In Business, you have to Play Offense as well as Defense!


Morning Folks!!



So how can you tell a company is going to go out of business when they are barely in business? Pretty simple for me. It's football. And in football you have an offense and a defense. You need both to win games.



In business, your offense is sales and marketing. Companies that minimize that scare me! Nobody survives without sales. But some will even argue that point. DUH!



The other is defense. Defend your name and brand and market share in the marketplace. Companies that minimize that scares me too. A company with no sales quarterback loses. A company with no defense loses.



So, if you have a company that is bad at both.....FORGET ABOUT IT! That's why it is so easy to pick out the losers. They are the low hanging crap not fruit.



The defense part is what I focus on with new GTLD's. May as well get a neon billboard saying "I am going to increase my chances of failing and I am going to ignore all and every pitfall." "I have no defense and, I have no backup plan. I am just going to close my eyes and believe it's not there." DUH!



The defense is any type of leaks. On the Internet, leaks come in the form of typos, confusion and poor advertising materials.



And of course, as a defensive move, you have to prevent interceptions like the O.co debacles. Had O.com been a business competitor, that would be like throwing an interception. A sale destined for your company ends up in the hands of your competition. What could be worse in business?? NOTHING! I am sure some fool will argue that point as well.



So, there you are, business made simple. News flash, you can't bowl a perfect 300 game without strikes! You can't score a touchdown without sales, and you can't prevent your competitor from eating your lunch if you throw interceptions you by not following the simplest, most common, most basic rules of business.



As a captain of YOUR business, ANY LEAK has to be discovered and known. They may not all be able to be fixed, but a captain that ignores leaks and PRETENDS they are not there is a fool and his ship or business is destined to sink!



Rick Schwartz


We are Much More than Just “Domain Name Investors” We are Investors!


Morning Folks!!



For some, investing in domains was are is their first investment. For others it is another investment you stumbled on. Either way, if you found success in one arena there is a high likelihood that you will invest in other instruments.



It's a casino with unlimited places to make a bet. But when you have those hard earned dollars, you want more than a gamble.



Domain investors have also become "Angel Investors". I know many domainers that own a piece of this os that. To me, that's the real game. Instead of playing roulette, you are the one spinning the wheel.



Our domain portfolios are wide and varied. We know there is value whether cashed in or not. But I am not satisfied with a simple cash sale. I want a complicated but simple opportunity.



Most of my parked domains have the following message:
"This GREAT Domain may be FREE if your Idea is BIG & Profitable enough.".
And I mean it. It's more exciting to be part of something that could take off than cashing another check.





Many of us are at the stage of being in that position. I like a balance of cash and equity because it is more of a strong commitment by the other party that they are serious and don't just chase shiny objects for a living and tie people up with contracts that eventually can be used against you to challenge that domain name or outright grab it.



My field of dreams is wider and broader than a sale. Of course, that may not be possible in most cases. But knowing the difference between the two is my focus and that will get my attention.



The Candy.com guys only had to come up with $60k. You would be stunned by their annual sales a decade later.



That's why domain leasing is so important. An end-user can put themselves in business with a 7 figure domain and a low 4 figure monthly lease until the entity gets off the ground. Then they can decide if the domain is helping or hurting and see true value.



The first investment we make is in ourselves. Believing in ourselves and our capabilities. Exploiting our talents to the fullest.



Business is about waves and cycles. We have just ended one cycle and have started a new cycle. A new wave. Business is an ocean. It changes daily. Every moment. But like surfing, you need to time a wave right to ride that wave and not be drowned by it. That comes in the form of one word, TIMING!



A genius can put a Rubik's cube together in 8 seconds. Wonderful! Who cares. Imagine applying that same talent to business. It's just a Rubik's Cube with a reward. A life-changing reward. That's what business is and that is what investing is.



Rick Schwartz





Need, Want, Desire, Value, Demand, Timing & Location


Morning Folks!



Sales need several elements. Without those elements there are no sales. If there is no sales there is no profit, there is no business, there is nothing. Sales don't happen on their own. You have to have the proper ingredients to make a sale. To make a spark. To ignite the will of an unknown third party.



Need, Want, Desire, Value, Demand, Timing, Location. Those are the filters that any idea, good, product or service has to pass for it to be valuable and sustainable. Maybe you don't have to have all of them, but if you have none of them, you got zilch.



And all those filters come after your audience size is determined. It's all about MATH. Targeting an audience is great, but if it is too narrow an audience, you may not have much.



In domaining, and with our domains we want to start with the largest audience we can. We don't want to narrow it down, but we do want to target. There is a difference.



Again, sales are about finesse. this time in understanding the difference between targeting and limiting.



AutoParts(.)com is wide. UsedAutoParts(.)com is wide and targeted. AshevilleUsedAutoParts(.)com starts to limit you geographically. MazdaUsedAutoParts(.)com is limited in a different way. But probably more targeted than the geo in this case.



Limiting more might be mazdabumpers(.)com So now your audience must own a Mazda, be looking for a bumper for that Mazda and realize that most bumpers are sold via the dealership, the body shop or the insurance company. Where does that leave you on the totem pole? Add "used" in front and you limit that audience more.



Do the math. Domain investing is about simple math. It's a bit of an equation if you are willing to do the digging a few layers down. On this example, it was all the outlets before them that would get the bumper business. The dealer, the body shop, the insurance company, the local junk yard. Virtually nothing might filter down to the mazdabumper guy.



However, he could have used something better than that. MazdaParts(.)com for example. Much wider even th0 heavily targeted. But the top of the tree and the foundation of the tree remain AutoParts(.)com. Your job is to figure how to climb that tree and get the largest targeted audience you can create via the domain name.



And if you are the MazdaBumper guy and instead of getting MazdaBumper(.)com you get MazdaBumper.club you are again throwing a wrench into your future by losing some of the little if any you got to begin with. Who can afford that?



And, if you can't do this math, then you have no way to actually value your own domains. It's all about math and sales.



Domaining is about getting in front of somebody else's Need, Want, Desire, Value, Demand, Timing, Location. Putting yourself in the right place, waiting for the right time and THEM!



After you do all that, you still have to have something profitable to sell. That's the key equation. How much profit? It's all related. It's a formula. It's an equation. It's just math.



So if you're not too good at math, and sales ain't your thang, and you don't study history and business basics is not your strong suit you are gonna have one hell of a time finding success in domain investing.



Rick Schwartz




Fabulous and Directnic Step up as Lead Sponsor for 1st Annual Asheville Domain Investor Meetup!


Morning Folks!!



Well, it's been an incredible 17 days. Who says you can't move mountains?



In less than 24 hours we have already surpassed anything I expected. Signups have been pouring in. If this continues we will expand the program.



I did not anticipate sponsorships for a show where I am discouraging sponsors. However, we have a domain friendly sponsor in Mike Robertson as I just posted on Twitter as you can see below. It is befitting that it is Fabulous.com now bundles with Directnic.com which was the prelude to TRAFFIC and was held way back in October of 2002 in Beverly Hills. Back to the future my friends!



Seems like domain investors are really hungry to get back to the basics and ready to take back their power. Me too! It's about time. Armed with many years more of knowledge and experience.



This was a dream of mine for decades as I described in my original post just days ago. But not in my wildest dreams did I ever think it would be so widely and quickly embraced. WOW!



Our first room block is about gone and I am trying to get more rooms. So if you get an error message, don't stress yet. The hotel still has rooms at $479/night. So I am hoping to get more rooms at $349 or maybe a tad more. We'll see what the hotel is willing to do. They don't need to sell rooms in August. It's a Supply and Demand "Thang."





Rick Schwartz


Posted on | Comment (1)

Asheville Professional Domain Investors Meetup; A Celebration of Domaining! Registration NOW OPEN!! BOOM!


Morning Folks!!



I look at things differently, and therefore I have different paths and different results. We all do. Less than 3 weeks ago the thought of this event for THIS YEAR was not even born. But when it was, I do what I do best, make things happen. Two sticks for some, a raging fire tool for me.



When I look back at the domain events I have held and the atmosphere I tried to provide, one word finally came to me, "Celebration." When I meet other domain investors it's to celebrate what we do and the success we have found and the new challenges we want to harness. That was the atmosphere at the intimate dinner all those years ago in Asheville that I described in this post. The trick is being able to apply that to a larger group.



That's where the food comes in. When we celebrate, food is NEVER far away. It's part of who we all are. So breaking bread is always the centerpiece of what I do. And since it's a celebration you want really good food, not just cheap food. That makes it a bit more special. And a tad more pricey. But I have an allergy to doing anything on the cheap. I do it RIGHT and I have faith that it all works out. The budget is not a dollar figure. The budget is about what you want and need to ahieve, accomplish and the best way to do it.



Look, we are loners behind our keyboards. We need different things than others. We are creative people. Creative people work best when relaxed. Put is in a room together and it is combustible.



What I do is a thought out recipe for progress and my job is to get out of the way. What makes Asheville different? I'll tell ya......



Objectively I am considered one of the most independent domainers out there. I don't have to answer to anyone. I am not beholden to anyone. My opinions are vivid, strong and unwavering. Time has proven to be my best ally. However, with NEW FACTS and NEW CIRCUMSTANCES, I always re-evaluate.



I learned a lot doing all these shows at TRAFFIC. I know the good, the bad, the ugly. So a new recipe leaves out the bad and ugly. lol. How hard is that? Pretty simple!



So if I am the most independent voice in the Domaining world, my friend Michael Berkens is the most knowledgeable. You can go back a decade, and you will see how many times I refer to Mike as "My research Department." The guy is an information machine that is faster and more accurate than Google! He is also an independent voice. He may not be a renegade like me, but he knows his stuff better than anyone I know in this business.



The only thing I have to sell is this concept that the industry was hijacked by entities that put domain investors and OUR interests at the back of the bus. It was what THEY needed, not what WE as Professional Domain Investors needed. We are not a large group. There are more people working at Godaddy RIGHT NOW ON SUNDAY than there are TRULY professional Domain Name Investors in the world. Now multiply that by all the other companies in the space and you will see and understand what a tiny minority we are. We are a select group whether we like it or not. It's just reality!



Do Professional Domain Name Investors NEED a flawed and automated valuation system to help US or THEM?? Do you know or understand the damage this is doing? Do you care? It's a fraud! And I am not afraid of saying what I believe to be true!



Does keeping domain values artificially low help US or THEM??



Does not disclosing traffic loss and confusion help US or THEM?



Does our traffic and the value of it help US or THEM?



I can go down the list and, I am sure in your comments you will think of your own.



Does ICANN protect US or THEM?



How many times do you have to see that domain investors are being exploited in every which way? Clawbacks, tainted auctions, policies that never default in favor of us. So maybe it's time to get back to basics. If domain investors don't give a rats ass about protecting themselves, why the hell should they?



So why go to another event? Maybe to reclaim your power back. And if you do, that is something to CELEBRATE!! Isn't it about time?



Life is short. We all love what we do. We are all so lucky to do what we do. Nothing better than enjoying the fruits of our labors with like-minded laborers. Trust us to take us back to the future and find OUR path and define OUR path not anyone else's.



Professional Domain Investors are a small and intimate group. Our numbers are too small to be significant. We are in the hundreds. Maybe even a thousand. But what we have in our portfolios are significant, meangful, and our small group needs to step up to the plate. If we don't believe in our assets, why would anyone else?



As of RIGHT NOW, registration is open for the Asheville Meetup. If you missed Woodstock or were not born. If you missed the inaugural TRAFFIC 2004 or many of the other momentous shows, If you missed the opportunity as it passed you by, don't miss this one.



"Successful Trade Show Heralds the Start of a New Era For the Domain Industry" That was Ron Jackson's famous headline. Everyone including Ron was skeptical when they first arrived. Nobody was skeptical when they left! Nobody should be skeptical about the blowout that Asheville is going to be!



The link is now active, Take a peak. Feel free to circulate. (Please)



https://www.eventbrite.com/e/1st-annual-asheville-professional-domain-investors-meetup-family-outing-registration-57272887749?aff=affiliate1



And you can book your room for just $349 while they last at this link:



https://www.omnihotels.com/hotels/asheville-grove-park/meetings/1st-annual-domain-investors-08012019



UPDATE: 2-26-2019 6PM EST: The initial block of hotel rooms was exhausted in a little over 24 hours. (unbelievable!!!!) The new block has just been loaded in their system and is ready to go again. 45 more rooms online now.



The most talked about, independent, and anticipated event in the domain investment industry this year will be in Asheville. Mark my words. From a 20 year dream to a seed planted just 18 days ago to reality now! BOOM! That's how it's done! The rest is all fun!



Rick Schwartz


The .HorseSh*t Era of Domaining is over! Are you Ready to Stop $wallowing 5 years of .HorseSh*t and Reclaim YOUR Industry?


Morning Folks!!



This is simple. Have you had enough? Have you lost enough? Every penny that went to .HorseSh*t would have gone to domain investors Your time, well you can't reclaim that but you sure as hell can learn from it.



I don't even know why I care. It's really not going to change my life one way or the other. It's just hard to standby and watch. It wasn't popular for me to speak out. There were too many hands in the trough.



Parties are great but having a direction and building on it is much better. You can pay for all the damn parties you want.



I never regret, but learning is my dividend. The silver lining of failure is learning and if you did not learn, then that's the definition of total failure and wasting time and being stuck. The triple crown.



If I turn left and it's the wrong way and the only other way is right, maybe I should turn around. How far are you willing to drive down that dead end? Do you have enough gas to get back?



The late Lonnie Borck (RIP Brother) was the only person in the entire Domain Name Industry that had enough character and guts to join me on stage at TRAFFIC all those years ago to debate the new GTLD's. Everyone else either had skin in the game or did not want to upset their friends. Take some time and review it. Hindsight is 20/20. Don't run from it, embrace it! Did you learn anything. WATCH!



I am betting that there are just enough domain investors out there that have valuable portfolios and are sick of being stuck. Sick of being hijacked whether it be PPC companies or Registries or Registrars or new Gtld's. ENOUGH!



And if not. now, then there never will be. When things go south, you go back to the point before it went south. Back to the future is the only path to recalibrate and then move forward again.



This is how a spell checker deals with .crap. From a post on Twitter today. What a MESS!!! It's PURE .HorseSh*t!





Rick Schwartz


It’s Official. Contracts Signed! Asheville Multi-Day Meetup Agenda Announced!


Morning Folks!!



The only difference between a dream and the reality is action. The only difference between wishing and reality is action. The only difference between hoping and reality is action. The only difference between anything in life and reaity comes with action No action no results. No results mean you’re stuck. Bad results indicate you’re going in the wrong direction. Good results mean to keep on keeping on.



Two weeks ago today I decided to have this intimate get together in Asheville this summer. Then decided it would be better and more fun if a few more domainers showed up. So a new show was born. Going back to basics.



My dream was born in Asheville (and I hope to have your dream born in Asheville as well) the first time I went to the Biltmore Mansion. I was sitting at their outside cafe and the call came from Kaplan Educational in New York City came in on my Motorola Flip Phone. They had agreed to buy eScore.com for $100,000. Theory turned into reality for the first time. No longer was investing in domains some crazy idea. Now it was proven. And the fuel to go to the next step was re-ignited.



We have an agenda planned. Hope you like it it’s a work in progress. But it will be based around certain objectives that I will explain more in depth when a podcast I did the other day gets published.



Now it's official!! The contracts are signed the deposits are given and I must say it was an interesting sprint doing this in just 14 days. In 28 shows I produced with T.R.A.F.F.I.C., none ever went this smoothly or quickly.



Thursday, August 1, 2019...7PM-11PM Cocktail Party. Open Bar from 7-9 and lots of food!



Friday, August 2, 2019...11am-5PM General Session and Luncheon. What do you have? What's your dream? What's the one domain you have you can't believe you still have and should be a business? Where to from here? Hopefully, we will each introduce ourselves and in 5-10 minutes, tell us what you are about and where you are going. Just lay your cards on the table and allow the other great minds in the room mull it over.



When great people that have a degree of success in life actually know what they are doing and don't have an agenda get together, GREAT things happen! I have proved that many times over the years. This is T.R.A.F.F.I.C. 2004 redux armed with 15 years of knowledge, progress, and more grey hair. A model I devised and others have copied and have lasted a long time. But it was always hijacked by sponsors that were worried about their bottom line but not our bottom line.



So, now after a 5-year show business retirement so that I could get out of the way of the gTLD noise, it is time to show and time to go back to the future! Trust that I have a good recipe or I would NEVER EVER ask you to leave the comfort of your home. Come armed to help others and you will help yourselves.



Friday Night August 2, 2019...8PM-9:30PM Asheville Ghost Tour



Friday Night August 2, 2019...10PM Until ??? The Asheville night life is unique and vibrant. You won't soon forget it. Asheville is also the capital of Rooftop Bars. So while everyone is on their own, we will be gathering at the best one in town!



Saturday Morning, August 3...9AM Incredible Breakfast Buffet at the Blue Ridge Dining Room. Not part of the official show agenda but if you decide not to sleep in or have room service, those that wish to have breakfast can group together at that time and continue the discussion.



Saturday August 3, 2019...1PM-5PM Asheville Micro Brewery Tour.



Saturday Night, August 3...10PM You are on your own with fellow investors to enjoy multiple music venues as well as the aurora of Asheville and maybe something sweet. I suggest a visit to the French Broad Chocolates. The line moves fairly quickly.



Sunday August 4, 2019...By now we have spent a lot of time together and discussed many things. Some folks will be staying a few more days or might come to Asheville early. Or maybe you just have some extra time. Here are the 5 things you might enjoy that the area is famous for.



  1. White Water Rafting. Some of the best anywhere.
  2. The Biltmore House.
  3. Exceptionally beautiful golf courses
  4. If you need to gamble, Harrah's is in nearby Cherokee.
  5. Exceptional and unique restaurants


I signed yesterday for $23,467 to put on this event. Win lose or draw.



Right now I have 25 folks indicating their intention to come. As you know, this is a SELF-FUNDED event. It is a NOT FOR PROFIT event. It is for the benefit of DOMAIN NAME INVESTORS! Those that come will share the expenses. All I am doing is fascillitating and financing.



As of right now, I am basing on just 50 coming and the shared cost is about $250 per person. However, that cost will be going DOWN, not up. We have a domainer friendly sponsor that will be helping out.



And speaking of sponsors, I think being selective is important. Any sponsor coming has to shut off the marketing pitch. This show is not going to be hijacked with your agenda. Look at it via our eyes and what you are going to do and help us with. We already know what you got. Now help us do some heavy lifting in a casual environment. This will not be a spam fest.



It takes the hotel about 2 weeks to set up our page to reserve the block of rooms at the discounted rate I negotiated. Shortly after that, I will set up a registration page, and away we go.



Rick Schwartz


The Truth Lies somewhere in the Middle?? TOTAL NONSENSE!!


Morning Folks!!



I hate the phrase, "The truth is somewhere in the middle." I reject that. Always have. It's total bullshit. That in and of itself gives a LIE, much more weight because the TRUTH is already compromised. DUH!



In situations every day from courtrooms to a car accident it is not surprising when one party outright lies about the facts. So, if you are accurate and tell the truth and folks use that flawed standard as I described, then what??



My deceased brother was a great bullshitter but he also was a liar. I saw him in action. He would lie about something and I would challenge him. He would say they are lying too (talking about the other party) and the only way to confront a liar is to make up your own lies. He said nothing makes them crazier than dealing with another liar. Touche!



He explained about lying and perjury. He said if they locked up everyone that ever lied in a courtroom, half the population would be in jail because in the courtroom it is not uncommon for one or both parties to lie. That's what a court deals with and tries to filter thru. Lies! But you can't compromise the truth and the facts.



Lying is a bad deal to begin with. It's weak. It shows a lack of mental strength and character. Sometimes, maybe even most times, people understand the truth. And circumstance and motivation etc. Compare a mother of newborn stealing baby formula from a supermarket vs. a man stealing a bottle of wine. I might call the police on the wine guy, but I would give a case of baby formula to the mother and then follow-up in the days ahead to make sure the baby was ok and had formula.



I see countless people in life that lie as a routine. There is not even a reason for most of them to lie, but they do it out of habit. They are wired that way.



As I explained yesterday, once a salesperson lies, game over! See I have only one real allergy in life. I am allergic to bullshit and I can't stand liars. So, the only way you can handle a liar is to avoid them or invent a bigger and better lie to make them nuts. They have no plan for that and they will wilt on the spot!



The truth being in the middle is a copout. It seldom is. Deciding who is credible and who is not is a harder task. So never be mentally lazy when you are trying to figure out the truth.



Rick Schwartz


Sales: The Art of Persuasion​​. Then SHUT-UP!


Morning Folks!!



Sales are about the "Art of Persuasion. Persuading someone with no interest to have great interest and eventually buy. Persuasion starts with a seed followed by reason and benefit. Not the benefit of the seller, but the benefit of the buyer.



The benefit of the buyer? How do I do that? I don't even know the person. Well, you ask questions. But you have to be delicate in the way you ask those questions. Again, you must have finesse. You may even go over the line, but you can reel yourself back in.



You don't sell by pandering. Pandering means you tell folks what they want to hear even tho you know full well you are lying through your teeth. Once a salesman is caught in a lie, GAME OVER! You lose. The hard truth will Persude. A hard truth instills trust. It gives credibility and even respect. Especially if the last salesman they talked to looking at whatever they were shopping for did not disclose whatever it is you did.



As long as a customer is asking questions and trying to stump you, you are on the path to a sale. Objections in a courtroom are not good. An objection in sales is like a steering wheel. You can't make a sale without it. You want them to throw everything including the kitchen sink at you. Once they run out of ammo, you got the sale. Just ask.



Selling is so easy once you learn to stop selling. Your job is to be factual, not to sell. Your job is to answer questions, not to sell. Your job is to expose your own weak points before the customer discovers them, not to sell. Your job only comes at the end. If you do your job well, the sale is as easy as asking for it at the very end. And when they say yes, and they will, SHUT-UP and WRITE!



Most so-called salespeople lose the sale after they have it! Why? They TALKED!! A good salesperson will never open his or her mouth again until the transaction is complete. SHUT-UP!!



The gTLD guys got me as their gadfly. WHY? Because they are some of the biggest liars, I have ever seen in sales in my life and I wanted to clearly separate myself from it. Have you EVER heard a gTLD guy expose their own weak points? Have you ever seen them explain the headwinds they might face or the pitfalls? The leaks? The 150 other Achilles heals I have exposed over the years? Nope! And that is why they will fail. They dd not persuade. They LIED and LIED and LIED! Lying is weak. It's also deceitful.



And since everyone is a friend, they just stand by and allowed it. They participated or turned a blind eye. They encouraged. The domain name industry was hijacked. The hijackers are dropping like flies now. Consolidation is happening and many will and ARE dying on the vine as I predicted. The truth always surfaces and the truth is the biggest persuader there is.



So, just like I can see the EXACT MOMENT that a salesperson loses the sale, I can also see the exact moment that this "Thang" all went to hell.



A Sale is about persuasion. Politics is about persuasion. Dating is about persuasion. Life is about persuasion. But if you LIE in any of those situations, YOU LOSE, and it all falls apart!! Wise-up!



Rick Schwartz


Historic Grove Park Inn Selected Host Hotel for 1st Annual Asheville Professional Domain Investors Meetup & Family Outing!!


Morning Folks!!



I just love when a plan comes together. I have envisioned a domain get together in Asheville for many years. Long before Asheville was a destination. Few ever heard of the place 15-20 years ago. Not an easy place to get to and back then very difficult. Today much easier and a few airlines fly non-stop right into the city.



The Grove Park Inn is the epitome of Asheville. This 106-year-old property is the only place I ever considered holding such an event. I have dreamed about it for years. I guarantee you will fall in love with this place and Asheville at the same moment. But what makes Asheville so very special is how creative the town and the people are. When you see what they have created, and it's all "Home-grown" I think it will help us develop our own creations. This is my "Field of Dreams" and I hope to make it yours as well.



The things that I am still taken aback with when I come to Asheville are George Washington Vanderbilt of the famous Vanderbilt family who built the largest privately owned home in the USA (you can tour the 175,000 sq. ft. home and the entire 8000-acre property) and the fact that Asheville has an incredibly large and cutting edge medical community. It's all homegrown and unique. Just like domaining.



The Historic Grove Park Inn. Host Hotel for Rick's 1st Annual Asheville Professional Domain Investors Meet-up & Family Outing August 1st-3rd 2019.


So, I am in the process of scheduling our Meet-up Starting the afternoon of Thursday, August 1st. Then followed by a "Working Luncheon" on Friday the 2nd. Friday night we will party in Asheville and Saturday we will end with a brunch and a fun-filled day of activities. That's the plan. It's not in stone. It's a framework until I know how many and how long folks want to stay.



As for the hotel, if you book a room direct today or at Hotels.com, it is $479. I will secure a group rate of at least $100 less per night. There are other hotels to stay in town and around starting at $150-$200. I have to personally guarantee 60 room nights to start, but the rate will only be available for 14 days once the hotel link is active. I will announce on the blog when the time comes.



August is their #1 month of the year. So if you are TRULY serious about attending, then booking early is critical. I have to limit attendance. I have no choice. I am not going to be on the hook for hundreds of thousands of dollars as I have in the past. This is a dutch-treat event. There is no financial motive. We all pay our own way. But I still have to give personal guarantees and deposits. The rooms alone are $25,000 plus taxes, and the food is another $10 grand. That's just at this venue.



So you can help me take an initial head count of who would stay at the hotel and how many nights you would stay there. I am not out to make money on a get-together nor do I even want to touch the money. I want all payments made directly to the hotel. A truly self-funded event.



I am out for us to make history with domains. And this time it will stay focused on domains investors and furthering OUR SELF-INTERESTS not the agenda of others. It's my vision, and I hope you share this experience with me and others. But whatever your decision is, it must be made soon, and if you decide later on, I am going to have to say no, and I really don't want to do that. It's strictly first come, first served.



I am trying to keep this event private, small and compact. I am not looking for a job so I have a number in mind that is good for the hotel and works for me. If we exceed that number it becomes an ordeal and that is not what "This Years" meet-up is about. Bigger isn't always better. Qualified is! Also, attendees of the first meet-up have first refusal rights on the next one. As charter members, you should be recognized for acting early. Isn't that what REAL BUSINESS is about? What domaining is about? Recognizing the opportunity and seizing opportunity EARLY. Action is the main difference between those that have found success investing in domains compared to those still looking for it.



So, if you are sick of the noise, sick of the slick, sick of swallowing crap for the benefit of others, then it's time to go back to the future when it all began. Let's start anew armed with over 20 years of new information and progress. Let's each walk away with one or more new projects. We are in the mountains, maybe my famous 18-wheeler story will make more sense there because it was in those mountains of Asheville where it takes place!



This is a show by Domain Investors for Domain Investors. It's not a show where all these companies get stage time to push their wares or new gTLD's and domains, and domainers are pushed aside. If we have any sponsors at all (and it looks like we will), it will be to help us not sell us. And also lower the financial burden on attendees. I want to get it as close to free as possible! On the other hand, you will have expenses for lodging and travel. But if all goes well, the food and entertainment will be an incredible bargain as will the deals, relationships and progress made.



I often talk about our "friends" in the domain business and how we should be suspect. However, relationships are different. They don't start with an agenda or a motive. They don't start with one trying to sell the other whatever the hell they have. It's not an opportunity to do face spam. lol, those are NOT friends. They may be colleagues, they may be partners, they may be a lot of things, but friendship is not always one of them. Relationships start with like-minded professionals breaking bread and talking about need, want, desire and common points, or goals and see if anything dovetails. You compare findings.



If you look at my history and look at the history of Domain Investors, you will see that since before 2000 and my original chat board, I have brought folks together. Most friends and relationships in domaining started on my chat boards or at T.R.A.F.F.I.C. Whatever some think of me, I have a history of changing lives for the better, and I'm not quite done.



So now that you know more details, you can email me directly. My email addy is on the left side of the page. As you can see with my original announcement and comments that follow, qualified folks are coming! I have a simple goal inspired by George Washington Vanderbilt, Let's make history!



Rick Schwartz