Domain Name Interviews

After three failed attempts over a period of several years to gain approval through the ICANN system for the new top-level domain .XXX, most people would have thrown in the towel. Not Stuart Lawley, who started as a minority investor in ICM Registry at the time of the initial ICANN application and eventually became its CEO and chairman.

Through his vision and indefatigable spirit, Lawley brought the registry to life and extraordinary profitability. Listen in as he describes how the new TLD .XXX generated $25 million in its first three months and what his aspirations are for future growth.

Michael Cyger April 16, 2012 7

More than 500,000 businesses are registered in the United States every year, with magnitudes more being contemplated and planned. As technology advances, more and more businesses are focused entirely online or at least need to be found online.

What do startups and entrepreneurs need to know about domain names? Find out in this interview with domain name veteran Steve Jones, including:
* The trends of premium domain name pricing and desirability
* Options for determining domain name valuation range
* The best way to initiate negotiations with a domain name owner
* Options for buying the “best” domain name for your business, product or service
* Why domain name owners are not motivated, and what to do about it
* Alternatives to premium domain names, including country codes and domain hacks

Michael Cyger April 9, 2012 12

Whether you are buying a domain name that is $20,000 or $200, using an escrow service to eliminate the risk of fraud and guarantee that you receive the domain name can be money well spent. An escrow account also can be used to spread payments over time – such as with the recent $4.2 million purchase of Marijuana.com, currently being transacted through 69 payments of about $61,000 each at Escrow.com.

These topics and more are discussed with Brandon Abbey, president of Escrow.com. Learn what domain names Abbey owns, and what car he purchased through an escrow account at Escrow.com.

Michael Cyger February 6, 2012 7

When you purchase a television or a car, you perform due diligence by comparing prices, looking at third-party ratings and searching for recalls. Buying a domain name should be approached in the same way, conducting appropriate research to ensure a sound acquisition.

In this show, Steve Jones walks us through the 11 steps of his process for domain name due diligence, which will keep you from buying a domain name that infringes on someone else’s trademarks, that is stolen, or that was previously used for an unscrupulous purpose and might be on blacklists.

Michael Cyger January 9, 2012 11

I asked Adam Dicker, CEO of DNForum.com and DNFCollege.com, about the best way to value a domain name. Here’s what he said in the interview.

Michael Cyger December 26, 2011 4

Recognizing in 2005 that there would be an oversupply of condominiums in the United States, Richard Swerdlow saw an opportunity to build an online market to buy and sell condos. It would be modeled on the stock exchange and intended as a transparent place to allow buyers and sellers to connect with one another.

His online real estate empire started with the acquisition of Condo.com and continued with Houses.com and Property.com. As the owner of what are arguably the most premium online locations for real estate, Swerdlow shares his plans for continuing to connect buyers and sellers through his virtual marketplaces and how others can apply his strategy to their own development projects.

Michael Cyger November 8, 2011 13

Savvy use of the Internet must be a key component of almost any political campaign, as Jon Huntsman and Newt Gingrich have recently discovered.

An easy-to-find, well-branded and well-constructed website can be a powerful tool for politicians – a place for sharing information, building a public image and collecting campaign donations. And the whole process starts with a domain name.

Trev Alex August 28, 2011 6

Most people thinking about the possibility of launching a new gTLD, such as .casino or .nyc, do not have the luxury of getting free advice from an industry expert. Until today.

Listen in as domain name expert Michael Berkens, co-founder and managing director of Right of the Dot, answers questions about the opportunities, costs and legal aspects of the new gTLDs being launched by ICANN.

Michael Cyger August 16, 2011 9

Picking a domain name for your new business, product or service is often the most challenging part of launching an enterprise. After all, you want a website that is easy to remember, does not have too long a name and will stand out among the crowd of websites on similar topics.

The process of picking a name is complicated by the fact that so many domain names have already been taken. To help you achieve the often difficult task of selecting a domain name, we have compiled a list of 20+ useful tools and websites.

Trev Alex August 7, 2011 13