Does anyone own a hosting company an dhow are you doing with it.

Seems like a lot of competition in that field, I guess there's alwaus room for one more.

I should get one, because I've created website for several people, and they could've all used my hosting service... Wonder where I could set up a hosting service for cheap?

I used to own a very succesful one. We went to 250K in sales in our first year. Hosting's a great industry because as long as you really treat your customers right you'll grow fairly easily, as long as you find a niche.

For us, our niche was fanatical support and customized plans. Flexibility.

It worked out well :)

(a 'different' name helps as well ... we used 'barefooting')

I should get one, because I've created website for several people, and they could've all used my hosting service... Wonder where I could set up a hosting service for cheap?


with me i could give you a goreat deal on a reseller



My first few customers were people i knew and locals and they told others but sometimes i think their is too much competition

with me i could give you a goreat deal on a reseller

Thanks LBurna,

I'll keep your name in mind if I ever want to start a hosting service! :D

If you do, feel free to drop me a line. I've got lots of experience and opinions on what's worth doing ;)

Jeremy,

Thanks, I will. You've been really helpful. Looks like you're really experienced with lots of great insights to share.

Email: jeremy AT... ensight.org (remove the AT...). :)

I think a niche is probably a good way to go. There are hosting companies that specialize in just hosting forums. I'm using one this forum.

You may ask yourself why would you need a special host for this. You ever set up a site that had a lot of perl or php scripting involved? It can be a nightmare. If I would have tried to install vBulletin on many of the hosts I've used in the past, it would have been a total nightmare. I set this up without a hitch. Didn't have to change a thing at the server level, didn't have to change any paths in files, etc. Also, the host offers free installs on vbulletin, phpbb, or just about any forum softwatre. Many people that run forums aren't that technically inclined so that is a big plus for some. There are other things to consider too when a forum gets really big. So a host with know-how in this area can really help ease the burden.

I think a niche is probably a good way to go. There are hosting companies that specialize in just hosting forums. I'm using one this forum.

You may ask yourself why would you need a special host for this. You ever set up a site that had a lot of perl or php scripting involved? It can be a nightmare. If I would have tried to install vBulletin on many of the hosts I've used in the past, it would have been a total nightmare. I set this up without a hitch. Didn't have to change a thing at the server level, didn't have to change any paths in files, etc. Also, the host offers free installs on vbulletin, phpbb, or just about any forum softwatre. Many people that run forums aren't that technically inclined so that is a big plus for some. There are other things to consider too when a forum gets really big. So a host with know-how in this area can really help ease the burden.

Yeah hosts now are starting to call vb a resource hog and i think its terrible just because their servers cant hold they blame on vb but i use vb for support forums and host a few forums and had no complaints.

so tom, how much does it cost to run a forum like this at the current level, and if the participation volume were to increase to say 1000 people per day, would the hosting fees rise?

how much time do you spend on this site per day? is it a hobby?

i'm just starting to really feel myself around, i'm pretty slow, but getting there!

so tom, how much does it cost to run a forum like this at the current level, and if the participation volume were to increase to say 1000 people per day, would the hosting fees rise?

how much time do you spend on this site per day? is it a hobby?

i'm just starting to really feel myself around, i'm pretty slow, but getting there!


Yes, if there were a thousand active members participating everyday, the server/bandwith costs would be pretty high. As it is right now, it can be done with shared hosting for $20-$30 per month.

It's a hobby and an investment. It could be a business, provided I was willing and able to sink a good chunk of money into it.

I already spend a fair amount of time on it. Of course, a lot of it is the newness of the site and getting the kinks worked out. But running a successful forum site is generally speaking, time consuming. This is my first forum site and I've discovered that there's more to it than meets the eye.

That is true. Building a forum community is not easy.

As far as web hosting goes, it is a good money maker, but you have to have the resources to treat your customers right, otherwise they will leave. There is a lot of competition out there, so you have to be good to succeed.

It'd be nice to have a small hosting business with not too many customers. Because then you would know all your customers, their needs, and could give them the service they needed.

Niche hosting is the key. Set up a local hosting site and advertise to local businesses. Forum hosting, ebook hosting, auto dealer hosting, real estate hosting to name a few.

Niche hosting works because you can target your clients. There's no need to go outside of that to get clients, since there are a few hundred (or thousand) clients out there looking for a niche host that caters to them.

I've been in the hosting inductry since 1995 and it's one of the most lucrative industries out there. Month after month, clients pay for a little chunk of harddrive space. We have clients that have been with us for close to 10 years! Once a client finds a host they love, they won't go anywhere else. As long as you provide great support and keep your servers running, you can have a successful hosting business.

Anyone thinking of starting up a hosting business, let me know. I'd be happy to help out with advice, hosting, and design.

I should get one, because I've created website for several people, and they could've all used my hosting service... Wonder where I could set up a hosting service for cheap?
You can get a good hosting solution in India. The quality will be one of the best in the world and price is less. contact if u need any help regarding this ali@kmbo.com