Why I Joined DNAcademy

New readers to the blog: Welcome! Please read What is this Blog About. It explains how I am an experienced ccTLD domainer, but completely new to .com domain investing. You may also like to read about My Domain Investing Journey So Far.

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What is DNAcademy?

DNAcademy is a online course where people can learn how to become successful domain name investors. The course is also billed as a way for corporate executives to learn about premium domain names, and how they can use them to benefit their organizations.

Michael Cyger who founded the informational site DomainSherpa.com (now sold) is the creator of the DNAcademy course. Through conducting hundreds of interviews with all the movers and shakers in the domain name industry, Michael has built up a vast knowledge in all facets of the Domain Name industry.

DomainSherpa started because Michael was trying to learn about the world of domain name investing. He started as a complete newbie to the industry, but over the years of producing the show, he became a trusted industry figure in his own right. His work with Domain Sherpa has helped thousands of people learn more about Domain names.

Anyone who has watched Michael conduct a Domain Sherpa interview will know that he has a very thorough approach and leaves no viewer behind. If a concept starts to get complex, he stops and asks the expert to break it down, so even the layperson can understand it.

Michael goes very deep into the details, and gets the expert to share crucial information that I’m sure not many of them had planned on sharing. So many times I have been listening to a show and while a topic was being discussed, I thought to myself “but why did they do it that way” and Michael somehow chimes in with the exact same question of to the expert.

So Michael Cyger is the perfect person to create the ultimate domain name course. He has a skill of breaking down complicated concepts to easy to understand pieces. The DN Academy course is the culmination of his acquired knowledge, research and his personal experience growing from scratch to become a successful domain name investor.

So Why Take a Course if You Are Already Experienced?

As I have covered in previous posts, I am a successful domain name investor already, however my experience has been solely in the ccTLD domain extension of “.co.nz” in New Zealand.

The Domain Sherpa show primarily discusses the largest domain market: .com. I have been a Domain Sherpa viewer since 2011, and I have been absorbing knowledge about the domain industry in general ever since then.

The general concepts around domain names are universal: They are essential for branding, they have a value, and good ones are becoming harder to obtain. However each niche in the domain name industry requires a new skill set. I have mastered the .co.nz niche, but I have no experience in .com investing.

While I understand the general concepts around what makes a domain valuable, and how to sell a domain name – I don’t know the specifics of .com valuations. There are a lot of ways to approach .com investing, a lot of marketplaces, and a lot of pitfalls to watch out for including US trademarks.

When I will be investing thousands of dollars into acquiring .com domain names each year, any extra insight I can get will save me thousands.

I have known about the course for a couple of years. When I finally decided to start investing in .com domains in August 2018, I joined the course within a few days.

With so many new areas to learn about I thought, why not go straight to the source, and learn from the teacher I have already been learning from for so many years. I am already very glad I did.

How is the Course Going?

I paid for it, so why not take the thing from the very beginning! So I have gone back to school as it were, and it has been great. In the first beginner quiz, I only ended up getting 86% the first time round. Proof that everyone, no matter what level you are at, can benefit from a refresher.

I am currently part way through the course, and it is so well done. Everything is broken down step by step in super logical order. My Mother could go through this course and become a domain name investor – that’s how thorough the course has been so far!

I have also skipped ahead to check out some sections towards the end of the course. I’ve already learned a negotiation technique I know will save me thousands over the next few years! My investment in the course has already paid for itself.

The Course is a Great Way to Fast Track Your Learning About Domain Names

The Domain Sherpa shows are a very useful resource in the domain name industry. However the knowledge is spread out across hundreds of interviews. I love the interview format, however for a beginner there hasn’t been a structured way to learn everything you need to be a successful domain name investor.

There are hundreds of courses around real estate investing, and stock market investing – but none about domain name investing. This course is designed to take a complete newbie to an educated domain name investor, without the years of trial and error.

Sure you can do your own research, read articles, and make your own costly mistakes –  but when there is a complete course available you would be silly not to utilise it.

When you start out in domaining, you buy a whole bunch of domain names you *think* are valuable. This course explains exactly why some domains are valuable, and some are never going to make you anything. I’m cringing at the hundreds of domains I’ve purchased (and dropped) that I thought were great at the time. If I had this course, I would have saved all that time and money.

For anyone new to the potential of investing in Domain names, this course should be at the top of your list. Perhaps I will sign my mother up, so she can understand what the hell I am talking about when I talk to her about what I do with domain names!

I will keep you posted with my progress through the course…

(As a student, I’m happy to answer any questions about the course too. Comment below, tweet me, or send me an email via the contact form.)

You can learn more about the course at DNAcademy.com