The Rick Schwartz Domain Name and Traffic Blog: RicksBlog.com – Home of The Domain King®

Afternoon Folks!!

In a UNANIMOUS and very well thought out decision, GAYLIVE.COM remains on my side of the ledger. These guys threw everything at me, accused me of everything and came away empty. More importantly, the decisions are now being taken more seriously and more reasoned. This has taken many years to accomplish. Everything they decided was based on past cases and the panel took their mission seriously. At the end of the day, that is all you can ask no matter which way a decision goes.

And a 'Tip of the Hat' to my attorney and pal Howard Neu with FIVE VICTORIES in a row

Have a GREAT Day!
Rick Schwartz

Morning Folks!!

In 1993 I was introduced to the philosophy and thinking of Tony Robbins. That changed my life in the most profound way. All I did was put
what I talked about into action. In other words....I got off the sidelines and into the game. From that point, 6 weeks later my life changed
and I have never looked back.

In late 2007 I started financially preparing for what I beleived was to come so I would be able to take advantage of things.In early 2008 I started talking about what could/would happen
during the next few years and how to prepare yourself. Most laughed, the rest
were annoyed, a few understood.

Folks started calling me Dr. Gloom and Doom. Even my friends. Hey, who wants to hear bad news? So completely understandable. But reality is the fuel for my credibility. That is why I put my thoughts in writing. Each with a timestamp. Right or wrong. Let it be on record because you can make a lot MORE $$$ when things are bad once you get a line on it.

But look what has happened since those posts. REALITY trumps
the doubters. I see what I see and nothing anyone can say will change that
unless new FACTS come into play. Period. With each new fact comes a revised assessment.

Now I am not the best messenger. You've told me that many times. But my message is accurate so look past the delivery and catch the ball.

Let me point you to a much better messenger than myself.
My message, his words. Much more credible and understandable.

http://www.infowars.com/tony-robbins-warns-economic-collapse-is-coming/

This is the single most important thing you will do this YEAR if you want to get ahead of the future and not chasing the past!

Have a GREAT Day!
Rick Schwartz

Morning Folks!!

We had 7 pets this time last year. Then in May we lost Pearl after 2 of them got very sicklast November. Last Night our oldest cat “Bully” who was near 10, died. He had cancer and was undergoing Chemo since last November. He had been doing well and then a setback.

Bully had 9 lives and more. He was perhaps the wildest cat ever. We have scratch marks 9FT up a door to prove it. That was his first night in from the wild when we got him shots and got him fixed. Bully was tough and a few months later got into a fight with a possum and lost. The possum bit right thru his front paw. While we had a relationship with him by feeding him for a year, he was a bad ass boy. Claws to match and he ruled the land in which we lived. So getting him to the vet was no easy chore.

The vet and his assistants had to wear rubber suits and masks and gloves to even get near him. He was as wild as they come. Hissing and pawing with those claws. They stitched him up and said he had to be indoors for like 2 weeks. That was impossible. But Alina and I did it.

Funny thing, within 24 hours this mean hissing 'Bully' of a cat became a PUSSYCAT! It was quite a transformation. He would purr and give head butts. But once he was healed we let him back into the wild. Not long after coming back with a huge gash on his neck and that was when we adopted him. Big cat with a higher back than front that gave him characteristics of a fox or something like that.

Last night his time ran out and Alina and I watched him take his last breath. There was nothing we could do as we watched him go down hill pretty quickly. Until then he had been comfortable. Then last evening you can see he was in distress. We decided to take him in and put him down so he would not suffer. As Alina put him in the cage he took his last breath and died. R.I.P. Bully. Alina had a very special bond with Bully as I did with George back in the day but after losing her second kitty this summer it does not get easier. She nursed him daily with meds and hand feeding him and did things nobody would do. On Wednesday drove 3 hours to a special Vet Hospital and spent all day waiting and trying one last effort to stabilize him. She did everything possible and then some. Bully had a great life with us and without our intervention would have been dead many years ago.

Bully on Left, Baby Bully on Right. Father and Son. Both Rescued. Baby was just minutes from being destroyed and even tho I was responsible for saving him, he hisses at me all the time to this very day. Good thing I am used to that. They have been inseparable since his birth.

We called Bully, Mr. Mom because the love and affection they had for each other was something indescribable. When we brought Baby Bully back from the rescue he stunk and was dirty. Bully licked every inch of him until he was clean. It took hours. The reunion before that was even more intense as father took son into his zone of safety and cuddled him. I wished I would have gotten a video of that.

The funniest thing he ever did was the first time he ever saw Freddy our Miniature Schnauzer. You could literally see the hair on his face fall and change color. Wish I had that video as well. We miss you and will always have a very special place in our hearts. You taught us a lot about life, love and a fighting spirit. Say hi to George and Pearlie for us.

Rick Schwartz

Morning Folks!!

I just wanted to repost this interview I did withSully’s
Blog. It touches on some interesting items and I give my usual frank and in your face answers to
the questions posed. I hope there is something of value for you in your quest for greater success.

Mike: You recently posted about “the domain industry
expanding, but domainers are shrinking” as related to possibly keeping
the 2011 T.R.A.F.F.I.C. for domainers only. There are, as you point
out, a limited number of full-time domainers. What are your thoughts
around part-time domainers? That is, those with full-time jobs in an
unrelated industry that are trying to become full-time domainers. Is it
possible for someone to achieve this at this point in the Internet’s
cycle? In your experience, do you see part-time domainers come and go
or is there growth in this demographic of the industry?

Rick: Every domainer I know started at this part time. Every single
one including myself. So I applaud and encourage all that are getting
into it. I always say don’t quit your day job until it interferes with
your money making abilities in domaining. However there are different
types of new folks. You have folks like Tia Wood who get in, learn,
understand, marry what she learns with her skills and then is able to
contribute to help others. But unfortunately she is the exception not
the rule. In the early days we were all Tia’s put together and then
bound together. Many made no money but had that desire and passion to
learn without peeing over other people in the process. Just classy
people with the strong desire to do better for themselves and their
families. (btw, Tia, I was not sure if it was 'Wood' or 'Woods' so I took the liberty of registering 'TiaWoods.com' for you this morning. Let me know where to push it. Likely it will become more valuable to you as word of mouth is still the greatest advertising on earth and you will have some dumb folks like me not sure which one)

Today we have domain bloggers that are not even domainers but blog
only for profit. That is fine, but folks that come in today are
confused. They certainly don’t have to look up to me, but they can
certainly look at who I look up to and respect and applaud because they
know what they are doing. They can certainly look at dozens of others
and their success stories. No two stories the same. There are so many where would you start? I know, you would start with folks that already found gold and know where to look as opposed to those still searching for their first strike. Imagine a gold miner that refused
to sift thru dirt. Would not find any gold either. So that person is
what I would call 'Noise.' Do you think other Gold Miners want to spend
time with a guy like that? They would know he was a fool at best and now you know how to weed out the 'Noise' Pretty simple test. Too lazy to apply the test? Then you get what you get and chances are you too will become noise. It is not up to me, never was, never will be, but there it is.

With so many success stories why would anyone in their right mind follow failure and be proud of it? But don’t confuse
that with keeping score for success and failure. All the guys I look up
to fail a lot and have no shame for it. They embrace failure because
that is a stepping-stone to success when you are a trailblazer.

But their secret is OPM. They LEARN from 'Other People's Mistakes.' They don't copy failure, they copy success. They actually know the difference. So when others laugh
at your failure, what they are really doing is excusing and masking
their own lack of success as they sit on the sidelines or just put on a sideshow. Time to know the difference. The folks I hang with don’t root for failure
or get off when others don’t succeed. They encourage folks and are
happy when their friends find success. I think most folks yearn for that again. When business was done by reputation and a handshake.

The mindset of so many new folks is they want the $$$ first and then
they think they are entitled to something. The only thing they are
entitled to is to work hard and find a niche that works for them that is
profitable. But first you got to be on the right path so simply being a
part time domainer does not mean much. You need to have successes along
the way. But let me be clear, even the newest domainer can offer
something of great value to the conversation. Domainers come from many
different backgrounds and cultures. They have info to offer and share.
That is what built the industry. Sharing. TRAFFIC is built on sharing.
You never know who holds the single most important piece of the puzzle
because they are all important pieces. You never know who you are going to meet at TRAFFIC. But they all have one thing in common. They have all invested time and dollars to travel to a distant place to actively make things happen and make things happen right then and there. These are folks of action meeting with other folks of action. Just another secret behind TRAFFIC. I got my reputation for not encouraging the 'Noise' and 'Naysayers' sitting on the sidelines to come and the 'Noise' and 'Naysayers' always makes more 'Noise' because that's what they do with their time. As time goes on more and more serious folks see why I would do this and I have no plans of changing.

Mike: You are considered among many to be the leading expert
in the industry. What is your opinion of the .CO TLD? Is it the next
best thing since .COM or an over-hyped release of yet another ccTLD
trying to rebrand right out of the gate?

Rick: It’s nice that many say that but just as many would argue it
and I can’t say I blame them. Many have done much better than me and
have many more accomplishments. I have just been very outspoken and
bullish on something when nobody else was. I figured a smaller piece of a
bigger pie was a winning hand. That said I know domain names better
than anything I have ever been involved in. It’s as if I was groomed all
of my life for this. I live it, breathe it, feel it, taste it. Just something hard to explain but very deep.

As for .CO……Sorry, I am not smart enough to figure any of that out at
this point. What determines the success or failure of any extension
will not be domainers. It will be determined by end users and
advertising budgets, brochures, billboards and all the rest. No ad
dollars spent on an extension means RIP. It’s all about the ad dollars.
Not the moon, the stars, the registry, the hype. So that is why each new
extension is speculative. But that is what domaining is about so you
need to do the job and get in or out based on what you believe and not
what anyone tells you. But listen to your wallet the most. If it is
getting fatter, keep going. If it is getting thinner. STOP and try
something different.

.CO is an interesting extension. It will be years before we know if
it is truly embraced or not and that is why patience is always a huge
piece of the domain game. Meanwhile many domainers will make a lot of
money buying and selling to each other and some end users. I have bought
about 2000 myself. Time will tell. Right now, it’s a 12 month option
and then I will re-evaluate and see. One thing I will say…..every
domainer at a pretty equal shot at getting some domains of value. Of
course if all folks do is register Pigeon Shit, then they won’t make a
dime and they will lose their money. On the other hand the ones that do
understand domains will pick a few winners that will pay for their
entire investment and more. What do all the whiners say then? Who do
they lash out then for keeping them back? Who will even take them
seriously again? The answer, newbie’s who don’t know any better. There
will always be an endless supply of ignorance and a limited amount of
talented domainers that will hit gushers once again. Some that came into
the industry 30 days ago will be bigger and more successful than 50% of
the folks reading this. Then what do the whiners say? It basically
impugned every word they ever uttered and the basis of their every
thought. So at that moment they have a choice. Get even more angry and
more frustrated or give it up, take a deep breath and give it a fresh
shot with a good attitude.

Mike: This next question can apply to both new and
experienced domainers. There are many bloggers and forum posters, each
with their own and often conflicting opinions. Particularly for those
new to the industry, what do you feel are the best sources of quality
information to learn from?

Rick: Well, I certainly would focus on blogs where the blogger has
enjoyed some level of success. Some bloggers as I suggest above are not
even domainers or just regurgitate or plagiarize posts by other domains
bloggers or talk without much to back it up. If you want to know what is
going on in the domain Industry I look to TheDomains.com, DNJournal.com
and then Domaining.com to see who else has something of value to
contribute. But I hate blogs that I have no idea who the author is and
that takes away a lot of the credibility.

Don’t believe half of what you read and question the other half.
Follow the financial motive of folks giving advice. Don’t be lazy. Find
the source and verify. Successful domainers as a rule have hearts of
gold and are more than willing to help others. Lashing out at folks
contributing their time and thoughts and asking nothing in return is
just not very classy and whether you succeed or fail folks should have
the dignity to treat others with respect. If folks take what I say
personally without me naming a single domain name or single domainer’s
name then I guess they have indicted themselves. If the shoe fits, they
bought the damn store. So my plain spoken words are aimed at failure of
the idea, failure of making a profit, failure of a successful plan.
Failure to find the success they are looking for. Where is the personal
name? But the shadows I talk to speaks back in highly personal and mean
spirited ways and I will never make any apologies for not wanting to
surround myself with narrow minded lowlife losers like that. When they
grow up and get some class, then we can see until then, the nameless
will name me without me ever mentioning them and those cheering them on
are in the same league. So pretty easy to spot the losers. They call
themselves out and it is amusing to those that know the difference.
Invisible to those that don’t know.

So to the newbie’s….if you are reading a post or a blog and they
spend their time taking pot shots at me…..it’s the definition of a
loser. Not for disagreeing, we can do that and debate that all day if
the motive is to find the best solution or answer. But for the mean
spirited personal pot shots that are uncalled for and unnecessary. For
those folks, I registered FuckYou.co and a few other socially negative
domains. Like Asshole.co and Morons.co. Come on! This is the most fun
profession in the universe and if you are not making money, having a
good time doing it, then all I ever suggested was try something new or
something different until you find something that does. Those 3 domains
were all just registered. Total cost $103. Does anyone reading this
seriously question I can’t flip for a nice profit right now regardless
of the destiny of .CO?

Mike: I believe you coined the term “Pigeon Shit” when
referring to registering domains that are worthless. I confess that I
collected a lot of pigeon shit before I started to get a feel for what
had some value. In your experience, is this a trap most people fall
into when they start to acquire domains? Why do you think that
registrars don’t include some advice, even to end users, on how to
select a good domain name?

Rick: Yes absolutely. We all own pigeon shit in our portfolios. Some
domains pan out, some don’t. Like panning for gold. Knowing the
difference is what domaining is all about. There is no guidebook nor
could there be as the industry will always change and evolve and that is
why there are so many ways to make money.

A registrar could not care less if they sell a premium domain or
pigeon shit nor should they. Except for their premium auctions which is a
printing press, their job is to register as many domains as possible
and that’s that. Anyone saying anything else is not dealing with reality
or just not being candid. So never listen to a registrar when it comes
to domain names. Two different goals and agendas and they are not wrong.
The ones not knowing and understanding the motives of each are wrong
for not understanding this.

Mike: Back in May, you posted on your blog about possibly
starting up some domain trading based on a small subset of your
domains. Have you done anything with that? Received any trade
requests? Do you think that, if this develops, it could be an equitable
means of strengthening a domainer’s portfolio?

Rick: It basically falls flat every time I bring it up. But someday
this will be common place. So now I do the trading 2 step. I sell a
domain and then take the proceeds to buy the domain I would have traded
for. I seldom go into the funds I have already set aside. I want new
funds to buy new domains. My business has always been self-sustaining.
That means all the dollars I use to buy domains come from the dollars I
made with domains to begin with.

Mike: Do you still actively acquire names? If so, how do
you go about purchasing them (private transactions or through brokers)?
What criteria do you look for?

Rick: I do nearly every day. Some hand registered, some aftermarket. I
buy many at auctions or private emails. But I get domains that fill a
need or diversify what I do. The criteria I use is when the domain
stands alone, it means something and is easy to spell. I focus on
commercial but have a lot of social type domains. Knowing the difference
is important. I was the first to even talk about the two
classifications. Am I as aggressive as I was back in the 1990’s? No.
That was a unique opportunity in time and I have said so many times. But
there will be more unique opportunities and the key is recognizing them
when they cross your path. I have never seen an industry with so many
ways to succeed on a daily basis.

Mike: How about selling names… do you seek out buyers or do they typically come to you for the domains? How do you decide what you feel is a fair price?

Rick: I have never really actively or formally tried to sell a domain
name. I emailed Hershey’s twice and have had some domains included in a
bulk domain ad. The whois is my best salesmen. As for price, there are
so many factors at play and then circumstance is always a huge part.
What would I do with the dollars I get? Is there a reason to sell? Is
there a reason to keep it? Is there a domain I could buy with those
dollars that would make my decision important. Is there a toy I want to
buy but don’t want to put out the dollars? Does it make my overall
portfolio stronger or weaker? Do I have a plan for the domain? What is
the value of that plan? So many factors at play and I am not forced to
sell to pay renewal fees. Some registered for fun or a hoot or a one
time event.

Mike: What advice do you have for those that are new or less experienced in the field?

Rick: Don’t just run off and buy or register a domain name. Learn the
elements that make one domain have value or potential value and one
that is something with an extension on the end. Your first buys become
your foundation and most important. It is not rocket science. The domain
is the centerpiece of every new business. There is still ample
opportunity. So many qualified domainers do share their ideas and
methods and they are often met with resistance. Some of it pretty ugly.
What they do is not working yet they resist what is. So the first piece
of advice is to not be so stubborn and defensive that you refuse to
question your own decisions when they are not working the way you
thought they would. The second would be stop chasing yesterday’s news
and events and focus how things will unfold in the future.

In closing let me say that In domaining there is opportunity every
day at every corner. Some seize that opportunity and others whine when
it passes them by. Black and white to me and I hope what I have said
makes it clearer for you as well. My words are designed to sometimes be
uncomfortable. Change is never comfortable and IF what you are doing is
not working you have a choice, get mad at me for pointing it out or try
something different until you find what works. If my delivery style is
not to your liking, get over it or don’t read it. That’s like being
stuck on something that does not matter. Stuck on stupid. In 20 years
they can tell their grand kids how Rick Schwartz held them back from
success because of his words and delivery. They won’t even buy that
bullshit, why would they think folks are buying it now?

So nobody conveniently twists my words to suit their story line which
seems to be in vogue these days, this is what I believe. I believe that
Domainers, developers, IT, graphics and SEO folks along with others
should be working together with a common purpose and goal. I have
believed that since the day I got on the net. Unfortunately there are
too many jealousies, prejudices, and Type A personalities to allow that.
Together we could build empires, alone, a lot of ugly frustration among
each group.

In the real world you might have a landowner, a developer, a general
contractor, an architect and hundreds of workers working well together
to bring an idea to life. Seems like that blueprint has been in place
for a very long time and one day will be common online as well. We are
the ones that should be making that happen.

Hope this answers some questions and provides some insight. In closing all I can say is I have done all I can do to reach as many willing minds as possible and these posts over the past years will stand the test of time for anyone that has the desire and passion to keep moving to the next level whether in domains or anything else in life.

Have a GREAT Day!
Rick Schwartz

Morning Folks!

The Domain Industry is expanding by leaps and bounds. It is
expanding to every corner of the world and every corner of every industry and business. With
500 new TLD’s it will likely change the face of domaining in a way few have
thought about or imagined.

And while the Industry is expanding there are fewer and
fewer full time domainers by percentage and maybe even by actual number. There
are probably more employees at GoDaddy than the entire number of full time
domainers. Now start multiplying that with all the other allied companies and registrars.

The point is while there may only be 200, 300, 500 maybe
even 1000 full time domainers, there are so many more working at the edges in
allied industries that domainers are the minority and thus domainers are at
risk of losing control of what they do. Personally, I think it already happened
and there are so many competing forces out there protecting their turf and such
that things are not as good as they really should be and sometime creative ideas are silenced because they see what happens when they speak up.

So we keep talking about development and I have been talking
about it since 1997. But developing without a real business behind it is
missing something. Maybe the way to develop is to start with a “Cash Register”
and then build something around it. Work backwards. That was how I bought my first domain.
Working backwards.

This industry needs a giant leap. So we need to think about what was not available back years ago and
is today or was very costly then and not now. Tools that we have and how to use them. Many new tools in the toolbox
and we really never had time to sit back and discuss those tools. The hammer is
great the pliers are great but sometimes having the hammer maker and the plier
guy right there pitching their tools all the time may not be the best way to
allow your creativeness to come out until you start to use all the tools in the
chest together.

So back to my original point. There are many more folks
employed in the domain industry than there are full time domainers. That
presents problems and opportunities and to exploit the opportunities, sometimes
you need to talk privately with your own ilk about both.

I realize the audience that can truly understand and embrace
what I say is not getting any bigger and the critics only get louder. So what? Does that mean I have to stop
progressing? Does that mean I have to follow the crowd and do what others do?
Does that mean I can’t take risk and try new things? So maybe there are 500
full time domainers. Next year there will be 480 as some sell or go other
directions and who knows if those 20 will be replaced. But what we do know is
the registries will be hiring hundreds if not thousands of new folks. Not
domainers, but now in the Domain Industry. I am sure they will be wonderful folks. But they won’t make
you a dime when you party with them.

My point is the core group of domainers is not really
growing while the allied industries are because of what is coming. Domainers
are now the minority in the domaining Industry and while you may not have
thought about it before, maybe it is time to start now. That was the motivation for the following paragraph in yesterday's mailer. Something Howard and I have been discussing for years and we knew would be met with strong headwinds. But we will be doing it anyway.

'In 2011, T.R.A.F.F.I.C. is strongly considering the
possibility of having a 'Non Sponsored' event. That means NO
SPONSORS! Domainers only. The purpose is to keep the
advertising and commercial part out and the ideas
in. It could be a very controversial event,
but we are DETERMINED to put on a domainer only show in 2011,
to discuss where we are, where we have been, where we are
going and what is the best way of getting there. We will do
that without Registrars, PPC companies, SEO 'experts' or
Developers, or any other company selling something to us. We
will go into this in more depth during and after T.R.A.F.F.I.C. SOUTH
BEACH in October. We would like to hear from you on this novel
idea, because this is YOUR show.'

It will be a gathering of like minded folks. Cost will be modest. Only requirement is that you are a full time domainer. We also know that some are domainers and they have companies, they too are welcome, but they have to leave their company hat at home. This show will have a specific purpose. Nobody will force anyone to come. But those that understand the message will and others should not be threatened because what we come up with just might help what you do.

Have a GREAT Day!
Rick Schwartz

Afternoon Folks!

That's amusing and sad at the same time. That is why most post anonymously.

So if you comment without your real name you are a loser by my
personal definition until you own what you say. If that hurts folks, GREAT! Be real and I may treat you real. But imaginary friends went out with the tooth fairy. Just Ghosts to me. I love to pee all over ghosts. Friend or foe. We never know. Until we do. And then the job is to never forget.

There
is a regular version and the General Audience version. Help yourself. I
have no idea what you would do with it, but maybe we can exchange links
and I will make a special Blog Roll for folks that know the difference
between investment quality domains and domains that mean nothing, say
nothing, have no idea behind it, no traffic within it, no idea how to
make money with it and nobody wants to buy.....What I refer to as PIGEON
SHIT......PIGEON SHIT with an extension!

Enjoy!

Have a GREAT Day!
Rick Schwartz

Morning Folks!

Let's define chutzpah. I am still shaking my head but it also gave me one hell of a laugh. I took this just minutes ago coming back from breakfast. So I can testify to the authenticity. This is the type picture you see on Leno or the Nightly News. Maybe it will go viral. Enjoy!

Morning Folks!

Yesterday I exchanged emails with a small group. A successful group. Guys I have known for a while and we are all a bit controversial to say the very least. We began talking about the new folks that are struggling and what was really going on with them. I think we came to the immediate conclusion that it was not domain related. It was unfortunate but much deeper.

I wrote the following to them. It was supposed to remain private but one suggested I publish what I wrote and I am just stupid enough to do it hoping something I say will make somebody stop and think and then turn failure into success. Turn a foe into a lifelong friend. I'll have a lot of pigeons shitting on me, but I am an optimist and I know making that lifelong friend makes it worth the effort. Besides, I love when my foes waste all their passion and effort on me. That is a KNEE SLAPPER! They work their 10 hours and I occupy about how many of them?

I can understand it is confusing out there. So many motives, so much BS. But that is your job in life. Don't swallow the BS. Don't be a fish. Know the difference between bait with a hook and food. Unfortunately once you become bait, then others just use YOU and another pigeon is born and another eagle has been grounded.

'There has never been a business with so much
opportunity at every turn at every moment if you know what you are doing
and have a strong wortk ethic. These guys work for 10 hours and brag
about it. 10 hours is a morning to us! So it isn't about domains. They
are losers in life until they change how they think and approach things.
I have been trying to reach these guys for years and few if any
actually make the leap. More did earlier, today, very few. It's sad.

I used to be a loser. I did everything half assed. Then I heard a
line....'If you don't have enough time to do it right the first time,
how the hell you gonna make time when you have to do it right the second
time?' From that moment on I changed my approach and so did the
results. Fucking magic! lol
That is why even tho I like to be very inclusive, we need to recognize
and stick around like minded folks because that way of thinking can only
do harm. Eagles and Pigeons. Not much in between. Pigeons just shit on
you.
I got this the other day and it pretty much states it....'Desire is to
want something but Passion is the refusal to live without it'

I think all these
bozos are about to be schooled. Yesterday EVERY domainer had the EXACT
opportunity to speculate and win or lose. All the big mouths will have
their jaws dropping soon as they watch folks manufacture money from thin
air. This proves they have no talent and just whine. Losers in every
sense of the word. While others are enjoying success and creating even more, they will still be
saying the same crap or sitting on the sidelines spewing hate instead of jumping in and do what a true domainer does and have the balls to speculate. If they can't make it in domains which is a gift
from the heavens, they will make it in nothing.'

Then as the title suggested, one suggested why not do this as a seminar? 'Now is the best time ever, so stop whinning and do something!' So instead of waiting to October to examine this, why not now?

Have a GREAT Day!
Rick Schwartz

Domain name Punchbowl.com sold by legendary “Domain King”

FOR
IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Purchase and acquisition transaction of Punchbowl.com
between Punchbowl Software Inc. and “Domain King” Rick Schwartz

Framingham, Mass., July 19, 2010 –Punchbowl Software, Inc. today announced the
acquisition of the web domain Punchbowl.com from legendary domainer Rick
Schwartz. Punchbowl Software Inc. develops web applications for start to finish
party planning. Terms of the agreement were not disclosed.

With Punchbowl.com, the
company plans to re-launch the domain as a leading consumer site for party and
event planning. With new technology and a new look, the party planning site
will be ready to launch in time for the holiday season of 2010. At
Punchbowl.com, consumers will be able to plan a party from start to finish. The service will offer unique features including the innovative “Date Decider”
which enables users to find the best calendar date for their event, beautiful
Save the Dates and digital invitations, photo and video sharing after the event
and other services that will help consumers throw an unforgettable celebration.

“A punchbowl is the center
of any great party,” said Matt Douglas, CEO, Punchbowl Software. “The acquisition of Punchbowl.com will allow us reach new customers and expand our
growing customer base.”

Rick Schwartz, aka the “Domain
King,” is one of the early domain pioneers. Domains he has sold include
iReport.com to CNN for $750,000, Candy.com to G&J Holdings, LLC for $3
million plus dividends, and Men.com for $1.3 million back in 2004.

“During my domain career,
I’ve sought prime, recognizable domain names that were easy to spell, easy to
remember and could be developed into a major brand in their respective
industry” said Rick Schwartz. “I
was the first to see the intrinsic value in Punchbowl.com and knew that it
could be developed into a huge brand in the social expressions and celebrations
industry. I’m thrilled that Punchbowl Software will now develop the domain to
its full potential.”

The party planning industry
is ripe for a new entrant to provide a service for party hosts. Whether it’s a
mom planning a birthday party for her five year old daughter, a friend planning
a baby shower, a family planning their annual reunion, or the company Christmas
party, everyone has multiple reasons to plan a party every year. As the
industry moves from traditional offline sources to online, the market will
consolidate. A new brand will emerge – Punchbowl.com – that will define this
new industry.

Stay tuned for frequent
updates and milestones for the new Punchbowl.com. While you can visit the Web
site in its current appearance, the complete re-launch and re-branding will not
be official until sometime this fall.

“Working with Rick Schwartz
on this domain name acquisition has demonstrated to me that he’s not only a
visionary in the domain industry, but he’s a savvy businessman who understands
how to extract the most value from the Internet” said Matt Douglas, CEO,
Punchbowl Software. “I couldn’t be
happier to be the new owner of Punchbowl.com.”

About eRealEstate.com

Rick
Schwartz, aka “Domain King” and “Webfather,” is the CEO, President and
Cofounder of T.R.A.F.F.I.C. found at TargetedTraffic.com-- the premiere domain
conference for the domain industry. It is both the oldest and largest and
attracts over 500 of the top professionals in the industry in what was a by
invitation only event until 2009 and now open to all. As one of the early
domain pioneers dating back to 1995, Rick has a knack for predicting big trends
and getting it right. He may have been the first to recognize the value of
“type in” traffic which is now commonly referred to as “direct navigation” --
the most potent and targeted traffic on the net. Rick has a prime portfolio of some
7000 one and two word domains, and is considered by many to be among the
leading experts on domain names, traffic, Web site flow and valuation. www.eRealestate.com & www.RicksBlog.com

Media
Contact:
Matt
Douglas
Punchbowl
Software Inc.
info@punchbowlsoftware.com
650
814 3393

Morning Folks!!

Next week the buyer of one of my domains will be issuing a Press Release about another domain
sale that has just been completed. Another deal that included some equity as
well as the $$$ upfront for the domain. This was my original 1995 vision. Been
a tough road to get here and I still have a long road to plow. Today we are
only talking single digit equity. But in time that will turn to 10% and on the
way to even higher percentages.

On the first of July I received my first dividend check from
the Candy.com deal. I love being part of and sharing in their success. To me this is the way with
the least headwinds and possible greatest rewards. While it was not my biggest
check ever, it certainly was my sweetest as another theory turns into reality. It
is not a mini site or a mini business or a parked page. It is the seeds of the
future. The way to do business when you focus on quality and focus on future
need. Having 2% each of 100 businesses sounds like a solid but simple business
plan to me. Some will hate that.
But in time my domains will yield hundreds of businesses with growing percentages of
equity and endless income.

That formula allows me to do whatever with my life and time.
Cruise control. The fruits without the bitterness and ordeal of day to day
business headaches. That allows me to focus on other things. New things……..or nothing at
all.

Have a GREAT Day!
Rick Schwartz