I need to apologise.

Last year I registered expired domain names belonging to a local celebrant’s businesses. When confronted by that celebrant this week, I made it worse—I asked for payment to transfer one back, and I was defensive instead of immediately making it right.

I’ve apologised directly to the person involved and transferred both domains back with no conditions. But that doesn’t undo the damage.

The worst part of this isn’t what I did, it’s what it’s done to Sarah and the Celebrant Institute.

Sarah and I have been business partners for nine years, friends for over a decade. We’ve built the Celebrant Institute on the back of our communal integrity, intent on elevating our profession, advocating for celebrants who do this work with genuine care and commitment. My actions have compromised that trust and intent. Some are questioning Sarah’s judgment in staying in business with me and whether I’m fit to represent celebrants.

They’re right to question those things.

Sarah, I’m genuinely sorry. You’ve not deserve to have your reputation questioned because of my poor judgment. The work you do, the work we’ve done together, matters too much for me to have put it at risk with poor judgment.

To our celebrant community and Celebrant Institute members: I understand why my actions have shaken your trust. Buying the expired domain names with a person’s name in them looked predatory. And when called out, I made it worse by being combative instead of accountable. That’s not who I want to be, and it’s not the standard I hold myself to.

I can’t undo what happened. I can only commit to doing better and rebuilding trust over time through my actions, not my words.

If you’re a Celebrant Institute member and you have concerns about my role in representing our community, I want to hear from you. My inbox is open. I’ll listen without defensiveness, and I’ll act on what I hear.

I’m sorry.

Josh

Why do people register expired domain names? An explainer.

Originally published on the Celebrant Institute: https://celebrant.institute/community/i-stuffed-up-and-i-owe-you-all-an-apology/.