Interview with Mike Mann – I have asked various parties within the domain industry to take part in some interviews to give us a little background about themselves, where they see the industry heading, and how they feel the current market for domain names is our Seventh interview is by Mike Mann.
Mike Mann is the founder and chairman of Grassroots.org (501c3), a global network providing free services to non-profits and promoting social action. He also founded and manages Make Change! Trust, a charitable fund that supports select 501c3 organizations.
Mike is also the founder of several successful, active, for-profit corporations. Three of these corporations were listed among the 2012 Inc 500 fastest growing companies in America, including Phone.com, DomainMarket.com, and SEO.com. A few other additions to Mike’s portfolio include PRMarketing.com, PurePPC.com, proHR, and AccountingMatters.com, and others. In many cases, his companies exchange resources, talent, and technologies in their never-ending quest to deliver innovative, profitable digital products and services.
In 1994 he founded Internet Interstate, which he sold to Verio Inc. in 1997.
In 1998, he founded BuyDomains.com (now NameMedia), the world’s largest secondary market for domain names, and sold a majority interest to Highland Capital and Summit Partners in 2005, along with the “Seeq.com” search engine portal.
Between 1998 and 2001, Mike served as the founding Chairman of the non-profit ByteBack.org, which is an innovator in operating free computer and job training centers serving inner-city communities.
In 2007, Mike and WashingtonVC.com founded Yield Software, a company that delivers cutting-edge online marketing software. Within two years the majority of Yield was sold to venture capitalists Draper Fisher and international marketing conglomerate WPP. In 2011 Yield Software was acquired by Autonomy Corporation, an HP company.
Mike is also the author of Make Millions and Make Change! a book focused on making money in small businesses so we can better serve society.
As an early Internet pioneer, Mike has received a patent for his groundbreaking domain name technology:
PATENT: Systems and Methods used to facilitate registration and transfer of domain names.
The present invention relates to systems and methods used to facilitate registration and transfer of domain names and uniform resource locators (URLs) such as those used to access content via the Internet and the world wide web (WWW).
Domain Name Suggestion Patent “WhoisPlus/NameFind” February 11, 2003, Mike’s invention is used or copied by virtually every domain name company, which ultimately represents the majority of end-user registrations ever since, many millions of domains.
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Domain Name Interview.
1) What are your current thoughts on the Domain Aftermarket? i.e. Sales and Enquiries etc – General Mood of Domainers / End users?
It is a depressed market, confused and inefficient, good for buyers who want killer names and sites, bad for sellers. I’m a buyer and seller (market maker) so I can operate in any market environment.
2) Where do you see GTLDS in 3 years’ time?
Like a hobby from the past.
3) What are you or your companies investing in? i.e. Dot Com only Domains – Typo – etc?
Just the best .Coms that we can sell cheap.
4) Do you believe in Parking or Developing? What are your tips for either i.e. Top Parking Platform (What Do You Use) – Developing your thoughts on what to develop and how best to achieve it?
The parking pages/sites and their payouts are horrific. Developing is very risky too but the best bet for the best domains. Otherwise your own for sale page is the best bet.
5) What is your favorite domain personally or company-owned?
HappyBirthday.com
6) If you were starting out in the domain space today what are your 3 top tips?
Bring Pepto, a lot of cash, and don’t plan on sleeping.
7) What’s the next big thing that your companies are working on?
Well changing the world is pretty big www.changetheworld.org www.grassroots.org www.makechangetrust.org www.makemillions.com www.bestpracticesguide.com
8) Where do you see yourself in 10 years’ time?
Same spot, at this keyboard overlooking the ocean in Boca or Dewey.
9) What has been your biggest challenge in the domain business?
Jackasses.
10) What do you feel has been your largest accomplishment in the Business / Personally?
Our head start in changing the world is a big deal.
I would like to say a big Thank You to Mike Mann for taking part in this interview for RobbiesBlog.com – Please check out Mike Mann’s sites – MikeMann.com, DomainMarket.com, Phone.com, SEO.com, Grassroots.org, and many others.
I have some time to read about and settled on your blog today. A lot of great interviews! Mike’s is funny and straight forward.
Love this:
“2) Where do you see GTLDS in 3 years time?
Like a hobby from the past.”