There are a few mainstream news articles about domain industry people and topics that I still recall despite their publication years ago. The most memorable of these articles, Masters of their Domains, was written by Paul Sloan in December of 2005. I wasn’t all that active in the domain space until a year after the article was published, but I know most of the people and it’s still cool to read about that exciting time in the domain space.
I think another mainstream article you’ll enjoy reading is about Frank Schilling and his Grand Cayman based company, Uniregistry. Frank Schilling: Unlocking the value of domain names was published today in the Caymans Island Journal, and it offers an inside look into Frank Schilling’s business life and company.
You’re going to want to read the article in full, but I want to share a few excerpts from the article I found particularly interesting:
- On why he lives and operates his business in Grand Cayman: “I like it here, that’s why,”
- On his work ethic: “I work weekends,” he said. “Fifty-two weeks a year, two days in the weekend, that’s an extra 104 days a year that I work. So I work 104 more days a year than the next man… 104 extra days will give you a lot.”
- What drives him: “I’m a dreamer. I dream about what I want to accomplish. I dream about what I want the business to look like.”
- Growth of the company: Less than four years later, Uniregistry is undergoing its fifth office expansion
- Competition in the domain space: “There are competitors that have some of the pieces, but they don’t have a true end-to-end offering and an owner operator like me who’s passionate and won’t compromise or cut corners,” he said.
- Profitabilitu of the company: Uniregistry, as a startup company, doesn’t have profits yet and in fact is pumping $3 million to $4 million a year into research and development of products which may not make the company money, Shilling said.
Regardless of how you feel about the new domain names, I think Frank is an inspiration to many people in the business of domain investing. He’s built a lifestyle most people can only dream of having, and he did it by excelling at a business that many of us are passionate about.
There’s a whole lot more covered in the article, and you will want to read it when you have a chance.
