The insightful Herb Greenberg is leaving journalism to start up "an independent equity research boutique". And all power to him: as Paul Kedrosky says, "he deserves the broadest possible playing field to display and, yes, benefit financially from his talents".
But if he wants the broadest possible playing field to display his talents, why is he giving up his blog?
In his comments section Greenberg says that the blog is "unlikely to continue, sorry to say," almost as though the decision wasn’t up to him. Of course it is: it’s his company, he can do what he likes. And a blog would be a magnificent shop window for his company’s wares.
I suspect that Greenberg is worried about cannibalization: why would potential clients subscribe to his research product if they can get substantially the same information free from his blog? But I do hope he’ll reconsider. Clients value personal access more than the research product, and a blog is the best conceivable marketing tool. Besides, the feedback you get on a blog is invaluable in honing and improving your opinions on just about anything. Or does Greenberg thinks he’s smarter than anybody on the internet?
Update: Greenberg responds in the comments, saying that he’s giving up blogging because he’s "worried that it will be a distraction to the business". I think he should go out for lunch with Fred Wilson.