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The Lowdown
October 2024 Archive		 Subscribe to our RSS Feed

Welcome to the The Lowdown from 
DN Journal - your source for notable news 
and information from all corners of the global 
domain name industry! 

The Lowdown is compiled by DN Journal 
Editor & Publisher Ron Jackson.

Now For Something Completely Different - Domain Star Jen Sale's "Ten With Jen" on YouTube 

It seems like just about every well-known figure in the domain industry has their own blog, podcast or or social media platform. One thing they have all had in common is a singular focus on domains. Duh, right? Well, there is one exception now - all-star broker and Evergreen.com CEO Jen Sale's refreshing new Ten With Jen video podcast series on YouTube. It's domain people but without the domain part!

The vivacious Australian has been a key mover and shaker in the domain business for close to 15 years now. In addition to handling domain sales that total well into nine figures, Jen played an instrumental role in creating the thriving group for industry women now known as Women of the Web. It all started when Jen invited a small group of women to meet in her hotel room. WOW has since exploded into an essential organization that meets at the annual NamesCon conference where Jen's fellow WOW members honored her in June. 

Jen's interests range far beyond the domain world though - just one example being her co-founding of GoodJourneying.com, a site centered on

Jen Sale behind the microphone 
during a recent episode of Ten With Jen.

 

Above: Ron Jackson (DNJournal) ponders a question from Jen Sale during a recent episode of Ten With Jen. I was under the impression that none of the questions would require actual thought! However, even the ones that seemed easy on the surface forced you to stop and think a little (I hate it when that happens)! True to her word though, Jen made the whole exercise a ton of fun. I'm not sure domains even came up in the conversation but we did talk about Muhammad Ali, James Brown, Rod Stewart, what makes a marriage last, my days in the military (no one tried to invade the United States during my tour of duty, something I take full credit for!), and we even addressed some pressing issues like "is ham and pineapple acceptable on a pizza!" If that doesn't make you want to watch then I don't know what will!

If you don't want to miss an episode (and you shouldn't) you can make it easy on yourself by subscribing to the free Ten With Jen channel at YouTube. We wish our long-time friend all the best with her new clever endeavor!

(Posted Oct. 31, 2024) To refer others to the post above only (and not the full Lowdown column) you can use this URL:
https://www.dnjournal.com/archive/lowdown/2024/dailyposts/1031.htm

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PIR Announces .ORG of the Year Award Winner and Distributes $180,000 in Donations Across 7 Categories

Public Interest Registry (PIR), the people behind the .ORG domain, announced the winners of the prestigious 2024 .ORG Impact Awards on October 9th. This 6th annual celebration recognized and rewarded outstanding mission-driven individuals and organizations from around the world for their positive contributions to society.

The seven winners – selected from over 1,700 applicants from more than 87 countries — were announced live at a Washington, D.C. awards ceremony held at the International Spy Museum. Alan Cumming, who recently won the Emmy for Outstanding Host on the show The Traitors, hosted this year’s event, where Public 

Interest Registry awarded a total of $180,000 in donations to organizations from the global .ORG Community across seven categories: 

*Community Building

*Quality Education for All 

*Environmental Stewardship

*Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

*Health and Healing

*Hunger and Poverty

*Rising Stars (leaders, under 25, making a difference in their communities)

In addition to the category winners, PIR named Philippines-based nonprofit Yellow Boat of Hope Foundation the winner of the coveted .ORG of the Year Award, recognizing the organization’s work to provide access to education for children in remote and poverty-stricken areas by providing boats to reach their schools.   

The organization started with one yellow boat that could accommodate 25-30 children. But through community support, they have grown to over 5,000 yellow boats sailing across the Philippines. The boats have become a symbol of “Bayanihan” – a Filipino concept of cooperative giving – and inspire more community members to get involved by donating school supplies and even building a new school for the children.   

The .ORG Impact Award judging panelists were inspired by how the organization’s work brings the entire community together to solve a common problem – which embodies the spirit of the .ORG Impact Awards. As the 2024 .ORG of the Year, Yellow Boat of Hope will receive $50,000 in donations. 

 

(Left to right): PIR President & CEO Jon Nevett, President, CEO and Co-founder of Yellow Boat of Hope Foundation, Dr. Anton Mari H. Lim who accepted the 2024 .ORG of the Year Award, and Impact Awards Host Alan Cumming.

Jon Nevett, President and CEO of Public Interest Registry, said “The winners of the .ORG Impact Awards are the very best of the .ORG Community and work tirelessly to create positive change every day. Public Interest Registry is thrilled to uplift their efforts and humbled by the work they are doing to build a bright future for us all. I am especially honored to celebrate this year’s .ORG of the Year, Yellow Boat of Hope, for their continued commitment to education access and ability to inspire an entire community to come together and make the world a better place.”  

In the six years since the .ORG Impact Awards first started, Public Interest Registry has cumulatively donated $685,000 to .ORGs across the world. This year is a continuation of PIR’s ongoing commitment to uplifting the changemakers making the world a better place.

Alan Cumming noted, “These organizations are proof of how the Internet can be used as a force for good—allowing them to share their mission with the world, connect with others, and expand their reach. That’s what we’re celebrating—the power of this global community, united by a shared desire to create a better world.”  

In accepting the award, Dr. Anton Mari H. Lim, President, CEO and Co-founder of Yellow Boat of Hope Foundation added, “Education is a universal right, and addressing its accessibility is a shared global responsibility. Humanity will never progress if we look only after our own backyards. Accessible, quality education is key to breaking the cycle of intergenerational poverty. I dedicate this award to thousands of Hope Paddlers, not just in the Philippines, but worldwide. With hope, the impossible becomes possible.”

Each of the seven category winners received a $10,000 donation. The honorees were:

Image from Yellow Boat of Hope Foundation

Community Building: Kiva -  An international nonprofit that expands financial access to help underserved communities thrive.

Quality Education for All: Yellow Boat of Hope Foundation - In addition to receiving the awards for .ORG of the Year, Yellow Boat of Hope is also the winner in the Quality Education for All category.

 Environmental Stewardship: Share Our Spare - Share Our Spare is a Chicago community resource of essentials, education and advocacy for families living in poverty and the agencies that serve them.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion: The Center for Courageous Kids - The Center for Courageous Kids is a not for profit medical camp facility founded by the late Ms. Elizabeth Turner Campbell and opened in 2008. She was inspired to create a place where children living with life threatening illnesses and their families could come free of charge and have fun, find respite, feel normal and forget about their everyday struggles.

Health and Healing: Kids Operating Room - Kids Operating Room strives for a world where every child has access to safe surgery. More children die each year from surgically treatable conditions than from Malaria, HIV and TB combined.

Hunger and Poverty: Solidarités International - Solidarités International provides emergency aid for food, water, and shelter, helping disaster and conflict - affected communities regain self-sufficiency and sustainable livelihoods. 

Rising Star: Clinton Okechukwu, The R.E.T.I.N.A Initiative - The R.E.T.I.N.A Initiative is an acronym for Restoration of Eyecare Through Innovation and Awareness. It is a youth-led nonprofit organization committed to promoting primary eye care services through research, advocacy campaigns, outreach programs, trainings and sustainable eye care innovations that challenges systemic barriers to preventable blindness in underserved African communities.

(Posted October 21, 2024) To refer others to the post above only (and not the full Lowdown column) you can use this URL:
https://www.dnjournal.com/archive/lowdown/2024/dailyposts/1021.htm

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.ART Announces Winner of 2024 Digital Innovation in Art Award & Free International .ARTist Day Online Conference October 25th

It has been a busy week for the .ART domain registry. On Tuesday (October 15), .ART, in collaboration with GP Bullhound Allstars, announced that  ArtCentrica has been
awarded the prestigious Digital
Innovation in Art Award 2024. This year's award celebrates the
groundbreaking advancements at the intersection of technology and art, recognizing the profound contributions of ArtCentrica to the EdTech sector.

Based in Florence, Italy,  ArtCentrica is an innovative startup spin-off from Centrica, specializing in the development of an application that offers an engaging and interactive educational platform for art students and teachers. The platform provides access to over 8,000 high resolution artworks, revolutionizing the learning experience with tools that allow for deep exploration and analysis of masterpieces. ArtCentrica’s unique blend of digital technology, combined with their educational expertise, is transforming art education globally.

(Left to Right): .ART Founder Ulvi Kasimov, CEO of ArtCentrica and recipient of this year’s DIIA Award, Marco Cappellini, and Editor in Chief of Museum Magazine, Dean Phelus who presented the award.

ArtCentrica Co-Founder and CEO Marco Capellini said, "We are incredibly happy for this award! It is a recognition that ArtCentrica is at the forefront of digital innovation in the art industry, intertwined with the education sector, by addressing critical gaps in contemporary education through the integration of art by means of proprietary technologies and AI. .ART Registry Founder Ulvi Kasimov added, "We are incredibly proud to honor ArtCentrica for its commitment to bridging art and technology. Their innovation not only enhances art education but also exemplifies how technology can open new avenues for creative engagement." 

The 2024 Digital Innovation in Art Award was judged by an extraordinary panel of experts, combining insights from both the traditional and digital art worlds. This year’s jury included Deborah Howes, President of Howes Studio and former Director of Digital Learning at MoMA; Dean Phelus, Editor in Chief of Museum Magazine and Senior Director of Special Projects at AAM; Amir Soleymani, Founder of Mondoir gallery and digital art collector; Nik Honeysett, Executive Director of the Balboa Park Online Collaborative and former Director of Administration at the Getty Museum; Robert Latoś, CEO of Well of Art and 2023 Digital Innovation in Art Award winner; Codin Popescu, Co-founder and CEO at Artivive and 2023 Award winner; Anna Shvets, CEO of TAtchers’ Art Management and Founder of the Art Ambassadors Association; and Paul Nicks, Vice President of Domain Investors at GoDaddy.

The award was presented during the GP Bullhound Allstars gala event hosted at London’s HERE at Outernet venue, which brought together Europe’s technology and creative industries to celebrate innovation and achievement. ArtCentrica follows in the footsteps of previous winners like Artivive and Well of Art, both of whom have gone on to further innovation and success in their respective fields.

GoDaddy VP of Domain Investors Paul Nicks was part of the 8-member jury that selected the 2024 DIIA winner.

.ART wrapped up their busy week by announcing by announcing an interesting conference that will be held on Friday, October 25. In honor of International Artist Day, .ART Registry will host the International .ARTist Day Conference, a free, online event that will bring together some of the most innovative and inspiring voices in the global arts community. Since December 2023, .ART has been organizing “Meet the .ARTists” webinars, featuring discussions on topics such as artist residencies, art therapy, women in the arts, and more. This upcoming conference marks a special occasion to deepen the conversation and celebrate artists and their creativity.

The online conference will begin at 11AM ET/5PM CET on  October 25th and you can register to attend for free . The event will be streamed live, making it accessible to art enthusiasts, professionals, and the public worldwide. Attendees will have the opportunity to learn from and engage with a diverse group of speakers whose work bridges the artistic and public spheres. The live stream will include the opportunity for viewers to ask questions of the speakers shown in the photo below. You can get more information about each of them here. 

(Posted October 18, 2024) To refer others to the post above only (and not the full Lowdown column) you can use this URL:
https://www.dnjournal.com/archive/lowdown/2024/dailyposts/1018.htm

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Helmuts Meskonis Acquires ConsultDomain.de For His Expanding Portfolio of International Domain Name Forums

Serial entrepreneur Helmuts Meskonis, the Founder of No Stress Limited (the UK-based parent company of HostMaria.com and London's Domain Summit conference), expanded his Internet holdings by purchasing long established domain forums DNForum.com and AcornDomains.co.uk last year. A key reason Meskonis wanted the forums was to help promote his rapidly growing Domain Summit that just finished another successful run in August. He obviously likes what he saw in the forum space because he just acquired another one, ConsultDomain.de, once an iconic German online community but one that has been dormant for several years now.

With the explosion of industry blogs, podcasts and news sites in recent years, ConsultDomain lost ground in what became a very tough battle for eyeballs. Still, Meskonis believes he can reinvent the site, a belief that led him to spend most of the past year trying to buy the forum and finally succeeding at an undisclosed price. Helmuts noted, "For those unfamiliar with it, ConsultDomain.de has a storied history, originally launched in the early 2000s. The forum was powered by vBulletin before its closure in 2019, boasting impressive statistics: 68,631 topics, 378,408 posts, and a community of 7,087 users at its peak. Its legacy as one of the oldest domain investing forums in the world cannot be overstated, second only to DNForum, which also debuted in 2001."

 

Helmuts Meskonis

Helmuts said, "We plan to revive the forum by migrating it from vBulletin to Xenforo, a top-tier forum engine alongside Invision. This transition aims to modernize the platform and enhance functionality and user experience for its community."

Above: A screenshot from ConsultDomain.de 

Helmuts shared some interesting background on what it took to finalize a deal for the forum. "The successful negotiation was significantly aided by industry veteran Frederick "Freddy" Schiwek," Meskonis said. " Freddy's extensive experience, including the recent sale of LuxHosting, Hosting.co.uk and MonsterHost to World Host Group, has made him a valuable ally in my quest. His background in domain management and sales provided essential advice and support throughout the acquisition process."

Above: Helmuts Meskonis (far left) and Freddy Schiwek (3rd from left) on a visit
 to the Certum booth at Cloudfest 2024 last March in Rust, Germany.

To secure funding for the forum's revival, Helmuts frequently traveled over the past year in search of potential advertisers for ConsultDomain, contacting many German and global domain name industry companies. His efforts paid off when he gained financial backing from Andrei Insarov, founder of it.com Domains, who recognized Helmuts' passion for restoring the forum and and its place as a vibrant community for the one of the industry's most important regions.

In addition to the ConsultDomain acquisition and ownership of the afore mentioned AcornDomains.co.uk and DNForum.com, Helmuts took another step in the same direction when he recently launched DomaineForum.fr for the French community, demonstrating his dedication to fostering domain name discussions across Europe. Helmuts views this as completing a logical circle of ownership of forums in the top three countries by population in "old Europe": Germany (83 million), the UK (67 million), and France (64 million).

In closing Helmuts declared, "This is just the beginning. Stay tuned and expect the unexpected!”

Image from Bigstock

(Posted Oct. 14, 2024) To refer others to the post above only (and not the full Lowdown column) you can use this URL:
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DomainEasy Launches an Ambitious Platform That Offers a New Option for Fans of Departing DAN.com 

With GoDaddy acquiring innovative domain sales platform DAN.com and merging it into their own Afternic.com, buyers and sellers saw one of their favorite venues go away, however new options are already starting to surface. One of the most promising among those, DomainEasy.com, has just launched. Founded by industry veteran Sam Dennis, DomainEasy will draw immediate attention with their 0% commission rate for sellers but that is just part of a comprehensive suite of features and services the start-up is offering.

DomainEasy was built to serve sellers, buyers and brokers in one convenient location. When asked what will make DomainEasy a better choice than other options, we received a breakdown on what that they are offering to each of those users groups, as shown below:

Sellers: 
With 0% commission on direct sales (only processing fees apply), you get to keep more of your profits. DomainEasy also provides flexibility in pricing models, allowing sellers to set fixed prices or offer Lease to Own options, giving buyers the ability to pay over time.

Our Inbound Lead Management System simplifies how you handle potential buyers. With customizable templates for inquiries and the ability to respond via email, you can quickly engage leads without spending extra time. Plus, our AI 

DomainEasy Founder Sam Dennis

powered lead scoring helps you focus on the most promising opportunities. For sellers managing large portfolios, our bulk upload and domain management tools take the hassle out of organizing and maintaining your inventory. You can also assign brokers for additional help, giving you full control and flexibility over how you sell your domains.

Screenshot from seller options. Click image to see larger version.

Buyers:
At DomainEasy, we provide a seamless buying experience designed to give you flexibility and peace of mind. Whether you're ready to purchase a domain instantly with our Buy It Now option, or prefer to spread out payments through Lease to Own, we’ve got you covered. You can also negotiate directly with sellers through our Make an Offer feature to explore potential deals. We prioritize secure transactions, offering payment options through major credit cards, wire transfers, and trusted escrow services like Escrow.com. With zero commission fees for buyers, the price you see is the price you pay. Our Guided Checkout and Transfer service ensures that your purchase is handled by domain experts from start to finish, guaranteeing a smooth transaction and timely transfer of your new domain. DomainEasy takes the stress out of acquiring your next domain by making the entire process simple and secure.

Brokers:
DomainEasy is designed to give brokers full control over their business. Whether you are building your brokerage or managing multiple sellers, we make it easy to offer valuable services to clients and close deals faster. Brokers can set custom commission rates to attract new business, ensuring competitive pricing while staying profitable. With direct communication with both sellers and buyers, brokers can efficiently negotiate and close deals. Our platform takes care of the tech, allowing brokers to focus on growing their business. DomainEasy supports full team collaboration for brokerages, enabling your entire team to manage domains, track leads, quotes, and offers, all from one place. With tools to track offers and manage inbound leads, brokers can ensure they are providing value to sellers while expediting sales, increasing earnings, and building trust with their clients. 

Having been given a pre-launch tour of the DomainEasy website I can tell you I was impressed with the interface and how easy it is to accomplish the various tasks you want to get done, regardless of your role in the domain aftermarket. With the site now live, you can check it out for yourself and see how it works for you. In this Beta stage, I'm sure that Sam and his team would also love to hear any feedback you might have on how anything could be improved and suggestions on other features you would like to see.   

(Posted Oct. 9, 2024) To refer others to the post above only (and not the full Lowdown column) you can use this URL:
https://www.dnjournal.com/archive/lowdown/2024/dailyposts/1009.htm

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