Chris Brogan observes “the bigger or older or more successful the company, it seems, the more difficult this experience” of finding the next new hit. An observation he feels applies particularly well to media companies.

Brogan would call his approach to this problem the “escape pod” model:

• Pick a small core team, half insiders, half raw new outsiders.
• Stake them a startup seed round.
• Let them go a few months on that.
• No corporate oversight, only report backs. It’s spend/try/live-or-die.
• Assess. Good? Then raise an A round or give them more corporate assets.
• Revise revenue targets.
• Observe. Kill, or green light.

He ends is post with the Big Question: CAN media organizations put new crops into the ground without pulling up the roots to check how they are growing? [via David B.]