From System Engineering to Brand Engineering with BrandBucket Founder Margot Bushnaq
What do you get when you combine backgrounds in linguistics, systems engineering, and a serial entrepreneurial spirit? 🤔
One could likely answer with varying ideas, but the one capturing my mind is the person behind the magical veil of the brandable domain marketplace BrandBucket: Margot Bushnaq.
You’ve likely heard of BrandBucket, especially if you participate in domain investing, venture capital, or startup circles, but may not know much of the elusive Margot. She doesn’t do interviews often, so I was over-the-moon elated when she obliged the request of her presence on the show.
So, get in a comfy place, break out the pen and paper, and get ready for today’s podcast with this powerhouse daughter, wife, mom, entrepreneur, and investor, to say the least.
A somewhat accidental domain investor turned serial entrepreneur, tune in as Margot shares about how combining backgrounds in linguistics, systems engineering, and domains led to what has become the domain industry’s top-shelf marketplace for buying and selling brandable domains.
Not only does Margot take us on a journey as an investor in domains and startups, but she also unveils helpful qualifying factors to value a brandable domain, and very insightful commentary on current and future trends in the brandable domain marketplace.
Without further ado, hit play, and let’s journey with Margot Bushnaq of BrandBucket. Enjoy!
Thank you Alvin and Margot! Enjoyed the show.
Thanks Mark! Glad you enjoyed the show.
I would list some names on a brand able marketplace like BB if it weren’t for there extortionist policies. The ridiculously high commission plus exclusivity requirement are too much. If it didn’t require exclusivity and I didn’t have to use their landing page I might actually try it, at least then I’d only have to pay their high commission if they actually brought me a buyer rather than for any sale.
Well James, BrandBucket.com isn’t for everyone. I wish you well in domain investing success and finding a brandable domain marketplace that meets your needs. You know, you can always host your own landers and find your own buyers. It’s a tradeoff of time and money. Must find what works best for you and make it work for you. 🙂
Hi
I think Brandbucket is the best market for branding because only brandbucket repurchases domains that are not renewed by their members. so a domainer can have a career at Brandbucket.
best regards
presiden.com
Didn’t realize this — “…only brandbucket repurchases domains that are not renewed by their members.” Agreed, a domainer can make solid sales at BrandBucket given the right caliber of domains.
James,
BrandBucket gives brandable domains a substantial boost in discovery and many domain investors have great success there. BrandBucket essentially invented the brandable niche so many of your amazing domains might not be worth a cup of coffee today if it weren’t for them.
They’re not perfect but they do have an outstanding team that maximizes the worth of domains.
Instead of baseless criticism, maybe you should actually try and see if it works for you.
You might also want to actually listen to this interview. I found it informative and entertaining and appreciated learning more about Margot and the history of BrandBucket.
Surprising that, even today, after years of leadership in the brandable industry, BrandBucket remains a hidden treasure for some.
Thanks for the great interview, AB
Agreed. Thanks, and glad you found it informative and entertaining.
I’m sure ot does give a good boost. But that comes at a serious cost by not being able to use Fast transfer. Listing on other marketplaces, ect and paying their high commission on a sale coming from your own traffic.
If I could continue to use my own landers and list it on other marketplaces it would probably be worth using. But as is it does more harm than good to the seller except for maybe a small subset of domains that truly would have no chance anywhere else.
Alvin. I think you miss my point….why should it be either/or….they should allow me to continue marketing it elsewhere while taking advantage of their buyer pool…the exclusivity requirement is horrible.
No, I totally get your point as a domain investor hoping to sell, but from an platform owner like BB, that would commodit-ize the platform to being no different than the next place to list. But again, “it’s a tradeoff of time and money” to use their system as-is in hopes your domain(s) captures the eye(s) of their buying pool, or go-at-it-alone to create your own buyer pool. Exclusivity is what can drive uniqueness among platforms.