Loïc Le Meur, the charismatic Frenchman who is starting a video conversation startup named Seesmic, spoke with me in the hallway today at Video on the Net (VON) in Boston. 

Loïc explained why radical transparency in his venture is not a risk, but a competitive advantage. That's why he and his team are posting videos five times a week, showing every detail of the startup and asking for help from the approximately 2,000 people subscribed. They give lots of it.  Tres interessant!

The waiting list to join Seesmic stands at about 5,000 and I'm right in there, hoping to get a chance to try it out.  Loïc is wisely waiting until the alpha program is well tested before opening up to everyone who is eager to join the video conversation. He says in this interview that we will only have to wait another month or two. 

Photo by Nate Aune. Thanks, Nate!

Veteran Podcaster Dean Whitbread, a founder of the UK Podcasters Association, was in town this weekend for Podcamp Boston 2. We met online mainly through Twitter, and I enjoy following his smart and artful blogs, The Blog of Funk and Dean Whitbread.  The iTunes Music Store contains his audio podcast, the Pod of Funk, and his video podcast, deek deekster: innit, both highly recommended. He also introduced John Cleese to podcasting. All this gives Dean lots of experience in podcasting and blogging, so it was a great opportunity to learn from him.

Also on this episode, I hear from Simon Young of Auckland, New Zealand, who left an audio comment at the Pod Chronicles line, 206-202-0890. Simon and his wife have a new consulting venture, iJump, helping organisations jump into the social media playground. I first heard about him in an interview he did with Anna Farmery of The Engaging Brand podcast, and I was very impressed with what he had to say about different kinds of writing styles.

Music is "Going to the Sun" composed and performed by Montana musicians Christine Dickinson, Janet Haarvig and Matthew Lyon. From their Glacier Journey CD.