He bought a .us for his clothing business because the .com was taken. Paying a premium for the .com later opened a whole new business. 💡
At DomainX, I sat down with domain investor and entrepreneur Deepak Ramani and my friend, Indian domain investor Aishwin Vikhona, to talk domaining. 🎙️
📊 In this episode, we unpacked:
- 🌐 How a .us mistake started it all
- 🧠 Gut feeling vs research
- 🔤 The three-letter .co bet
- 📦 Why domains beat warehouses
- ✈️ Domaining as a ticket to travel
🎥 Watch the full episode:
🌐 How a .us Mistake Started It All
Deepak got into domaining accidentally, about three years earlier. Living in the US, he registered a .us on GoDaddy for his clothing business because the .com wasn’t available. 🌐
Every time he gave his email, he had to stress “.us, not .com”. Years later he typed the .com into a browser, filled in a landing page, got a call within hours, and paid a premium for it. That’s when he realized how big the domain market was. 💡
He bought plenty of junk at first. Nobody taught him; he learned by buying. 📚
🧠 Gut Feeling vs Research
Deepak loves creative names and buys on gut feeling: give him a name and he’ll tell you whether to buy it. 🧠
He says Aishwin does it “the right way”: researching, breaking down and analyzing names, with a stronger technical background and a better understanding of trends. When they meet, they compare what they’ve bought and sold and where the market is heading. For more on domain investing, read Manmeet Pal Singh’s domain investing tips. 🔗
🔤 The Three-Letter .co Bet
Aishwin shared that Deepak spotted a market in three-letter .co domains before most people and registered around 500–1,000 of them. 🔤
A few months later, Chinese buyers rushed in and offers poured in, but Deepak chose to hold for the long run. These cost up to about $40 a year to renew, versus $8–10 for a regular .com. He also owns one-word .com names, one bought through a broker after negotiation. For another big domain bet, read Jon Yau’s $250K domain story. 🔗
📦 Why Domains Beat Warehouses
Clothing is still Deepak’s full-time business, but he likes that domaining needs no warehouse. 📦
He has always run product businesses, and domains are intellectual property instead. If you understand what to buy and what not to buy, it’s a great business. For the legal side, read Zak Muscovitch on UDRP and domain leasing. 🔗
✈️ Domaining as a Ticket to Travel
Domaining takes Deepak around the world: Macau, Florida, Vegas, and India, which he visits only about once every five years, this time because of DomainX. ✈️
He meets smart, tech-savvy people, unlike the more glamorous crowd in clothing. Aishwin remembered them talking ideas until after midnight at Port Authority in Times Square in the freezing cold. 💬
📝 Key Takeaways From the Deepak Ramani & Aishwin Vikhona Interview
- 💡 A costly domain purchase can reveal a market
- 📚 Many domainers learn by buying, including junk
- 🧠 Gut feeling works, but research is the more reliable way
- 🔤 Spotting trends early can pay off
- 📦 Domains are intellectual property with no warehouse needed
❓ FAQs About Deepak Ramani and Aishwin Vikhona
How did Deepak Ramani get into domaining?
He paid a premium for the .com of his clothing business after starting on a .us, and realized how big the domain market was.
What are three-letter .co domains?
Short .co domains with three letters. Deepak registered hundreds before demand from Chinese buyers grew.
How do Deepak and Aishwin choose domains?
Deepak goes by gut feeling and love of names, while Aishwin researches and analyzes each name.
🎙️ More Inside A Hustler’s Brain Interviews You’ll Love
- Interview With Ron Jackson Owner of DNjournal.com at DomainX Bangalore 2015
- Interview with Arvind Reddy Big Time Domainer at DomainX 2015
- Brian Michitti Sedo Domain Broker Interview at Domainfest 2015
- Monte Cahn Shares His Domaining Experience at Domainfest 2015
Gut feeling or research: how do you pick domains? Share this with a domainer. 💬
🔔 Subscribe & Follow Jitendra Vaswani Everywhere
🎧 Subscribe to Inside A Hustler’s Brain on YouTube and Follow Jitendra Vaswani on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram, everywhere. 🙌
Jitendra Vaswani is a well-known expert in SEO and AI-driven digital marketing. He has spoken at international events and founded Digiexe, a digital marketing agency, and AffiliateBooster, WordPress plugin designed specifically for affiliate marketers. With over 10 years of experience, Jitendra has helped many businesses succeed online. His bestselling book, Inside A Hustler’s Brain: In Pursuit of Financial Freedom, with over 20,000 copies sold globally, underscores his influence and commitment to empowering digital marketers.