How Papa.com Scored a $4 Million Domain – Without Breaking the Bank
In the latest episode of Master of Your Domain, Rob Schutz (founder of Snagged) caught up with Andrew Parker, the CEO of Papa—or, as it’s now known online, Papa.com. They dove into the story of how Andrew snagged this dream domain and why it’s become a crucial piece of Papa’s companion care empire. Here’s the scoop on how Papa became the go-to for family-style care and why landing the .com made all the difference.
Meet Papa: The Company with the Perfect Name
So, what’s Papa all about? Think of it as a companion care service with a twist. Papa connects older adults with “Papa Pals”—kind, friendly folks who help out with everything from grocery runs and tech support to just hanging out and chatting. They’re not nurses or in-home care aides; they’re more like family. And here’s the kicker: a lot of these services are covered by Medicare Advantage, Medicaid, and some employers, making Papa the friendly support system we all want in our lives (especially for our loved ones).
Andrew and his cousin started Papa to help their grandpa stay connected and supported, without needing full-time care. And yes, they called him “Papa” so naming the startup after their G-pops was a no-brainer.
The Quest for Papa.com
As with any great startup story, securing Papa.com was…let’s call it an adventure. Like many of us, Papa started out with the best domain they could find at the time: JoinPapa.com. The problem was that clients—mostly health plan execs—kept calling it “Join Papa” instead of just Papa, which quickly became a branding nightmare. The solution was clear: they needed Papa.com to cut the confusion and give the brand the respect it deserved.
Andrew reached out to the domain owner—some guy in Germany who had it stashed since the ‘90s—and offered him $2,000. The owner’s counteroffer? A cool $4 million. Not exactly the deal of the century. So, they stuck with Papa.co (not the easiest to remember) and kept dreaming of Papa.com.
Perfect Timing: How They Finally Locked Down Papa.com
Fast-forward a few years and a few funding rounds later, and Andrew’s domain-alert system sent him a little ping: Papa.com was available. The price? Still hefty, but way less than $4 million. Andrew couldn’t grab his credit card fast enough. (Yes, he bought the domain with a credit card, which was an oddly satisfying flex.)
Why Papa.com Changed the Game
Okay, so Papa’s not exactly a consumer brand; they work directly with big health plans and insurance companies. But even in B2B, credibility matters. The moment they switched to Papa.com, things felt more legit. Clients saw them as an established brand, not some new kid on the block with a .co domain. And it’s not just perception—when people see an email from Papa.com, they’re more likely to respond. (Rob pointed out how .com domains just hit differently—people think, “Oh wow, these guys are legit.”
Then there’s the recruiting angle. The Papa Pals team is mostly young, tech-savvy folks who respond to the “Papa” name in a big way. It’s fun, it’s memorable, and it sounds like the kind of company you want to work for. Not bad for a name Andrew’s family came up with.
Bringing It All Together
At the end of the day, Andrew Parker didn’t just buy a domain. He bought a slice of credibility, an easier way to get responses, and a boost in brand recognition that puts Papa on the map. And for a company like Papa that’s all about family-style care, having the family-style name Papa.com just fits.
As Andrew summed it up, “It’s more than just a URL—it’s a brand that people remember, and that matters.” And he’s right. In the business world, sometimes it’s those small, feel-good wins that add up in the big picture.
