I am sorry if it seems annoying or contrived when I post articles about how great domain conferences are, but I really enjoy attending our industry and related industry tradeshows. I wanted to talk about why I really enjoy them and why I try to attend as many as possible, despite the significant fees for attendance and other associated costs.
When I worked for AIG and Wunderman, I was surrounded by people who had different positions within the company and contributed differently to the teams in which I participated. As an Account and Program Manager, I worked with creative staff, legal and compliance staff, accounting staff, database team members, interactive managers, clients, and others on a daily basis. There were meetings each day and camaraderie in both workplaces. Whether I enjoyed what I was doing or not, it was frequently enjoyable to go to work, although that eventually wore off when I started spending more time domaining.
As a domain investor, I spend hours in front of my computer doing research, developing a few websites, chatting on the phone/AIM with friends and colleagues, and reading forums and blogs. Although I am passionate about what I do, there are times where it gets a bit lonely being by myself for most of the day. I enjoy discussing domains, but my friends and family probably get pretty tired of hearing about it, so I try to keep it to a minimum.
Domain conferences give me the opportunity to get together with other like-minded people who are all doing a variety of things within a similar scope. Most people with whom I meet and see are in a similar position as me and can relate. There are people from across the country and throughout the world who meet at these events, and it’s a great time to talk, share stories, and get to know people in a more personal setting.
I am writing this from the air as I am flying to the TRAFFIC ccTLD conference in Amsterdam (although it will be posted on Tuesday). I am excited because I don’t know many ccTLD domain investors, but I know when I get to the conference, I am going to meet some great people, learn a lot about this vertical in the domain industry, and perhaps I will do some good business.
I enjoy having the chance to meet with likeminded people. This is why I have planned a few casual dinners and cocktail hours in New York City, and I hope to continue to meet great people. Maybe I will see you at a domain tradeshow in the near future?
