Start with a great domain name
You re gonna have to build lots of things to find one thing (that gets traction). Then, when things settle, you get to take a big-ass bite of the metaphorical sandwich you built. You took a few nibbles early on, but decided to overlook the unusual flavor. CHoMP oh, you still don t like it? it s actually ... Read more The post Traction then taste appeared first on Deep South Ventures .
Command-Q; force quit; emptiness. I recently got a new computer and it presented an option to port over my current installation. Everything. My self-righteous mind instructed me that everything I ve installed saved is quite significant and critical for continued, uninterrupted digital affairs. I found myself immediately questioning this unconscious answer. Why. Why ... Read more The post Clearing…
But, but, Peter, you need some north star, something to aim for to challenge yourself a goal ! No I don t. A bird doesn t need a goal when building a nest. They, simply, begin building. Trees don t wake up one morning and pronounce: My plan this year is to grow an additional 3 feet . They ... Read more The post I have no goals, yet everything is accomplished appeared first on Deep South Ventures .
When I discovered my talent as a grunt worker: After my first layoff, I wandered over to my brother s carpet business and began to hang out (I had nothing better to do). This was around 1997. I d see things laying around, and offer to clean them up or organize them. There d be an 8ft pile ... Read more The post Inflection points used carpet padding appeared first on Deep South Ventures .
〰️ it s weird to look back; I sometimes get confused on how I got here 〰️ Most folks dream of being an entrepreneur; a path that seemed inevitable , they say. None of that shit applies to me. I m only here cause I kept getting laid off and that nonsense infuriated me. I treated my first ... Read more The post On being laid off unplanned entrepreneurship appeared first on Deep South Ventures .
So what s next for you? It s a question I m sometimes asked, and I often feel obligated to blurt out some random project or half baked idea I d been chewing on. But lately, the answer has never felt sincere, mainly because I usually have nothing in the hopper. I was simply focusing on current projects. Then ... Read more The post Now. That s what s next appeared first on Deep South Ventures .
He lives inside me. This misfit; the homesteading hippie vagabond. He s set-up shop in there, and seems quite comfortable. Being a builder, his presence can be quite a challenge. I try to sway him toward revenue-focused building efforts rocket-ship growth opportunities, but he shrugs. His hippie nature prefers alternatives. Somehow, over the years, he ... Read more The post The homesteading hippie…
[orig published in 2019; re-published updated in 2023 2025] The outdoor patio was filled with dude ranchers. It was their yearly conference at Tanque Verde Ranch in Tucson, and I was there as a vendor (and first-time attendee). I remember saguaro cactus lining the landscape. It was early evening, the sun was setting, ... Read more The post The dude that built DudeRanch.com appeared first on Deep…
them : So tell me a little about what you do me : uh, I m a domain investor, but tend to build on domains I acquire (vs flip, etc). I have 3 or 4 projects I oversee. them : 3 or 4 projects!? sounds like a lot of spinning plates me : ... Read more The post I don t spin plates; I manage hot tubs appeared first on Deep South Ventures .
that s all I needed. It s what my brother gave me. I m not sure if I would have walked down this path had he not. The idea I pitched him was ludicrous to purchase install a high resolution camera at college football stadiums, pointed at certain sections. When exciting plays occurred, snap a ... Read more The post Just an ounce of encouragement appeared first on Deep South Ventures .
I’m never quite sure what pursuits might strike my fancy; so I’ll try most anything study it like a litmus test. Toss that shit into a petry dish, stir it up, dip my awareness into it. what color did that thing turn? I won t know until I try. ... Read more The post My life is a litmus test appeared first on Deep South Ventures .
The email landed in my inbox around 10:05/am, alerting us of an all-hands meeting in 15 minutes. Guess we got acquired , we all thought. 16 minutes later, we were all laid off. This was February of 2001. I was first alerted of my uselessness in 1995, when ~ fresh out of college ~ I worked ... Read more The post How on earth I became an entrepreneur appeared first on Deep South Ventures .
I should figure out whether this is a metaphor, simile, or analogy. There s a walking path near my house, frequented by most Atlanta residents. Right alongside the Chattahoochee River. Lots of foot traffic, lots of neat outdoor scenery all within city limits. There s one section of the path where foot traffic dies down. It s ... Read more The post Going up the hill appeared first on Deep South…
** looks at watch ** oh my Lordy it s been two years. If you remember, I sell onions on the internet. Vidalia onions, to be exact.. You can read part one here if you want. The thought of following up that first post never occurred to me, until it did. And then it sorta ... Read more The post part two, I sell onions on the Internet appeared first on Deep South Ventures .
I was caught in this trap for years. While I felt I’d assembled the online experience background to build, I felt the need to continue asking questions. Sahil is right : 👇 👇 👇 And here I was: What backend are you using? Should I build on PHP or Ruby on Rails? Is this ... Read more The post Building from a place of surrender appeared first on Deep South Ventures .
Who are you again? That s right apologies our new hire. Welcome aboard. Let me get you up to speed on how things operate around here. Do you like things that smell? Don t answer that, cause it doesn t matter. Our focus is smelly shit. You ever seen that padding underneath carpeting? That s the smelly ... Read more The post Behind the scenes of a carpet pad recycling business in 1997 appeared first…
There s no need to make this complicated. People want to make it complicated. My brain isn t that smart I need to dumb things down. And it ends up, dumbing things down can usually elevate your chances of success. When I consider a project, I like to compare it to a washing machine. Washing machines ... Read more The post Building things [ that do just one thing ] appeared first on Deep South…
Loosen your grip; just a little will help. You can release it all if you want. I promise you won t notice once you leave it behind, cause you re moving forward. It s so freeing, to disrobe, and discard that identity. and start again. We re allowed to do that. Take a new first step. You don t even ... Read more The post Let go, then go appeared first on Deep South Ventures .
David, this one, tell me about it He d let me look at his domain name portfolio. Not names he owned and parked, but domains he owned developed. This was another early project of his a job board solely focused on the ranching industry. All aspects cattle, outfitters, dude/guest, hunting, and even ... Read more The post Must ride mule (to from) work location appeared first on Deep South Ventures .
This website inspired me yesterday. We need more sites like this. Direct, blunt. No apologies. And lots of cuss words. There aren t many places online where you can soak in free-flowing, un-edited, casual-speech cursing. Not anger based. Just honest, wholesome profanity. Creative profanity. Uplifting profanity. Positive profanity. Saying shit like this. Or reflecting on something ... Read more The…
It s slowly become my secret weapon; my strongest talent. The binary tasks // The cut-and-paste projects // The mundane metrics collection. 💩 work The dregs. It may sound strange to admit, but I enjoy this type of endeavor. As a solo builder, I feel it s necessary. Not easy, but necessary and [oddly] satisfying. Peter ... Read more The post Give me grunt work appeared first on Deep South…
Vidalia Onions to be exact. They re classified as a sweet onion, and because of their mild flavor (they don t make your eyes tear up), some folks can eat them like an apple. Most of my customers do. During a phone order one season 2018 I believe a customer shared this story where he ... Read more The post I sell onions on the Internet appeared first on Deep South Ventures .
Wanna know what I did a few days back? I spoke on the phone with a one-off customer for 40 minutes. Just talking. A meandering conversation on our love of the South. Just because. It felt good. Because I could. Because I’m not under pressure by a heavy handed VC to achieve a 30x revenue ... Read more The post Slow down wander appeared first on Deep South Ventures .
[ 🆕 updated Sept 2023; added GName.com domain backordering ] aka. Part 2 Want to Build a Side Business? Just Buy a Great Domain Name Previously, we suggested the idea of acquiring an expired domain name as the impetus for building a side business. No idea required. The domain will be your inspiration. And ... Read more The post Window shopping for expired Domain Names appeared first on…
[updated April, 2022] So you wanna start a side business while holding down a full-time job. Kool. Dang smart move that s the same route I took ten years ago now. Self-funded, no VC to appease, no angel investor to update. Just you, and your sandbox of ambition. Hmm, but where to start? Which ... Read more The post Want to build a side business? Just buy a great Domain Name appeared first on Deep…