Opinionated Jumblings About NamesCon and Misc Other Things

I’m sure you’ve hear enough about NameCon the last few weeks but I wouldn’t be me if I didn’t give you some stories and thoughts post conference.  In general I saw two types of people at the conference.  It was full of those that ARE wealthy from domain investing, and those that will BECOME wealthy from domain investing.  Anyone smart enough to come to a conference to learn about this great opportunity to create wealth is in my opinion, on a fast track to making money.   Rather than talk about how easy it was to make money 10 years ago everyone at the conference was promoting the fact that if you do this or that, that people will say the same thing about you in 10 years.  Here are some other thoughts.

1.  The best attended domain conference ever. We knew that would be the case.  I just didn’t know how many cool people that meant would be attending.  Talking to Gary Chernoff and Kevin Ham is not something you get to do every day.  Old domainers and new domainers all showed up and in return were some of the best stories I have ever heard.  I’m not sure if I’m allowed to retell many of the stories but my favorite story of the conference was from Alan Hack about the purchase and sale of We.com  to Alf Temme (inventor of the famous ROM machine in the back of the flight magazine).  Borrowed money from his barber to buy it and absolutely believed he would sell it for seven figures.  He believed it and refused to sell it for less.  He eventually got his price and he attributes it to staying strong in his conviction.  An inspirational story. As he told the story it was obvious he did not put his We.com money into new T-Shirts (judging by his going out shirt. 🙂

2.    The last night we had a little Domain Sherpa dinner and Christa Taylor of DotTBA.com was nice enough to join the table of all males.  Males that perhaps got a little louder and off color than we should.  But she said one thing that had me laughing the rest of the night.  “Boys there is your inside voices and your outside voices. Some things you just let stay inside without using your voices”   So every time the Donkey video from Vice.com came up I kept thinking “inside voice, inside voice”   It was quite the night and the conversation was so funny my side literally were sore from laughing so much.  PS don’t let Mr. Cyger be in charge of cabs.  Flamingo Blvd is different than the Flamingo hotel.

3.  It was the first time in all my Vegas domain conferences that I didn’t lose any money gambling.  I won $800 the last day to actually put me up.  I didn’t have time to cash in my football ticket so I am going to have to mail it in and get a check.  First time I’ve ever had to do that.  I actually gambled less than I ever had.  Too many dinners and after hours events to have time.  I played less than two hours of craps and that was all for the table games.  Made some sports bets when I had time.   Michael Berkens and I watched the Alabama Clemson game together and I was for Bama and he was rooting for “anyone playing Bama” as a Florida gator fan.  He was nice enough to share the Godaddy money and paid for beers all night.  With the Bama win and the generosity of Michael, I had a fantastic Monday evening.

4.  I’ve talked about the soccer game and my injury enough, but it was the highlight of my week.  For 30 minutes I truly was 16 years old ago.  I was moving, cutting, and dribbling around.  I’m sure on videotape I was pretty slow and sloppy, but in my mind I hadn’t lost a step.  I felt as free and excited as I have in 20 years.   I can’t wait to do it again and truly planning on training and playing more soccer this year.  I forgot how much I loved it.  My leg is really messed up but those things happen and just gives me reason to train harder.  I actually get an MRI tomorrow to see how bad it got blown up.  Hoping its not too bad.

5.  I’m officially too old.  I actually thought the party at Hakkasan was too loud and my least favorite night of the conference.  I couldn’t hear or talk to anyone.  The part of the conference in enjoy most is having a few drinks and talking.  Watching people dance is a bonus.  I couldn’t do any of it at Hakkasan. The music was so loud, even screaming didn’t work.   And the lights were flashing so much I couldn’t see the dance floor.   We might have to have an old person version of it that serves the same alcohol but is more quiet.   Those that stayed didn’t have much of a voice the next day.

6.  OAH.com  at $16,000 was the buy of the auction IMO.  Under $20K for that name was a steal.  I was in my room bidding and I got the dreaded revolving circle on my computer right during the auction.  I was too far away from the floor to do much about it.

7.  I would be lying if I said that having NameBio set their post to cut in front of my daily list by one minute didn’t bother me.  Actually, it posts before Raymond’s post or mine, whichever comes first.  It’s posted to try and pick up the cookies from the affiliate programs before you read my or his blog.  In short, its done to take money from me.  There is no other reason to set it that way.  They could preset it for a certain time regardless of when we post but they do it for a reason.  Look at it on domaining.com next time.   I didn’t post this to slam them but to remind you that everyone is a friend until money is involved and then things can change.

8.  Gary Chernoff made my conference and maybe my domain career.  He has been my “hero” since I started in the domain industry. Striving to accomplish 1/10th of what he’s accomplished.   He came up to me and said that one of the reasons he came to the show was to meet me.  Honestly I thought it was just being said to make me feel good and that he told it to everyone,  but he told someone else that he really wanted to meet me.  Little old me.  I didn’t feel so little after talking to him and came away with three thoughts. Genuinely one of the nicest guys I’ve met in this industry.  Two, I can see why he has done as well as he has.  Intelligence combined with a great outgoing personality. Two things that are great for making money.  And third, he is a lucky man.  He has beautiful, proud wife that compliments him.  Her smile and positivity makes you want to talk for hours.  It’s a true gift and the two of them must be invited to every party within 100 miles.    Just a joy to be around.  I hope others say the same about my wife and I.  We just have less zeros in our bank account.

9.  I know its been said a lot but Richard Lau and his team really did an amazing job.  We take for granted all the work that goes into the conference and from an attendees viewpoint it went smooth.   It may seem like it would be harder with all those people but I think it was the opposite.  The hardest part last year is making sure all speakers rooms were full and it didn’t seem as bad this year.   There was always a crowd in the booth room.  Something that wasn’t always true last year.   I didn’t attend very many sessions this year because most were really talking about things I talk about all the time with “insiders” or things that really don’t effect or interest me.   I learned more talking to everyone outside of the sessions.  All in all.  Amazing job.  And I don’t use the words amazing very often.

10.   I was humbled by the people  that wanted to talk to me.  Evidently this writing things in an open honest format appeals to some.  One person said they feel like they know me better than some members of their family.  People asked about my daughter and wife. They knew everything about me because I write so much personal stuff. I think I had as many questions about my running and diet as I did about domain investing. It was all very humbling and a little scary.  I forget there are thousands of people on the other side of this diary.

11.  I really loved meeting Josh (the recap Writer) for the first time.  And its always nice to see Aaron.  Aaron truly is the busiest person I know.  He runs more, works more, than me.  He just doesn’t have a wife or kids to take up any time.  And Josh was the Rookie of the Year at the conference. Not that he is a rookie domain investor by any means.  He has a fantastic portfolio.  Only a rookie by ways of his first time at a domain conference.  Between his play at goalie, his funny jokes as he was getting a free domain from Frank, or his nights out with the Booth brothers, he killed it.  Proud to have him a part of this site.