Update: Funny... someone DUGG this story.
Update2: Yes, going indie is also a great choice for Amanda. If she has the bank she could just hire a writer or two part time, as well as one or two tech people, and just rock this out on her own. Of course, Netscape has 12M uniques a month and would expose Amanda to 40-50x the number of folks she currently has--while letting her keep ownership of her videos.
Amanda,
I see it is true you've left RocketBoom.
You're a great talent, everyone knows that, and you're gonna get a ton of offers over the next couple of days. I'd like to give you some unsolicited advice and make you an offer as well. Above all else you need to own the rights to your work. Right now all of your archives on RocketBoom.com are not yours (I think you own 49% of them right). Someone else is going to make 51% of that money for all time and they own your work, so you have to go get their permission to use it. That's not right for you at this point (it was OK a year ago when, frankly, you were not a big name like you are now).
You're on the top of the talent pool on the Web and you should get compensated for what you've done. You don't have a huge window of opportunity--you need to act now and you should get paid *now*. This is what I told Peter when I recruited him from Gizmodo, Elizabeth when I tried to (and failed) recruit her from Gawker, and this is the same advice I told Scoble months ago before he left Microsoft (he says my discussion with him helped him make the jump).
When you're the talent you build brand equity, you cash in on that brand and then you take it to the next level. You are at that very moment right now.. you need to make the jump to the next level.
So, my offer to you is do your daily report for Netscape and we'll pay you whatever you need to get paid AND you can own all of the rights to your video forever (just give us like a six month exclusive window on Netscape). We will set you up with our kick-ass studios, get you an office, and I've got a full-time video editor at your disposal (i.e. they can go with you anywhere). Also, we'll set up a travel budget so you can go cover whatever stories you want.
You're a star baby... it's time to be treated like one. Ask the other stars who work with me how I treat my talent and I think they'll all tell you that I fight and fight for my people like a rabid dog. (sort of like the Ari/E combo on Entourage, if you will).
You know where I'm at... hit me if you're interested.
best regards,
Jason
PS - At the very least you can print this offer out and use it as leverage against some other offers coming in. Frankly, you might want to consider pulling a page from your partners playbook and doing an EBAY auction for your services. Rock on!
PSS - If you are moving to LA we have a HUGE and amazing studio we're building in the heart of Beverly Hills that will just totally knock your socks off (it's in the old Dreamworks SKG building on Maple).
Advice and an Offer for Amanda Congdon
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Reader Comments
(Page 2 of 3)22. Jason-
I checked out TrueGritz (from the comment above). They're pretty damn good. You might want to check them out.
Posted at 11:26PM on Jul 5th 2006 by Scott-O-Rama
23. How does AskANinja get that offer?
:D
-K
Posted at 11:30PM on Jul 5th 2006 by Kent Nichols
24. Amanda -- Take the shot, not for Jason, but yourself. You articulate very well, and Netscape has potential to go over the top on things, and you could very well do it. Jason is very open to dynamic and change.
Jason - you're leet.
Posted at 12:22AM on Jul 6th 2006 by Joseph Manna
25. Re: Clarkus
Rocketboom was pulling in 300k views a day and $80k a week doing vblogging with Amanada, if you're doing better than that great, but the Internet is a big place...just because you haven't heard of someone doesn't mean they don't exist
Posted at 12:23AM on Jul 6th 2006 by Shawn Christopher
26. Amanda is very talented, but Andrew is the genius behind RocketBoom, why is it you didn?t offer the two of them a job months ago?
I?m amazed that there is no kick-ass talent somewhere in that huge conglomerate that has been trying to be an internet media company since the ill-fated merger.
Posted at 5:10AM on Jul 6th 2006 by paul
27. Are you seriously telling me you'd employ someone who chooses to put an internal dispute out to the blogosphere? Talent or no, that's reckless. How could you trust them?
Posted at 5:24AM on Jul 6th 2006 by Dennis Howlett
29. Hi,
A very good offer that will -- if Amanda takes it -- help grow the Vlogging community. This potential deal and the one with Sarah what's her name, who nailed a record deal based only on her web show are evidence of the powerful potential of what I call "citizen entertainment."
Zennie
Posted at 10:36AM on Jul 6th 2006 by Zenophon Abraham
30. wow!! That's an amazing offer.
I agree that Amanda it's a star right now on the blogosphere, and it's true that she has to take that to her advantage.
Also all the free promotion she's getting with all this, has to be a point to consider. Even on the spanish talking blogosphere it's news, a lot of people has make posts about her.
31. Amanda will be easily replaced at Rocketboom. There are plenty of cute, smart girls in NY capable of the position. I think a smart move for Rocketboom would be to rotate future reports amongst several girls to avoid being held hostage by a "hollywood star" wannabe.
Posted at 11:54AM on Jul 6th 2006 by beezearwax
32. It isnt my intention to sound so malicious. Amanda appears charming and fun but are these attributes unique to her? Is it possible that there will be other online personalities or does it end with her? Again, I am sorry for my bluntness but it appears to me that Amanda was attempting to hold Rocketboom hostage in forcing her relocation. That said, the owenership argument against her is complete bullshit and a typical bullying move of a mogul wannabe.
Posted at 12:09PM on Jul 6th 2006 by beezearwax
33. Amanda who? Anybody can do that Tina Fey schtick.
Posted at 12:12PM on Jul 6th 2006 by Talk Cheap
34. Also, this whole situation sounds like a romance gone bad. Andrew is acting jealous and hurt. Did he think his relationship with Amanda was more than it is? Was he attempting to control her by not moving the biz to LA?
Posted at 12:14PM on Jul 6th 2006 by beezearwax
35. Like Glenn, I worked with Jason (never felt like I worked for him) in the early days of Weblogs, Inc. I've moved on to techier pastures at ZDNet but I can tell you that you will never work for someone who watches your back the way he does. Jason is relentless when it comes to helping talent succeed. Amanda, give Jason a shot - you'll never regret the experience. He is as good as his word - you'll have a free hand to do what you are passionate about and he will help you become a great success.
Posted at 12:51PM on Jul 6th 2006 by Marc Orchant
36. I'm no Amanda C., but I sure would rather that such offers be proffered in a more discreet fashion.
Posted at 1:46PM on Jul 6th 2006 by Alan Wilensky
37. The thing that interests me about your post is not Amanda, it's you. Congratulations on the forthright, un-weasily, language and enthusiasm of your offer. The lack of fear is impressive. Will it work out if she does it? Obviously you are both confident and unconcerned. In a world that exerts huge efforts to hedge its bets, this is a beautiful thing to read.
I offer my admiration.
Sincerely,
tqii
Posted at 5:26PM on Jul 6th 2006 by TQ White II
38. This is amusing -- I'd just caught up on a month or two's worth of TWiT over the 4th of July holiday and heard the episode with both you and (what's his name? I'm forgetting already) from RocketBoom on there. I'd stopped watching RocketBoom a while ago, but I was amazed on TWiT that he (Andrew? was that his name? fading so fast...) was almost arguing with you against not taking RocketBoom over to AOL. You were gracious and optimistic, he sounded uncomfortable and defensive. After hearing him on TWiT, I'm guessing he knows that he's just entered minute 13 out of his 15 ....
Posted at 11:36PM on Jul 6th 2006 by DougT
39. I hope Amanda takes you up on your genreous offer. You are really one heck of a Mench Jason. Your generousity toward Amanda is outstanding and excellent Karma for you both. Thank you for being yourself. You are a winner and a really good person.
Posted at 8:26PM on Jul 7th 2006 by Taylor Barcroft
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21. Amanda's posted her side of the story. Your offer must look really good from her parents' house in Connecticut.
http://amandaunboomed.blogspot.com/2006/07/for-record.html
Posted at 10:56PM on Jul 5th 2006 by Brian Sweat