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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Feb 2004
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    What would happen to your biz if you died?

    What would happen to hosting business if you were not there and had no time to prepare (ex. if you were slowly dying you could pass on admin info to a trusted person or sell out)

    But I know for all these one or two man hosts everyone would be left in the dark. If you run a host out of your home who is going to notify your clients that the company owner just passed and that they are on their own?
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  2. #2
    Join Date
    Aug 2003
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    this is a great subject and ive often thought of this myself....

    i dont think many of us are really prepared for such a thing
    if you haven't considered chapter 7 bankruptcy, maybe you should.
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  3. #3
    Join Date
    Mar 2002
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    England
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    Well, for proper hosting companies, the death of the owner would be known by the other employees and a second in-charge would most likely take over, and of course all good hosting companies have plans like this anyway, but as for the one-man hosting companies, if the owner were to pass away, it would be the same as if he just ran away, as happens with many one-man hosts out there, they just leave, and once their server's payment stops, the server is pulled and that's the end of it. The clients are screwed over and have to find hosting elsewhere.
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  4. #4
    Join Date
    Jun 2003
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    FT Worth, TX
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    5,096
    I've thought of this before, but who cares i'm dead! :p

    Actually, I would hope someone who works on the staff would move the customers to a server they can pay on or hopefully my customers would realize of my absence and move.
    Kerry Jones

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Jul 2003
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    UK
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    If I died tomorrow, I would expect staff to immediately put plans into action which would involve informing clients of the situation, ensuring bills are paid, and if worst comes to worst, selling up and moving on.

  6. #6
    That is a tough question...i don't really have much of a biz...but my wife would at least get some more checks from google
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  7. #7
    Join Date
    Sep 2001
    Location
    Connecticut
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    668
    trick question...nothing would happen seeing as how I don't have one!

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Jan 2002
    Location
    Ohio
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    3,155
    Hmmm...

    I dont have a biz or anything so its not something I have to think about.

    However if I did die, my site would probably remain un-updated, and once a dangerous exploit is found, my site will get hacked then may reach a point to where my host has to pull it offline. No loss...
    Don't like what I say? Ignore me.

  9. #9
    Interesting question and a good one for smaller hosts to think about.

    When my husband started a home-based hosting company (not literally out of our home, but it started as a small home office and graduated to an external office), he got an influx of local business due to the unexpected passing of a small host. His customers were floating while his wife tried to figure out what to do with them... until she stumbled upon our company at a Chamber meeting. That was luck for my DH, of course, and those customers are still with him today... 6 years later.

    The reaction from the displaced customers was a range of anger, understanding (not much they could do eh), and fear of what happens should they switch to another small host. He has his people in place should something happen to him, but I understand the concern. The biggest pain in his butt was the domain transfer due to the registrar having the dead host's contact info. and not the customer's... however, that was easily fixed with faxes proving the customer's ownership of the URL... just time consuming to explain it to them.

    I think the benefit of having the personalized touches from dealing with a smaller host far outweigh the possibility that the small host will up and die unexpectedly... however, it is nice to have assurances in place for your customers.

    Jenn.

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Mar 2004
    Location
    Vancouver Island, BC
    Posts
    173
    Sorry, but you all will cease to exist once I die ... well to me anyway!

    Seriously though, I have instructions with my lawyer who would then work with my wife to either continue the business or sell. I have also left a short list of potential buyers who I work with daily.
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  11. #11
    Join Date
    Oct 2001
    Location
    Ohio
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    8,535
    If I were to suddenly die, I'm sure things would be a bit unorganized for a little bit as I do most of the work. However, I've got two knowledgeable guys behind me who know how to run a business and take care of clients so once the initial kinks were worked out everything would be alright.

  12. #12
    Join Date
    May 2002
    Location
    Portugal
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    Since I'm a one-man job with most of the things to do on my head my business would die with me :/
    Steven Martins

  13. #13
    Join Date
    Jan 2004
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    Ellesmere Port, Wirral, UK
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    Thats it, im gonna make a program to turn on my pc, log me on and do lil macros to send emails, and notify people.....followed by an email to the DC to shut me down after XX days.

    There, sorted
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  14. #14
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    Feb 2003
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    Albany, New York
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    Tell someone in your town about your company....show them how everything is run. They can take over once you pass away.

  15. #15
    Join Date
    Aug 2002
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    1,612
    Frankly after i am dead i dont really care! (j/k)

  16. #16
    Join Date
    Aug 2002
    Location
    Stony Plain, AB
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    607
    Personally I would leave the company to 2ed in command. I would prepare them so they know what to do if such thing ever happend (e.g contact clients + continue business). If all else fails then 2ed in command would sell the clients and move on in life.

    - Eddy
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  17. #17
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    Oh, i'd have an email sent out to tell someone to feed my cats too.
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  18. #18
    Join Date
    Nov 2003
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    Originally posted by Philipf
    Thats it, im gonna make a program to turn on my pc, log me on and do lil macros to send emails, and notify people.....followed by an email to the DC to shut me down after XX days.
    It's already been done! Check out Dead Man's Switch : http://daisyman.arsware.org/dms/

    I installed it but was afraid an extended vacation might make it count me as dead!

  19. #19
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    Jan 2004
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    But can it feed my cats, they're an intricate part of my business
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  20. #20
    Join Date
    Mar 2003
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    I am getting things set up so if that ever did happen god forbid , then my "god brother" Kerry Jones would take over any of my estate/business operations.

    There is no one I trust in this world more then Kerry Jones, he is the most respectable person I know.
    Linux Admins the name, troubleshooting and administrating Linux Systems is my game

  21. #21
    Join Date
    Apr 2002
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    West Yorkshire
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    Very good question is this. It will get a lot of people thinking. We have a system in place for this and I am thankful we do.
    -- Matthew

  22. #22
    Join Date
    Dec 2002
    Location
    Montreal, Canada
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    Even though it is naturally not my time to go yet, I think of that often.

    My business is online property management, not hosting business. I have shared all the information with my sister who has access to payment data and who will be able to cash out. As to the properties, they will be either sold or inherited by my friends who are able to keep them up.

    Best,
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  23. #23
    Join Date
    Mar 2003
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    Duluth MN
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    Hmm... my customers pay via credit card, which is billed automatically, and sent automatically to my bank account. Server bills (co-location & fees) are deducted electronically from my account... So if I were to die, my business could continue running itself for quite some time until customers left for lack of support, and the cashflow dried up and there is no more money to pay the bills.. or a server crashes...

    However, I have another sysadmin and a couple others who help with other aspects of the business, and they would just take over.

    Hmm.. that gets me thinking... all of the loans for the business are in my name (personally), and I have the insurance on them so that if I die, the loans are automatically paid off... so then the others who help with my business wouldnt have the expenses of loan payments that we currently have... thus making a lot more money... I might need to watch my back

  24. #24
    Join Date
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    Tell someone in your town about your company....show them how everything is run. They can take over once you pass away.
    How would they know your passwords etc.. to access your info and administration?
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  25. #25
    Join Date
    Jan 2002
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    Toronto, Canada
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    What an excellent thread topic. It's something that too few business owners think about.

    I have always been aware of my own mortality. And as a result, in my various businesses over the years, I have always made it a point to address this possibility.

    1. In your business insurance policy, make sure you add a "keyman insurance" endorsement. This will pay the salary of someone to fill the shoes of the "key" person in the business - you.

    2. Make sure you keep up-to-date records of all your Admin logins/passwords. There's nothing sadder than someone trying to replace your duties and they can't login to the necessary interface to do so.

    3. Pick one trustworthy person to take charge in the event of your untimely death. And give them the legal authority to exercise that control. Too many chefs in the kitchen will spoil the meal.

    4. Make sure you assign "Power Of Attorney" in your will.

    Hey, it doesn't matter how old you are. That bus that accidentally runs you over does not discriminate by age...

    Vito
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