[...] In April, news came out that Rob Monster, who headed the venture fund Monster Venture Partners, had shut down the fund and needed to cut costs on all the startups he was funding as a result. This lead to an awkward situation which left me in a limbo, with no income, and no significant [...]

[...] Rob Monster announced he was closing his venture capital shop, he wrote that he was working on a new company that could change domaining: We are building a Web [...]

Thanks Rob, for your detailed response and request for advice. You have all the manifestations of a secure businessman who knows how to listen without taking things personally. (Like I have to say this… such impudence on my part. I apologize sincerely…)

Andrew (*better known as “DUB-A), let us know when your first hip hop album is coming out. I expect to see such songs as:

“Domain Insane”
“Hear It Here First, Muthas!”
“Be Watching U”
“Jumpin’ Off Wit Da Big Domain Money”
“Me Gat Wants Ta Stop Dat Redheaded Viking Gangsta From Writing Long Speak”

I will produce it if you’re you’re not yet represented, yo.

(I know nothing about rap/hip hop, hate it all, except anything by Snoop Dog – whose countenance just looks cool)

Much Success To Everyone! Trust me, great things are coming for domainers… stay the course, read up, and support all those who are supportive of all of us.

Thanks for the kind wishes.

I am really enthusiastic for the domainers of the world. The drop in parking monetization is a temporary blip in the economic equation of being a domainer. Domain development is indeed a growth engine but this means different things to different people.

I think you will find that Epik, as an operating company, can bring more to the table than a quasi-VC that is also investing in areas outside of the domain world.

I think you will also find that there is a network effect that domainers are not yet tapping into effectively. Semantic mapping of domains is a missed opportunity. Single-sign-on is another missed opportunity. Epik intends to address both gaps, while also exploring how to make greater user of community-edited content.

As for my commitment to the domain world, it is actually at an all-time high. For perspective, when I left the day-to-day of running Global Market Insite (GMI), we had 7 years of 100+% annual revenue growth. I then spent 2 weeks on the beach, during which I vowed (mostly to my wife) not to jump into any one thing too quickly. The decision to start a venture/angel fund was a good way to test the water on what to work on next. Sure, I could have timed the angel investments better, but that’s water under the bridge. Thankfully, I did not use other people’s money, and moreover all of the investments are still operating and there is no mark-to-market accounting for personal angel investments. In other words, it is still too early to draw any conclusions other than that I have more gray hair than I did 2 years ago.

I look forward to being a part of what comes next for the domain industry. To date, I have not referred myself as a domainer. Today I say to you “Ich bin ein … Domainer. ”

If anyone thinks I can run our properties better, or that I am otherwise missing the boat on something, I would love to hear from you. And by all means, tell me when I am screwing up. My direct email is rob@epik.com.

Thanks again for letting me part of this community. And Dub-A, keep up the good work!

“Dear Mr. Monster,

Even mentioning this guy from Wanna-derail.com, errr. wanttodevelop is a mistake, because nobody in this industry gives a flying FCK what this wannabee says. Let’s say that even discussing him further is…ho hum

Truth be told, the domain industry has admired your courage and insight in investing in domains, and we will continue to consider your work in the future.

Good luck with your endeavors. We are rooting for your success,

cheers,

THE WHOLE DOMAINER COMMUNITY”