for those of you that own a web hosting company, what is your title? i'm asking because i have no clue what to call myself (it's best to be ready if someone asks of if i want to make business cards. :) ). am i the president? do i just call myself the owner? help me out here guys. :)

I usually just call myself head of the drama department :(

Owner should do though. I tend not to take ppl who have have 5 customers on a reseller acclunt and call themselves chief executive and vice president of operations too serious :stickout

Keep it simple

Originally posted by ImLagging
for those of you that own a web hosting company, what is your title? i'm asking because i have no clue what to call myself (it's best to be ready if someone asks of if i want to make business cards. :) ). am i the president? do i just call myself the owner? help me out here guys. :)

I'd recommend going for the Owner Title...

I don't like all these 14 year old kids that call themselves CEO and President etc. and then handle support and marketing as well - but as an owner you can have access to all department without making it look unprofessional... see?

Just my 2 cents.

I prefer to be known as La Grande Fromage

I've never seen Owner on a business card.. go for "President", "Founder" or make up something else fancy

I've never seen business cards with any titles on them apart from 'Founder.'

Your better putting stuff like 'Contact our sales team at sales@yourhost.com' instead of any managment business.

Originally posted by ImLagging
for those of you that own a web hosting company, what is your title? i'm asking because i have no clue what to call myself (it's best to be ready if someone asks of if i want to make business cards. :) ). am i the president? do i just call myself the owner? help me out here guys. :)

My business cards say "CEO/President". But, I do pretty much everything from presales, to new signups, to support, to billing, purchasing, payroll, etc.

I'm what they call a "workaholic". Maybe that should be my title. :-)

Take care,

Brian

if you dont want owner you could have "proprietor" it means founder/owner but sounds better

I just call myself the owner however for the sake of professionalism my business cards say President (I just cant see putting owner on a business card).

The big boss man

Godfather anyone?

Jack of all trades :stickout

Originally posted by Kiwi
Godfather anyone?

:cool: I'm the Godfather... :cool:

Originally posted by zoli


:cool: I'm the Godfather... :cool:

No, I am! :angry: :angry: ;)

I'm only part owner however my title is the Billing & Sales Manager

Chief Programming Architect :) its lame, they printed em before I had any input :)

Head Director

--JCA Justin

How about "The King" :D
Or for those of you who do everything, you should try "SuperMan".

:D

GOD (Giver of Data) ..... j/k!

Seriously though, my title is "Director of Technical Operations". And I do basically direct all things technical so the title fits :).

Legally my official title is "Authorized Member / Manager" - but that's just a weeeee bit bland.

Prior to becoming legally the CEO, my title was "Co-Owner"

Aussie Bob
Head Bottle Washer

:D

Originally posted by Aussie Bob
Aussie Bob
Head Bottle Washer

:D What are you going to do when they no longer need you Bob? Kewl tools like this one http://www.antonco.com/jetcarboy/ are popping up everywhere. I am seeing more and more jugs and containers replacing bottles these days. I worry that your business plan may not be sound for the long term Bob.

(why yes I am making it a point to pick on you :D )

Originally posted by Deb
What are you going to do when they no longer need you Bob? Kewl tools like this one http://www.antonco.com/jetcarboy/ are popping up everywhere. I am seeing more and more jugs and containers replacing bottles these days. I worry that your business plan may not be sound for the long term Bob.

(why yes I am making it a point to pick on you :D )
Actually :D I'm kind of working towards replacing myself. ;)

Janitor

Edit: on a side note, when my family asks "you working anywhere" I just answer that I've been laid off since October of last year. Which is always followed by "you lookin?" to which I answer "nah don't feel like it". My mom really wishes I'd quit giving the relatives the idea that I'm lounging at home while my wife works :D

Originally posted by Dixiesys
Janitor

Edit: on a side note, when my family asks "you working anywhere" I just answer that I've been laid off since October of last year. Which is always followed by "you lookin?" to which I answer "nah don't feel like it". My mom really wishes I'd quit giving the relatives the idea that I'm lounging at home while my wife works :D
I hate trying to explain to my relatives what web hosting actually is. :rolleyes: :D

Mine says Founder & Chief Information Officer....

I don't know, but it sounds impressive....

CEO looks better.

Head coffee drinker!
:liplick:

Originally posted by Aussie Bob

I hate trying to explain to my relatives what web hosting actually is. :rolleyes: :D

I've tried, the conversation generally degenerates into something like "and they pay you money for doing basically nothing?"

Originally posted by Dixiesys
I've tried, the conversation generally degenerates into something like "and they pay you money for doing basically nothing?"
Yeah I mean, we have work to do, you know. It's not like we hang about all day at WHT. :D :buck: ;)

Originally posted by Aussie Bob

I hate trying to explain to my relatives what web hosting actually is. :rolleyes: :D

I hate having to explain to my clients what web hosting is!

Well, since some of my clients have religious Web sites I like to tell people that I deliver the word of God. When they snicker and question that, I simply show them a certificate I have that says I'm an ordained minister. (It's on my office wall with the rest of the silly "paper gallery" -- diplomas and such.)

I bought the certificate for a buck off some weirdo church's Internet site a few years back. Neo-Druids or something. :D

This is actually a very real topic that we've discussed internally many times.

When out in the general public and generally asked "What do you do?" the answer is "Web Hosting" or something along those lines. The inevitable question to follow is usually:

"What is web hosting?"

This is where things get touchy.... I tend to mention "WhereverWeAre.com" e.g. if at Mcdonalds I may say "Ya know how commercials talk about McDonalds.com? Well that's what we do...blah blah blah"

I still end up with a blank stare and 'oh..ok' knowing they still do not understand.

Anyone have the perfect one line answer to provide when you really do want them to understand without having to buy them a book?

My one liner: I'm unemployed

:D

Originally posted by Deb
Anyone have the perfect one line answer to provide when you really do want them to understand without having to buy them a book?
"You've heard about all the dot.coms going bust, right? I'm like them. Well, hopefully not exactly like them." ;)

Originally posted by ptww.net

"You've heard about all the dot.coms going bust, right? I'm like them. Well, hopefully not exactly like them." ;)

Well actually I say....

"You've heard about all the dot.coms going bust, right? I'm like them except we're a Dot-NET." :stickout

I dont like big titles. Executive Director is what i go by.

If you're a one-person outfilt or small shop, I think anything other than "owner", "proprietor", "principal" or "partner" is highfalutin and comically egomaniacal. Small businesses should never be afraid to act and sound like what they really are, as they represent the majority of businesses. Titles should reflect a business' structure and an individual's role within it. They should not be used deceptively, as is often done.

I don't think you can boil this business down to a one-liner. It's too specialized and sometimes too complex to be so neatly packaged.

my tittle is hugo boss ;)

CTO: Chief Technology Officer...sounds good on a business card, but I never tell anyone that. I just usually say I am in programming, sysadmin, sales, depending on what mood i am in during the day.

sometimes, i just tell them I am paid to surf the web :-)

Originally posted by mlovick
Head coffee drinker!
:liplick:

sounds familiar :)

'whipping boy' is my personal favorite though...

Greg Moore

Masta.

"managing director" thats whats on my dads cards. Not sure what it means, but sounds cool

Originally posted by akashik


sounds familiar :)

'whipping boy' is my personal favorite though...

Greg Moore

Oh behave

:D

Cheif Cook and Bottle Washer




-ryan

Originally posted by alchiba
Well, since some of my clients have religious Web sites I like to tell people that I deliver the word of God. When they snicker and question that, I simply show them a certificate I have that says I'm an ordained minister. (It's on my office wall with the rest of the silly "paper gallery" -- diplomas and such.)

I bought the certificate for a buck off some weirdo church's Internet site a few years back. Neo-Druids or something. :D

Actually thats quite funny because I was a minister in a "previous life", studied at one of the worlds top universities and have the diplomas to prove it.
Not sure if it would help in the hosting business though.
I coudl do Rackshack type ads but in a clerical collar with "The Rev Gordon says dare to compare or be hit by a bolt of lightning".

Gordon

Originally posted by Deb
Anyone have the perfect one line answer to provide when you really do want them to understand without having to buy them a book?
The best way I've found to explain it to folks who don't know anything about the net [all my relatives :rolleyes:] is that we're like virtual real estate agents. We manage virtual apartment buildings [servers] and each website is alike an apartment in the apartment building. The bigger the building, the more apartments you can fit in that building.

Each tenant [website owner] pays us rent [monthly cost] to have their websites on the server [apartment building]. We maintain the building and provide support for the tenants in the building.

Anyways :D that's the best I can come up with. :)

BTW, when my accountant asked me what web hosting was, I gave him the above analogy [all drawn out on paper :)]. He then said that each server is like an investment property that returns makes "X" amount of revenue per month etc. He then said why couldn't a server be an investment product that an investor could purchase, in the same fashion as an investment property is. It was interesting how he made that connection. The similarities between investment properties and populated servers is striking and food for though. :D

Originally posted by GordonH
Not sure if it would help in the hosting business though.Gordon

You went from serving the Host to becoming the host. :D
BTW, almightyhost.com is available. I'll race you to it.


Aussie Bob: Perfect analogy, you nailed it. If you can get an accountant to grasp the concept then it should work with anyone. :D

finding the right title is not an easy thing..

I could call myself the CEO / President or Owner, since this is what I am, but it does not seem very serious when answering a pre-sale inquiry or support request..

I end up putting no title most of the time and when it is really necessary I say "Web Developer".

I got Mayfair & Parklane with 4 hotels on each. Getting another $200 from Go tomorrow.

Originally posted by MRH
I got Mayfair & Parklane with 4 hotels on each. Getting another $200 from Go tomorrow.

Wow - that's some expensive real estate. Watch out for the land tax!

Chief Information Officer....

From previous posts you don't seem to be doing your job well :D

I wanna be Pokemon Red. :spiny:

I prefer "Head Geek" and I am in ordained minister in "this life" and pastor of a small church. It is nice, because when my servers go down, if I can't do anything else, I can pray them up. :)

Oh, and as part of my consulting services, for $1000 per day and all expenses paid, I will travel to any datacenter in the US and lay hands on your servers! ;)

I generally go with owner, but I like the Founder thing, and my business cards will either have Founder or President on them because it just sounds more professional.

Aussi Bob

I use that analogy all the time. My wife usually just says I am an online slumlord.:)

Patrick

"What is web hosting?"

This is where things get touchy.... I tend to mention "WhereverWeAre.com" e.g. if at Mcdonalds I may say "Ya know how commercials talk about McDonalds.com? Well that's what we do...blah blah blah"

I still end up with a blank stare and 'oh..ok' knowing they still do not understand.

I have been doing hosting for 2 1/2 years and my mum still doesnt understand.

Someone needs to come up with an easy explanation we can use, preferably something that doesnt make us sound too geeky.

My title: Resident Diety

What I tell relatives I do: Work at Kentucky Fried Chicken.

Them: "But don't you do something with computers?"

Me: "No, those things were just a fad, there's no future in that technology stuff. Now chicken, that's where the excitement is!"

Aaron

The problem is web hosting is invisible to people that don't really know the internet.

I have had hard times trying to explain it to non-believers :)

BTW my title is Financial Director - but I believe it was given to me rather than me choosing it.

How does 'Head Surfer' sound :)

I am the "General Manager".

They refer to me as 'Webguru' - I like it:D

On my business card I use the title 'Consultant' - It covers either Design or Hosting and gives the impression there are more ppl involved in the business.