The End of an Era……The Start of an Era…..Part 2

Morning Folks!!


Every so often we hit a 'Crossroads in life'. A point where we make major changes and major decisions. For some change and decision are 2 of the hardest things. Those things do not come easy. Do not come without a lot of thought.


In January I will attend a domain show for the first time as
an attendee. The first time I can go to TRAFFIC with my wife and have no other
responsibility other than to make money and make deals. Something I seldom can
do when running a show.


So for the first time I will come to TRAFFIC in Las Vegas
and I look forward to a week of fun and enjoyment. I am excited to see what
Rick Latona and his team will present.
Younger, hipper and in tune with the needs of 30 something’s.


The Hard Rock is a great venue.
Younger, hipper and in tune with the needs of 30 something’s. lol But seriously, I look forward to seeing
TRAFFIC from the other side. Another side.


Many things will be different, but
many things will remain the same. Either way, it will add a new dimension, a
new signature. Something fresh and
different. And I am excited to see their vision as I know many of you are. You will have new faces that greet you
when you register and a new experience based on a solid formula.


So with this post, I ride into the
sunset for the first time since 2004. I am going to enjoy the year off. No schedules to put together, no panels
to assemble, no thinking all day and all night how we are going to make the
next show the best show.


Lots goes on to put on a show. Do you think it is easy to
pay $96/gallon for HOT WATER in New York?? It kills me, but we have little choice.
Coffee is even more! The opening night cocktail party costs over $200 per
person. Yup, you heard me right. $200 a pop. One person. Then add Breakfasts,
lunches, brunches, open bars, snacks,
food at registration. It is astronomical. So we went to the Big Apple.
We did what we needed to do 3 times. We paid the piper and have a series of
accomplishments.


On to South Beach next October. Costs are huge there too but
only $79/gallon for that hot water. Oh the save the day. So we are going to
restructure the pricing for South Beach TRAFFIC. Everyone benefits, everyone has to pay. That has always been
the premise behind TRAFFIC. That’s why I am such a prick about it. You expect
us to feed you and expect us to help your business move to the next level and we
are supposed to pay your way to get in the door? I don’t think so. Howard and I take great personal and
financial risks to put on these shows.
Our risk is much higher as we have nothing to sell and we do everything
First Class. At TRAFFIC, you gotta pay to play. Those that think TRAFFIC costs too much will never know how
much they lost by not coming and not investing in themselves. Not taking the
risk to move up to the next level. And to be blunt, it is not our job to reach
down and pull you up. We try, but the ultimate decision is yours.


So as I explained on stage at TRAFFIC in New York, we don’t
look to attract domainers that make $1000 a month. Sorry, these folks are
“Extras” from central casting. They don’t make you money, they COST you money
by wasting YOUR time with folks that can’t do a damn thing for you. Now I don’t
mean to insult or put down those that are on the ladder and make that
$1000/month. Keep going. I just believe it is not up to us to lower prices so
you can attend. Quite the contrary. I believe you need to raise your game and
take the risk. Step up to the plate. With our tiered pricing, everyone can
afford to come to TRAFFIC, you just need to take advantage of the early bird
specials we offer and plan ahead. That is the secret formula..


So as the Latona crew takes us to Las Vegas in January and
then around the world for the rest of 2010, I am hopeful that we are on the doorstep
of a great year with great things. Challenging as it may be, I think 2010 will
be the “Year of the Deal maker” As I stated early in 2009, make just ONE great
deal that you can look back to. In 2010, you need to make DOZENS of deals because the deals will be out there.


So I am coming to Las Vegas TRAFFIC with an agenda! An
agenda of deal making because for the first time ever, I won’t have the
responsibility to make sure the train runs and runs smooth and on time. My
“Conductors hat” gets passed to the Latona guys.


The bottom line, after 5 years…….we accomplished a lot. We
brought an industry together. We had too many “Firsts” to list. We made a
difference in the lives of a lot of people. That is a satisfying feeling. That
is something I will be proud of until the day I die. Our “Baby” is all grown up
and going out to see the world. Truth be told, that was a dream of mine a
decade ago.


6a00d83451f3f569e201157117758d970b-800wi.jpg


I wish Latona and the crew all the best. Take good care
of our “Baby”. I can’t tell you the amount of hours we put in over the years.
But it was a labor of love 24/7 and I did it with my best pal Howard and that
made all the difference in the world.


A big thanks to Howard and Barbara and Ray and of course
my wife Alina for always going the extra mile to make sure that TRAFFIC was
more than a trade show. It was and is and will remain a “Family show” No rules.
No corporate BS. No meetings to figure out the obvious. Just a motto that if
you do it right, it will come out right. Take no short cuts. Do everything
first class. Never be cheap. The best ingredients = the best result. Pretty simple stuff when your focus of life
is not about losing your job. When
the focus is actually accomplishing something and not afraid to fail. Fail in
front of everyone in the industry. Fail and then rise to achieve.


So thanks for a great 5 years! I sincerely hope that we have
made a difference for you and your family. That is how we measure success.


Have a GREAT Day!
Rick Schwartz




18 thoughts on “The End of an Era……The Start of an Era…..Part 2

  1. Richard Douglas

    Rick,
    I think it’s great that the $1995 ticket fee is a barrier for some.
    It makes the show a nice intimate get together with the leaders in the industry.
    Perfect.

    Reply
  2. Rob Grant

    Rick –
    Congratulations to you and Howard (and to all the family members behind the scene who worked so hard over the years). This is a wonderful legacy that helped define an emerging industry.

    Reply
  3. Andy Booth

    I agree, I have to say I’ll miss the setup with you guys behind the wheel, but I have no doubts Latona is going to do a brilliant job. Hope to see everyone in Las Vegas, New York was great.

    Reply
  4. anonymous

    This is the first time I have knocked anything you’ve said as I am one of the people who usually comments about your uncanny vision. But this is called for..
    Yes, you are worth about 9 figures and a business genius..but I will tell you what, maybe some of us don’t want to waste our time with you. I have heard the same crap over and over”boo hoo the main stream media and businesses don’t get it..boo hoo google payouts suck..” you’re right..but, you are already comfortable and own awesome assets. That being said, I haven’t heard anything new. No development ideas, no new platforms etc etc. Just sucking each others pricks for being business geniuses..
    onward and upward or just retire on a beach.
    That being said, I am a huge fan, am up and coming and have agreed with you on every financial prediction, diamonds vs. glass names etc..
    give it a rest though..there’s only so many times we can hear”this domain is awesome” then another visionary says yes it is! and it goes round and round..you know I’m right.
    Keep up the good work and stop hating on the up and comers..that was you once.

    Reply
  5. anonymous

    By the way, I was not complaining about the ticket price with that post (well worth it I’m sure), I was complaining about who you think are time wasters..i.e. someone who hasn’t made it big yet who is making money on names now.
    Thanks again for the previous great advice

    Reply
  6. wanda

    Nothing to do with Posted by: anonymous | November 01, 2009 at 03:07 PM just the rest it, including the empress wearing the new clothes.

    Reply
  7. anonymous

    Wanda,
    Should I have said things I do not think are true?”lot get”? wtf are you talking about?

    Reply
  8. wanda

    Posted by: anonymous | November 01, 2009 at 04:48 PM
    My comment was in no way related to your comment / post
    “Nothing to do with Posted by: anonymous | November 01, 2009 at 03:07 PM”

    Reply
  9. Soundly Reasoned

    “Sorry, these folks are “Extras” from central casting. They don’t make you money, they COST you money by wasting YOUR time with folks that can’t do a damn thing for you.” Rick
    “NOW I don’t MEAN to INSULT or PUT DOWN those that are on the ladder and make that $1000/month.” Rick
    That is exactly how that is taken by most!
    “…they COST you money by wasting YOUR time with folks that can’t do a damn thing for you.” Rick
    You’ve shown that TRAFFIC is/was nothing more than an effort to bolster those who are wealthy. At the same time through your marketing, blog, ICA among others you play it like you are there for everyone. You are not sir. You are nothing more than a traveling salesman who stumbled into porno domain names and made a living off of other peoples vises.
    You are a carpetbagger.

    Reply
  10. randomo

    Well, profit-wise I’m not far above those”Extras from central casting” YET, but I’ve invested the money to attend the last two NY TRAFFIC shows. It was money well spent, for the experience, the knowledge, and the contacts. I just hope the other attendees didn’t feel that a low-level domain flipper like me was wasting their time!

    Reply
  11. Rick Schwartz

    It is unfortunate that I spend so much time trying to help people move up that they just don’t get it. Some never will. MOST never will. That’s the point. I am not here to worry about hurt feelings. I am here to kick your asses in gear. So if you focus on the other stuff, you ARE a time waster. You miss opportunity after opportunity. We do reach down, but YOUR job is to reach up.
    Those that don’t reach up, I just have little time for. How simple is that? Bad attitudes and wasters of time. Just look at the anger in their words. How sad.
    And I post my name to my words. It is easy to say things when you are invisible. The arrows don’t go thru those that are invisible.
    The point is not about dollars, it is about attitude. There is no room for bad attitudes at TRAFFIC. PERIOD! No room for that crap in my day to day life. I don’t deal with folks with bad attitudes. I shun them like they have H1N1. No room for them. No reason to get INFECTED with negative and angry thoughts carried by people that can do you NO GOOD IN LIFE!. Too many great people there to babysit for folks that just don’t get LIFE! The hell with business. LIFE!
    So if that is offensive, it is meant to be that way if you take it that way. But others that have a desire to progress and a BURNING DESIRE to succeed will not take it that way.
    Hopefully that clarify’s my comments. Deal with it either way. It does not matter much to me. It could be a life changer for you. But those that lash out after this….are losers. Plain and simple. I don’t hang with losers. I want to be with winners. Don’t you? Don’t you want to be a winner?

    Reply
  12. Soundly Reasoned

    “The point is not about dollars, it is about attitude.” Rick
    Really? Then why don’t you base your qualification on ATTITUDE for attendees to acquire their tickets? Because it’s not. It’s always about money. If you can’t pay, don’t play. You’re trying to give life lessons here to the non inoculated but what YOU are REALLY about is the”Rick Juice”. I don’t drink or subscribe to that Cool-Aid.
    “We do reach down …” Rick
    How POMPOUS. How about reaching across the isle to your brethren instead of coming across as an elitist.
    “Just look at the anger in their words. How sad.” Rick
    Rick, then you must feel pretty distressed. I’m speaking the TRUTH and it’s upsetting to you. So be it. I’m not hear to coddle you.
    “So if that is offensive, it is meant to be that way if you take it that way.” Rick
    Most others will not see it through your rose colored viewpoint. You’ve become just like the ones you railed against so many years ago.
    “But those that lash out after this….are losers” Rick
    What? So don’t descent against Rick or he’ll call you a loser?
    I’d rather be a loser than a Shyster.
    “The arrows don’t go thru those that are invisible.” Rick
    It’s called a literary double. I use it when times call for SOUND REASONING to weed out blustering.

    Reply
  13. Brian

    I am cozy with $1,000 – $2,000 passive income. In the end – I’m happy. How many trips to you want? How many cars do you want? How much GREED do you desire?
    Maybe you should charge a $1,000 per month blog access fee so the low enders keep out.
    Just a personal note: Handing the Traffic show management over to Latonna is a joke for many reasons that is a different topic.
    The traffic shows are for the domain elite, true winners are low enders that develop. Look what happened to FaceBook

    Reply
  14. adam

    “no room for bad attitudes” You really ought to have been a comedian because every word that comes out of your mouth is a joke.
    What attitude did you take when DomainSponsor started domainfest to rival traffic?

    Reply

Leave a Reply to wanda Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *