Spin-offs

I've decided the time has come. While reviewing my blog posts, I realized that I'm all over the place. I mean, The Erb Report has covered family vacations, tourist trips, must-see YouTube clips, political news, cool technology and tech updates, personal thoughts and musings, comments about books I've read, and just plain random stuff. Basically, there's no focus, except for whatever I happen to be thinking about at the time.

Now, that might be fine for some of you (read: my four followers), who will skim through pretty much anything I throw out there in the blogosphere. But I know there's others of you out there reading this (some of you who comment, many of you who don't) who could probably care less about my night at the symphony, or have no clue what this "crazy" technology is that I'm talking about -- and don't really care.

So where does that leave us? In Clay Christensen's landmark book on innovation, The Innovator's Dilemma, he talks about "giving small opportunities to small organizations," and about "creating capabilities through a spin-out organization." Not that I'm being threatened by some company moving upmarket (or am I? Is something else vying for--and winning--my "customers'" time on the Internet? Will I find myself with no followers?), but I do find that I'm torn with what I should or shouldn't post, and growing more aware of the scattered narrative this haphazard system has provided.

The Innovator's Dilemma tells us that "spin-out organizations are tools for forging new values." To keep my different topics/projects from competing with each other for my resources, I have decided to create some spin-out blogs in areas that I have tended to write about. At this time, only two more blogs will be added, but if I grow more prolific in my writing and broad in my interests there may be others that follow.

A Proclamation Concerning The Erb Report
Whereas, this blog is a way for me to share my thoughts; and
Whereas, my posts have been somewhat chaotic, yet gravitated towards several themes; and
Whereas, I would like to have a dedicated place to gather these thoughts on several themes; and
Whereas, Blogger is user-friendly and free and will allow me to realize these dedicated places;

Now therefore I, JErb, President & CEO of E.R.B., do hereby declare that new blogs shall be established to provide focus to my blogging and allow my "customers" the freedom to choose which subjects they would like to follow. These shall be established at the earliest possible time, and notice shall be made hereupon The Erb Report of such establishment.

So here I go: creating new opportunities in new organizations (read: blogs) and trying to create new capabilities (read: better organization, more followers and more commentors). Wish me luck.