hmmm…
[quote=anthony]So here are my final words on all of this…
I’m the same ol’ guy that started Audizine back in 2001. Sure it’s gotten much larger since then, and yes I do it full time now, but it’s just me. Same dude. Yes I’ve made mistakes over the years, and oh boy have I learned a lot about running an online community. But you know what, it’s still my baby. That’s one thing that hasn’t changed. I’m the last person that wants to see it go to shit, and that means from the ways it looks, to the members, to the advertisers. I’ve always wanted it to be the best Audi enthusiast community out there. Not the biggest, just the best. Here we are, 11 years later, and wouldn’t you know it we’ve become the biggest and most active one around. Crazy huh? Well, I guess we’re doing something right after all.
Over the years I’ve seen dozens of Audi tuners 'n shops come and go. I’ve witnessed the good and the bad, much less bad thankfully, but still more than I would have cared for. With that though, and with the massive growth the Audi scene has undergone over the past decade, it’s required me to be more cautious in who we bring aboard to market and advertise to the Audizine community. Where once I was happy to bring on any new small fledgling company or just a regular enthusiast slinging parts out of his garage on weekends, that unfortunately can no longer be. In order to get that red username or a banner on the top of the site, they need to not only have a business license but some serious skin in the game. They need fully liable and accountable for their work/products, with some experience under their belt. It also helps to have a clean record, and no previous “run ins” with myself or the Moderator Team.
Let me also remind you really quick, that all of this is for the most part a “B8 forum issue”. It’s extremely easy to get hyper-focused within the one (or maybe two) forums you spend most of your time in, but you have to remember that Audizine isn’t just the B8 A4 Forum, or the B8 A5/S5 Forum. It’s a whole big ass world out there and I have to look out for the greater good of the entire f’n thing!
Having said all of that, it’s still quite possible for a smaller newer company to rise up the ranks and eventually become an Official Advertiser here on Audizine. I know of plenty of success stories, and I have my eye on a number of other up and comers that are doing their own thing and yet not getting their accounts suspended or terminated. It simply takes skills, determination, and most importantly patience. When they’re ready, and the time is right, they can go from doing pretty well on the side to doing amazingly well as an Official Audizine Advertiser. David isn’t the first, and he most certainly won’t be the last. We also aren’t making him stop his modding, or stop helping all of you on the forums. It’s just that for right now, he cannot market and sell those products publicly on the forums, just like the 90K other Audizine members that aren’t official advertisers. I’m pretty sure we can all handle that.
If you have anything you’d like to discuss, or any additional feedback or suggestions to these recent events, I’m always here and available by PM or email. Please don’t hesitate to reach out.
Anthony
anthony@audizine.com
[/quote]
so GSG was fully licensed with serious skin in the game? haha
