I'm Shane Cultra, Ask Me Any Question

[Domain Shane]

Lets have some fun. I promise to be open and honest with the questions if we can keep it civil.

A little background. I'm nobody special, just a guy that runs a nursery, runs a lot, and loves domains. I am part of team that runs DSAD.com, used to have a blog called DomainShane, used to be part of a little show called Domain Sherpa, sold my first blog WallStreetFighter to Break.com and Lionsgate Film, part of group that sold a show called WallStrip to NBC for $5 Million, and ran 20 plus marathons and 2 Ironmen in between then and now. Bought and sold a few domains along the way

Post any question and I'll have my team of assistants, just kidding, I'll do my best to answer it.

 

[Addison]

Superb AMA!

What I love about DSAD is its heterogeneity. The more angles that a website has, the more value it can provide. DSAD is one of the few places to put that fact to pragmatic use.

Asks:

1. What motivates you to work so long and hard? AFAIK, you're in the top 1% of earners in the United States ($430,000+ per year). What keeps you going?
2. What's one thing you'd tell your 20-year old self that isn't lottery numbers or alike?
3. In 10-20 years, what would be the Utopian domain industry, IYO?
4. Is there more opportunity with domains or Wall Street, IYO?

Did I get too covetous with 4 questions in one post?

Kudos on creating this AMA!

 

[1Darko]

I have found the link:
https://dsad.com/ikes-list-domains-auction-saturday-october-28th-us-experiment-results/
@pokainc

@ikehook Thanks for this awesome report!

 

[pokainc]

much appreciated buddy!

Although if I recall it was more the mention of Josh's .com brandable strategy was thinking about. Close enough

 

[cipcip]

Hi Shane, what do you think about .xyz domain names ?

 

[Domain Shane]

LOL

@Domain Shane

My comment will be about your branding.

I think Domain Shane is better than DSAD as a brand.

Why did you changed it? Do you have plans to sell it in some point of time?

Seriously I think Domain Shane is a stronger brand than DSAD.

What does DSAD stands for?

My guess was Domain Shane And D....?

I get this asked a lot. Here is the long answer.

When I started my blog it was called DomainPantry. A fellow blogger who called himself Chef Patrick emailed me and said he was mad that my blog had a kitchen name and he since he was the Chef that I shouldn't use Domain Pantry since it would be associated with him. So I though about it and thought DomainShane had a nice ring to it

After several years of writing a guy came in to my nursery. Turned out he was a fellow writer of a domain blog called Accidental Domainer. He lived in Colorado but his family farmed a few miles north of me and he came back each year to help out so he figured he would stop by and say hello. Turns out his family works with my family and we actually have family members in common. (My aunt married someone from his family) Long store short, we had a ton in common from domains, to running, to background.

As I had trouble getting advertisers and he had none I suggested one day that we combine blogs so that we had more content. I would keep my advertisers and we would split whoever we got after that. We called the new blog Domain Shane and Accidental Domainer and kept it on the domain DomainShane

As we got going I realized I could use a break writing the list. I was spending 2 to 3 hours a day every day for 6 years and only missed 10 days or so. But it gave me no life and I wanted a break. So I put it out there I was looking for help. Along came Josh. He was amazing. I never seen a guy scan a list and put in so much time to hunting names. He took over one day and then took Tuesdays and Saturdays. (I caught up on a lot of shows and movies because of him)

As the blog grew and things needed to be fixed and changed I get really tired of working with different technical people. So I asked for some help from readers. That's how I met Travis. Travis is the smartest guy I knew from a technical standpoint. He codes with the best of them and is super organized. I think he's probably the best partner in anything I've ever had. And yet we hadn't met until Namescon. Talked every week but never seen each other's faces. Love the Internet.

So here we have four guys. Obviously the blog is much bigger than just me. And we all agreed to just give it a general name. We could have come up with something fancy but we just stuck with the original acronym DSAD.com since I already owned it. And its the domain space. Small enough that people will figure out who we are.

I have no plans on selling it but never say never.

 

[Domain Shane]

Superb AMA!

What I love about DSAD is its heterogeneity. The more angles that a website has, the more value it can provide. DSAD is one of the few places to put that fact to pragmatic use.

Asks:

1. What motivates you to work so long and hard? AFAIK, you're in the top 1% of earners in the United States ($430,000+ per year). What keeps you going?
2. What's one thing you'd tell your 20-year old self that isn't lottery numbers or alike?
3. In 10-20 years, what would be the Utopian domain industry, IYO?
4. Is there more opportunity with domains or Wall Street, IYO?

Did I get too covetous with 4 questions in one post?

Kudos on creating this AMA!

1. I am motivated by a few things. Most importantly, I like doing it. I love the business of domains and I love the hunt. I also love what the extra money does for my life. I can buy whatever I want, when I want. Doesn't mean I do but it does allow me to travel a bit more and buy things that I normally wouldn't. My wife also is very supportive. She says I don't have to help around the house much as long as I'm working and emotionally there. The second I sit on the couch though. Watch out. She is all over me to help.

2. I would tell myself that I have a bad thyroid. I didn't find out I had a bad thyroid until I was in my 30s. Once I started taking the pill to fix it I had 50% more energy and lost 40 lbs. I started running and started blogging. All within months of fixing it. If I would have fixed it in my 20s I would have accomplished twice as much as I have now

3. That's a tough one. Utopia sounds so boring. I can't ever see a time where there's not good and bad, hardworking and lazy, rich and poor. As for domains, I just hope they are still in the same form they are now and very very valuable.

4. Wall Street easily. But the barriers to entry as so much lower for domains. The risk/reward is probably better in domains but a skilled market player is a lot richer than the best domain investor.

 

[Domain Shane]

Hi Shane, what do you think about .xyz domain names ?

I like them from a price to value. I don't think they have much resale value now but I do believe Daniel Negari is doing everything he can to try and give them some. I own three 543.xyz and two other good NNN.xyz. I think having some in your portfolio isn't a bad idea.

 

[Addison]

4. Wall Street easily. But the barriers to entry as so much lower for domains. The risk/reward is probably better in domains but a skilled market player is a lot richer than the best domain investor.

Astute answers!

Followup asks:

Why did you decide to switch to domains? Do you ever consider going back to Wall Street? Why or why not?



IMO, domains are more exciting!

 

[Domain Shane]

Astute answers!

Followup asks:

Why did you decide to switch to domains? Do you ever consider going back to Wall Street? Why or why not?



IMO, domains are more exciting!

I continue to do both. I have moved more to buy and hold on my stocks and spend more time researching the buys rather than trading. The hard part has been beating Apple.

So I didn't choose domains, I merely added them. My blog on Wallstreet had an audience of 1 million a month some months and I received maybe 2 or 3 negative comments in three years. Domain has an audience of 1000 and I receive 2 or 3 negative comments on OnlineDomain per week. But I do like the industry and most of the people in it. But just like Wall Street, there are some people that aren't great people.

 

[GoKaizen]

How do you make time for fitness, running a business, website, buying/selling domains etc?

 

[Domain Shane]

How do you make time for fitness, running a business, website, buying/selling domains etc?

Another common question. In order to get it all done you have to get up early and not really do anything else. I also am pretty good at multi tasking. Although my wife and daughter may disagree. If I am writing I can't do anything else. But pretty much everything else I can carry on a conversation and work at the same time. I have to get up at 4:15 to get everything in. I promised my wife and daughter I would be there for every breakfast and every dinner. I have missed maybe 20 of those in 20 years. I am home from running by 6:45 every morning and I never work at the nursery past 7 pm. I come home and work on domaining every night and if I have some free time at the nursery I squeeze in domain work there so I don't have as many hours at night. I also work 7 days a week. We also have built a house that has a great room with an office, a kitchen and a tv room all as one so our family is always together. It works well for us. Everyone is different but if you read my blog you can see I have a pretty healthy family life. (at least I write that I do

I don't have a problem working 7 days a week because I truly enjoy what I am doing so it's not work. I have never had a boss so I feel only the pressure I put on myself and the need to support my family and the employees that trust in me to provide them opportunity ( I have 35 of those at the nursery and over a million in payroll to try and support). But everyone needs time off. I took that time today because I just ran a marathon this weekend and my legs are toast. So no running this week and that means I have a few extra hours a day this week to goof off. I figured I would spend a few of them having fun here

 

[PHILIPPE RAVEL]

Hello Shane,
I am a french guy.
I have been in domaining since 2007.
Now I could get some nice domains after 10 years of rough business.
Congratulations for your marathons and your ironmen.
Kind Regards.
Philippe

 

[Addison]

My blog on Wallstreet had an audience of 1 million a month some months and I received maybe 2 or 3 negative comments in three years. Domain has an audience of 1000 and I receive 2 or 3 negative comments on OnlineDomain per week. But I do like the industry and most of the people in it. But just like Wall Street, there are some people that aren't great people.

Thought provoking. IMO, that's from a lower barrier to entry and domain hobbyists.

Wall Street'ers are (correct me if I'm wrong) all about the money and wouldn't risk their income by souring a relationship. Hobbyists don't have that farsighted mentality.

What's one of your most fun(ny) party or dating stories? (Man cave talk. Cover your wife's eyes!)

 

[Domain Shane]

What's one of your most fun(ny) party or dating stories? (Man cave talk. Cover your wife's eyes!)

My favorite is from a fraternity brother named Steve Luther. He was always telling tall tales, enough of which had been true to keep them interesting. He said he was sitting on the beach at South Padre drinking some beer when some police officers asked him for some ID. Being underage he took a beer out of the six pack so he would have a handle, grabbed the remaining five and started off into the ocean. He said he was an all-state swimmer so he got out pretty deep on the officers when they started chasing him on a jet ski. By the time they caught up to him he flipped over on his back, popped open a beer and said. "Sorry officers, International Waters!!"

 

[john888]

probabation.com good doman name. But not much money in gardening domains. Gardening site
tried it but very low CPC payout. Hard to sell plants online since they die in shipment, as Jackson
Perkins went bankrupt years back. Always wondered if seeds would sell.

 

[ajenipa]

thanks for this AMA
How did you get to know about domaining?

what is your first ever domain name, what is the purchase price and how much did you sell it for?

 

[Domain Shane]

thanks for this AMA
How did you get to know about domaining?

what is your first ever domain name, what is the purchase price and how much did you sell it for?

My daughter was born and I registered her name, first and middle. I got an offer to buy it a few weeks after I registered it. I got my gears running. I got real interested when I started reading Reese Berg's blog called 4 letter noob

Other than that I think my first domain was BidARate.com. And I have no idea why I bought it. I thought banks would reverse bid a home loan or something. I made the mistake of thinking business ideas rather than words that could represent any business. Took me years to figure that out

 

[Domain Shane]

probabation.com good doman name. But not much money in gardening domains. Gardening site
tried it but very low CPC payout. Hard to sell plants online since they die in shipment, as Jackson
Perkins went bankrupt years back. Always wondered if seeds would sell.

Ahh, but that's why I love it. Because I own a brick and mortar business. The perishable and lack of easy shipment keeps my business strong. Seeds, on the other hand are very shippable and can be a good online business. But the markup is low. You have to collect your own to make a lot of money. Of course I own SeedHouse.com

And its Propagation.com

 

[rafaelo0]

Hi Shane,

I liked seeing you on domain sherpa with Michael, Drew and Ali i think that all of you bring something to the table like great information and experience to new/old domainers.

Plus all of you have great chemistry i found my self not just watching the domain sherpa shows just for excellent knowledge that all of you provided but also for the funny part like the jokes and how all of you kid around with each other i felt like sherpas were like a familly (in some extent).

Didn't feel that when i was watching other sherpas that i didn't mention don't get me wrong they added great content and other positive aspects but the funny part wasn't there, without including Michael of course he just has a excellent personality that no one can match and he can engage in any topic without it getting out of end.

That's why i would like for Drew to bring all of you back for some shows.

I didnt know you sold WallStreetFighter to Break.com and Lionsgate Film.

Congrats it seems you don't just have the gift for the domain industry but also for creating great content.

I have to check more your blog.

My questions are:

I notice lot's of domainers that public brand them self (like on video) can get "attacked" in coments, how do you deal with the negative aspects of puting your self out there?

Excluding .com what are your top extensions that you like to invest, think have good future and you had success at?

What are the categories/industries you like to invest and had success on domain names?

Example: tech categories like crypto currencies, software, VR etc... domains or in the gardening categories like gardening tools, seeds, compost etc... Domains

 

[hxp]

@Domain Shane

What have been your biggest, or most significant, mistakes/lessons/failures in domaining?

Also, (if you don't mind a second question) what are some "blind spots" that you think other domainers have? Things or ideas that strike you as obviously positive/profitable, but that others don't seem to see or take advantage of?

(Thank you!)

 

[Vito]

Hey Shane,

At first when I started reading this I said to myself, this seems a bit weird. I didnt think anyone would really ask any questions. As I read on, I am thinking of many questions I now have for you! lol

I read your blog often. I have even commented a few times. Your staff is all so diverse and I think you are very lucky to have the team you have currently. Everyone brings something special to the domain community. I have had the pleasure of meeting you and Travis at Namescon and I have to tell you and everyone, reading this, Shane is as nice and personable as he seems in his writings on DSAD.com and his vlogging on Sherpa.

I commend you on your persistence on adding content each and every night for a few hours per night on your site especially with balancing a Business and family. Truly motivational.

OK so I have a few questions now since you labelled this "Ask Me Anything" and they are only for my own motivation of blogging myself. I really like doing it but as a guy with a real job myself, sometimes very long hours, this domaining can only be a part time hobby for me. I always think how life could be if I was a domainer/blogger full time...

So here goes,

1) With your team of 4 bloggers who all add true value to the DSAD brand, how do you split the income DSAD makes? 25% times 4?

2) You have said before that your blog brings you 6-figures per year. Is that for the entire team, or for you individually? If your DSAD income is split 4 ways evenly and you are all making 6-digits, thats almost a half million a year. I had no idea that is even possible for a domain blog.

3) What is the best income maker on your site, The NameJet and/or GoDaddy auction picks afillliate incomes?

4) Since you are an Illinois guy like myself, how come you don't run the Bank of America Marathon up here in Chi-Town?

Thanks,
Vito

 

[Domain Shane]

Hi Shane,

I liked seeing you on domain sherpa with Michael,

I notice lot's of domainers that public brand them self (like on video) can get "attacked" in coments, how do you deal with the negative aspects of puting your self out there?

Excluding .com what are your top extensions that you like to invest, think have good future and you had success at?

What are the categories/industries you like to invest and had success on domain names?

Example: tech categories like crypto currencies, software, VR etc... domains or in the gardening categories like gardening tools, seeds, compost etc... Domains

First, thank you Rafaelo for the kind words,

As for the negative comments. I am not going to lie. I still don't have thick skin but its getting thicker every year. My wife reminds me that the more "famous" you become the more negativity I will draw. That I can't and shouldn't respond. So I usually don't. But occasionally I stupidly do and it never ends well. In all of my domain investing career the only one that got to me and still gets to me is one that Konstantinos wrote about me and he let the comments get bad. So bad he let them talk about my wife and children (he eventually removed) but just let them toast me. And he set it all up for them. I am not a big fan of disguising hate speech as freedom of speech. Some comments were meant to be removed. There should be boundaries. That being said, he has been friendly in removing some things that were out of bounds and I am cool with him now. And maybe I just realize I have done nothing wrong so there was no need to be upset. It just stung a little at the time. In short, you get used to it with time and move on

2. I have had little to no success outside of dot com. I have sold a name in almost every tld. .net, .org, .io, .info, etc but have trouble doing it regularly. As for the future, I just don't see the returns that I see in dot com on a regular basis. I think for every home run in .exchange, there will be 100 other names you eat. I'm not saying that there isn't money there, I just can't find a strategy that I think doesn't lead to huge holding costs. I venture outside of dot com but more of a vacation than building a house

3. I like one word things. Things that can be a brand. Tools, nouns, animals. Those words aren't going be used to sell that product but will merely be a brand. Dustpan won't be to sell dustpans but rather to represent something like cleaning your computer from malware or selling cleaning supplies in general. I do like solar a lot . Of course I like short. Especially pronouceable 5L.coms. They just aren't very cheap anymore

 

[Domain Shane]

Hey Shane,

At first when I started reading this I said to myself, this seems a bit weird. I didnt think anyone would really ask any questions. As I read on, I am thinking of many questions I now have for you! lol



So here goes,

1) With your team of 4 bloggers who all add true value to the DSAD brand, how do you split the income DSAD makes? 25% times 4?

2) You have said before that your blog brings you 6-figures per year. Is that for the entire team, or for you individually? If your DSAD income is split 4 ways evenly and you are all making 6-digits, thats almost a half million a year. I had no idea that is even possible for a domain blog.

3) What is the best income maker on your site, The NameJet and/or GoDaddy auction picks afillliate incomes?

4) Since you are an Illinois guy like myself, how come you don't run the Bank of America Marathon up here in Chi-Town?

Thanks,
Vito

Thanks Vito, much appreciated

1. Very good question. So when Aaron and started working we agreed. Whatever advertisers I had I got to keep the money. We would split the new income. Unfortunately that hasn't worked real well because nobody wants to advertise with us because we're not a real news blog. Payoneer, Efty (they give me a free account), and any of the big guys skipped us so Aaron doesn't make as much as he deserves for his good articles. Josh and Travis get a percentage of the affiliate commissions we make from the list. So Josh can make four figures per month from the list. Travis gets paid for being the tech guy and keeping things up and running. People don't realize how much time it takes to keep plugins up to date, backups done regularly, and the site efficient. He gets paid a small sum plus a percentage of the list. I get the most and probably a disproportionate amount but I started the list before they got there and had a few good advertisers.

2. So the six figures is a combination of domain sales and the blog. The blog itself is above mid five figures and six figures. My domain sales vary year to year but last year I had domain sales pushing six figures on its own. That was with a good sale of Trunk.com to Mr. Rosener who gave me a price too good to pass up at the time. So no, we don't get rich off this but it is a nice income. So no, not $600K, I wish and the guys do get paid, just not very much. They deserve more. Especially Aaron

3. Godaddy. Namejet and Sedo treat us well but Godaddy pays the bills.

4. I have run the Chicago marathon 5 or 6 times. Ran 3 hours 6 minutes in 2015

 

[Vito]

I cant believe you labelled your post, "Ask Me Anything" I bet you didnt know what you were in for...lol

I appreciate you sharing. It really does seem like blogging about domains can truly pay off. You guys deserve the money you get over there with the amount of work you put in. Thanks for answering Shane.

3 hours and 16 minutes is friggen awesome. Congrats!

 

[Mister Funsky]

Hi Shane...thanks for taking the time to allow some questions.

Do geo domains have a future?

Monetize with parking or lander with pricing details?

Fixed price or make offer? (or both)

Thanks...and thank your family for allowing the time.