When I formed PodTech in 2005 I saw some amazing possibilities that the Internet offered as a technology and media platform. It was exciting. It still is.
Now two years later I’m even more excited by the possibilities available for entrepreneurs and the increased flow of new online advertising dollars in the area. The changes and opportunities are plentiful. I remain passionate and motivated by the growing Internet market. It has been a ton of fun creating media and social technology that is now part of the new media and iPod generation and revolution. It’s been a blast.
However, this past summer was interesting, sad, and dynamic for me. It has best been very challenging. Late June my Mom passed away after a long bout with Alzheimer’s. Then in early August the PodTech board chose to go in a new direction, and chose to remove me as the CEO. Now as of this week I am no longer an employee of PodTech. As the largest common shareholder in PodTech stock I will remain on the PodTech board. As such I am still committed to the future success of this organization and platform. I wish PodTech the best of success.
Now that I am no longer the CEO and an employee of PodTech, the company is obviously not my absolute focus. I’m looking forward to some very good opportunities that I see on the global and evolving Internet. There are many new areas developing in ‘modern web’ technologies such as collaboration, communications, social application development, new media, and emerging online advertising 2.0 solutions. Going forward I will pursue them.
In the meantime I’ll get back to podcasting and start blogging. I’ll spend time building Facebook social software applications and collaborating with my other entrepreneur friends and innovative companies that are pushing hard in the area that I will be pursuing. The current market is ideal for entrepreneurs to build big companies with very little capital. In particular the ability to see and arbitrage the uncertainty in today’s global Internet particularly social networking, new media, infrastructure, and advertising.
Silicon Valley was built on the backbone of fostering ideas, new technologies, creating ventures, failing, learning, succeeding, and making money. I’m looking forward to my next venture. If anyone is interested in lessons learned from PodTech just drop me an email. That is a story for another day.
On a personal note, I can’t help but look back over the past few years and be thankful for all the new relationships that I developed both within and outside PodTech that I will carry forward in my life. Thanks.
Finally, I am truely blessed to have a fantastic and supportive family – my wife Linda and my children Alec, Jacqueline, Caroline, and Tyler.
It is time to start back up. It’s exciting.
Silicon Valley Technology Blog - John Furrier 
John
What a ride – you were there at the onset of the revolution, seeing what others would discover a year or two later.
Best of luck in your future endeavors.
Dave
John, congratulations on all the success building PodTech from scratch into what it is today and best of luck in all the new adventures. You’re certainly picking a great time to look around and blaze some new trails. Have fun. I’ll be watching the new podcasts and reading the blog posts.
Hey John
Great post. entrepreneurs are not made, they are born. You are a true one and I’ll be watching your next moves with interest.
Congrats on having the courage to pass the baton and move to the next phase of your adventure.
Keith Teare
ceo/founder/edgeio
John,
Congrats on the move. Podtech certainly exemplifies the old saying that you can recognize pioneers by all the arrows in their backs. Podtech has been a pioneering effort and demonstrates the strength of your vision and your ability to attract the best talent to the cause.
I’m really looking forward to working with you to shape that next venture…
Alex
Good luck in whatever you do next, John. You have a great, strong character and you’re a blast to have a beer etc. with! 😉
I look forward to seeing what comes next from you!
Cheers,
Kosso
There’s always room for more innovation.
Sounds like you’re not slowing down one bit….
all the best.
John
Thank you for hiring me at PodTech, although I’ve left too, we had a great ride together. It’s fantastic that you’re getting right back up and moving on to the next success.
As a boss, you were VERY supportive of my efforts to push the envelope, make mistakes and self-correct, I see that these virtues also make up your character, traits common in entrepreneurs.
Wishing you the best of luck, we’ll continue to be friends, drinks soon!
Wow, John. Big news. You are PodTech, in my mind. Look forward to seeing you in your new incarnation. Keep in touch.
John
Great post. Dusting one self off and getting back in the ring is the measure of a man. Onward to the next thing! Congrats on on what you have built — and I look forward to seeing you and Linda soon! Cheers – Brian O!
The one reason why, as your wife, I continue to support each of the entrepreneurial ventures you envision/create….is that you just can’t keep a good man down…you are truly one of them. Getting my seatbelt on for the next wild ride!
Hey Buddy…
I want to thank you, from the bottom of my heart, for providing me the opportunity of playing such an important role at PodTech from the very, very beginning. I appreciate your confidence in me and persuading me into this exciting world of Web 2.0, Social Media, Podcasting….. I agree, there is a ton of exciting things taking place and it’s a great time to be involved.
It was your spirit, your vision and your never-say-die attitude that led me to where I am today…managing multiple Fortune 500 accounts that love PodTech’s services and that want to learn with us as we explore the possibilities that exist leveraging what Web 2.0 and Social Media has served up.
I’ll always remember walking the floor at conferences (in 2005) trying to get someone (anyone) for you to interview. We’ve come a long way and I’ll always have fond memories of those early days with you and Linda. We built something special and we will carry the torch for you!!
John, I know your vision and hard work will again help shape the future…
Best,
Dave
John –
Great post. Congratulations on starting a great company – you have much to be proud of. Thanks for letting me watch the ride, and I look forward to seeing your next venture.
Cheers,
Brendan
John,
It’s been great following your path with the building of PodTech as well as being such a great pioneer and champion for this space. Looking forward to your next move!
Regards,
Jeff
John, Best of luck in all next little and next big things. And enjoy a deep breath and quiet moment for once, just like I did when I left the CEO’ship of Top Ten Sources. You won’t believe how nice it is to get off the treadmill.
I didn’t realize your mom was dying while all this was going on. I also lost my mom to Alzheimer’s and that’s just a very sad experience.
But as I’ve told you before, when these things happen, other doors open. Ask Richard Lang, my lifelong friend from Burst.com. He was cast off from his first startup and it was the best thing that ever happened to him.
John,
Best of luck with the move forward. You helped to kick-off the social media revolution and it was a great pleasure to have been a (very small) part of that ride. I’m looking forward to seeing what’s next for you and hopefully catching up with you and Linda in the near future.
JULIO.
The volume and tone of these comments make it clear why you will succeed in your continued innovative efforts.
Good luck!
John,
Great post, but so sorry to hear about your mother.
You were an inspiration to so many including me with your enthusiasm for social media. You were truly a pioneer and brought lots of attention to podcasting and videopodcasting.
Good luck in your new venture!!!!!
Cheers, Jennifer
John,
You were one of the first people I met in this new media segment and I’ve always valued your counsel. Great post and I am confident that your next venture will be as interesting as your last one.
It goes without saying, but should you ever need anything just ping me.
John, all the best wishes. Sorry I somehow missed you at The Palace this morning — perhaps you weren’t there yet, and I had to bolt for the airport about noon.
Linda’s right — no one can keep you down. Go get ’em!
cheers,
Graeme
Good Luck John.
Thank you for being a great role model in my life and for giving me a shot at creating my own show last year. I am sure that whatever you do next it will be interesting.
Best of luck, John.
John – Good luck for your new ventures.
John,
It seems like just the other day we were having beers at the Sports Page while you explained what the hell podcasting was and why anyone would buy it. Thanks to your vision you got a crazy idea off the ground that turned out not to be all that crazy.
Best of luck on your next venture and keep on keeping on.
Ciao,
Darold
John, being a hard core Red Sox fan you are familiar with going for it all, feeling it come oh so close but ultimately coming up short but you’ve also seen luck and timing join fate and produce something great. As an entrepreneur who took a swing for the fences you now have a larger sense of what success means, and that there are always naysayers and doubters, but screw em you also know that all the effort (and suffering) is what makes ultimate victory that much sweeter when it comes, and come it will. Keep swinging for the fences. I know I will be rooting for you.
Keith
John,
You really nailed it with PodTech and I am looking forward to doing many more great things in the future.
Dave
Thanks, John, for making Podtech possible, and thus,
indirectly, for creating a place for me to stand on
my soapbox re energy.
Very sorry to hear about your mother.
Look forward to hearing about your next endeavours,
Margot (smartenergyshow.com)
John,
What no one will talk about is how you’ve inspired many in new media. Then developing social media around new ways to advertise. I’ve been following your work and have to say that your a leader in the field hands down. Congrats on PodTech. Your board is crazy for removing you. No CEO can replace you and who has the ability to do what you did?
I’m sure your next venture will be tracking sometime big. You have a reputation for being a bellweather for new big trends. Keep it up and don’t let anyone stop you. In Europe your followed by many. Thanks
Nigel
I’m a fellow entrepreneur. I understand and admire your moves here. Entrepreneurs are defined by how they handle the events that they encounter. Getting VC money has a downside and you lived it. They screwed you. I’ve seen this before many times. Next time go with your vision and find venture partners who know what they are doing. Building your company to the level that you did is an accomplishment taking it to the next level is your boards fault. Who is your board? I want to stay away from them in my next venture. I’m looking for funding and want to hear your experiences. Sounds like USVP and Venrock don’t have a clue in Web 2.0.
Nigel,
Europe isn’t as advanced as Silicon Valley in entrepreneurshp. That being said I used to listen to John’s earlier podcast and they motivated me to start a company. Now that I live in Silicon Valley I am looking for VCs and I want John to go public with his experience. I don’t want to get venture then get thrown out of my own venture, USVP and Venrock should be ashamed of themselves for not respecting entrepreneurs. PodTech is a success and to take out the CEO is short sighted. Look at Yahoo. Keepin the founder involved increases the success factor overall. VCs you blew it here
About ads, have you been able to figure out Adsense in this Adreas04 theme? I was told that all you have to do is drop the Ad Code into a Text Widget and viola! I don’t see any Adsense on here (due to the personal nature of it, I assume) but I wager you might know the answer. I use the same them for The Mac Newb Tube site.
Thanks again for more inspiration for me to be a part of the new media! =) Podtech rocks!
Oh, here’s the site John: http://www.macnewbtube.wordpress.com
Best wishes and prayers for your mother. Thanks again, and good luck on future ventures!
John,
Your work at PodTech inspired me to launch Personal Life Media. The way you monetized podcasts showed us all that brands would be pleased to be associated with this new medium.
It’s been a pleasure to work with you on the Association for Downloadable Media and I know you have your hat in the ring to Chair the organization.
Your continued leadership in this medium is critical and I’m glad to see your continued commitment.
Susan
Robert – your comment (number 24) is a riot. People will think a lot less of you when they find out what really went on at Podtech.
Good luck with things, John, looking forward to seeing what you build next.
I’m looking forward to seeing what you cook up!
Hey John – i belived i did the first podcast with you back in 2005 at the Mt. View conference. Good luck in the future!
Cheers – Ken
John,
Keep that great spirit alive. You are one of the true social media pioneers. Sometimes pioneers take the arrows yet forge new ground. Hence, others learn and grow. I’m looking forward to your next venture.. it’s only the beginning.
cheers,
sam
Wow. I remember clearly the September day 2005 when we met at Intel. You had so many great ideas…and spirit! Then you made it happen. The call, “We’re here, staying about 8 miles out of town.” That was CES in Las Vegas 2006, when you came with new gear and some very cool guys who helped you set things on fire. Then there was that million words a second passionate conversation with Sean Maloney, as we geared up for CES. The them that day: “people are using affordable cameras, shooting better quality video than many of us watch on TV, and they’re sharing it with friends, family and networks of friends.” That was less than a year ago. Things happen quickly when you’re in the thick of it, eyes, mind and heart wide open. I learned a lot from you and your PodTech crew. Thank you! You’re a force and a great guy.
Hi John,
Thank you for the help, along with that of your team, in working to get the entertainment pieces up and running.
Heard you speak when you came to Bite in 2005 to one our brownbag lunches – and I agree with a previou post – You are Podtech! But you obviously built this into something that developed a life of its own and that’s something to be proud of.
Nice site keep it up!
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http://www.dasofte.com
I like the helpful info you supply on your articles. I will bookmark your weblog and test again here
regularly. I’m quite sure I’ll be told plenty of new stuff right right
here! Best of luck for the next!