There are a lot of sources for domain information. These days, I tend to spend more time reading than listening, but when it comes to podcasts, most of them blur together after a while. The Domain Name Law Show and the DNX Show are two I actually keep going back to, and I wanted to think through just why that is before I hit Todd Ryan with my questions about them.
Part of it is that they don’t try to do the same job. One show gets into the legal side, the disputes, the UDRP stuff a lot of us pretend we understand better than we do. The other is looser, more about how investors are actually reading the market week to week. Todd is in the middle of both, with David Michaels and Jeff Neuman on the law side and Josh Reason on the investing side. That’s a strange spot to occupy, and I had questions about how he ended up there.
Mike: Todd, you are involved with both the Domain Name Law Show and the DNX Show. What made you want to build two separate shows instead of trying to combine everything into one?
Todd: I think combining them would make both shows less interesting. The legal side of the domain industry and the investment side overlap, but they have very different conversations.
With the Domain Name Law Show, we examine the legal issues that affect domain owners, that’s UDRPs, trademark issues, cybersquatting, legislation, ICANN policy, court decisions and the practical consequences of all of those things. Jeff Neuman and David Michaels bring perspectives that are very different from mine, which makes the show even more interesting IMO.
The DNX Show is focused on pure domain investing. My co-host Josh Reason is a very sharp and intelligent person, and a successful domain investor. He’s like E.F. Hutton in the domain space. For those who don’t know the reference, don’t worry about it. Each week Josh and I lead an open discussion about pricing, acquisitions, sales, trends, strategy and what we’re seeing in the business.
Mike: At what point did you realize there was a real audience for recurring long-form domain conversations on X Spaces?
Todd: From the beginning or I wouldn’t have committed my time to it.
The domain industry is relatively small, but the people in it are, mostly, knowledgeable and many are very opinionated. They want to hear the back-and-forth, hear somebody challenge an argument, ask a follow-up question and actually get into the details. That’s one of the advantages of X Spaces, you can have a conversation that feels like being in a room with other business people rather than listening to a traditional podcast.
Mike: The Domain Name Law Show covers legal issues that a lot of investors know they should understand better, but often do not. What gap were you trying to fill when that show came together?
Todd: I’ve always felt there was a gap between domain investors and the lawyers who understand the legal framework surrounding domains.
I wanted to create a show where lawyers review UDRPs and explain trademarks and common law rights in a way that a domain investor could understand and use. That’s the purpose of the show.
Mike: On the other side, the DNX Show feels more like an open discussion around investing and market interpretation. What did you want that show to be from day one?
Todd: I wanted it to feel like a conversation among domain investors rather than a presentation to domain investors. There are several places where you can get domain sales data and news. What I find more interesting is hearing how successful investors like Josh are interpreting that information.
Sometimes the most valuable information comes from hearing experienced investors look at the same market and reach completely different conclusions.
Mike: How do you think the chemistry changes when you are talking with lawyers on one show and domain investors on the other?
Todd: Lawyers are trained to look for distinctions. They’ll say, “It depends,” and then explain exactly what it depends on. Investors usually just want to know, “Okay, but what should I do?”
On the Domain Name Law Show, I try to translate the legal analysis into something an investor can understand and act on. With investors, I am very realistic with them about the difficulties and challenges they will face as an investor in such a unique asset class.
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Mike: What have you learned about hosting live discussions that you did not understand before doing these shows regularly?
Todd: I’ve learned that being a good host is being consistent and knowing which question to ask next. With live conversations, you can’t completely control where it goes, so you have to listen carefully and be ready and skillful enough to keep the conversation interesting and moving along. I’m certainly not afraid of silence or disagreement.
Most important of all is preparation, but I only use my preparation as a guideline for each show. I like when the conversation naturally flows, and the audience does too, most of the time.
Mike: What are some of the most common legal misunderstandings domain investors still have?
Todd: That they can trademark a domain name. That’s simply not how trademark law works. Another is the idea that owning a domain for a long time somehow creates a legal right to it. It can be relevant in certain circumstances, but longevity by itself doesn’t insulate you from a trademark claim.
Mike: How do you decide what is worth covering on a given week and what is just temporary noise?
Todd: I pick domain disputes and legal news that I think will get the audience attention and, hopefully, get them fired up a bit. For the DNX Show, I like to always include a few domain investing tips so there is something listeners can walk away with, rather than just hearing Josh and my views on industry news.
Mike: From your perspective, what legal topic should every domain investor understand before their next acquisition?
Todd: Trademark law. Before buying a domain, you should understand what you’re buying and whether someone else may have rights that may create a problem. That doesn’t mean every domain containing a trademark is off-limits. Context matters. The goods and services matter. The manner of use matters. The strength and scope of the mark matter. Still, investors should understand that “It’s a generic word” or “I registered it first” isn’t necessarily the end of the analysis.
Mike: Do you think the average domain investor is getting better at understanding legal exposure, or are most still learning only after a problem hits?
Todd: I’m confident to say that the domain investors who are regular listeners to the Domain Name Law Show are getting better at understanding legal issues related to domain names and domain name investing. They tell me so, and I can tell by the questions and conversations we have. From my experience, domain investors are mostly intelligent business people who enjoy learning.
Follow Todd on X, catch the Domain Name Law Show live on X Spaces every Tuesday, and the DNX Show every Thursday.