startup hustle

I love researching new domain names. My first website was a forum for pay-per-click marketing. When I found the domain PerClickForums.com as an unregistered domain, I thought I was a genius. I sold the site and the new owners drove it into the ground (wish I still had the domain though). Later I came up with StartupHustle.com. What startup doesn’t hustle a little at the beginning?

When looking for a new domain you have to research to see if that great domain you just thought of is available. You might not buy a particular domain that moment as you are checking the availability of multiple names. Hopefully you weren’t doing any domain research at NetworkSolutions.com recently. There are rumors is evidence that Network Solutions is registering domains that individuals are checking the availability of, and selling them at a higher price. I wouldn’t even be able to describe my anger if that had happened to me.

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I have been floating the idea of dabbling in the domain game. As I discuss domaining with fellow entrepreneurs I get the usual talk, it is hyper competitive, all the low hanging fruit is gone…blah. This is a common question many entrepreneurs face when trying to find an industry or idea to attack next, is it too late to in get in?

The majority of entrepreneurs most likely wouldn’t want to tackle the search engine industry. Who would want to compete against Google? If Sergy and Larry had this mindset about Yahoo in the 90′s we wouldn’t have Google. I know the counter argument, for every Google there are 1,000 failed attempts. But what fun is that?

I just read an article about Frank Shilling on DN Journal. If you don’t know Frank, then get ready for a great story. The short version is about a German immigrant in Canada read about the money that could be made selling domains. He got into the domain game 2002, not 1997. Frank was told not to waste his time. All the good domains were gone and the industry was super competitive. So where did Frank end up?

Frank now owns a small company called Name Administration Inc. that has $20 million a year in revenue all from his domain portfolio, and that revenue is not from selling domains. Read Frank’s blog, Seven Mile, if you get a chance.

So the big question is, is it too late to get in?

If not, you better register your Facebook Page.

The Facebook Pages for businesses are like domain names. I’m not positive how Facebook will police members that make pages for popular companies or products, but you should at least register your names and products before anyone else can. The best part, it is free.

Once you set up the page, you will have easy access to all of Facebook’s new ad platform options.

Post your Facebook Pages in the comments and I will put the best entries into a post.

The eastern European country of Montenegro is getting its own domain extension, and it has the chance to produce some fun domain names. Montenegro’s new domain is “.me“. If you have any entrepreneurial bones in your body the potential is filling your head. Examples:

• buy.me
• find.me
• hire.me
• pay.me
• text.me

The domains are are scheduled to be available for registration during the first quarter of 2008. Do remember, nothing replaces a “.com” domain but it is not essential for success. Just look at del.icio.us.