Opinions ... suggestions or ??? sought

pmhoran

pmhoran

New member
Hi All ...

A few months ago I got this "wild and crazy" idea to open my own web hosting business. So I bought a bunch of new domain names and attempted to follow through in setting everything up. Good so far.

As some of you might remember, I am disabled with a rather extensive list of health issues ... but I felt I could do this. Well ... my health went in the crapper again and have not been able to do anything more with my business idea for the past couple months. Then a couple days ago I was given a nasty ugly surprise report about my latest MRI. Thankfully nothing life threatening ... but it means a few new specialists in my life and a delicate surgery in the near future that has high percentage chance of leaving me even less able to do things than I already am. And according to my docs so far ... has sort of put the "Seal of Doom" on any idea I may have had to open a web hosting business.

So ... what do you think you would do in this situation?

Would you hang on to the domains and hope things improve in a year or two?

Would you just sell the domains as is and try to recoup some or all the money you spent?

Try to sell the "business idea" and all the domains that were to be used with that idea ... and try to sell it, if possible, for more money than the domains themselves are worth?

What would you do?

Thanks for your input
Peter
 
Peter, I'm sorry to hear your health has deteriorated even further. Your planned operation sounds like a very serious thing.

Regarding your question, I guess my decision would depend to a certain extent on the stage where your business related preparations are. However, considering that you only see yourself able to get back to this in a year or two, I think chances are that I would sell everything in an attempt to recoup my investment.

But that may be just me using my "play it safe" approach to things.
 
Peter, in my opinion, it depends on how valuable the domain names are to other people. You can sell them as Dan suggested, but this truly depends on what other people will pay for them.

In order to run a quality web hosting business, you should be able to respond to any issues that may arise quickly. If you want to have the web hosting experience, but without major work, I would have to say a reseller account is your best bet.

I wish you good health in the coming years.
 
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Dan & Marc ... thanks for the responses & input.

Dan ... actually the docs are telling me to give up on the idea of ANY type of home based business. They felt I should not have attempted it a few months ago (but I am stubborn and don't always listen ;)) ... but they are now telling me after all this new stuff is taken care of that I am going to be even less able to run a home based business. My "year or two" comment is just my "eternal optimism" coming through :)

Marc ... I have a resellers account now and it was on it I was trying to set up "my idea" for the web host.

If I had gotten it set up it would have been targeting a few specific markets. One group of domain names ... still target marketing ... but would be appealing for the target market from any country. I had another idea for 2 of the other domain names but their target market would have been directed to the area I live specifically.

I haven't gotten very far in setting anything up really. Just could not get my head around how to set up the main pages where people would sign up etc. I could not understand the software. But I have the idea ... and the domain names ;)

Peter
 
I'm tempted to ask... What are the domain names? Or, if you do not want to tell, did you register them or buy them from someone else?

Since it looks as though there will be no development of them, now I would focus on trying to sell them at a price at or above what you paid for them.
 
Peter,

I'm sorry to hear about your health. Our bodies sometimes play mean tricks and games on us.

Through our business relationship, I feel that you have become a good friend, and it saddens me to hear about your latest health issues.

It also saddens me to realize that you may need to postpone or forget one of your ambitions because of it.

I know you asked for some business advice in that aspect, but I'm finding it very hard to focus on that aspect of your post at the moment.

If you need any help at all, please do not hesitate to ask.
 
Peter, I guess its totally not fun to be caught in a situation you are in right now. Its a shame it happens to the best of us.

This is quite a complex situation, but as everything else in life, I advice to stay focused on the positive elements of everything. You have to compare how much you can actually devote to your new startup business. The nature of the web hosting business is such that you have to be available 24/7 no matter what. I agree its hard to do with an upcoming surgery. However, there are many others ways to profit - start a content-driven web site, affiliate-based web hosting is also profitable if run correctly, etc.

Overall, I can't see how you cannot run a business - you are bright and enthusiastic about e-business, so you can't just drop the idea of not pursuing it. I think you should, but I also think you should accommodate and reorganize the idea and its structure to fit the schedule you live with. You definitely can't do nothing, and the business will keep you running and focused on many other things other than your health. Its a great thing as I see it.

Best,
 
Mark ... Thanks for your kind words. They are appreciated and I will keep them in mind.

Art ... Its not like I haven't been doing anything hehehehe. I have my websites that I putter away at, plus the support forums where I try to help others aflicted as I am, plus advocacy (fighting the federal & provincial governments on various issues relevant to my illness and disability in general) ... plus I care for an elderly aunt that is living with me.

IOW ... my days can be pretty darned full ... even without thinking of an e-business. Fortunately, I am able to pick and choose when I am real active & when I have to "back away" for a while with most of that stuff. Depending on how I feel and how the brain is working.

With an e-business ... I won't have that option ... and with so many "what if's" in my future right now ... I think its probably best if I give up on the idea of opening an online business. I had had a number of months where things, physically & mentally, seemed to be going exceptionally well for me ... and thats when I began thinking of the web hosting ... sort of playing into the "positives" that the way I was feeling would continue. A few short weeks later ... reality came up and bit me on the butt again.

It was a nice idea ... could maybe have made a bit of money to supplement my disability pension. But I have basically realized I could not follow through ... and now with this new stuff ... well, who knows. But I have had 2 of my docs tell me if I try to set up a home based business ... they would fire me as a patient because I would be going totally against their advice on what I have to do to maintain the "quality of life" I have been enjoying.

Sorry ... I am rambling on too much about the health. That doesn't belong on this forum ;)

So ... I feel the best I can do for now is ... figure out what I should do with all these extra domain names I now own hahahaha ;)

Thank you both for your thoughts & concern
Peter
 
webfreak08 said:
I'm tempted to ask... What are the domain names? Or, if you do not want to tell, did you register them or buy them from someone else?

Since it looks as though there will be no development of them, now I would focus on trying to sell them at a price at or above what you paid for them.
Click to expand...

I registered the domain names. Took me a while to figure out an appropriate name for the market I was going to target ... but I finally figured out one that I think is pretty good.

I was going to target those people working on their genealogy and wanting to publish their family tree's online. I found an "open source" program I was going to set up each account with ... and they could either enter the information directly or upload a file from a software program they would be using on their own PC. They also had the option to let others collaborate on the project online.

It seemed like a good idea and its a growing market. And I figured once the account was set up there would be little in the way of support needed. That may be my own naivety ... but it all seemed pretty straight forward and easy to use ... "almost" idiot proof ;)

As for the domain names themselves ... I have been waffling on whether to name them specifically while I wrote this. But at this point I don't think it much matters ... so ... they are ... MyHeredity.com & .net, .org, .info & .ca

At this point, I think I would be happy just to get my money back that it cost me to buy them ... and just let someone else pick up my web host idea and run with it.

But I am still very open to suggestions
Peter
 
Sorry to hear about the situation that you are in, and I hope everything works out the best for you. I would say that I am also with the "play it safe" approach and I would try to sell the domain names to get back some or all of the investment made.
 
Thanks SpekBTC ... and everyone who responded. I am still pondering the suggestions made and opinions given. This is going to be a hard one. I get very possessive of my domains ... even the ones I am not really using ;) I wonder if thats a "guy thing" ;)

And for those of you who might be wondering how I am "handling" this latest health news ... I am actually OK with it .... REALLY.

I sort of had an epiphany over the weekend.

In the last 15 years the various doctors & specialists have diagnosed me with 27 different things. I take 12 medications a day to treat or control 3 of them. The other 24, they aren't going to kill me but there is no cure (yet) and no adequate treatment ... so I just cope with them as best I can one day to the next.

This "new thing" thats been added into the mix ... its the first time in these last 15 years they have diagnosed me with something they can actually FIX. Not just patch or make it a little better ... they can FIX it totally. No matter what little nasties it throws at me between now and when I can get the surgery ... everything will go back to the way I am now or the maybe the way I was 2 years ago. Sure life may get a little "more interesting" until the surgery ... but after ... it will be fixed. No problem.

So ... believe it or not ... I am TOTALLY Okay with it now. I have friends telling me they would be "wigging out" about it, the surgery to come and the potential for the nasty things to happen between now and then. From my perspective though, I would probably be wigging out more if I got yet one more diagnosis for something that once again had no cure and no adequate treatment that I would have to learn to cope with for potentially the rest of my life. This stuff ... no matter how nasty it gets ... is Temporary ... so I consider that a BIG BONUS ;)

Anyway ... I either have the healthiest attitude about it I can ... or I have gone completely off my nut and am now living in an alternate reality. Your choice hahahaha ;)

Take care
Peter
 
Peter, its actually very cool you keep things so positive. I believe we all can learn to do the same from you.

In regard of your business and domains, if the decision is still hard to make, take one-two more weeks to think about it. Maybe one day it will become crystal clear to you what you want to do with it, so there will be no regrets at a later time.

Best,
 
pmhoran said:
Thanks SpekBTC ... and everyone who responded. I am still pondering the suggestions made and opinions given. This is going to be a hard one. I get very possessive of my domains ... even the ones I am not really using ;) I wonder if thats a "guy thing" ;)
Click to expand...


No problem man. When you finally decide what you want to do, let us know. I'm sure that you will the make the decision that will benefit yourself and make you happy in the long run.
 
Peter, I'm very glad that you manage to keep that positive perspective on life. I had an arguably small leucoma (a scratch on the cornea), and it got me pretty worried. I really don't know what I would if I had 24 things that can't be cured/treated.

Your morale is amazing and, like Art, I do believe we can and need to learn from you! :agree:
 
Don't give me too much credit guys. I went through quite a few years where I think I would be generous in saying I was not exactly a nice person ... angry at everything and everyone. It was only about 5 years ago I came to terms with everything and started coping with things more effectively.

It was about the same time I realized that just about no matter how bad things are in your own life or with your own health ... you don't have to look too far to see someone that is in a far worse position than you are. So just be thankful you only have to deal with what Life has given you to deal with.

So I try to keep positive. I admit I am not always successful ... but I do my best ... and try to make each day be the best day I can.

As for my domains ... I am thinking of just trying to get the $$$ spent back out of them. I know its not really big $$$ to most ... but when all you have is a small government disability pension ... its a pretty big chunk of cash all totalled. Now just to figure out the best way to accomplish it :)

Thanks again
Peter
 
Talk about being fickle ... or undecided :crazy2: Or maybe its just "decidedly nuts" :crazy2: :smilie3: hahahaha

I think I have changed my mind ... again. The money is already spent ... so why sweat it. I have got the domains now for a year. So ... I may as well hang on to the suckers ... and see what happens.

If next year when the renewal comes up ... if I still feel I cannot follow through on my business idea ... I just won't renew them. But that gives me a year to try to get it going ... if I can. And if I don't renew them ... but in a few years decide to try again ... the names might still be available.

If I sell them ... then those names will definitely be gone for good ... and I would have to literally start from scratch and try to think up an new name that I feel might be appropriate.

Well ... thats the way I am thinking now ... for now ...

Peter
 
Hey, Peter.

First off, very sorry to hear of your health issues. I can relate to that. It's never fun to realize that your medical file folder is so thick, it needs an entire row in your doc's cabinet. Been there, done that.

On the upside, it's heartwarming and inspiring to see you having such a positive attitude. Yes, as you admitted, you had to go through a nasty period of time where you were angry with the world. But that is just part of the (expected) natural process. The important thing is that you actually got past it and evolved to a higher level of appreciation for life, and apparently developed an admirably positive attitude.

While doctors have the best of intentions when giving advice, they're not always necessarily spot on. Yes, they advise you to taper your business efforts relative to your physical condition. But that does not take into account your mental condition. After reading this thread, I can clearly see that you are a fighter. You don't get defeated easily, and you are an optimistic and head strong person. I have great admiration for those qualities, as I know what it feels like to face health related challenges. Kudos to you.

Frankly, web hosting may not be the best choice for you right now. Good intentions notwithstanding, the business requires that you tend to it constantly. Support tickets come in at all hours of the day, and you need to be able to address them in a timely manner. And if your physical condition precludes that, then you need to rethink it. After all, your hosting customers are relying on you. Their businesses/livelihood depend on your ability to keep them online. And if you are (at times) unable to perform your web hosting duties, then you are falling short of your very important responsibilities to your clients. In short, it's a time sensitive business where you have to spring to action at the drop of a hat. If that is not possible, then it's not the business for you (right now).

My suggestion is to keep the domain names for the balance of their term. No point in selling them prematurely. As you say, once you sell them, they're gone for good. And as they approach maturity, then make a decision on whether you are able to develop them or not. But don't give up without a fight. Stay positive and optimistic (as you already are).

Peter, as I said before, your spirit and your positive attitude are very inspiring. Many others would succumb to the negative spiral, and simply give up. But you've got fire in your belly. Which is fantastic. When it comes time to renew your hosting domains, if you are unable to take care of that financially, please let me know. I will be happy to renew them for you. And I don't want you to consider my offer as anything other than a result of the admiration I have for you in dealing with your plight. You're an inspiration to all of us.

Vito
 
Hi Vito ...

Thanks for sharing your thoughts & suggestions ... they are appreciated.

Thank you too for your generous and kind words. I was somewhat surprised to learn that at 52 ... I can still blush :) Thank you ... I will endeavour to try to live up to them :)

Thank you too for your kind offer ... that too is appreciated, more than you know. But as you may have surmised ... I tend to be somewhat of a stubborn independent SOB ... so, as much as I appreciate the offer, I will not likely take advantage of your generousity. I am blessed with family & long time friends who are ready, willing and able to assist me financially or in any other way ... if and when I ever "give in" and actually ask for help. But so far, I have only "given in" when I need a ride to an appointment and I am unable to drive myself there.

I apologize to you and anyone else that may have gotten the impression I am or am close to being "destitute". True ... I am living off a very small government pension ... but ... I am debt free and own my own home & car (no mortgage or loans). Plus I have many options open to me that I could utilize before I got to the "destitution" stage.

If I gave up a bit more of my pride ... my family would readily step in and boost my monthly income. But ... I have lived my own life since I was 18 and graduated college (I used to be a smart bugger :)) ... and haven't asked the family for anything since then (except, as mentioned, to occasionally chauffeur me these past few years).

The path I am living is the one the Good Lord has decided I must travel ... so I am going to travel it as best I can while trying to remain as true as I can to the person I have become. Due to all this health stuff ... I have had to "give up" bits and pieces of the person I had become ... but I sort of drew a line in the sand. If I allow myself to cross that line, then I will have become something other than the person I know myself to be. I guess you could say I will become a stranger to myself.

Dang ... off on another tangent ... I think.

Anyway ... I do appreciate your kind and generous offer. But, I apologize that something I shared in my posts made you feel compelled to make it.

Thanks again
Peter

PS. Just in case all that did not come out right ... and upon re-reading it I think that might be the case.

Vito ... I really do appreciate your offer and the generousity shown behind it. Please do not interpret anything I said in this post as me feeling "insulted" or anything negative from you having made it. Your offer tells me, once again, that there are still some truly generous, selfless people in this world.
 
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Yes, I figured you were a "stubborn independent SOB"... :dance:

Good to know you have such a strong support system. It's very likely a strong contributor to your robust spirit and character. Consider yourself lucky. Not everyone is blessed with such support. ;)

Sorry, I in no way meant to imply you were destitute. Your posts suggested that the financial side of keeping the names was a consideration for you, so I just thought I would offer a helping hand. No offence intended.

Anyways, keep up the good fight, Peter. We're counting on you to get through it all like a champ. :box:

Vito
 
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