Daily Archives: December 7, 2007

An exchange on Robert Scoble’s blog regarding Blognation continues to demonstrate Sam’s difficulty with speaking the plain truth. Robert was informed by a friend that he was rumored to be joining Blognation as an employee and he reacted quickly to correct the record.

UPDATE: a friend of mine just told me that there’s a rumor going around that I’m joining Blognation as an employee. I can categorically deny that. I never considered working for Blognation and am not considering a job there. Just to clear that up.

Sam’s comment on Scoblizer seems to confirm that he and Robert never discussed a position at Blognation.

Finally I will confirm that Robert has never been approached for an role within blognation. Robet and I have spoken in the past and that is all about blognation, podtech.net and other networks.

However, the story Sam told to the Blognation team on November 21, 2007 was quite different. The rumor about Robert’s participation was as an advisor on the Blognation Advisory Board not as an employee, but below is the message shared with the editor team via Skype group chat. The rumor was that Blognation’s investor considered Robert’s participation to be key to the blognetwork’s value.

Sam Sethi
10/21/07 12:14 PM
well confidential robert scoble has asked to join blognation … this is not for public consumption as nothing agreed. I am flying to the valley at end of nov to dicuss
Tris Hussey
10/21/07 12:14 PM
wow!
10/21/07 12:14 PM

leaving PodTech?
Sam Sethi
10/21/07 12:15 PM
also [name omitted as not story critical] is close to sign up
Tris Hussey
10/21/07 12:15 PM
nice
Sam Sethi
10/21/07 12:15 PM
and debi jones has officially joined the team
Tris Hussey
10/21/07 12:15 PM
w00t!
Sam Sethi
10/21/07 12:15 PM
In Feb Robert can leave
Conor O’Neill
10/21/07 12:16 PM
amazing news!
Tris Hussey
10/21/07 12:16 PM
very, very interesting
10/21/07 12:23 PM

thinking about how Scoble wold fit in … great guy, lots of connections
10/21/07 12:27 PM

have flock 1rc3 installed … looks good
Chris Saad
10/21/07 3:23 PM
Looking Tris
10/21/07 3:24 PM

hah cool
10/21/07 3:27 PM

great news about scoble
Robin Wauters
10/21/07 3:28 PM
agree, and also [name omitted]

10/21/07 3:28 PM

2 high-profile additions
Chris Saad
10/21/07 3:28 PM
Not familiar with [name omitted]

Robin Wauters
10/21/07 3:28 PM
she writes [site name omitted]

Robert is traveling and in London today. I spoke with him via phone a short time ago to alert him to this post and ask for his thoughts on the inconsistencies. Robert said, “We never talked about me taking a job at Blognation.”

I shared with Robert that the rumor was his joining as an advisor not as an employee.

“Yes, I was interested in Blognation and I’ve been talking to a lot of people about my career lately.” When I asked about the trip to the San Francisco Bay Area Sam planned to meet with him, Robert responded, “yes, but that trip never happened.”

“This is just another example of his problem with, uh, his, uh, management style. I would never announce in a semi-public area there was a deal until I had a contract.”

Indeed. Which are we to believe? Sam’s comments to the Blognation team or his comments on Robert’s blog? If Sam told me the sky is blue, I’d have to look up.

Finally in his own words, from a voice recording made on June 6, 2007 Sam is clearly heard to say, “Now, I’ve already raised 1 mil pounds and I’m already budgeted for 22 full-time editors.” So, if this is true then why is no one paid? If this is not true, then why did he say it to the editors he wished to recruit?

Sam has claimed in his comments following the resignations of Oliver Starr and myself that Blognation editors were aware of Blognation’s funding. We were not when joining as he made declarations similar to the one recorded here to each of us which is a central complaint as expressed in Oliver’s letter. As is documented in the previous post here, I did not join Blognation until October 21, 2007 and was told by Sam on joining that Blognation was funded.

Sam left this statement in comment on Shel Israel’s blog.

A number of facts need to be corrected in your post. Much of what you wrote is blogsphere fiction and gossip. 1.I resigned – Mike never fired me on matter of principal. 2.I never stole any money and Arrington knows that as he claimed it from the sponsors. In fact Mike never paid me and still owes me expenses. 3. All the editors knew coming in that the project was seeking funding and would only be paid once we got the funding.

I can not speak to the facts associated with numbers 1 & 2 in Sam’s comment, but I can state unequivocally that #3 is a lie. Sam stated Blognation had funding to cover operations for one year when I agreed to join.

From the current investor’s point of view, if Sam did raise 1 mil GBP, they would likely want to know how that money was used. If Sam didn’t raise the money, then why did he say that he did? Many people would like to know. What say you now Sam?

Update: You can download the mp3 Scamtone^TM for your mobile – click here. More Scamtones^TMwill be released here and via twittergram. Perhaps I’ll do a weekly Scamtone^TM release until the Orchant family is paid.