@phil-mershon Migrating from one platform to another can be an “exciting” task, needless to say.  WordPress.org has a full page on how to import content from various blogs and networks.

http://codex.wordpress.org/Importing_Content

It includes some links to how to export your content from one platform to the next when available, or some work-arounds.  :)

@phil-mershon is not really hard to do it. 

All you have to do is just create an export file from WordPress.com and import it into a self hosted installation of WordPress.

You might need to do some tweaks along the way, but the migration should be quite straight forward process.

Here’s a tutorial about installing WordPress, in case you need it:

http://www.eugenoprea.com/how-to-install-wordpress/

If you have any other questions or get stuck, feel free to add them here.

Thanks for the tips you guys. I’ve been considering doing this myself.

On another note: Would you suggest starting off on a self-hosted site for new bloggers / company blogs alleviating the need to migrate later on? 

I’ve found that moving from platform to platform can be done with relative ease the only problem I have come across is moving from TypePad to Blogger or WordPress. TypePad makes it very difficult to transfer as it holds onto the images. So all your post content transfers fine, however, the images all need to be reinserted or you have to hire a programmer to do the work for you. I work with http://www.WebsByAmy.com (a business partner of mine) and she has a programmer to do this move. It’s costly, but can be done.  So normally in this case (Typepad to WordPress for example), most just start over.

But you shouldn’t have much problem going from Wordpress to WordPress or Blogger to WordPress and vice Versa.  My buddy at WebsByAmy.com says one of the things she loves about WordPress is that it is user-friendly in exporting and moving.

However, other things to consider when moving is moving your design and theme, sidebar items that may need to be redone if you aren’t using a domain name (such as http://www.<your company>.com); such as counters, analytics, misc. gadgets.

I have found that you can change your blog feed’s address and this keeps email subscribers flowing w/o interruption during the move (tutorial here for Feedburner: http://www.blogsbyheather.com/2010/11/feedburner-changing-your-blogs-feed.html), however for those with Google Reader or using a Reader versus email subscriptions, I believe they have to re-subscribe.  So I also tell people to post a message on their blog informing their following of the move, so they can resubscribe to the new blog. 

If you get stuck I’m sure many of us here can all help ya out
Happy blogging,
Heather