Oh did i say suicide, well, that's what it sure has felt like, a slow suicide, after all I brought this all on myself.

Here's my story.. So I started way back in 1996 (i think the internet is like dog years so that was like 77 real years ago).

The first couple of hosting business's failed because I didn't have the automation needed. Then in 2000 I ran across this little thing called cPanel, wow what an amazing concept, let your customers manage their accounts on their own! Well, I had a good run, going from 0 to well over 2000 customers paying at least $25 per month. And my dedicated servers selling for well over $500 a piece and I have only had one person ever cancel a dedicated server.

Anyway, lately its just been a drag, a real drag, I wake up hosting, I dream of hosting, I eat tickets for lunch. I feel like I am bubba gump talking about shrimp. Fried hosting, coconut hosting, orange hosting, shared hosting, vps hosting, dedicated hosting... I think that's about all you can do with hosting.

Anyway, sorry for the silly rant, I'm just at a crossroads in my life, you see, even with the very significant revenue there is always somebody to pay and somebody to answer to. I thought when you started a business you were breaking away from the boss, breaking away from living someone elses dream and breaking away from making them rich. I thought the goal of starting your own business was to work for yourself on your own terms. But, now, I feel like I am a slave to the business. Seriously, a real slave, I think I am going to change my name alias to Tobey, and sign my name Kunta Kinte (snip from ROOTS for those of you who do not get it). I am barley 30, and I have gray hair, it shouldn't be like this. Maybe I have just run it all wrong? Can I get a do over please?

Are there other hosts with 2000+ shared accounts? Are you making it ok? How are you doing it? What am I missing? Please what is the secret sauce?

I haven't hit the economy of scale to hire US based support, and I dare not outsource to india for fear of insulting my customers? (or maybe I haven't given india a chance?)

Maybe its time to re-evaluate my position in this thing we call the "hosting business".

1) either I revamp the business, put it in high overdrive and get some more support peeps.

or

2) Find a representative and I sell it...

I'm leaning towards #2 at this point because of the frustration I face and just ending this slow suicide.

or

3) maybe I'm just having a bad day and need a good pep talk..

Can someone gimmee a 1 2 3?

I'm curious, how can you have 2,000 accounts @ $25 or so a month (50k a month in revenue) and not able to afford a support team?!
Maybe there's something wrong with my math... at any rate, this is one of those 'personal' decisions that only you can make.

It wouldn't hurt to partner with someone perhaps, again.. unless my math is wrong $50k a month should be more than enough to hire a few people at the very least.

4. Find some hosts in other timezones who are in the same situation and help each other out.

But honestly, except a very few people, everybody who is earning good money is working very hard. No matter what business you're in.

If you can find a way to reduce your (support) hours, maybe with a little less money then you will be able to enjoy it all again.

everybody who is earning good money is working very hard. No matter what business you're in.

If you can find a way to reduce your (support) hours, maybe with a little less money then you will be able to enjoy it all again.

Ditto to what MarcelC posted.

Time to add one or two support staff members and grow past this stage, or it's gut-check time, grow and added people, or cash out.

You don't have to go to India, you can go to eastern europe perhaps?
All you have to do is find a couple of support people to help you out and then you can start having a real business instead of being self-employeed.

I have some contacts there you could email me and I could point you as to where you can start looking for a team...

...as a matter of fact one of the guys I used to work with years ago has just asked me for a job:) Unfortunately I do not need anyone at this stage but this guy is a real pro so if you want I could give him your details?? my icq # is 171995494

If you have 2k shared accounts at $25 a month, then you should have enough revenue to hire some decent US tech support.

If it's just the sheer numbers that is hurting you (ie: You're trying to do it all yourself), then you could try raising your prices. You'll wind up losing some customers, but the revenue will stay about the same since the ones that stay are paying more.

This is a good way to reduce your workload, but keep the same revenue.

Personally, I would rather support 1000 customers paying $50/month then 2000 paying $25.

But to answer your question, yes, there are those of us with 2k and higher shared accounts that are doing fine and not suicidal. Depends on what is your business philosophy and how well you can delegate and what is your definition of "success". :)

I'm happy to PM with you if you'd like to discuss anything in detail.

mrhits777,

I understand you, buddy . :) . I'm reaching 30 , so I know how it feels.

It has nothing to do with what position you are in . You could be the business owner or a support tech , but you are surely going to face these questions. Am I living my life ? Is this life ? Is life only about customers and tickets and servers ?

First, Take a break . !! It really helps . I go on bike trips and trekking, to keep myself sane. Every year I try to do atleast 2 things which can be classified as "CRAZY". Fact is , a break really helps.

Secondly , define your "success criterians". ( Psssh , dont tell anyone . I want to be on the front cover of Times Magazine :smokin: ) Define your short term goals and long term goals. That brings in direction and focus.


Thirdly, change gears !! If you are able to handle all support tickets within 30 minutes , do it in 5 minutes . If you have all your servers in cPanel , get a new server with Plesk & Virtuozzo . If you drive your car at 40 mph , go at 10 mph.

Changing gear helps. You'll start seeing the world from a different perspective.


Wishing you all happiness . :agree:

It's not uncommon for someone to get tired of running a business when it becomes routine. Starting a business and growing it is fun, but maintaining a stable business can be less rewarding (emotionally). You could consider hiring a professional manager to run it, and you just take the profits. Selling is also an option. Or, just look at what is really taking your time and find a way to automate that or outsource it.

It's not uncommon for someone to get tired of running a business when it becomes routine. Starting a business and growing it is fun, but maintaining a stable business can be less rewarding (emotionally). You could consider hiring a professional manager to run it, and you just take the profits. Selling is also an option. Or, just look at what is really taking your time and find a way to automate that or outsource it.

Well said. I would highly recommending hiring someone to manage the day to day stuff so that you can concentrate on marketing, improving, and just plain growing the company and its base.

mrhits777,

I understand you, buddy . :) . I'm reaching 30 , so I know how it feels.

It has nothing to do with what position you are in . You could be the business owner or a support tech , but you are surely going to face these questions. Am I living my life ? Is this life ? Is life only about customers and tickets and servers ?

First, Take a break . !! It really helps . I go on bike trips and trekking, to keep myself sane. Every year I try to do atleast 2 things which can be classified as "CRAZY". Fact is , a break really helps.

Secondly , define your "success criterians". ( Psssh , dont tell anyone . I want to be on the front cover of Times Magazine :smokin: ) Define your short term goals and long term goals. That brings in direction and focus.


Thirdly, change gears !! If you are able to handle all support tickets within 30 minutes , do it in 5 minutes . If you have all your servers in cPanel , get a new server with Plesk & Virtuozzo . If you drive your car at 40 mph , go at 10 mph.

Changing gear helps. You'll start seeing the world from a different perspective.


Wishing you all happiness . :agree:

Very helpful! Thank you :) Also: I agree, I know how you feel and I have the same issue, which is letting go. I am so scared of leaving the business in the hands of others while I vacation and such...So I dont =/

Getyourself a copy of "E-Myth revisited: why most small businesses fail and what to do about it"

... It will provide you with an invaluable perspective of what running a business is really about and you will know exactly what to do about your problem.

Very helpful! Thank you :) Also: I agree, I know how you feel and I have the same issue, which is letting go. I am so scared of leaving the business in the hands of others while I vacation and such...So I dont =/
I think this business has a lot of people who have "control issues" and are unable to let things go with their employees or support or whatever...

But the fact is that you will burn yourself out very quickly unless you learn to let things go and trust your staff. They will most certainly make mistakes. They will not do things just the way you would have done them. But as a trade-off... you will regain your life.

:)

Thread cleaned of offers to buy. This isn't the ad forums, so that's not allowed. Carry on.

I think this business has a lot of people who have "control issues" and are unable to let things go with their employees or support or whatever...

But the fact is that you will burn yourself out very quickly unless you learn to let things go and trust your staff. They will most certainly make mistakes. They will not do things just the way you would have done them. But as a trade-off... you will regain your life.

:)

That's a great point and something I guess that I've been struggling with still at only this stage in running my business (the earlier stages). Thanks alot mrzippy - that's made me think quite a bit! I guess I am a control freak at times, maybe we all are :stickout:

Agreed...Something I need to work on as well.

for me you just having #3 at the moment..maybe you should consider about hiring people.

Well, I had a good run, going from 0 to well over 2000 customers paying at least $25 per month.

I call BS!

mrhits777 I would enjoy an opertinuty to talk sometime. Please send me an Email ken@hostirian.com we have just over 2000 shared hosting account and am looking for ways to better support those customers. Right now I just focus on Colo due to its a much higher ticket item but I think we could share a lot of great ideas. I would send you an IM but your account does not allow for that.

Greetings mrhits777:

See http://www.webhostingtalk.com/showthread.php?t=639052&highlight=hspcomplete

More hosting automation may alienate the need for more staff.

Thank you.

As an owner and creator It is going to be difficult letting go. The goal should be getting and retaining good people that are reliable. Grats on the client revs mark. Lets see the net after expenses go to your bank account and some QUALITY techs get hired then guess what you can take a day off or dare I say it vacation. You can sell it but then what will you do? You can hire a manager but then again what will be your next goal.

I know what its like but every day I meet a client that says we can't do this for them we are not big enough and I say guess again. The power of partnerships.

Probably time to add a few partners to your business and take more of a back seat. Give yourself a chance to get some creativity back as dealing with the $10 a month public can drain the will to live out of anyone. Good luck and take a well earnt break.

...I had a good run, going from 0 to well over 2000 customers paying at least $25 per month. And my dedicated servers selling for well over $500 a piece and I have only had one person ever cancel a dedicated server...


from 1 to 2000 in a short time or in the past 7 years?

I am under the same situation just that I had full time employees running the show. I think you should consider that. With your revenue, I fail to see why not. Another way is just to sell it off. But remember the endowment effect, you normally value your own far more than the actual value, seek a third party help to value your company and sell.

So it has been 5 days since his initial post and no responses from him? Very odd.

So it has been 5 days since his initial post and no responses from him? Very odd.


Not really. They are called "trolls".


:)

Or maybe he's a real lazy guy! Good at starting a thread, but no follow up ;)

Im 25 and im getting gray hear. And im also a slave from the business. Oh boy how would i love to earn 50.000$ a month, i would really pay huge wages to techs so i can have my life back.

If I was truly making $50k a month on hosting I would have no problem letting other run it and start up something new you have been wanting to do.

For me I always have new ideas, being tied to hosting makes it so that hosting is my priority but again if I was making such excellent cash flow I would have no problem letting someone else run it.. even if it is so you can sit on your butt and relax during your spare time :)

Well i thik you always have to be on the top of your business. I have seeing this in the past. Letting someone else handle your business can kill your business very fast since its not their money. You always, always have to control your business, but you could just do controlling functions and not the whole aspect of the business, this way the more stressing tasks like support and sales could be handled by your staff.

You need to decide if you really want to do this and be dedicated to it. It's either that or get a full time, stable, less stress job.

If you choose to go with it you need to feel dedicated to supply 24/7 to your business which it sounds like you already do. The main difference is you need to love what you do, be motivated not just keep going caus you have to. You need to sit down with your bank manager or someone else in business and build a structure you can build from and take some stress off your shoulders.

Well if 50 was his gross number is net would be like 28-35K a month. Plenty to get some people on board. None of my clients expect 24/7 support as if there is an issue after hours they are at home sleeping. Its not like the telco will run out at 11:30 PM to fix a downed T. As long as things work at 6:00 AM EST they simply don't care. We do care but our stable image platforms and change management removes the need to have many overnight guys.