good nice guy. The more you keep your split personalities separate, so much the better.
chuck olsen
· 1 year ago
congrats!
Kevin Lipe
· 1 year ago
Congrats to you, Scoble, on a new gig. People like to diss you a lot, but I've always found your blog insightful at best and at the very least an entertaining read.
Also, to be a bit pedantic, it's "Led Zeppelin," rather than "Zepplin". Wouldn't want Jimmy Page to put some kind of curse on the ol' Scobleizer, now, would we?
Simon Brocklehurst
· 1 year ago
Exciting times! Best of luck for your next move!
JoeDuck
· 1 year ago
Good luck Robert - you have practiced what you have preached for some time and have helped a lot of people get the gospel of good online tidings. I'll look forward to seeing you at the CES Bloghaus !
sarchi
· 1 year ago
above all keep the photos coming..
antichrist
· 1 year ago
A loss for Podtech. A gain for (?). Keep you banner flying high smart boy.
Jeremiah Owyang
· 1 year ago
I know you'll land on your feet no matter what bud. Rooting for you!
Hey - wherever you end up on 1/15/08 - you have an audience that will follow you. I wish you the best, and I know you are going to do well no matter where you ultimately end up.
Rex
Dave Chase
· 1 year ago
I'll join the chorus of those advocating striking out on your own. I used to "work for the man" (e.g., we shared a past employer). Once you've built up enough industry credibility and experience, working your own gig is the way to go. The biggest thing you (or your wife) will miss are health benefits but you can always pay for that yourself. It's not that big of an obstacle. My hunch is we share an affliction I call "business A.D.D.". Constant change is much easier when you aren't working for the man. Good luck in whatever you choose!
Lens-FitzGerald
· 1 year ago
Hi Robert. I posted a video of you commenting live on stage in the Techcrunch comment section plus a verbal recatie.
It was great meeting you. Good luck on the new venture.
Thanks for walking us through this, Robert. Amazing to me that you are not upset with the news leak, and that someone thought more of making headlines than of keeping a discussion with you private.
Good luck to you and your family.
Ervin Sholpnick
· 1 year ago
I like beans
paul
· 1 year ago
It all began with a blog......good luck Robert, Joyeux Noël.
Tom Augenthaler
· 1 year ago
Robert, thanks for the kind words about HP! Its a whole new dynamic these days and we are excited to be a part of it.
Tom
danielmcvicar
· 1 year ago
Hi robert Best to you , Maryam Patrick and milan, and keep up the good work and life wherever you go. Merry Christmas.
Jeremy Toeman
· 1 year ago
Congrats Robert, see you on the 29th and at CES!
Rich Pearson
· 1 year ago
Good Luck Robert! I enjoy your fresh - and, yes sometimes wacky - perspective. It's all about the journey . . .
wannalearnjapanese
· 1 year ago
Congrats on the soon to be announced new job (if you call what you do a job you lucky son-of-a-gun!!). I am very curious as to where you are going and what you are going to be doing. I too am (if everything goes as planned)changing jobs in Jan '08 and am in the same boat that I can't announce anything to my friends until the deal is sealed (nothing as interesting as your job but a nice pay raise). Stay in touch (^_^)
Shawn King
· 1 year ago
"Add streaming video, like AMD used the other day in another press conference, and things would be dramatically different."
Robert, we've been doing live audio and video streaming for years. Not only that but we've been doing it with the audience not only watching live but participating in multiple chat rooms, asking questions of our guests and responding in kind to our questions.
Bottom line is, it ain't "a new thing". :)
theworldsmostexpensiveblog
· 1 year ago
Robert, if you need any advice on doing a blog tour, ring us up. We did a 10,000 mile trek from NYC to San Francisco to the Inman RE Connect. http://www.blogtourusa.com/
Ron
· 1 year ago
So, what you are saying is the ability for a cell phone to capture video is the tipping point? Cuz I gotta agree with Shawn. This aint a new new thing. Nevertheles, good luck whatever direction you decide to go
Robert Scoble
· 1 year ago
Ron: hmmm, I haven't seen anyone else use a cell phone to broadcast video live and also to use it to interact with a chat room before Justin.tv did just that this year.
Ron
· 1 year ago
that's why I asked if you viewed the cellphone ad as your distingushing factor
Trace Pupke
· 1 year ago
My guess is that Steve Jobs will introduce you as Apple's new PR guy, since the MacWorld keynote is on January 15th.
Margaret Norkett
· 1 year ago
Best of luck to you, Robert -- you are a talented guy and in this day and age often talent goes unrecognized and unrewarded.
While I don't comment often, I do read your writing and find a lot of inspiration here for my own humble stuff.
Margaret
Dan Guy
· 1 year ago
tl;dr
Dick
· 1 year ago
Always nice to see another MS escapee doing well. I'm developing a theory that our years inside the borg are some kind of penance, and we are now being rewarded for the pain and suffering.
Don't go out on your own -- burrow inside some big company, annoy the hell out of them, and move on. It's worked for me, it can work for you -- again.
Andrew
· 1 year ago
I was hoping you'd go and join Sun Microsystems. I think they are doing some of the most innovative computer systems work today and it would be fascinating have you roaming around with your video camera talking to all of those smart engineers.
Regardless, good luck with whatever you decide to do next!
Ronald Lewis
· 1 year ago
Robert --
Lifecasting is by far the most open platform you'll ever use, as you've noted by your observation of Justin.TV.
If you truly want to be transparent, then I challenge you to lifecast 24/7 for at least a month. I've done so since May (until recently -- took a break) and the experience of listening to and engaging people from around the world has been priceless.
The next step of course is how to turn these conversations with my blog, podcast and lifecast into a decent living -- Something I hope to finally figure out in '08.
Rick
· 1 year ago
You know, I always had alot of respect for Rob, but personally I think this is insulting. "I hated not being honest and open for the past year..."
Good Lord, you've made your mark as the guy at Microsoft who was honest and open, and now we find out you've been bullshitting for the past year, and everyone thinks it's just fine? Not me - I've lost alot of respect. On the one hand you way it's a snap decision reached a week go, and on the other that you've spent a year misleading the readers. Smacks of false advertising.
I know, I know, got to put the family first - except Rob's reputation is built on openness. If you're not going to be completely upfront, your reputation suffers. Alot.
justin
· 6 months ago
.Scoble shares his reasons behind the decision to change
All Comments
Rob
BTW, it was great to meet you in person the other day during the WSJ printing press tour and I hope we meet again soon. Rgds, Sameer
Cheers!
The only thing you could announce that would disappoint me would be that you were shutting down this blog. As long as you're not doing that, I will look forward to the future.
We may not always agree, but you do make me think. :)
Thanks Eddie and everyone else for the kind words.
For example, Amazon could have paid you to look at the Kindle design before they started manufacturing.
I'm sure you'd make a ton of money AND you could write off all your video and travel expenses, since it's meeting with others in the industry that informs your consulting.
Anyway, just my 2 cents. Good luck with whatever it is you do.
I'm not sure about living one's life digitally all the time. I know you don't do that with your personal life, and I don't quite see doing it in your professional life either.
Colin
Any way I can help, I will help. See you in HMB over Xmas and then at CES. Much love.
all the best on whatever you decide on 15th Jan looking fwd to your post about your decision
why do i get the feeling it will have a lot to do with videos, channels ;) and maybe a bit of mogulus too ;)
Since you asked in #24 here's the link:
http://www.daviddalka.com/createvalue/2007/12/1...
-- Steve Cherrier
ok, kids are climbing on me, I will leave it at that
So kudos for many yeara of sharing with us what you were up to, and "bonne chance" for many, many more!
First of all, I like that you keep your family ahead of everything else! That's really smart and the best choice you could do! If the whole web comes tumbling down, you'll have your family...
On the move, I believe you've weighted your options... repeatedly! So I know you won't be moving lighthearted. And I believe that whatever move you make, you symbolize a movement of user-contributed media (not generated). The interaction between me, a simple geek with not much time or focus, and you, an a-list blogger who focuses on pushing the limit of the new media, is something that makes me love the web the way I do. I can ask you questions and know that if they are relevant in any way, you'll very likely reply! (Twitter helped you a lot on that ;)).
I just wish you all the best, and I'll keep an eye on whatever you'll be doing... I can certainly both enjoy it (I'd love to take one of those Photowalks one day ;)) and learn!
I won't say "I'm fan" because I don't know if that's the appropriate term, but I'm certainly an "appreciator" of what you do!
:) Good Luck Scoble
PS: And I agree the blog doesn't necessarily need to be the first place you write about something... especially personal stuff! :) But thanks for your openness on this one... ;)
I wish you and Rocky the best on the next leg of the journey.
Counter to the folks saying to go it alone, I actually see the value of your continuing on with an organization of some kind. It allows you to noodle instead of having to chase the business ends all the time. I love that you find places that support your pursuit of these new efforts, and that you can let them all worry about the annoying stuff while you lab up some interesting new ways to make it all useful.
So, this is a vote for going with a team.
The ONLY reason I'm even entertaining the notion of going to CES is because I read that you were doing the CES BlogHaus lounge thing, and I liked that last year. Screw the show. The energy is over there at the lounge.
Best to you and the fam. Safe travels.
You are my inspiration and the bellows firing my passion for new marketing. I also know that decisions made at this point in your life are heavily influenced by the fact that you have a family that you need to provide for. Good Luck and Godspeed.
I'm so glad that you and Rocky are sticking together and heading on a new journey. It will be fun to see what you land.
I'm looking forward to more Photowalkings and sharing drinks on the 18th hole.
Best of luck to both of you.
checked the scoble show for the first time.
would really like to watch it regularly. very interesting.
im from india on a 256kbps internet connection.
whatever ur doing next, pls try to include a lower bitrate version of the video so that a lot of people in india who have 128kbps speed can watch ur videos/podcast without having to wait for buffering.
thank you
Take care
Also, to be a bit pedantic, it's "Led Zeppelin," rather than "Zepplin". Wouldn't want Jimmy Page to put some kind of curse on the ol' Scobleizer, now, would we?
http://www.broadstuff.com/archives/601-Continua...
Rex
It was great meeting you. Good luck on the new venture.
http://rapidstage.wordpress.com/2007/12/13/scob...
Good luck to you and your family.
Tom
Best to you , Maryam Patrick and milan, and keep up the good work and life wherever you go.
Merry Christmas.
Robert, we've been doing live audio and video streaming for years. Not only that but we've been doing it with the audience not only watching live but participating in multiple chat rooms, asking questions of our guests and responding in kind to our questions.
Bottom line is, it ain't "a new thing". :)
http://www.blogtourusa.com/
as your distingushing factor
While I don't comment often, I do read your writing and find a lot of inspiration here for my own humble stuff.
Margaret
Don't go out on your own -- burrow inside some big company, annoy the hell out of them, and move on. It's worked for me, it can work for you -- again.
Regardless, good luck with whatever you decide to do next!
Lifecasting is by far the most open platform you'll ever use, as you've noted by your observation of Justin.TV.
If you truly want to be transparent, then I challenge you to lifecast 24/7 for at least a month. I've done so since May (until recently -- took a break) and the experience of listening to and engaging people from around the world has been priceless.
The next step of course is how to turn these conversations with my blog, podcast and lifecast into a decent living -- Something I hope to finally figure out in '08.
Good Lord, you've made your mark as the guy at Microsoft who was honest and open, and now we find out you've been bullshitting for the past year, and everyone thinks it's just fine? Not me - I've lost alot of respect. On the one hand you way it's a snap decision reached a week go, and on the other that you've spent a year misleading the readers. Smacks of false advertising.
I know, I know, got to put the family first - except Rob's reputation is built on openness. If you're not going to be completely upfront, your reputation suffers. Alot.
http://www.bestfutbol.net
http://www.bestfutbol.net