Domain Name Wire Podcast Inside Com Laude’s expansion – DNW Podcast #555
Oct 6, 2025
Ben Crawford, CEO of Com Laude and veteran of the domain industry, dives into the company's recent acquisitions, including FairWinds Partners. He shares insights on Com Laude's role as a corporate registrar and its focus on brand protection. Crawford emphasizes the renewed value of dot-brands and how they can enhance security while offering feasibility studies to brands. He also discusses the strategic rationale behind acquiring MarkMonitor and reassures clients about maintaining service quality amid ownership changes. Expect more acquisitions as Com Laude continues its expansion!
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
From Consultant To Roll-Up CEO
- Ben Crawford describes his 16-year domain career and role building CentralNic into a large roll-up.
- He recounts growing revenues from $2M to $720M and doing 21 acquisitions before leaving in 2022.
Enterprise Registrar With Value-Added Services
- Com Laude focuses on enterprise-grade registrar services combined with brand protection, security, and policy tools for large multinational clients.
- Ben emphasizes specialized offerings for portfolio management and cyber squatter identification tailored to big companies.
Acquisition Born From A CNBC Debate
- Ben recounts meeting FairWinds founder Josh Bourne debating new TLDs on CNBC and later acquiring his company.
- He says FairWinds brought experienced people and a strong US presence that fit well with Com Laude.