Sam Dennis
CEO, Investments.org Inc; President, YTZ.com; Founder, Suite66.com
Fast Facts
Location: Toronto, Canada
How long have you been in the domain industry? 2008
Favourite extension: .com
Domain name you wished you owned: / face.com / wealth.com / trust.com
Now watching: Christopher Hitchens debates
Best city for conferences: Las Vegas
Q&A
Describe your company and how long you have been there?
I have been in the online marketing industry since 1999 with the creation of a company called Rydium that we later renamed to Suite66.com. My business partner runs that business completely now and I simply sign the checks. My focus is now divided between YTZ.com an online performance network and my personal domain portfolio that I hold under Investments.org Inc.
Can you tell us about your last time at NamesCon and what you got out of it?
I really love coming and meeting up with friends, colleagues and just generally to be around the excitement of NamesCon.
NamesCon is all about business networking. Can you tell us a story about the success of a meeting at NamesCon? :
For me its about building a relationship and when you meet someone in person you get a chance to connect in a different way. It’s hard to say exactly ‘what’ deal or partnership happened because of NamesCon directly, but it 100% helped on much of what I did in 2015.
What are your thoughts on the new TLDs?
Mixed, I don’t really like them but if there is money to be made on them, I will look at them.
What kinds of changes to you foresee within the industry in the next year? 5 years?
I would say you can count on more millions and millions of new domains being registered. I would expect more mergers and better platforms for normal users to buy, sell, lease and manage their domain names. The Eastern influence will increase, not just from China but hopefully from India and other emerging giants.
What industry trends or topics do you think will be at the forefront of panel and keynote discussions this year?
Everyone will be interested in China, the amount of capital that has entered the market this year is staggering.
What fact about you would surprise people?
Domains are not my main business.
How would you describe yourself in a single sentence to a stranger?
An easy-going, generous person.
If you had fifteen extra minutes each day, what would you do with them?
Figuring out how I could make an extra hour.
What’s the most recent thing you learned (big or small)?
China is hard to predict.
What are you proudest of in your life?
My little girl.
Where is your favourite place to escape?
I love the weekend, spending quality time with my daughter, heading up to the cottage and simply unwinding for a bit.
What was the best advice you were ever given?
My dad told me, “Do what you love and if that does not work out, the restaurant will be here for you.”
Final thoughts leading up to NamesCon?
I am really impressed how much NamesCon has grown in such a short time period. The industry has matured now to a point where a NamesCon is needed and should be part of your yearly travel plans. If you are serious about domains, then you should come to NamesCon. I would also recommend that you go to a few of the Masterclasses and the keynote speeches.
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Are you interested in being a NamesCon Featured Attendee? Whether you’re the head of a large company or a one-woman operation, an industry veteran or a first-timer who’s curious to learn more about the domain industry, we want to hear and share your story! We’ll be publishing these profiles on the NamesCon website right up to the launch of the conference, so it’s great visibility for your company or brand.
