This comment was originally posted on Twitter

If I make public the best business idea ever, those with the bandwidth to look will either not be on that road, or will understand it because they are already doing much of it. The conversations both parties get in the latter case are much more useful than a one off, one sided limited advantage.

This comment was originally posted on Twitter

This comment was originally posted on Twitter

This comment was originally posted on Twitter

This comment was originally posted on Twitter

As someone who has a lot of respect for the Redmonk/Greenmonk model, it’s good to hear you say what many of us are hoping for: that sharing good content leads to a good business direction.

I give away a ton of content on my site, in my case, I did it first and foremost because I get a great deal of satisfaction out of sharing what I hope is quality information. But you’re right on, James, it has certainly led me deeper into industry conversations (in my case SAP) and eventually to clients. Sometimes it feels a bit roundabout, but perhaps the roundabout is far more direct in the long run than any other route, I don’t know. It certainly feels more soulful and personal than other ways I have done business in the past.

When I started doing it, it was more a labor of love than an intentional business strategy, but when I read posts like yours, it makes me think that there actually is a very coherent business strategy to come out of this, particularly when you rub up against analyst services, where so much of it historically has been behind firewalls.

On the other hand, not all of this is positive, depends a lot on the industry. Just the other day I got a very depressing visit in my office from an exceedingly talented musician who is struggling to make sense of an industry where his audience (aka “fans”) feel entitled to have all his music for free. “Let him sell t- shirts” seems to be the response of his “supporters.” On the other hand if/when I accrue more assets, I’d be inclined to fund some of his ventures myself, so maybe that is part of what you mean by the patronage economy?

So that particular blade can cut both ways, but it seems to be working well in this industry and I am glad to be a part of this at a time when a firm I respect as much as yours can do so well, while coming off with a real independent spirit…and a simple and worthy philosophy you could write on the back of a business card.

- Jon

This comment was originally posted on Twitter

This comment was originally posted on Twitter

This comment was originally posted on Twitter