just so I am not hijacking a thread here

[Hell Puppy]

No offense intended or taken on this side either....

I never look down on anyone doing whatever they need to do to pay their bills. There's a lot of security in having a predictable pay check that comes from being employed by a larger company. There are now a lot of people who seek that in this business while simultaneously running their own gig.

That's good cash flow management if nothing else. You have a predictable income stream to cover your nut. But you have the other which can be much larger some months, but also runs the risk of having you one google update away from standing at the top of an exit ramp with a "will webmaster for food" sign.

However, in the last year or so we've seen several instances, like Bob, where it's pretty transparent that they ran for the safety of a paycheck from a larger company because their own empire was no longer providing the cash flow to pay the bills. From a subjective point of view, how I look at people who do that depends upon how they've personified themselves in the industry. If they've always pretended to be the big player player, trying to be pimp, etc, I think it's karma swinging around to take 'em down a peg or three.

Back to the issue at hand, influencing the industry. I know very few business owners who take any chances or do anything truly strategic with their company and their money that they themselves are not having the final say on. So although I have no doubt that there are many "affiliate reps" or whatever that are extremely important to the operation of their company, they are still tactical positions. And it's hard to call someone one of the 50 most influential if they are not the one with the final say so in what happens with their own company.

[JoesHO]

That is a very Valid point on the industry influence factor , hellpuppy

[Rcourt64]

Poor Webmaster have to hide in there Avatar costumes
to avoid embarrassment and shame