discuss Full Time Domainer?

[Pattern]

There are lots of different types of domainers out there. Full time, part time, on the fence, and so on. Would love to hear stories from all over the spectrum, what are the positives and negatives, etc.

 

[Azwan Asban]

well everyone dreams to being a full time domainer. thats not such as negative dream i guess.

domains is my full time job now. i feel happy so far..

 

[FPForum]

It'd be pretty nice to be a full time domainer, but I'm not. I buy and sell domains on a regular basis, but need other things going too in order to pay all the bills.

 

[N-A]

What constitutes a domainer? Is there a job title for that?

I do much more than buy and sell domain names, but it is full time.

 

[Joseph Green]

I'd venture that most domainers make money a multitude of ways.

I've been making enough money with domains (solely) to support myself and my family for about 10 years, but I've always had other businesses at the same time (and before domains). I still consider myself a full-time domainer, but I'm also a full-time many-other-things.

 

[The Group]

There are lots of different types of domainers out there. Full time, part time, on the fence, and so on. Would love to hear stories from all over the spectrum, what are the positives and negatives, etc.

@Dlev I vote that you go full time

 

[AndyM]

I will be a ft dimainer one day. Cant afford to just yet, 3 kids and another one the way!! The best thing is that my ft job can be sooo quiet at times I can spend most days on the net reading and learning about domaining till I get that jackpot sale. I may be a dreamer, but I love dreaming!!!

 

[DomainGist]

well everyone dreams to being a full time domainer. thats not such as negative dream i guess.

That's not my dream at all, so you aren't speaking for "everyone", as the poll shows.

I'm firmly in the 22.1% who ticked "No, and I don't plan to be". I'm doing this for fun and beer money.

Now, a full-time income on part-time / hobby hours..... that would be an aspiration worth holding.

There is more to life than flogging domain names all day every day, what sort of dream is that?

 

[S-B]

There is more to life than flogging domain names all day every day, what sort of dream is that?

There is more to life than flipping burgers all day, everyday, what sort of dream is that?

I am going full-time in ~10 weeks. Wish me luck.

 

[DomainGist]

There is more to life than flipping burgers all day, everyday, what sort of dream is that?

I am going full-time in ~10 weeks. Wish me luck.

Well of course full time 'domaining' would be better than "flipping burgers", and of course I wish you good luck, I hope you make a million.

But I suspect you'd be on to better things as soon as you hit a few hundred thousand, and that's when you'll start to see domaining as a means to an end.

Best of luck with it.

But any dream to become a domainer isn't 0.1% as impressive as Martin Luther King's, perhaps that's my point.

 

[S-B]

But any dream to become a domainer isn't 0.1% as impressive as Martin Luther King's, perhaps that's my point.

This is relevant how?

 

[DomainGist]

This is relevant how?

"everyones dream to being a full time domainer".

I was just pointing out the absurdity in the statement that it is everybodies dream to become a full time domainer, and that I'm one of the 25% of respondents who stated as such in the poll. In the context of the OP and the poll my comment is 100% relevant.

Your issue here appears to be the fact that your dream is to become a full-time domainer, and that I've pointed out that people should be aiming higher in life and using domaning as a means to an end. Sorry if I have in any way touched a nerve, it wasn't my intention.

I said good luck with sincerity, I'm not sure why you can't accept that with humility. I've made a living online for 5 years, starting from graduation as it happens, so I'm not really sure why you can't just accept the best wishes from one person who suffers from a lack of natural daylight and social interaction to another.

 

[S-B]

"everyones dream to being a full time domainer".

I was just pointing out the absurdity in the statement that it is everybodies dream to become a full time domainer, and that I'm one of the 25% of respondents who stated as such in the poll. In the context of the OP and the poll my comment is 100% relevant.

Your issue here appears to be the fact that your dream is to become a full-time domainer, and that I've pointed out that people should be aiming higher in life and using domaning as a means to an end. Sorry if I have in any way touched a nerve, it wasn't my intention, but this thread is not about you as an individual.

You most certainly have not touched a nerve. I'm just curious what is the difference between the merits of one career over another. How is domaining less fulfilling than auditing or any other job? That's where you've lost me.

 

[Eric Lyon]

"everyones dream to being a full time domainer".

A few inspirational quotes:
"With self-discipline most anything is possible." ~ Theodore Roosevelt

"If people take anything from my music, it should be motivation to know that anything is possible as long as you keep working at it and don't back down." ~ Eminem

"Without faith, nothing is possible. With it, nothing is impossible." ~ Mary McLeod Bethune

"After facing death and surviving, it becomes transparent that anything is possible in life if you just keep fighting for it." ~ Eric Lyon

 

[S-B]

"After facing death and surviving, it becomes transparent that anything is possible in life if you just keep fighting for it." ~ Eric Lyon

Military?

 

[Eric Lyon]

Military?

Very briefly, I more refer to the trials and tribulations that one sometimes encounters on the streets of their own soil, the hardships one must sometimes overcome to make it to the next day, the violence that sometimes finds itself on our doorstep. We are all thankful for different things. Sometimes, I'm thankful when i realize that I just woke up for another day of life.

Let's keep this thread on-topic though

 

[DomainGist]

You most certainly have not touched a nerve. I'm just curious what is the difference between the merits of one career over another. How is domaining less fulfilling than auditing or any other job? That's where you've lost me.

Do I really need to try and justify something that I haven't actually said? I've just told people to think big and dream big, I'd much rather justify that if anything.

But here go's anyway......

Five years ago I graduated from uni and in attempt to avoid having to get a real job again, working for bosses that I didn't like, I tried to make some money online. Five years later I'm still making a full-time living online. During that time all these things have been true, although most are no longer true:

• I've owned a network of sites generating 1m+ unique visitors per month.
• Made $5000+ a month affiliate marketing
• Made $2000+ a month through Adsense
• Been hired as an SEO consultant
• Managed a PPC campaign for a Fortune 500 company
• Flipped a few domains and sites
• Made $3000+ a month selling kindle books
• Had two years in which I've cleared $100k in profit

After all of the above collapsed / was dissolved at various points I now import and sell physical products on ebay. See, there are 101 ways to make money online, of which domaining is just one.

Perhaps considering my start point you could say that we even have some similarities. I can identify various pros and cons, some of the pros are:

1. I've actually had a fair bit of money, at times.
2. My life can't be made miserable by a boss who sucks
3. It can be liberating at times
4. I can take a day off when I want
5. I save shitloads in fuel costs with no daily commute
6. I get a bit more time in bed in the morning and can work in my PJs

Some of the cons are:

1. It can be worrying when you rely entirely on yourself
2. It can be lonely
3. I don't get enough natural sunlight
4. A lack of real life social interaction
5. You can become insular and introverted
6. It could be difficult for me to get a real job after 5 years of self employment, due to a lack of references.
7. You need to be REALLY self-disciplined
8. I'm paying my own heating/cooling bills

I got a real buzz out of the first 18 months of working for myself, online, it was really exciting. That does wear off.

Actually, now it feels a bit limiting and unfulfilling. I miss working in a team, the camaraderie of getting through something as a group, and the pats on the back when you do something right, having an xmas party at the end of the year.

I just feel that it is fair to point out that making a full time living online from your bedroom (or loft conversion, in my case) isn't always a dream or glamorous. Sometimes it really sucks.

If you are willing to take any advice from somebody who is probably more similar to you than you think, and has been at the stage you are currently at, then here are two pieces:

1. Get yourself an SAD lamp to make up for the lack of natural sunlight
2. Go and do half a day a week volunteering or something, for the reference and the semi-formal social interaction.

You are also choosing a "career" as you call it (I'd really start viewing and seeing it as a business venture) which may or may not have a long term future.

Do you see yourself being a domainer in 10 years time? What happens if you are a full-time domainer for 5 years and then have to get a real job? Where are your references? What transferable skills do you have?

The natural progression would be to build some capital and build a real online business.

And that's why I say that you should dream big.

You want a full-time career selling domain names on flippa.... I say that you should aim to one day build the next flippa (and by that I mean an online business, not a copy cat site).

Why just domaining? Why not also developing? Why do you want to become a domainer selling names to people who build million dollar businesses, why not one day acquire the domain upon which YOU will build one of those businesses for yourself.

You think that I am being negative towards your dream here. I'm not, I'm actually saying that YOU should be MORE positive, by aiming HIGHER and thinking about what become successful at domaining would enable you to achieve. I'm just telling people that domaining should be a stepping stone towards achieving a dream which has been formulated with more foresight and ambition.

So no, I don't think that domaining would be particularly "fulfilling" in the long term. I honestly think that by that time you'll have moved on to bigger and better things.

 

[S-B]

I appreciate your response. I actually agree with you. I do develop websites and am current working on a platform. We will see how that turns out though.

 

[MillionDollarDomain]

I would like to clear myself as a full time domainer (even though i m on the learning curve and made only quite handful of money).. Its really great to be a part of this industry where you are responsible for the your actions. I feel i have the freedom to make my own choices & ready to accept my mistakes..!! On the whole I m loving it...!!

 

[NameFury]

But any dream to become a domainer isn't 0.1% as impressive as Martin Luther King's, perhaps that's my point.

Very insuting IMO

 

[DomainGist]

Very insuting IMO

I feel that I've done a good enough job of clarifying my point in my subsequent post?

No insult was intended either to Shane or anybody who feels the need to be insulted on his behalf.

 

[Paul123]

I think Pug D makes some valid points. I have worked for myself now for 8 years with an internet based business. It is like a roller coaster with some great months and other weeks with no sales. We buy and sell property in Bulgaria and sales come from the internet. The downside is it can be very lonely sitting on a computer all day - the upside is travel and the experiences that brings. For me there is nothing better than being able to work anywhere in the world as long as there is WiFi and I have my laptop.

A successful domainer would be able to this and this may be the appeal for many - if you like travel it is a dream come true. However we are all different and many people I know like the safety of a 9 - 5 and the security of a fixed wage every month. Circumstances will make a difference too. If you have a young family to support then you have a lot more to lose than a single person without commitments.

eBay can be a good way to start an internet business. However unless you drop ship you will need to hold stock. I see many sellers selling £1 items by the thousand every month - it seems a lot of hassle for a small reward when you consider packaging / postal costs etc. Saying that it works for many so good luck to them. Do what makes you happy as life is short. I would prefer to try and fail rather than have regrets and thinking 'what if'.

Best,
Paul

 

[DomainGist]

eBay is my business now, and like you say Paul..... I'm chained to the stock room.

When starting out, when my income was residual (affiliate income + adsense) I also dreamed of moving to a developing country where I'd be stinking rich on a relatively modest income (Nepal, Cambodia, etc), and then I got married. To somebody who has a conventional career, and who doesn't share the dream.

And ultimately, that vision of utopia where you can travel around with a laptop isn't as fantastic as people make out, because you'd still end up spending 60 hours a week glued to a laptop surrounded by four walls, self-employment online = long hours indoors.

There are some major pros to self-employment, of course there is, not having a jerk as a boss and not having to worry about gas prices and road rage are probably the biggest ones to most.

And most of the cons can be managed. I do a bit of voluntary work, and at the moment I'm investing some of my profit into continuing education. I'm still keeping half an eye on possible future careers though. I was wondering the other day....... have any domainers qualified as patent attorneys or trademark attorneys? It would be pretty cool to go and sit on the other side of the fence working for Google or eBay in their trademark office.

People should never stop looking for new doors to open, whether in self-employment or employment.

 

[Paul123]

People should never stop looking for new doors to open, whether in self-employment or employment

So true. I think to many people just accept their lot in life without trying to improve things. It is not about making money but rather the quality of life and sense of worth this brings. If you make loads of cash as a by product then happy days - however if making money is your sole motivation then your chances of success are pretty low.

Best,
Paul

 

[discobull]

You most certainly have not touched a nerve. I'm just curious what is the difference between the merits of one career over another. How is domaining less fulfilling than auditing or any other job? That's where you've lost me.

I'll give you my take on what Pug is saying and if I'm wrong he can correct me. I think his point was that a better dream than being a full time domainer or a full time anything, is to be able to make enough money working part time ( or less ) that you'd have the freedom to pursue ambitions that are greater than just about making money.

I think some of the confusion here has to do with the meaning of "full time". I consider myself a full time domainer because I make enough money at it that I don't have to do anything else for a living. OTOH, I'm not sure that I work full time hours anymore. Of course, when I first started out as a domainer I was working much more than just full time hours, but that's another story...

There are some major pros to self-employment, of course there is, not having a jerk as a boss

I'm self-employed, but unfortunately I still have a jerk for a boss. :D