Smart Branding & Premium Domains: The Investing Playbook | DomainSherpa Podcast (Jan. 29, 2026)

Описание: Running Up That Hill - January 29, 2026

What does it take to spot a million-dollar domain? How do top investors think when evaluating premium names? And how can we expand awareness of domains beyond our niche?

Welcome to another episode of the DomainSherpa Review, the podcast where all roads lead to domains and the flagship show of the DomainSherpa Network, we’re back with another high-level conversation among some of the sharpest minds in the domain industry.

In this episode, the Sherpas are joined by special guest Tatiana Bonneau (MarkUpgrade, SmartBranding, Domains for Equity) for a deep-dive into branding, domain value psychology, and what makes a domain stand out, not just to investors, but to customers, founders, and the culture at large. From premium domains with built-in nostalgia to digital assets positioned like collectibles, this episode explores how branding, storytelling, and emotional resonance shape the future of domain investing.

Whether you're evaluating six-figure .coms or exploring branding through digital identity and nostalgia, this episode is loaded with insights to sharpen your strategy and expand your domain perspective.

In This Episode:
1️⃣ The Domain Game (starting at 43:38), where they guess what domains were bought and sold for. This week’s domains are Brads .com, BetterHealth .org, and SalesPerson .com.
2️⃣ Then they dive into a fresh batch of domains coming up for auction on NameJet, including TheCrew .com, GetPaper .com, GeminiMoon .com, and CosmicBrain .com.
3️⃣ Tatiana’s domain journey and how she built MarkUpgrade, SmartBranding, and the new Domains For Equity platform.
4️⃣ The importance of educating founders, startups, and investors about domains beyond our usual audience.
5️⃣ The concept of “digital antiques” — domain names that carry emotional, nostalgic, or cultural weight.
6️⃣ And yes, long-distance running and the business parallels of ultra-endurance strategy.
7️⃣ Also, don’t forget, we’re now integrated with Muse .ai for smarter transcripts and AI-powered video navigation! Jump to specific terms, topics, or names throughout the episode and find exactly what you need.
8️⃣ All DomainSherpa episodes are now also available on YouTube at DS .tv – make sure you subscribe so you never miss a beat!

0:00 - Introduction
3:12 - Grand opening and gold coins.
8:45 - ICA conference follow up from Shane
13:55 - Tatiana's journey in the domain space and how do you get the message of domain importance to a larger audience
20:01 - When do businesses care about domains?
28:10 - Who at a company owns the domain?
35:01 - The Sherpas discuss AI's effect on domains moving forward
43:38 - The domain game begins with a buy from Shane, BetterHealth .org
46:08 - The domain game continues with another purchase, this time from Drew, Brads .com
48:20 - Domain game concludes with a domain sale JT found online, SalesPerson.com and the Sherpas get into a discussion of the state of domain auctions today and more end-users coming to auctions
52:13 - Drew brings up the idea of digital antiques and a domain museum
1:00:26 - #MediaOptions sponsor break
1:00:58 - It's the #NameJetGonnaJet segment where the Sherpas review a list of domains about to come up for auction on NameJet, such as GetPaper .com, TheCrew .com and more!
1:05:00 - Shane wonders if CosmicBrain .com and GeminiMoon .com are good brand names
and do they pass his IPA test
1:12:04 - Grand closing and why Drew thinks MediaOptions has best lineup of domains ever in their history and Tatiana gets into why she started her new domains for equity platform
1:25:02 - Marathon running with Tatiana and Shane

Check out www.domainsherpa.com for more info (watch the full episode here: https://www.domainsherpa.com/dsr01292026)

Don't forget to FOLLOW and LIKE us on:
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Sherpas:
Andrew Rosener: http://www.x.com/andrewrosener
Jonathan Tenenbaum: http://www.x.com/j10enbaum
Shane Cultra: http://www.x.com/cultra
Tatiana Gramatikova-Bonneau: http://www.x.com/TatianaBonneau

Watch the previous episode:    • 2026 Domain Market Heat Check: What’s Wort...  

For the Best High Value Domains visit https://www.MediaOptions.com

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