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Above:
The domain valuation session featured, left to
right, Mark "Mr. Premium" Ghoriafi
(Sedo), Tray Bullock (team Internet), Larry
Fischer (GetYourDomain.com), Matthew Gould (Unstoppable
Domains) and Wade Smith (GoDaddy). When you see
one domain sell for six figures while another that seems
similar collects dust, you have to wonder why that
happens. While it can be just a matter of luck, the
panelists pointed to some real factors that influence
such diverse domain pricing. Looking at everything from
market trends and buyer intent to keyword strength, TLD
impact, and comparable sales, they detailed how they
learned to assess value with both instinct and data.
Next
up, Tess Diaz (.it.com Domains) conducted A
Fireside Chat Anthos Chrysanthou. The SAV.com
Founder had a lot to say about work he started doing
several years ago to take advantage of the current
AI-fueled revolution sweeping through all industries.
Before "ChatGPT" was a household name, Anthos
applied for eight AI patents back in 2022
for a set of tools designed to help entrepreneurs run
their ventures more efficiently and realistically.
Having wrestled with the complexities and potential
burnout of each step of the entrepreneurial process
himself, Anthos said his mission is to make it
easier for the next generation. His most recently
granted patent, received in July, is for a generative
AI system that automatically builds websites based on
a brief business description (under 200 characters).
This system intelligently scans the web for key terms,
ranks high traffic examples, and generates tailored
website templates with custom content and recommends
optimal business entity types using large language
models.
Above:
With another round of new TLDs set to arrive next year,
the next session was equally relevant. This discussion,
titled Herding a Million Cats: What it Takes to
Run a New gTLD, drew its name from the fact
that running a top-level domain isn’t like taking care
of a pet—it’s like taking care of millions of
pets! The topic was tackled by, left to right, Christian
Dawson (i2Coalition), Joe Alagna (.it.com
Domains), Christa Taylor (TLDz), Jim
Pendergrast (Galway Strategy Group), Martin
Kuechenthal (LEMARIT
GmbH) and Tim Switzer
(Public Interest Registry).
Running
a new gTLD is a long-term commitment to running a
piece of the Internet itself, with all the
complexity and responsibility that entails. These
industry veterans, who experienced the highs and lows of
the last round, shared what it really takes to succeed
in Round Two so potential applicants know it is much
more than just a branding play or a shortcut to
profit.
Above:
During the morning coffee break we headed back
out for a caffeine boost and a look around to see
who we could catch passing by. This group would be at
the top of anyone's networking wish list. Left to right
are Shane Cultra, Andrew Rosener, David
Castello, Kevin McKim and Steven Kaziyev.
Below:
Fortune smiled on as while checking out vendor booths
too. On this stop at the Dynadot
display we found Client Success Manager Caleb Tweed,
VP of Aftermarket Hallie Cao, VP of
Marketing Jacqueline Daily and, from the
Booth next door - DN.com Founder Jack
Dai.
Above:
Back in the conference hall at 11am, those who decided
they wanted to run their own TLD, even after
hearing all of the work and responsibility that comes
with that in the session before the coffee break, could
now learn How to Apply for a New gTLD: The ICANN
Process Explained. That valuable information
came from ICANN's Senior Director,
GDD Accounts, Andee Hill (at left) and Naela
Sarras (ICANN VP, Stakeholder Engagement in North
America). They filled attendees in on key requirements,
timelines and program updates for the 2026 round so they
would have a better understanding of the ins and outs of
gTLD application and evaluation.
Above
& Below: The final day 2 morning session offered
some insight into an area that many attendees might
never have thought about - What happens when you combine
a premium domain name with a highly marketable phone
number? This discussion, titled Dialed In: How
Phone Numbers Paired with Domains Unlock New Revenue,
featured, left to right, Loren Stocker (Chief
Innovator, Telex, Inc.), , Matt Holmes
(CEO, Handshaking.com) and Brian
Scott (Chief Technology Officer,
NumberBarn.com). They revealed how pairing phone numbers
with domains is opening up new revenue streams,
from call tracking and lead generation to instant brand
credibility. They detailed how to source valuable
numbers, package them with domains, and pitch them to
end users in industries where phone-based leads still
dominate..
From
12:30 to 2pm the Closing Day lunch break came with tasty
local food choices and a hefty side order of networking
- the dish domain people never get tired of!
The
lunch break also left time to look for more friends in the
Exhibit Hall. We found a half-dozen of them at the Above.com
booth alone! Left to right, they included Simon
Saleem, Liz Corona, CEO and Co-Founder
David Warmuz, James Tuplin, Jodi
Chamberlain and Nathan Parker.
Above:
The Thursday afternoon business sessions began with Dynadot
Founder & CEO Todd Han detailing Building
Opportunities for Domain Investors with Dynadot: Buy,
Sell, and Scale. Dynadot recently launched NameClub,
their new domain marketplace offering fair pricing,
crypto payouts, and a streamlined experience reflecting feedback
from domain investors - a group that has
consistently anked Dynadot as their favorite registrar
in polls conducted at the NamePros Fourm.
Above:
Next up The New Era of Monetization was
discussed, an especially timely topic given recent
changes at Google that have choked off traditional
domain parking revenue. This panel featured, left to
right, moderator Monte Cahn, ParkLogic CEO Michael
Gilmour and Investor Burt Katz. With the
huge shift in market dynamics people are wondering
what the future in this area will hold. The good news
is, alternative solutions are already being rolled
out. The panelists covered the latest trends, emerging
opportunities, and strategic insights that highlight
why domain traffic monetization continues to be a
strong and adaptable revenue stream.
Above:
This is a good point to share a little "inside
baseball' with you. While NamesCon is under new management they wisely
brought back some key players who helped make the
conference run so smoothly in recent years. I was
especially pleased to see Peter
Schwinge return as a host onstage and stage
manager behind the scenes. I went backstage a little before
3pm to get ready for the next two sessions that I would
be moderating and, as usual, Peter had everything
completely under control. In less experienced
hands, I've seen a lot of chaotic scenes behind the
curtains as large groups of people are shuffled back and
forth in tight quarters, microphones have to be checked and
instructions given on where to go when everyone stepped on onstage.
Peter is why the NamesCon sessions ran so smoothly, started when they were
supposed to and ended the same way. It also made
things looks sharp and professional from the audience's
perspective, something I saw while covering sessions
throughout the conference. Making it all look seamless
and easy is the mark of pro and a key factor in
building the respected brand that NamesCon has.
In
the first of the two sessions I moderated (each of which featured some
of the world's top domain brokers), the topic was What’s Taking So Long? What Really Happens After the Handshake?
I have to admit I was puzzled when I first saw the
subject line. With most of my personal sales in the
four-figure range things haven't taken long at all with
payment typically arriving the day after making the transfer. I quickly learned that a vastly different
set of circumstances, especially in recent years, is
creating a lot of headaches for high end buyers,
sellers and brokers. I think our panel with, left to
right, moderator Ron Jackson (DNJournal.com) Amanda
Waltz (Waltz Digitital Media), Dave Evanson
(Sedo), Mark Daniel (Domain Holdings) and
Steve Miholovich (NameArena.com) opened a lot
eyes, making it one the most interesting discussions
of the week.
The
problems, especially in international transactions, stem
from the fact that laws governing trademarks, contracts,
currency exchange and money laundering vary wildly
from one country or region to another. Having cryptocurrency
involved in more transactions has also compounded those
complexities. With big sums of money involved,
identifying who is responsible for disbursing funds and
who is legally able to sign off on a domain transfer can
come into play as well. A good way to get up to speed on
all of this is
to Google "Know Your Customer" for
details and, or course, consult a good broker. An
attorney versed in these issues would be a very good
idea too, especially since a mistake can derail a deal
for weeks, months, even years in some cases - or sink it all together.
Above: The
afternoon coffee break was going on while I was on
stage, so I didn't get to make my usual visit to the
Exhibit Hall but my wife, Diana, did. As a fan of
swag I wasn't surprised to see she was attracted
to the massive pile of Atom.com T-shirts at the
company's booth!
Below: Since
she Diana is also an artist, I was also not surprised that the
brilliant graphics at the Sedo booth caught her
eye! They were a perfect choice for matching Miami
and NamesCon's street art vibe.
Above:
Back in the conference hall, my 2nd session with top
tier brokers got underway at 3:45pm. It featured, left
to right, moderator Ron Jackson, Mark
"Mr. Premium" Ghoriafi (Sedo), Daniel
Koleshchuk (Hilco Digital Assets) and Jeff
Gabriel (Saw.com). This one centered on a topic that
never goes out of style - What’s Flying
Off the Shelf (and What’s Collecting Dust). As
you would expect, we all agreed on the obvious - top
tier .com and .ai domains were red hot, but we then dug
under the surface to get opinions on how the long the
boom for the .ai TLD could last, what specific kinds of
.com domains were doing well, where there might be
opportunities in others areas like ccTLDs and some non
.com gTLDs and why many TLDS languish (a common
denominator being high renewal fees that make holding
most of those names for a long period a bad bet for
investors).
Above:
Before the final business session of NamesCon Global
2025 got underway, we had just enough time to dash
outside and catch a few rounds of the USA Server
Throwing Championship! That's right, it's a full
blown sport now - one that looks like an oblique injury
waiting to happen but still very cool to watch. I haven't heard
who wound up winning but this particular toss by Ted
Brown (Server Factory) looked like it would beat 99%
of the male population in America!
Above:
NamesCon made a good choice for the final business
session at this year's conference, calling in, from
left to right, moderator Braden Pollock,
Symbolics.com owner Aron Meystedt and NamesCon
Founder Richard Lau to talk about The Domain Market: 40 Years in the Making.
We looked at this year's conference from a historical
perspective and we can look at the entire industry from
that same viewpoint with Aron at this year's show. With Symbolics.com
he owns the very first .com domain ever registered
on the Internet. It happened in 1985, 40 years
ago as of March 15th. What has happened since is simply
astonishing. Aron, Richard and Braden shared stories
from their decades in the business and what may be in
store for us in the decades ahead. We'll circle back
around to you in 2065 and let you know how it all
turned out!
One
other note about NamesCon's agenda choices. I though
Program Director Sam Schwarz and his team did a
great job in putting the schedule together. All of
the sessions were highly relevant to what is going on in
this industry today and I liked that they were on a single
track so they got the undivided attention they deserved. Another shout out
goes to Murphy Pressley who
was my primary contact in the months leading up to the
show - Murphy was always easy to work with and answer any questions
that came up as show plans developed throughout the
year.
Above:
Now, with business out of the way it was time to
party! NamesCon Global had a special place in mind
for it too. Thursday night, November 6 it was off to Wynwood
Walls, Miami's original Street Art Museum. Serving
stations piled high with local delicacies were scattered
around the colorful grounds, the bars were open, live
music was blasting and the night was beautiful (as was
the company).
Below:
Diana and I with our friends Ray & Barbara Neu
at Wynwood Walls. Barbara celebrated a birthday this
week and on this night, Joe Alagna (.it.com
Domains) surprised her with a birthday cake (I
would show you a picture but it was gone before I got
there!) Barbara is one of the most thoughtful
people in the world but Joe is right up there too, He
remembered that several years ago his birthday fell on a
day he was at one of the conferences that the Neus staged in
Florida. Barbara heard about it and had a cake
brought in for him and he never forgot that. It's an
example of what I always say about this being a great
community of friends - not just business
colleagues.
Above:
Peter Nein chatting with friends in front of one
of the street art walls that the Wynwood museum is famous for.
Below:
NamesCon flew a band from Barcelona, Spain - the
Serial Killerz - in to play at their closing night
party. Wynwood Walls doesn't have a courtyard roof but
if they did it would have been blown off!
Above:
With
the Serial Killerz on stage, I guess you could call this
crowd the Serial Domainers (it doesn't have quite
the same ring to it but I bet someone registers it
anyhow! Hint, it's available in .com as I write
this and I'm passing.) No matter - that's a wrap and
the bow goes on what proved to be an impressive package in
Miami. (Photo credit: Eddie Sixto).
As
far as the tradeoffs from going offsite from the hotel,
attendees have received surveys and NamesCon organizers
will pay attention to all the feedback on what guests
liked and what they would like to see different next
year. For me, the most important thing always comes down
to two things. Did I get to see most of the people I
wanted to see and did I make some new friends and
contacts that will add to my appreciation for
this business and life in general in the years
ahead? If those things happened it was time and money
well spent. So far, looking back 21 years to
T.R.A.F.F.I.C 2004 and every conference since then
including NamesCon Global 2025, I'm still batting
1.000 on that count, so you've got a happy camper
here. Thanks to NamesCom for the memories, the candid
look at where we are today and the exciting peak into
the great possibilities still ahead for all of us!
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