Frank Schilling is the founder of InternetTraffic.com, DomainNameSales.com, and Uniregistry. In this interview, Schilling shares his insights on new gTLDs, the Chinese market, the relationship between Bitcoin and domain names, and more. He even shares a domain name sale experience that would be nearly every domainer's dream.
We’d like to express our sincere gratitude to @Frank.Schilling for taking his precious time to do this interview.
DN.com: You didn’t start domaining until 2001. At that point, nearly all of the premium domains were already registered, but you still succeeded as an investor and built a great business. Some speculated that you must have come into the business with a lot of money to begin with. Can you tell us the true story of how you started domaining?
Schilling: I bought one name, then 2, then 10, then 100, and then 1000. Then I sold 10. Then 100. It was accidental, but it just grew over time because I was passionate for naming.
DN.com: Can you remember a remarkable day when you made a considerable amount of money through domaining? Can you tell us the story and what did you do with that money?
Schilling: I had acquired 10 related names over time and started cold-calling construction material suppliers. I came to an agreement with the Webmaster at James Hardie, an Australian company for $10k:
I thanked them and apologized for the confusion. It was a massive leg-up for me.
DN.com: I learned that in order to run your own online casino, you sold your house and moved to the Cayman Islands, and you still live there. Why did you and your wife choose to stay in the Cayman Islands even after you moved on from trying to open the casino?
Schilling: Cayman is a very beautiful but relaxed place with low taxes and easy to operate an internet business from. The people are friendly and there is excellent wifi.
DN.com: Your blog Sevenmile.com has helped many domainers with their businesses and lives. What is the most important thing that you want to convey to the public through this blog?
Schilling: I do not blog anymore. Today you are more likely to find me on Twitter. I just don't have time [to blog]. Back in the days when I wrote my blog, 2007-2008, I was less busy with new gTLDs, and I had more time. My primary goal as with this interview and blog comments where I comment is to show people the value in acquiring better generic domain names.
DN.com: You know that you’ve got a great reputation. You are regarded as one of the nicest people in the business. What do you want to say to such a compliment?
Schilling: That is very flattering. A reputation is the only thing that takes a lifetime to build, which can be torn down in moments if you carry yourself poorly. I always try to be helpful and altruistic and that has reflected well on me.
DN.com: Could you please share your favorite domains in your portfolio, and why they are your favorite?
Schilling: I honestly have so many, and I like them for different reasons. So much that picking any few would be counterproductive. The best names are those you most recently acquired or those which make you smile.
DN.com: Over 46% of registered new gTLD domains are owned by Chinese people. What significance do you see in this statistic?
Schilling: China is a progressive Country. I admire China because the people are ambitious dreamers who take calculated risks. The Chinese people work hard and love life and each other and can often see opportunity before others and so I am not surprised to see so many great names going to China. I think this is helpful for the industry and a normal evolution.
DN.com: What impact do you think the Chinese market has on the Western domain industry?
Schilling: I think the Chinese market has caused everyone to try to work harder to compete and co-operate with China.
DN.com: You have achieved much success in the domain business. Is there an icon in the industry that you admire most? Why?
Schilling: I admire my own mentor Garry Chernoff because through his guidance, he helped me get in this business in 2001. To this day, when I am having a hard day at work I picture him flying in his private helicopter or tinkering around his palatial mansion. Garry reminds me I already have more than enough and that I have exceeded my wildest dreams in this business.
DN.com: What are your favorite domain investing tools and resources?
Schilling: I use the Uniregistry Market, Dailychanges.com, and Registrarstats.com these days.
DN.com: Do you have any comment on the relationship between Bitcoin and domain names?
Schilling: We are working to unlock the value of domain names. Bitcoin may not be the answer but we are playing with some concepts that you will see in the fall of 2016.
DN.com: There is a debate in China about whether the new gTLDs will someday take off and deliver profits for those who invested in them. What do you think?
Schilling: Many of the domain names inside new gTLDs will be successful in the future, but the market is too early at the moment to cast a judgement. We need further evolution, utilization, and passage of time for these new names to thrive.
DN.com: You have acquired fantastic extensions such as .car, .gift, .game and more. Among those, which one is your personal favorite?
Schilling: I am an automotive enthusiast so .car/.cars/.auto are my favorite.
DN.com: DN.com is devoted to educating Chinese domainers and companies about domain name security issues and general domain name knowledge. We also want to help Western domainers learn more about the Chinese market. Do you have any suggestions? What do Western investors want to know about the Chinese market?
Schilling: I think most western investors do not yet have the patience or cultural sensitivity to properly embrace all China has to offer or to understand the name market there. It will come with the passage of time.
DN.com: You’ve amassed a sizable fortune at this point in your career, yet you’re still very passionate about domaining business. What drives you to keep working in the domain industry?
Schilling: I want to build great infrastructure that makes domain names more valuable. At Uniregistry our people are doing some of the best work of their careers and creating some of the most profound products in the history of the domain name business. I am so proud of that effort, and I want to see it through.
We’d like to express our sincere gratitude to @Frank.Schilling for taking his precious time to do this interview.
DN.com: You didn’t start domaining until 2001. At that point, nearly all of the premium domains were already registered, but you still succeeded as an investor and built a great business. Some speculated that you must have come into the business with a lot of money to begin with. Can you tell us the true story of how you started domaining?
Schilling: I bought one name, then 2, then 10, then 100, and then 1000. Then I sold 10. Then 100. It was accidental, but it just grew over time because I was passionate for naming.
DN.com: Can you remember a remarkable day when you made a considerable amount of money through domaining? Can you tell us the story and what did you do with that money?
Schilling: I had acquired 10 related names over time and started cold-calling construction material suppliers. I came to an agreement with the Webmaster at James Hardie, an Australian company for $10k:
- buildingproduct.com
- buildingproducts.com
- constructionsupply.com
- constructionsupplies.com
- buildingmaterial.com
- buildingmaterials.com
- buildingsupply.com
- buildingsupplies.com
I thanked them and apologized for the confusion. It was a massive leg-up for me.
DN.com: I learned that in order to run your own online casino, you sold your house and moved to the Cayman Islands, and you still live there. Why did you and your wife choose to stay in the Cayman Islands even after you moved on from trying to open the casino?
Schilling: Cayman is a very beautiful but relaxed place with low taxes and easy to operate an internet business from. The people are friendly and there is excellent wifi.
DN.com: Your blog Sevenmile.com has helped many domainers with their businesses and lives. What is the most important thing that you want to convey to the public through this blog?
Schilling: I do not blog anymore. Today you are more likely to find me on Twitter. I just don't have time [to blog]. Back in the days when I wrote my blog, 2007-2008, I was less busy with new gTLDs, and I had more time. My primary goal as with this interview and blog comments where I comment is to show people the value in acquiring better generic domain names.
DN.com: You know that you’ve got a great reputation. You are regarded as one of the nicest people in the business. What do you want to say to such a compliment?
Schilling: That is very flattering. A reputation is the only thing that takes a lifetime to build, which can be torn down in moments if you carry yourself poorly. I always try to be helpful and altruistic and that has reflected well on me.
DN.com: Could you please share your favorite domains in your portfolio, and why they are your favorite?
Schilling: I honestly have so many, and I like them for different reasons. So much that picking any few would be counterproductive. The best names are those you most recently acquired or those which make you smile.
DN.com: Over 46% of registered new gTLD domains are owned by Chinese people. What significance do you see in this statistic?
Schilling: China is a progressive Country. I admire China because the people are ambitious dreamers who take calculated risks. The Chinese people work hard and love life and each other and can often see opportunity before others and so I am not surprised to see so many great names going to China. I think this is helpful for the industry and a normal evolution.
DN.com: What impact do you think the Chinese market has on the Western domain industry?
Schilling: I think the Chinese market has caused everyone to try to work harder to compete and co-operate with China.
DN.com: You have achieved much success in the domain business. Is there an icon in the industry that you admire most? Why?
Schilling: I admire my own mentor Garry Chernoff because through his guidance, he helped me get in this business in 2001. To this day, when I am having a hard day at work I picture him flying in his private helicopter or tinkering around his palatial mansion. Garry reminds me I already have more than enough and that I have exceeded my wildest dreams in this business.
DN.com: What are your favorite domain investing tools and resources?
Schilling: I use the Uniregistry Market, Dailychanges.com, and Registrarstats.com these days.
DN.com: Do you have any comment on the relationship between Bitcoin and domain names?
Schilling: We are working to unlock the value of domain names. Bitcoin may not be the answer but we are playing with some concepts that you will see in the fall of 2016.
DN.com: There is a debate in China about whether the new gTLDs will someday take off and deliver profits for those who invested in them. What do you think?
Schilling: Many of the domain names inside new gTLDs will be successful in the future, but the market is too early at the moment to cast a judgement. We need further evolution, utilization, and passage of time for these new names to thrive.
DN.com: You have acquired fantastic extensions such as .car, .gift, .game and more. Among those, which one is your personal favorite?
Schilling: I am an automotive enthusiast so .car/.cars/.auto are my favorite.
DN.com: DN.com is devoted to educating Chinese domainers and companies about domain name security issues and general domain name knowledge. We also want to help Western domainers learn more about the Chinese market. Do you have any suggestions? What do Western investors want to know about the Chinese market?
Schilling: I think most western investors do not yet have the patience or cultural sensitivity to properly embrace all China has to offer or to understand the name market there. It will come with the passage of time.
DN.com: You’ve amassed a sizable fortune at this point in your career, yet you’re still very passionate about domaining business. What drives you to keep working in the domain industry?
Schilling: I want to build great infrastructure that makes domain names more valuable. At Uniregistry our people are doing some of the best work of their careers and creating some of the most profound products in the history of the domain name business. I am so proud of that effort, and I want to see it through.
Thank you for the inspiration!
