How Did You Get Started Domaining?

Whether you began back in 1998 or now in 2008, every domainer had to start somewhere.   With good strategy and careful investment, even a new domainer today can achieve a lot of success and make a good living domaining.   So, how did everyone get started as a domainer?   I always enjoy taking a look back, so I’ll get the ball rolling.

Although I wasn’t to long ago compared to many domainers, I suppose I technically started domaining back in early 2006, though it wasn’t necessarily intentional.  I had just purchased my first few domain names, all with the plan of eventually developing them.   After grabbing my first and last name domain, I figured out some areas I could work with, did a lot of research, and grabbed about 10 domains.   Over the course of the next year, I established maybe 3 of these sites with some success.  The remaining 7 domains were coming up for renewal and I wasn’t sure if I had time to develop them.   Rather than just let them go or renew them, I decided to see if anyone else wanted them.   With a quick search, I discovered Namepros and posted my domains.   After a couple days, I had collected several hundred dollars on my investment and realized I may have been taking the wrong approach to establishing myself online! 

To test my skills, I used some of that money and went out and purchased another 20 keyword-rich domain names to work with.  After about a week, I had made back more than I’d spent and still have about 11 domains left!   Again, nothing major, but it showed me that I had the research skills necessary to find success in the world of internet real estate.   Over the last year my portfolio has continued to grow as I started delving into the world of backordering domains and it has really been a fun ride.   As I look towards the future, my hope is to continue to mix domaining with developing and hopefully create a steady and profitable web prescence. 

So, that is my story in a nutshell.  How and when did you get started domaining?  Who were your mentors?