Memelord.com: From $200K GoDaddy Quote to $25K Instagram DM—and Why Product Always Wins
When someone says "Your domain must have been expensive," most founders deflect or dodge the question. Jason Levin, founder of Memelord, did the opposite—he broke down the entire story of how he bought Memelord.com for $25,000 with his own money, before raising $3 million in funding.
But the real story isn't just the price. It's about GoDaddy brokers quoting $200,000, an unexpected Instagram DM, and a founder betting on himself when it scared him most.
Starting Scrappy: Building on .tech
Jason launched Memelord in September 2024 with Memelord.tech. He knew the .com would be expensive, so he didn't even try at first. Instead, he built.
In nine months, he grew Memelord to $100,000 in annual recurring revenue—on a .tech domain, using no-code tools. No excuses.
As the business grew, Jason got curious about the .com. He decided to test the waters.
The $200,000 GoDaddy Quote
Jason paid $99 for a domain inquiry through GoDaddy's Domain Broker Service (DBS). A few weeks later, the broker came back with a price: $200,000.
Jason's reaction: "LOL no way."
He forgot about it.
Understanding GoDaddy's Domain Broker Service (DBS)
GoDaddy's Domain Broker Service (DBS) is a concierge offering where GoDaddy reaches out to domain owners on behalf of buyers. When Jason submitted his inquiry, GoDaddy's broker contacted the owner of Memelord.com to gauge interest and pricing.
The $200,000 quote wasn't pulled from thin air—it was likely the owner's Buy It Now (BIN) price or floor price for the domain. Domain investors typically set these thresholds when listing domains publicly or with brokers.
What happened next suggests the lead went cold. The owner saw interest through GoDaddy's inquiry but no follow-up. That's when the domain investor decided to go direct—skipping the broker and reaching out to Jason himself.
This is a pattern in domain sales: brokers quote high prices based on what sellers list, but direct outreach often results in better deals. The $200K wasn't fake—it was the asking price. The $25K was what the owner actually accepted when negotiating directly.
The Instagram DM
Two months after the GoDaddy inquiry, Jason got a random DM on Instagram. It seemed like a scam at first.
The message read:
"Hi Jason! From a fellow old memelord love what you're doing. I always envisioned building a domain name I have into something bigger. At the moment I've been the holder of memelord.com. I've received some offers to sell it I (always cared more for creating a consulting service for companies under the domain name building a team under it which I've been working on). I saw you own memelord.tech. Any interest in memelord.com or getting on a call? Happy New year"
Jason tried to schedule a call. The owner didn't show. They handled it over DMs instead.
The owner wanted $22,000.
Jason couldn't believe it. That was 10x less than what GoDaddy quoted. And it wasn't coming through a broker—it was coming directly from the domain owner.
The Verification
Was this real? Jason asked for proof. The owner sent a Loom video showing he controlled the domain. It was legit.
Jason responded immediately: $25,000, with a $3,000 bonus if the deal closed by end of week.
The Terrifying Wire Transfer
Jason was still bootstrapped. He'd never written a check that big. The wire transfer terrified him.
But he realized something: if he wanted to take Memelord seriously, he needed to invest in himself. The .com wasn't just a domain—it was a signal. To himself, to his team, to the market.
He wired the money and waited.
When the domain hit his GoDaddy account, Jason freaked out. "This is real."
He sent his team a Loom but told them to stay quiet. They needed to wait for the right moment.
The 4/20 Reveal (That Became Something Bigger)
Memelord is a meme company, so the plan was to announce the .com on 4/20. Perfect timing.
But then Jason took a random trip to San Francisco to visit a friend. That trip changed everything.
He raised $3 million.
Suddenly, the .com wasn't the only announcement. They had a new product, a funding round, and a domain upgrade—all at once.
Jason dropped a single video announcing:
- The .com domain
- The $3M raise
- The v2 product launch
The .com and the raise? They were "small 3-5 second parts of the vid."
Why? Because as Jason put it: "A .com and $3M is pointless if your product blows. Product > all."
The Lesson: Product Always Wins
Jason's story is unusual because he didn't treat the domain as the climax. He treated it as infrastructure.
The .com mattered. But it wasn't the headline. The product was.
Most founders would announce a $3M raise and a .com domain upgrade as the main story. Jason barely mentioned them. The focus was on what Memelord built, not what it owned.
That perspective shift is rare. And it's exactly why Memelord works.
The $200K vs. $25K Gap
The gap between GoDaddy's $200K quote and the $25K direct deal is striking—but not uncommon.
Domain brokers work from asking prices. If an owner lists a domain at $200K, that's what the broker quotes. But owners don't always stick to that number, especially when:
- The buyer is using the domain actively (not squatting)
- The owner sees real traction (Memelord was at $100K ARR)
- Direct negotiation removes broker fees
The lesson? Broker quotes aren't final prices. They're starting points. And direct outreach—whether through DMs, emails, or calls—can unlock better deals.
The Bet on Himself
Jason bought Memelord.com with his own money before raising a dollar. That's rare.
Most founders wait until they're funded. Jason didn't. He bet on himself when it still scared him.
The $25K wasn't easy money. It was his money. And that's what made it count.
Memelord now has the .com, the funding, and the product. But the order mattered. Jason built traction first, bought the domain second, and raised money third.
Product > domain > funding.
That's the playbook.