Jen Simmons wrote:

> It drives me nuts that Andrew perpetually insists that he makes the 
> show for free or close-to-free. It's cheaper than ABC World News 
> Tonight -- for sure! That's what should be celebrated, not this idea 
> that any kid in the barrio should be able to make Rocketboom with 
> their bus money (if they even have 85 cents for the Vía bus). I'm 
> working four jobs to pay the rent, and while I'd like to work on my 
> videoblog show all day every day, 3 to 4 hours a week is the most I 
> ever get -- not 5 x 8-10-hour days, working with a collaborator I've 
> hired. Promotion is $0?? Again, only to someone who doesn't understand 
> that _all_ time is money when you freelance, and that top-tier 
> contacts from elite schools and an Manhattan address are not free.

That's a totally unfair criticism and you know it.  They're talking 
about cash outlay, which is obvious, not opportunity cost of doing 
business without revenue or with limited revenue.  This is standard in 
all small business.  If a business owner were to factor in the thousands 
of hours they put into creating something from scratch at the cost of 
working for someone else, no one would do it.  On average, I'd say most 
small business owners probably work for $5/hr, but the end reward for a 
successful enterprise is worth it in the long run.

>
> Oh, and maybe someone can explain to Andrew the difference between 
> hits and individual viewers. 150,000 hits does not equate to 150,000 
> people.

You must not think much of Andrew to assume he isn't smart enough to 
install one of the dozens of free stats programs which differentiate 
viewers from hits.

In the end, you don't need a trust fund to do something like 
Rocketboom.  I'd happily invest the dollars outlayed for hosting costs 
to be building the brand they're building, even in my current state w/o 
income.  Nobody said entrepeneurship was cheap, but I'd hate to see 
anyone trying to start a business that couldn't afford to do what 
Rocketboom is doing.  It would cost more to run a lawn-mowing business 
with a couple of employees, trucks, lawnmowers and other equipment, and 
god knows how many thousands of mom-and-pop landscaping companies there 
are in this country.  I'd happily trade all the expenses of the 
previously mentioned business w/o any income for the Rocketboom brand.

Clint


-- 
Clint Sharp
New Media Guy & Technologist
ClintSharp.com        Contact Info: http://clintsharp.com/contact/

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