Barbecue Sauce. In all seriousness, we certainly need to thank Bob Parsons, Godaddy, Oversee, and dot co for their recently added attraction to DomainFest, Natalia Velez, the new Dot Co Godaddy Girl. She will be joining DomainFest attendees at the SuperCars event aka the new Playboy Party without the 70’s venue and water born illnesses. Every year DomainFest seems to keep the goodies piling on. They haven’t forgotten their target market with this years’ theme (made up by me) Hot cars, hot women, cool seminars.
To take a closer look at Natalia you can see the new commercial or go to her website. I on the other hand, am going to get even closer look in person at the event. Fortunately for me the restraining order will expire on Wednesday and the event is on Thursday. Luck be a lady tonight.
*
I don’t do domain conferences because there is nothing there for me. I’m not interested in scantily-dressed women or drunken parties inhabited by guys looking for scantily-dressed women.
The “important” sessions, I suspect, are closed to those not in the inner circle. Besides, much of what I have learned does not need to be garnered from a conference.
If conference promoters want to draw more women (other than eye-candy) to their conferences, then they need to provide something of value for them, and that includes social events that women can enjoy as well.
But I get the sense that promoters like the status quo, so I am not hopeful that future conferences will be truly welcoming to women in the domaining field.
*
Ms Domainer,
It’s obvious that you have not been to DomainFest before. Last year the women had their own get togethers and sessions and from the looks of the pictures had a good 50 plus women attend. The “poor me” attitude is your biggest obstacle not the event. While I’ve been an investor for 10 years plus I am only two years into being a part of the community. I have no ties, no “ins” and my relationships have been built through communication and a conscious effort to meet those that enjoy our industry. I learn and I share and I try and do it all with a smile. I place no blame on my errors and lack of success on anyone but myself. As a former trader I heard the same thing from women. This is a conference full of hundreds of successful men, some handsome, that love domaining. Sounds to me like a place that many women would like to be. The seminars are certainly not gender specific. I apologize for the rant but I can’t stand remarks like you made. You are judging others all the while you complain that others judge you because you are not a young hot 25 year old anymore. So quit your complaining, attend an event, and decide AFTER whether or not the events are sexist.
Shane’s correct – there’s a women-only networking event on the agenda (it’s either Wednesday or Thursday afternoon). While it’s clear that the conference planners take a certain slant in their choices of entertainment, you have to know your audience, and like it or not, 95% of the attendees are men. And men like boobs, booze, and sports cars. They’re simply trying to please their audience and keep them coming back.
I’m going to the conference, and I know I’ll have very little in common with most of the guys in the room (job background, financial status,politics, etc.), but I’m there to discuss the one thing we DO have in common: domains.
I hope to learn a thing or two, am looking forward to the seminars, and well, if there’s a boob or two in my field of vision, so be it.
I don’t think you’re crazy for feeling otherwise. You’re entitled to your opinion, and it DOES raise some questions about domaining being seen as a “party” business (i.e., not taken seriously as an investment class). I actually had this conversation with a guy from one of the major payment gateways at a hosting industry event in D.C. last year – he goes to all of the TRAFFICS & Domainfest, and we were commenting on the industry’s reputation. (“Partyboys and douches,” his quote, not mine).
Anyway, Tessa Holcomb, Kellie Peterson, Lori Anne Wardi, and a number of other well-respected and successful female domainers attend each year. I’ll give you my review after the week is over.
Shane,
That looks like Natalia Velez but it’s not.
It’s actually Joan Rivers after her latest round of plastic surgery.
Bob Parson’s is up to his old shenanigans and trying to fool everyone leading up to next week’s Superbowl.
You can tell it’s Joan and not Natalia in the photo by the rabbits.
Joan has been breeding rabbits ever since she wrote and directed the 1978 film, Rabbit Test, starring Billy Crystal as the first ever pregnant man.
I have never attended a domain conference but, yes, I think the best way to objectively judge something is trying it personally.