I’m retiring from publishing in the domain name industry.
Since airing the first video in February 2011, DomainSherpa has produced 404 video shows with some of the most talented domain name investors and entrepreneurs in the world – many of whom I am fortunate enough to call my good friends.
It’s been rewarding to tackle the challenge of learning a new skill set, to meet amazing people and to help advance our industry.
In July I posted an open position for a Producer of DomainSherpa. Eight motivated and highly qualified professionals submitted video applications and completed their first round of interviews. They are very impressive.
But as I spoke with these applicants – each eager to take on a new role – I realized that I too was ready to try something new. Delegating some of the responsibilities of the show to a producer was not enough.
It is time for me to move on from domain name publishing.
From the beginning, I’ve enjoyed helping others
As an engineer by education, nothing gives me a sense of accomplishment more than figuring out things, and with my six-year journey to interview experts (what we call “Sherpas”), learn domain name investing, and share every step along the way, I feel like I’ve ascended the highest investing peak with their help.
I modeled my strategies and tactics after the Sherpas’ and am living proof that with dedication, persistence and focus, you too can start investing in domain names today and become successful. You do not need to have started investing in the 1990s.
I’ve completed 3-figure through 6-figure sales, and currently own what I think is a nice little portfolio of domain name assets.
Starting with small wins to perfect your skills can lead to big wins in time.
Putting into practice what I learned from the Sherpas
Along my journey, I was inspired by Michael and David Castello to acquire the domain name of my hometown and build a successful print magazine for our community. I like to joke with locals that I’m the “governor of Bainbridge Island” simply because I own the domain name.
After interviewing Chris Rodde, I purchased a lead generation magnet for my process improvement publishing business that continues to deliver leads every day for customers.
I was constantly challenged to think bigger and take calculated risks by my good friend and industry confidant Andrew Rosener – and it has paid off greatly in sales.
Besides meeting new people from all over the world, my favorite activity was chatting just before and after hitting the record button on the DomainSherpa Reviews, because catching up with Andrew, Shane Cultra and the guest Sherpa was always the highlight of my day.
As the saying goes, your network is your net worth – especially if you practice what you learn from the people you meet.
Contributions to the community
There are too many Sherpas to thank individually; suffice it to say that every interviewee who gave back to the community and became a Sherpa not only gave selflessly by helping educate people in the industry, but also through their willingness to lend a hand to other investors starting out.
A year ago, I felt that there’s no possible way for a new investor to spend hundreds of hours watching every show, gleaning the lessons, ordering them and learning the material, so I assembled DNAcademy – the shortest path to successful domain name investing. Uniregistry standardized on a customized DNAcademy curriculum for their sales staff, and hundreds of successful investors have been educated.
And as a result of donations made by investors to be a part of the DomainSherpa Review and attend or sponsor our yearly in-person DNSeattle networking and educational event, we raised more than $30,000 for the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle to help us all find a cure for cancer.
The domain name industry has proven to be personal, sharing and generous.
DomainSherpa and DNAcademy will continue on
Even though no new shows will be published, rest assured that the DomainSherpa video archives will continue to be available to watch. I’ll likely redesign the website over time to add clarity to learning paths for entrepreneurs and investors.
DNAcademy will see some changes as well. I will modify the course to require less of my time, and without my personalized support we can lower the tuition cost significantly so more people can take advantage of it. And, of course, we will continue to support the companies in the industry that rely on DNAcademy to train their employees with our customized training courses. (Fortunately, we built DNAcademy on strategies, tactics and principles that will last the test of time…not “learn how to flip” or “get rich quick” lessons that might work today but will lead to failure tomorrow.)
DNTaxGuide, a must-have for U.S.-based investors, will be rolled into DNAcademy, and DNSeattle will likely cease to exist unless one of the many Seattle-based companies picks up the baton and runs with it.
We’re going to keep our social media going but will likely gear it toward discovery of our past shows. I’ll pop in from time to time to let you know about news I’m following, and to say hi. ☺
And just like new viewers discover and binge on “Lost” or “Breaking Bad,” it is my hope that new investors find, watch and binge on the hundreds of hours of investing information contained in the archives of DomainSherpa.
Thank YOU
I’m so proud to have been the one to chronicle the life and times of successful domain name investors, and help tell the story of the many brand-new investors who are succeeding every day.
My sincerest gratitude goes to everyone who shared their stories, strategies and tactics – and never asked for anything in return. That is the humblest form of giving.
I want to thank the companies who sponsored DomainSherpa over the years. They include: EstiBot.com, Escrow.com, DavidWeslow.com, domainIQ.com, Efty.com, NameJet.com, Uniregistry.com, Sedo.com, Guta.com, TLD Registry, MediaOptions.com, HoughtonRichards.com, Flippa.com and DomainTools.com. Please check them out; they are the best in the industry and I’m proud to have worked with them.
Wistia is our video hosting platform and it never failed to deliver. Estibot.com, domainIQ.com and DomainTools.com supported our research and data needs and became my daily must-have tools. And Francois Carrillo of Domaining.com was a much-valued media partner, helping us reach the largest audience possible for our educational shows.
And most importantly I want to thank you – the audience. Thank you for watching, listening and reading over the past six years.
My friends, acquaintances and fans – I wouldn’t have been on the air, doing these shows, without you. I’m so appreciative of your time and support.
I hope our paths cross in person someday soon
You’ll see me at conferences as I still love and believe in the domain name industry, and enjoy an excuse to travel. And you can contact me at michael at webxmedia dot com or on Twitter @michaelcyger.
My hope is that the DomainSherpa show opened people’s minds up to the possibilities of investing, business growth and branding with premium domain names.
If one new person was inspired by the show to reach his or her peak and then give back as a Sherpa to someone else, then I have done what I set out to do.
Life is what you make of it. Have confidence and believe in yourself.
Sincerely,
Michael Cyger
Founder & Publisher
DomainSherpa.com & DNAcademy.com
P.S. Yes, I’m a computer geek at heart and the final number of video shows produced – 404 (“page not found” error on the web) – seemed fitting for the culmination of DomainSherpa.