B-L-O-G Your Way to Transparency with DisclosurePolicy.org

One of my portfolio companies, PayPerPost, launched DisclosurePolicy.org today and I just posted the following at blog.DisclosurePolicy.org. The topic of transparency is much larger than PayPerPost, but I'm glad they took the initiative to create long-term solutions instead of band-aids that could hamper CGM long-term. The site offers a Disclosure Policy generator, transparency best practices, model DPs, DP.org badges and forums to discuss the entire spectrum of transparency. The forums even include some fun "DP Hunts" where you can try to find the Disclosure Policies of the 'rich & famous' bloggers -- I'm stumped. ;-)

If you write a blog, head over to DisclosurePolicy.org, get yourself a DP and B-L-O-G your way to transparency...

[from blog.disclosurepolicy.org]

Welcome to DisclosurePolicy.org, the 'big bang' of various forces created to maximize transparency across our ever-expanding Consumer Generated Media universe. At launch, the site doesn't have all the answers to transparency, but we hope it has some and focuses discussion on the rest.

In concert with the resources provided here, I'd like to share an easy 4-step approach (B-L-O-G) to embracing transparency and diversity of opinion across CGM. Although I reference 'blogs' for simplicity, this approach applies to all CGM properties whether they involve text, video, audio, photos or social networks. Here's all it takes:

Build a clear Disclosure Policy that matches the goals, nature and audience of your blog -- built at DisclosurePolicy.org or by hand.
Link to that Discosure Policy with the phrase "Disclosure Policy" in some standard place (e.g. top, sidebar, bottom) from every page of your blog.
Open your eyes and mind to the fact that people blog for different reasons, from different cultures and for different audiences -- thus, what works for you may not work for others.
Go forth and blog, in a manner consistent with your Disclosure Policy.

If you follow these four simple B-L-O-G steps, you've given every existing or new visitor to your blog the opportunity to know a little more about you and the ground rules of your blog. With that knowledge they are free to stay or leave, and you are free to blog with pride that you have helped take CGM to a level of transparency beyond any other media.

Tags: DisclosurePolicy

FVB's Disclosure Policy

Hey, it's me, Dan Rua.

Florida Venture Blog by Dan Rua is my personal blog focused on a variety of topics. In addition to sharing perspective, experience and opinions, I use this blog as a testbed for multiple online technologies. In fact, much of this Disclosure Policy was built with the DP Generator over at DisclosurePolicy.org. If you ever wonder whether a piece of FVB content adheres to this policy, just email me your questions/concerns and I'll address as best I can.

I appreciate your support of FVB, hope you'll subscribe and encourage you to join the FVB community. As always, enjoy yourself while here and comment often!

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This policy is valid from 28 October 2006


This blog is a personal blog written and edited by me. For questions about this blog, please contact dan at inflexionvc dot com.

This blog may accept forms of cash advertising, sponsorship, paid insertions or other forms of compensation.

This blog abides by the WOMMA Word of Mouth Marketing Ethics Code. I believe in honesty of relationship, opinion and identity. The compensation received may influence the advertising content, topics or posts made in this blog, but not the opinions I share. That content, advertising space or post will be clearly identified as paid or sponsored content.

I am not retained and compensated to provide opinion on products, services, websites and various other topics. The views and opinions expressed in the posts, but not the comments, of this blog are purely mine. I will only endorse products or services that I believe are worthy of such endorsement. Any product claim, statistic, quote or other representation about a product or service should be verified with the manufacturer or provider.

I would like to disclose the following existing relationships. These are companies, organizations or individuals that may have a significant impact on the content of this blog. I am a Managing Partner with Inflexion Partners, an early-stage venture capital fund. I serve on the following corporate, advisory or non profit boards: WiDeFi, CallMiner, IZEA, GTEC, and DisclosurePolicy.org. I have a financial interest in the following that may be relevant to my blogging: Persystent, WiDeFi, CallMiner, Proximities, Visible Assets, Databanq Media, IZEA, and RedPath.

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Thanks for reading this far down and I encourage you to take the DP challenge. The future of consumer generated media could depend on it!

Tags: DisclosurePolicy

Blogs = News, So Sayeth Google

We shall see if Google's new Blog Alerts service lives up to the needs of the blogosphere. I've been using Google News/Search Alerts for some time now and have only a few complaints (like the lack of integration with other Google services). The whole alert construct feels like a re-hash of late '90s function from companies like Alerts.com -- but blogging's time sensitivity makes it much more compelling today. I've been using feed-to-email kudges so far and hope this cleans up the process for me.

BlogSearch.Google.com had already been picking up an increasing share of my blog search needs (shaving from Technorati and Bloglines), and I've been waiting for better blog alerting. Marshall noted that default alerting is "Comprehensive" which means Alerts will pull from News, Groups, Search and Blogs -- smart move for Google and good for the blogosphere. Blogs have been separate from news for too long -- it's all a spectrum of information sharing, with a parallel spectrum of quality. Just remember that grouping by Google doesn't mean all bloggers aspire to be journalists ;-)

I've kicked off a couple Google Blog Alerts and we'll see whether Google's execution matches the need. I'm hoping it does...

PayPerPost Blue Monster

Given that Ted spilled the beans about my secret PayPerPostBlueMonster puzzle piece, I guess it's time to share. For those of you not already following this puzzle, here's the deal:

As if announcing funding from Inflexion and friends wasn't enough, PPP has more good news to share and are doing it in their usual fun, guerilla, viral style. The 'Blue Monster' announcement has been cut into multiple puzzle pieces, spread across the blogosphere (or the net as a whole). The first Postie (free to join here) to find all the pieces, re-assemble them and post the solution will win a cool $500. Yes, it's that simple...or is it. The blogosphere is a big place -- the phrase "PayPerPostBlueMonster" should help your hunt.

So, here's piece #95:

(unsponsored post)

10-15-06 UPDATE: This post has been dugg and you might want to check out the first comment there by bluemonster96. As always, if you think others would appreciate this post, feel free to digg it here or there! 10-21-06 UPDATE: You thought the last update was juicy, but check this out. There is a treasure trove of puzzle pieces spread across a few of my blog-related properties. I apologize in advance for them being RANDOM (not numbered), but that's how a little birdie dropped them off. To find this treasure trove you might want to check for posts at Galt's Gulch blog (reply when u visit), check for messages at Florida Venture Blog community (join when u visit), and recheck the comments of this digg (digg when u visit). I'd give you the hyperlinks, but the final push needs a little challenge, right ;-)

Traditional(?) VC Model: Broken or Forgotten

Stowe Boyd had some insightful thoughts on Miguel Helft's New York Times article A Kink in Venture Capital's Gold Chain. That article, at a high level, questioned whether the traditional venture capital model is broken because of excess capital and tight exits.

Stowe and Fred Wilson both noted that the model isn't broken, it just needs some tweaks. In particular, they both suggest that smaller funds, smaller investments, with smaller exit requirements could be the answer.

I agree with those sentiments, with a slight twist in wording. I don't see smaller, earlier investments as a tweak to the traditional VC model; rather, I see that as a return to the "traditional VC model". The late '90s, early '00s focus on double digit and triple digit million dollar investments, with hopes of billion dollar exits was an anomoly. The industry was built on investing single digit millions, from modest-sized funds and building sustainable businesses. One twist for some funds might be a focus on quick flips, but that's not how I learned the business.

A Tribute to Entrepreneurs: The Riskmaster

My first significant exposure to Tim Draper was when he boldly stated he was looking for "risk seeking missiles" at a Kansas City Kauffman Fellows event I attended. Since that time I've been lucky enough to build a couple funds together, exit a couple investments together and recently co-invest together into PayPerPost.

Tim is passionate, savvy and sometimes over the top -- like many great entrepreneurs I know. For the past couple years, in between backing and building more great technology companies, he's been caught singing his tribute to entrepreneurs, The Riskmaster, on any stage that would have him. In honor of our recent PayPerPost co-investment, I created the music video you see here. Enjoy it and check out www.TheRiskmaster.com for lyrics and credits.

Bonus points if you can name all the entrepreneurs shown in this video! Comments encouraged, unless you're complaining about video compression quality (YouTube limits were a problem). ;-)

(charity post)

StartupFlorida has a Blog

I've known Rich Swier and the StartupFlorida folks for awhile now and always enjoy my time with Rich. He recently kicked off a blog to track current events for their incubator and portfolio companies. Check it out here when you can...

PayPerPost Revolution Accelerates with Funding (oh, and a chance to win $1000!)

I've blogged about Orlando-based PayPerPost a few times here already -- sharing my observations along the way of diligencing the company for investment. Well, all that diligence led up to today's TechCrunch leak that Inflexion led a $3M Series A funding including Village Ventures and Draper Fisher Jurvetson. I'd like to thank Michael Barach of Village and Tim Draper and Josh Stein of DFJ for joining forces with Inflexion to make PayPerPost THE Consumer Generated Advertising marketplace.

Consider this funding a loud invitation to bloggers (Blogger, TypePad, WordPress...), videographers (YouTube...), podcasters, photographers (Flickr, Zooomr...) and social networkers (MySpace, FaceBook...) to join the PayPerPost marketplace. The multitude of content topics could be just what the doctor ordered for writer's block or content variety. Contrary to drive-by analyst reports, you pick what you write about, in the tone you want and with the disclosure you want -- do what is right for you and your audience. Many 'posties' have watched their traffic grow after leveraging the marketplace for more frequent and diverse posts.

Advertisers are also invited to see what all the fuss is about. My research has uncovered advertiser ROI that far exceeds all other online advertising options. Try the system, measure your results and, if it meets your expectations, make it a key part of any online marketing strategy.

PayPerPost is still young so your feedback and patience are appreciated. They are looking for input from everyone and upgrading the service as fast as they can.

Oh, and did I mention PPP is running a contest about their big news? It involves a puzzle of pieces like the one near the top of this post. The first registered postie to find, assemble, submit and post the entire 'payperpostbignews' puzzle wins $1000 (watch blog.payperpost.com for details). So, get registered, join the revolution and don't be surprised if the fun is as rewarding as the cash...

(unsponsored post)

10-08-06 UPDATE: The excitement around PPP's funding announcement was overwhelming. In fact, PayPerPost terms were the 6th AND 10th most searched for terms across the world of blogs that day. Also, congrats to Xial Lunashine for winning the payperpostbignews $1000 puzzle. I don't know if it was the news or the puzzle, but this funding sure started out with a bang!