Starting and Running a Web Hosting Business – Part One

SLDALThere are many qualities that are required in an individual for them to start and grow their own successful web hosting company on their own from the start.  Many people see web hosting as something that is simple to provide and requires little to no work which couldn’t be further from the truth.  There are many aspects of web hosting that the average first-time web host will not plan for or even think about such as their web site which can be simple but is very important if you are to function as an online business.  Other aspects of running a web hosting business range from obtaining the correct licensing as required by local laws to having a basic understanding of business management and accounting.  While most are not a jack of all trades, they can often get by based upon what they know and have people they can ask for help if they need it.

The most important quality required in a person starting their own web hosting provider is resourcefulness – when you are new to hosting there are certainly going to be roadblocks that you come across and questions that you do not know the answers to.  Being resourceful means that even if you don’t know the answer immediately you know where to look to find the answer.  The vast majority of support issues that clients raise could be answered simply by visiting Google.com and typing in the question or a description of the issue.  Unless you are an expert on everything (keep dreaming) then you either need to be resourceful or you will very quickly find yourself being asked questions you cannot answer which leads to very unhappy customers and bad reviews. Continue reading

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The Importance of Networking in Business

people_networkAs an entrepreneur I very much understand the importance of networking with other individuals and companies in my industry.  Many people that try to start a business tend to operate in a very introverted way which often prevents them from making the networking connections that would be beneficial to their business in the long run.  Many fear that discussing their business with others in the same industry may open them up to issues where private company information is divulged but I have found that not to be an issue.  Individuals in the same industry can often discuss common issues that affect the industry and work together to resolve these issues faster than they could on their own.

A great example as to when business social networking helps is when an exploit is discovered and affects one company. Information about the exploit can spread across the social network and cause other providers to proactively protect themselves from the issue.  If you want a specific example of an issue you can Google for “HyperVM fsckVPS” and I am sure you will turn up loads of good results about the issue.

If you really want to run a successful business – talk to people who are already in the industry and listen closely to what they have to say.  Do your best to make business related social networking ties with other individuals and businesses in your industry as you may not need them now but I am sure at some point in time you will.

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Solid Business Management Skills

puzzleI have always been what I call “naturally talented” when it comes to business management as I understand every aspect of running a business without any official formal training.  There are those that simply know how to run a business, there are those that have taken courses at a university to be taught these skills, and then there are those that really don’t know what they are doing when it comes to running a business.  Anybody who has operated their own successful business will tell you that there are many aspects to operating your business and doing it successfully.

I look at running a business almost like putting together a puzzle: without all of the pieces you can’t complete the puzzle.  I myself operate a very successful web hosting firm and I have found that my firm’s competition often copy what we do in an attempt to become as successful as us however they are only obtaining a few pieces of the puzzle in the process.  It is tremendously saddening that there are companies and entrepreneurs out there that will look outward for ways to be successful rather than looking inward at their business model to evolve it into what it has the potential to be.

When it comes to being successful in business it has very little to do with what other businesses are doing and very much to do with what you and your business are not doing.

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