Many years ago a gentleman said to me, “Raymond I have never seen an industry with so much hero worship, an industry actually devoid of any real heroes” In the wake of the Adam Dicker scandal I think it is important for the industry going forward to focus more on facts, figures and transparency than on hyperbole.
In every industry the public loves to build people up and then take them down at the first sign of weakness or hint of scandal. Domaining is ripe for hero worship or hyperbolic praise because so many come into the business thinking it is easy money. When people see or hear that someone is doing well they are naturally drawn to that person.
You do have to do your own research both on the industry and the people that you see being placed on a pedestal either by the community or by their own self promotion. Sometimes the accolades get to a level that is not fitting of the task. Domaining is not some God given ability that certain athletes or musicians have been blessed with, it is not something only a select few can do, many people have sold a domain name for a profit, some of them don’t even know there is an industry dedicated to the buying and selling of domain names.
If you take the time to learn, and use your own experiences you can find a modicum of success in the business. How hard you want to work and how much time you can put it will be major factors in reaching whatever goals you have for yourself.
The industry will have to look at how it handles claims by celebrity domainers moving forward. If there are five people speaking on a panel at a domain conference and one makes what seems like outrageous claims, will someone call bullshit ? It is not really what a conference organizer wants, it is not ideal to have their speakers arguing in front of the audience.
One possible solution is to get some kind of idea how speakers will present themselves, what kind of claims will they make ? Can they verify those claims to the conference organizer ?
Some have asked why didn’t others at venues like T.R.A.F.F.I.C. or Namescon call Adam Dicker out on some of his claims ? I will say I understand the logic behind that question but it is tricky. As I have written about before, not everyone knows everyone intimately. Big domainers may share a purchase or sale with one another but they are not disclosing their finances in detail.
So if someone says my portfolio is worth $200 million or I have a website making $50,000 a month, it is a slippery slope for people with no first hand knowledge to call someone out. There are people making $50,000 a month out there, the question is does the person speaking at the conference actually make that ? Maybe organizers are going to have to require certain data, this may cause some legit and not legit to pass on speaking, but maybe the extra hassle is worth it, right now organizations that certainly have spent a lot of time and effort are having their integrity questioned by their association with having Adam Dicker speak at their events.
For those that are not part of the domaining inner circle as some like to call it, speak out when you have a problem, you can use the Namepros warning and alerts section, you don’t need to use your real name to ask a question. Everything is not going to get as much attention as we would all like, but if you have legitimately been ripped off, contact someone, it does work. Look at the work people like Theo Develegas do when someone reports a stolen domain, that gets out in the community, on the forums. So when you speak up with a specific claim it will get noticed. General statements without proof will not get that same level of attention, so be specific in your claim.
There are a lot of good people in the industry and when listening to anyone speak be leery of those that claim nothing they say can be proved due to NDA’s or other secret relationships. Not one sale ? Not the name of any one real satisfied customer ? Focus on those that can show you how they make the secret sauce.
Excellent post.
I think parking companies need to boycott this person until they pay their victims, service providers need to use their TOS to suspend this person until he pays.
I read thru the thread, and he promised to work with these people, and some people ran their sites thru copyscape, and found serious issues, others found their cpanels had been logged in, and wiped.
DNFORUM reporting XXXXXX new signups, and using those ad rates to charge sponsors, more refunds owed.
The BIG GUYS in the industry need the small fish that were burned to support their eco system.
It is not exactly what has gone on, but how it was promised to be rectified, then bait, and switch.
Most people are miffed how the biggest threat got paid off first, which is justified since they were owed, but people without a voice, are being ignored.
I recommend if you have a claim, do a paypal dispute, contact paypal to scan for new, or similar emails linked to that account.
RipOffReport has some activity already
Make hard copies of your evidence, and break it down
I don’t think any company or person will never associate with this person again, he will never be able to show his face at a conference.
He was out to lunch in claiming his portfolio was worth $200M, he purchased many .ca in auction, and that market is not exactly lighting it up in the sales front. DCG.com, and RAMS.com should be sold to pay off people with legit claims.
Otherwise this sounds a lot like Toby Clements, keep the heat on, keep the pressure on, this party resides in Richmond Hill, ON, small claims court does process up to $25K in judgements, cheap to file.
I am sure if he still owns those 2 domains, he has the means to pay, he is not doing anyone justice by ignoring all these people.
Good luck to all, hopefully justice will prevail.
Very true when people know the domains you own are valuable it is easy to see how a few sales can take care of the situation.
A parking company would have no legal basis to do that.
That is correct, they would not be in the position to do that.
Any business can refuse your business for the most part, on moral, and ethical risk.
Many coffee shops do it, etc…
Banks do it all the time, prefectly legal business, but if a company that treads on shallow water they do not approve up they have every right to refuse their business.
Yeah there are no coffee shops doing that start naming them ? because somebody could easily claim discrimination but the point that you’re overlooking is no parking company has any proof from anybody making a claim to them so again you’re wrong! Sedo cannot withhold paying Adam dicker because some people are saying Adam Dicker owes them money.
Roger don’t be so quick to lay judgement, you don’t know everything
Google
Starbucks bans man who defended handicapped parking
Parking companies do not want to do business with people who may try click fraud, or other traffic violations, there is not one type of allegation, there are several.
Nobody wants to be in business with someone who is tainted.
It is their right, they receive goodwill from doing so.
How fitting, the acronym for the “Domaining Inner Circle” is DIC….And people wonder, why doesn’t domaining grow?……..Evil succeeds when good people stand by and do nothing…
There are many of us in this industry that are talking about this story. I have read the entire conversation at DomainPros and was also angered to hear my private broker had a similar experience.
Over the last ten years my brother David and I have spoken at many domain conventions because we wanted to further the industry on the successes we learned over the last twenty years.
The problem of mistrust we are now seeing is not just in our industry but is happening across this country and around the globe. Trust is something that is paramount in relationships regarding long term success. It is a virtue and one of the principles that is needed in order to keep ourselves and communities from declining into chaos.
I felt so strongly about it that when I sold Whisky.com last year, I intended to make public the transactions, contracts and communications associated with the sale. Ron Jackson was someone that verified the sale and subsequently wrote an article about it. Ron Jackson is a leader in this industry and has the trustability deserving of someone that looks out for all of us before promoting it. Sonetimes that takes a little longer in this fast paced world.
http://www.dnjournal.com/cover/2014/february.htm
There are many others that likewise work to help others and we should not lose sight of that. Let’s not let this current story change the years and efforts that we have all worked to build this small but constructive industry.
Continue to ask questions but verify, verify, verify, before parting with your money.
It’s name pros not domain pros but I’m sure you’re not on there often. Ron Jackson is a great guy but some people criticize him for never writing a negative story there are plenty of people that get on him about that what do you say to that Michael ? thank you for your time and your effort.
It think it’s genetics with Ron. His mother has never said a bad thing about anyone in 93 years.
Ron writes about the positive stories in our industry. I do remember him covering the story regarding Chef Patrick which was not a “feel good” story by any means.
http://www.dnjournal.com/archive/lowdown/2011/dailyposts/20110317.htm
Ron tries the see the good and positive in everything. His style is to accentuate the positive. Thanks
Chef Patrick story came out because his FL buddies were implicated in it.
Yes Michael means Namepros not DomainPros
Michael – The “domain insiders” have created division instead of unity with “non-insiders”. (Similar to US politics as a parallel)…This has happened by the good domain insiders continuously promoting the bad insiders. It should not come to a point where non-insiders become proactive to establish the bad insiders…….. You seem like a very good guy (your brother too), I can only hope that you good insiders become more proactive in the future, too protect the good non-insiders….The good non-insiders are majority, yet remain oppressed by the insiders (another political parallel 🙂 )……Best to you Michael….
You may have come up with a great new panel for Namescon Raymond. “I call bullshit” That would have been funny to see the ole domain king do that to Dicker at traffic a few years ago.
No matter how fast lighning can be, in a second thunder will strike past and sink deep deep on ground.
Yes! The nemesis of Adam has catvhup with him and no amount of reparation can correct his reputation.
If truelly he has not sell those two domains; they should be sold and pay compensation to people he cheated.But this is very very painful as it is. Cheers.
Great post. I agree. Always look into the people who everyone regards as “the gurus”. I’ve been around the internet for a while and seen stuff like this occur countless times.
Thanks for the article.
-Omar
The worst part of it was Domain Sherpa show was the best venue to find willing participants, and to use Cyger’s trust like this is really low.
Where do you think these newbies were coming from, the leaked sherpa email, Cyger should have pulled all Niche Websites content sooner, as the show was still advertising such sponsors.
The Cord Bank spiel, where he wanted managers in every region cold calling offices, was a total sham, blah blah I made this much, then why are you taking $500 from mom & pops to give them $50 templates, with cut and paste info?
There are a lot people watching Michael Castello but they are doing nothing. Where are,
Elliot Silver
Ron Jackson
Michael Berkens
Rick Schwartz
Michael Cyger did he give back the nichewebsites ad revenue ?
Austin I don’t know that any of those people knew anything except Cyger, I say that because of the leaked conversation that Shane Bellone posted. I don’t think Cyger was in on it though. Mike Berkens I work with he is not following what Adam Dicker does.
Elliot is to passive, he will never comment or give details, just generalizations.
Rich is retired, and needs not concern himself with this dickhead
Ron Jackson only does Hallmark moments
Berkens who was his costar on sherpa, usually does everything to do with domaining, but I guess he was giving this dickhead a chance to make good
@Ryan – You are more than welcome to start your own blog, and then you can report and blog any and everything that meets up to your ‘standards’ of what should be reported or written, and thus not be let down by what others are or aren’t writing about.
Thanks Kevin errr Adam
Kevin is the owner of DotWhatever.com and is in no way related to Adam Dicker.
All I know is an honest man has nothing to fear.
DotWhatever never heard of it
Kevin – C’mon man!….Don’t discredit Ryan’s opinion because he is not a blogger….Your comment is an example of the insiders trying to control the outsiders…Though your wording is not harsh, it does come off as very condescending.
@ryan who mentioned anything about an honest man Kevin told you to start your own blog and do your own commentary.
@Yeah there are no coffee shops doing that start naming them ?
Oh That Roger
@Anybody,
“I have never seen an industry with so much hero worship, an industry actually devoid of any real heroes”
Hallelujah! Somebody other than just me said it.
Yet even in the comments here, people are talking about “big guys” versus “small fish” or hoping that the “good insiders become more proactive [to] protect the good non-insiders”.
Why accept that mental picture? Don’t! Don’t be duped into dividing the domain industry into big domainers and little domainers, drawing some artificial line between insiders and outsiders.
If you cast yourself in the role of a “little fish” or an outsider, then you’ll go looking for heroic big fish to tag along with and expect bloggers to protect you. You’ll be helpless, easily manipulated. You’ll surrender control of your own destiny and overlook your own ability to figure things out.
What’s a “big domainer”? Sure, some people are rich and own lots of domains. They may or may not be influential. Possibly they know a thing or 2. But that doesn’t affect you, your domains, your decisions. Many of the richest domainers simply arrived early; and I meet newer, less financially successful domainers every day who have a better sense of the contemporary industry than some of the “big guys” do, simply because the “little fish” are motivated to pay attention today after the “big fish” have succeeded and stopped.
Refuse to accept any division between “big” and “small” players in this industry. It’s only partially true, and it inhibits more than it helps.
…
A lot of domainers are bashing major bloggers, saying they ought to be more critical and shine a spotlight on negative stories like this one.
Listen, I understand the frustration. Writing critical pieces has been an uphill battle for me, and periodically I get attacked for doing so by people with financial interests or loyalties on the injured side.
The thing is, while it’s important for the industry to have critical voices, no individual person should be faulted for remaining neutral or positive. Every human being has a different personality. Some of us are confrontational enough to condemn behavior on Day 1; some prejudiced enough to damn someone on Day -1; others are politic or kind-hearted enough to remain diplomatic or optimistic till Day 100. Everybody makes up his or her own mind about some controversy in a different way AND at a different speed. That’s not just fine. That’s vital.
Ron Jackson has done this industry a great service by publishing DNJournal as a positive, reputable showcase for sales and success stories. It seems to me that the DNJournal “brand” or “mandate” is to be truthful but also encouraging. When I tell prospective buyers to go look at DNJournal, I want them to take a walk on the sunny side of the street. I don’t want them running across dismaying stories of fraud! Do you?
I want those stories published, but I want them to appear elsewhere. Domain blogs all serve a different function. Call it “division of labor”; call it “separation of powers”; but don’t blame a screwdriver for not being a hammer.
To some extent, DomainSherpa has been in the same boat as DNJournal. Michael Cyger’s “mandate” wasn’t investigative journalism; it was to find success stories. Where that mission succeeded, we’re all fans of the show. Where it didn’t, well … Everybody needs someone looking over his shoulder. If Adam Dicker got away with claims that weren’t adequately fact-checked on DomainSherpa, then it’s foolish to blame only the show. Where were the critical thinkers among all those viewers, after all?
Any writer’s decision whether, when, and how to write about this Adam Dicker scandal is a personal decision; and it’s a grey area. Personally, I wanted it covered at a mainstream venue. DNW is the sort of venue where investigative journalism fits the “brand” / “mandate” – not the only such venue, by any means, but the 1 where I happen to write. So I notified Andrew Allemann, vouching for the story’s kernel of credibility (based on my own interactions with Adam Dicker). Andrew decided to cover the scandal early on when the facts were still a bit murky. He took a risk, and I’m sure he thought long and hard about what to do. Had he waited to see how things played out, that would have been prudent; but I’m glad he didn’t.
At the same time, I definitely don’t fault Michael Berkens and others for waiting. Berkens especially had a tough call. Censuring a fellow panelist might have been perceived as having ulterior motives. He and Adam might appear side by side again; so best not to be hasty. The facts weren’t at all clear, and it seemed fair to many people to stand back and allow Adam to make good on his debts. Frankly, the NamePros thread itself (where the story broke) is tedious, long, and nasty. So anybody can be forgiven for preferring not to get involved.
Bloggers have been expressing reactions about the Adam Dicker scandal gradually. Raymond Hackney has drawn some of the best conclusions. Theo Develegas (at Acro.net) expressed his own personal sense of things today, I believe – and in quite a thoughtful way.
We don’t need every blog to publish the same stories. We don’t even need every blog to publish negative stories at all. God forbid we all react in the same way at the same time! Isn’t that how people got sucked in to this mess in the first place?
Joseph – How do you really feel? 🙂
My thoughts exactly. Joseph I think it’s about time to fire up your own blog. I think you would do really well with it.
To be honest the term “wolves in sheep’s clothing” seems to cover most these so called heroes, let’s just say … spindoctors.domains is available to register
I was one that was taken by Adam. I’ve been domaining for quite a few years now. Far from being a newbie.
I find it interesting that “Big Fish” (if you will) are warning “little fish” to fact check, check the people you are doing business with. etc. Yet these are the very people that invited Adam in to speak, do videos, receive awards. Why didn’t you fact check? Anyone would have trusted Adam based on all the hype and media the “Big Fish” gave him.
Hats off to Shane Bellone for coming forward and bringing this unfortunate situation to light.
That’s actually not true, the people that run names con traffic and the domain conference aren’t telling anyone to fact check they are the people that run conferences they haven’t told anyone anything about Adam Dicker so actually you’re wrong
Rodger,
How do you know? Did you talk to all of them? I’ve seen posts by some pretty influential in domain biz on a few of these threads now. And glad that they are speaking up now.
My point was the people that you referenced as inviting him to talk at their conferences those people haven’t spoken. Rick Schwartz just retired Howard Neu hasn’t made a comment and Richard Lau and Jothan Frakes run namescon they haven’t made a comment. those are the big fish that run conferences.
Please explain how this deceptive party won developer of the year at some vague domain conference?
It is clear the sites are built on cheap reused templates, no original content, over very poorly written content?
Two weeks later this person shuts down the development company of the year?
Many people complaining of lack of work, or quality, is this Enron of the domain world, is this all a self egoed bubble shelling out thousands to attend such conferences to stroke each other’s egos?
Adam ducker reminds me of the character from revenge of the nerds, so where’s Waldo hiding?
Back to square 1 with this guy, send your process servers to Namescon, get it con
just wanna give a shout out to Raymond for mentioning this issue.
roar!
somebody could easily claim discrimination but the point that you’re overlooking is no parking company has any proof from anybody making a claim
anybody want a wager? I say Dicker don’t show up to namescon
$20
Stacy