I See the World Through Historical Retail and Wholesale Tinted Glasses

Morning Folks!!

It may be summer for consumers but June begins Christmas for retailers. And if you don't know and understand that, your timing is going to be off.

So when I look at business I can look at that business via the eyes of any owner in any industry. That is the basis for my strong confidence in domain names that mean something, What is happening today is just so different than what has happened before as folks are getting more and more educated about their online businesses and the opportunities they have. But there is also still a long way to go as otherwise intelligent people outsource the one thing they need to know and learn if they want to survive and thrive.

I am finding out there that corporate is very slow to move but sole proprietors are catching on. The small family business is on the move. They are really starting to get it. I also see the relationship between domain investors and those in IT and search starting to figure out how they can take advantage of each others strengths. There is still a big disconnect there, but it is exponentially better.

Sorry, I just see good things and hear even better things. I go to Las Vegas and everyone is making money and doing deals. I look the other way and I see fret and despair among many in the same business and in the same environment. What's the difference? Outlook and attitude is the difference. A change in attitude can change and ROCK your world. But the comfort of fear and despair have some locked down.

So I still see the greatest business ever with the most opportunity ever and the reason I see that is retail and wholesale and progress. The ferocious headwinds of the past have died down. And in some cases those headwinds are turning into tailwinds. Expansion gives birth to opportunity regardless how many fear it. They fear it because they are ignorant to history. Yes they are! Just study TEN different parallels and they make no mistake where the ship is going. The ship has sailed before. MANY times before.

So while it may be summer for some, it is Christmas in June and July for many. Everything in the business cycle gets geared up for the home stretch. That 45 day period that decides your fate for another year. How many folks are connected to that event? Millions? Tens of millions? More?

Social and commercial sometimes get entangled and lost. These too are some of the parallels that are easy to figure out as they shake out. Some just get too caught up in the details to see the big picture.  But that is part of the parallel as well. These are all predictable events and behaviors based on history and the evolution of products and businesses and hula hoops and pet stones and facebook and apple and google and it's all connected and it's all been done before.

But none of this matters. Let me be clear on what I see overall. I see some folks that don't know the difference between a low tide, an ocean, a desert, a season. They sell their vessels because of a low tide not because of anything that would warrant an actual sale of an overall appreciating asset. Based on a fear that high tide won't come back. And so it is Summer to some and Christmas to others. Merry Christmas!

Need want desire value image

Have a GREAT Day!
Rick Schwartz

The ONLY Book I Ever Read 3X

Morning Folks!!

I am not an avid book reader. But one book I have read when I was 20, 40 and now 60 has been a great guide to shape human nature in a better direction. It's the book in which I learned that habits take 30 days to make or 30 days to break. Just 30 days can fix or transform about anything you want.

When I was 20 it was pretty hard to get a handle on the book. Overwhelming is the word that came to mind.

When I was 40 I read it again and by accident I had achieved about 33%-50%.

Then in just the past few weeks I read it one more time. Diligently. I am about 75% or more there now. I guess it will be 80 when I get all 10 nailed down. But, maybe I can accelerate it and do it NOW!

The book takes about 90 minutes to read. Easy reading with a very big message.

"The Greatest Salesman in the World" by Og Mandino. A life changing book if you have an open mind and an open heart. It's not really about sales at all. It is about life, human nature, habits and wrapped in an ancient story that many will be able to relate to.

Many of you have already read this book. Read it again. Those that read this blog and have not read this book, I promise you it will be beneficial and may help you put a few pieces in the right place. Bob Hayde (RIP) gave me this book when I was 19. One of the greatest GIFTS I have ever received.

Rick Schwartz

Sharks and Minnows and Domain Names that are Priceless

Morning Folks!!

When you are in shark infested waters my advice to you is to have a bigger, meaner, crazier shark on your side than the other. An army of minnows is no match. You can't act like a minnow and fight sharks. As domainers you are fighting battles on several fronts and many don't even know it. Whether it is payouts or reverse domain name hijacking or the new gTLD's or falling values of marginal domains or any of half a dozen other fronts including rapid take down of your domains.

Sharks operate on fear and minnows are no match. So I am keenly aware some don't like my style. But my friend, it is MY style not yours. You can be whatever fish you choose to be. The way I defend my PROPERTY from THIEVES is something for me to decide. The way I see things unfolding is for ME to decide. Nobody forces any of it on you. But if the shoe fits, ask why instead of getting angry. Human nature has us wired to react to certain things in ways that are not in our best interest. So if you know that, maybe ask the question is being a minnow a good way to survive in shark infested waters?

Sure, clams do very well. They don't move much however.

There are the movers and shakers of the sea and the sharks of business. We each get to navigate things as we see fit. And if you want to be a clam, that is YOUR choice.

But now we are in a an open  world and there are many here that come to oppress. If you don't see, recognize and undersatnd that, it just could be you that is missing something. "Free will" is a very threatenting thing to some countries, society's, groups or people. So when somebody like me is this outspoken, it is THE most fearful thing in their lives. Free thought?? Free Speech? Free Will? TENS of millions have DIED in that struggle and it continues everyday of the year for as long as history has been written or will be written. Billions of peple trying to opress billions of others. I reject it and history has rejected it but the battle stll rages.

Words are a THREAT to those that don't understand this concept and therefore they react in a facist sort of way because they themselves may not even know what is going on underneath. Deep underneath. Some see collaboration as a threat to fear. On the other hand many of US see it as an opportunity to grow and expand and learn and progress. FACTS are never anythuig to be feared. But many fear facts because they would have to rethink so many things. So DAMN the facts! We all do it folks!! We are all guilty at some times of this. The POWER is acknowledging and harnessing that power and BENDING it in a positive way vs as a destructive way. But when bending does not work. DESTROYING does and so we become SHARKS fighting SHARKS and that is the game on the field.

So be a minnow on the sidelines and crticize and surpress and defend and be eaten alive.......or fight back and defeat FEAR with a bigger FEAR!

I have learned that fear is one of the most paralyzing forces known to man. Some are a victim of fear. Some use fear as a weapon and some never even thought about t until this post. So if some PRICK is trying to instill fear in me, maybe my JOB is to create a BIGGER fear for HIM?? Sound reasonable?

So when it comes to Reverse Domain Name Hijacking for example, I think I have been able to create a bigger FEAR and that makes folks think of the consequences before rather than after and that leads to different thinking. FEAR backed up by EXAMPLE!.

Now most missed this little tidbt last weekend but the CEO of P&G rsigned over the Memorial Day Weekend. No fanfare. Effective immediately. Did it have something to do with Swash.com and this post?? I don't know but a Bob McDonald was there for over 30 years............something exploded.

So for folks that don't like my style, tough. It's MY style and I suggest you get some style of your own. That way I get to do what you do!

We all get to get angry in a different manner when sharks try and bite and when sharks try and steal. What works for me, may not work for you. What works for you, may not work for me. I look at too many that DEMAND respect but never takes an opportunity to EARN respect. My rections may be "Colorful" but it certainly beats a wrong minded reaction based on being a minnow that fears answers to questions still being asking.

They use intimidation and fear. But if your intimidation is more dangerous and their fear is greater, then you have changed the equation and you have changed it in YOUR favor and the more you do that the less you have to deal with it.

Predators are sharkes by definition. The light of day is the enemy of a business shark. Don't like my style, fine, I'll gladly step aside and allow somebody else to fight the fight and put themselves out there for public ridicule. Step right up Captain Courageous. Minnows don't qualify. Step right up. Just use your REAL name!

Rick Schwartz

TRAFFIC 25 Bellagio Las Vegas 2013. One for the History Books!

Morning Folks!!

There is not a word here that I can say that matters more than those from attendees.

They decide whether the show was a success or not.
They decide if it was worth leaving the comfort of their homes.
They decide over the course of the weeks and months ahead whether they got value.
And they decide whether it is worth coming back or not.

So I can only say things from our stand point.

The group was stellar.
They were upbeat and enthusiastic.
There were some 40-50 new faces. Many from outside the USA

The hotel was first class in every way.
There were lots of places to go to comfortably network.
Some of the greatest Rags to Riches stories you will ever hear. Makes you want to slap silly some folks with no excuse whatsoever.
More spouses in attendance than ever before.
I want to thank each and every speaker for taking their time and energy to share things that sometimes are not easy to share. Well done!
Shane's mom was a rockstar and I never even got to introduce myself to her because she always had a crowd.
I was getting Freddy Von Schnauzer withdrawl but Bailey stepped up to fill in some of the doggie love.

I missed most of the show because I got a severe case of food poisoning at Olives the night before the show started.
I was no fan of Todd English before so you can imagine how I feel now as I am still recovering from a Tuesday night "Killer" meal.

And as I got off the red eye this morning I had one red eye on the October show that is just 4 months away and the $995 early bird expires tonight.
The other red eye focused on doing this all over again the exact same time, place and venue next year in Las Vegas.

Also a tip of the hat to the Bellagio staff that was flawless and to the physical hotel itself which as just beautiful in every way
My only tip is when you order eggs for room service, get them fried as the scrambled eggs arrived DOA each and every time and were uneatable.

Glad to be home and now we get to start working on the Fort Lauderdale show tomorrow.
But right now I am exhausted and I am sure I have loads of company.
So let me just say I hope those that attended got great value and those that did not, I hope we see you either next year in Vegas or in October in Fort Lauderdale.

You can read DNJournal's  play by play highlights of the show here, here, here, here and here.

And so ends my first post on Wordpress.

Have a GREAT Day!

Rick Schwartz