Personal Development for Smart People^TM Forums

Aminka Ozmun · 09-20-2011, 11:04 PM

I work for a small web development company and my boss has been very generous in offering me space on his VPS for my own eBook site. Should I take him up on the offer?

He's a cool guy and we've worked closely together for almost three years now. I trust him, but it sort of feels a little too close for comfort, especially since I'm a romance author! But he's a very down-to-earth person and not politically correct at all so it's not like I'm afraid he'd feel uncomfortable himself about anything I might write.

Am I just being silly here? I absolutely trust him, and there are no issues at work or anything. I stand to save like three hundred dollars, and I know I'd get great tech support!

Logically, there should be no problem, but I've never been in this situation before, so I'd really appreciate any advice.

DBV · 09-20-2011, 11:14 PM

Read your contract, it could be that if you start a company while you work in the current workplace has the right to it, or part of it. You don't want to miss that. Some companies do that and you can lose your startup/project like that.. or part of it...

Clint Cora · 09-21-2011, 03:29 AM

See my website tools where I also review web hosting. Web hosting is not that expensive and certainly not $300. You should have independent hosting with your own domain name.

Brutha · 09-21-2011, 10:00 AM

Read your contract to see whether he might get ownership of your project.
It's important that you buy your own domain name.
Whenever you change something on the website, make a backup.

If you follow those rules there's little risk. Even if you get on bad terms with your boss the website might go offline for a few days but it will be up again when you redirect your domain to new webspace.

Aminka Ozmun · 09-21-2011, 01:19 PM

Good point, DBV and Brutha...no, I actually don't have any employment contract, just typical hire-and-fire-at-will scenario for the United States (

) but I do have my own domain name and yes I'll be backing up files. Still not sure whether to go with my boss as I guess I just don't like the idea of him knowing what I'm up to as far as a side business is concerned -- one that I obviously hope will one day make it possible for me to quit my job with him!

Thanks, Clint; it's actually $229 for three years with either Bluehost or HostGator. Bluehost offers unlimited domains for the same price, but HostGator seems just a tiny bit "user-friendlier....

Clint Cora · 09-21-2011, 02:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aminka Ozmun

Thanks, Clint; it's actually $229 for three years with either Bluehost or HostGator. Bluehost offers unlimited domains for the same price, but HostGator seems just a tiny bit "user-friendlier....

I also judge a web hosting service with their tech support and Bluehost from my own experience has been awesome in this regard. I'm not a techie so when I need help, I need it quickly and they have always come through for me.

Aminka Ozmun · 09-21-2011, 08:19 PM

Actually, Clint, that was a major reason I quit 3dcart: not only was Version 4 of their system buggy for me, but tech support kept insisting that there was no problem on their end and kept closing the support tickets involved on their own initiative!

Anyway, I have to say that I am a bit more impressed with HostGator's response to my pre-sales queries today than Bluehost's. Not tech support, to be sure, but I've come to expect a solicitous pre-sales experience, thanks to the excellent correspondence I've had with, perhaps ironically, 3dcart and their Clarence Spencer!

shadowfax · 09-24-2011, 11:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aminka Ozmun

Still not sure whether to go with my boss as I guess I just don't like the idea of him knowing what I'm up to as far as a side business is concerned -- one that I obviously hope will one day make it possible for me to quit my job with him!

He will be able to do this probably no matter what. It is pretty easy to find out about people online.

I personally wouldn't unless he is a personal friend outside work for a long time. If the work relationship goes bad, will this affect the situation between you two. You want it where the relationship lasts.

SnerpGoodWord · 09-25-2011, 02:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Clint Cora

I also judge a web hosting service with their tech support and Bluehost from my own experience has been awesome in this regard. I'm not a techie so when I need help, I need it quickly and they have always come through for me.

I have a bluehost account, and I likewise am impressed. Very inexpensive, and everything seems to work the first time.

Acidify · 09-25-2011, 04:55 PM

You probably shouldn't even go in that direction. If your boss has an unreliable server or bad customer service, it could affect you guy's relationship. What if you have to move your site due to server problems? That could be a big blow to his ego.

I think you should get your own hosting with another company. That way business regarding your website is professional rather than personal. And trust me, if someone is supposedly giving you something "free", it is personal and you should be extremely careful.

Thunderkeg · 11-20-2011, 02:59 AM

Well, if the server is not good then don't think of going to that direction.

danthony · 11-20-2011, 03:21 AM

I think you could easily go with an affordable option such as HostGator with their basic or baby plan. Also, you could use e-junkie to auto-deliver your e-book for about $5 a month. That would be the most cost effective way that i'd choose if its just an ebook.

mainstreetcm · 11-20-2011, 05:58 AM

Personally speaking... under no certain terms would I host my site under my bosses hosting account.

I currently have a portfolio of about 20 domains and nearly 15 active websites. I host through byet host for a minimal fee per month. Contract or not I wouldn't do this.

In my case I own my domains and the hosting accounts the sites depend on. That is something I can let fall in the hands of anyone else, no matter the trust, no matter the contract.

I would politely decline and move about my business as I see fit.

Aminka Ozmun · 11-25-2011, 07:47 PM

Well, thanks for the advice, everyone: I've decided on Bluehost, finally!

Again, thanks for teaching me to think like a real businesswoman.

09-20-2011, 11:04 PM	#1 (permalink)
Aminka Ozmun Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: New York City Posts: 209	Should I Host My Site with My Boss?? I work for a small web development company and my boss has been very generous in offering me space on his VPS for my own eBook site. Should I take him up on the offer? He's a cool guy and we've worked closely together for almost three years now. I trust him, but it sort of feels a little too close for comfort, especially since I'm a romance author! But he's a very down-to-earth person and not politically correct at all so it's not like I'm afraid he'd feel uncomfortable himself about anything I might write. Am I just being silly here? I absolutely trust him, and there are no issues at work or anything. I stand to save like three hundred dollars, and I know I'd get great tech support! Logically, there should be no problem, but I've never been in this situation before, so I'd really appreciate any advice.

09-21-2011, 01:19 PM	#5 (permalink)
Aminka Ozmun Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: New York City Posts: 209	Good point, DBV and Brutha...no, I actually don't have any employment contract, just typical hire-and-fire-at-will scenario for the United States () but I do have my own domain name and yes I'll be backing up files. Still not sure whether to go with my boss as I guess I just don't like the idea of him knowing what I'm up to as far as a side business is concerned -- one that I obviously hope will one day make it possible for me to quit my job with him! Thanks, Clint; it's actually $229 for three years with either Bluehost or HostGator. Bluehost offers unlimited domains for the same price, but HostGator seems just a tiny bit "user-friendlier....

09-25-2011, 04:55 PM	#10 (permalink)
Acidify Junior Member Join Date: Apr 2011 Posts: 9	You probably shouldn't even go in that direction. If your boss has an unreliable server or bad customer service, it could affect you guy's relationship. What if you have to move your site due to server problems? That could be a big blow to his ego. I think you should get your own hosting with another company. That way business regarding your website is professional rather than personal. And trust me, if someone is supposedly giving you something "free", it is personal and you should be extremely careful. Last edited by Acidify; 09-25-2011 at 05:01 PM.

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09-20-2011, 11:14 PM	#2 (permalink)
DBV Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Currently in Dublin Posts: 302	Read your contract, it could be that if you start a company while you work in the current workplace has the right to it, or part of it. You don't want to miss that. Some companies do that and you can lose your startup/project like that.. or part of it...

09-21-2011, 03:29 AM	#3 (permalink)
Clint Cora Family Member Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Mississauga, On Canada Posts: 1,502	See my website tools where I also review web hosting. Web hosting is not that expensive and certainly not $300. You should have independent hosting with your own domain name.

09-21-2011, 10:00 AM	#4 (permalink)
Brutha Family Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Berlin, Germany Posts: 8,749	Read your contract to see whether he might get ownership of your project. It's important that you buy your own domain name. Whenever you change something on the website, make a backup. If you follow those rules there's little risk. Even if you get on bad terms with your boss the website might go offline for a few days but it will be up again when you redirect your domain to new webspace.

09-21-2011, 08:19 PM	#7 (permalink)
Aminka Ozmun Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: New York City Posts: 209	Actually, Clint, that was a major reason I quit 3dcart: not only was Version 4 of their system buggy for me, but tech support kept insisting that there was no problem on their end and kept closing the support tickets involved on their own initiative! Anyway, I have to say that I am a bit more impressed with HostGator's response to my pre-sales queries today than Bluehost's. Not tech support, to be sure, but I've come to expect a solicitous pre-sales experience, thanks to the excellent correspondence I've had with, perhaps ironically, 3dcart and their Clarence Spencer!

11-20-2011, 02:59 AM	#11 (permalink)
Thunderkeg Junior Member Join Date: Nov 2011 Posts: 8	Well, if the server is not good then don't think of going to that direction.

11-20-2011, 03:21 AM	#12 (permalink)
danthony Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Posts: 426	I think you could easily go with an affordable option such as HostGator with their basic or baby plan. Also, you could use e-junkie to auto-deliver your e-book for about $5 a month. That would be the most cost effective way that i'd choose if its just an ebook.

11-20-2011, 05:58 AM	#13 (permalink)
mainstreetcm Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Posts: 167	Personally speaking... under no certain terms would I host my site under my bosses hosting account. I currently have a portfolio of about 20 domains and nearly 15 active websites. I host through byet host for a minimal fee per month. Contract or not I wouldn't do this. In my case I own my domains and the hosting accounts the sites depend on. That is something I can let fall in the hands of anyone else, no matter the trust, no matter the contract. I would politely decline and move about my business as I see fit.

11-25-2011, 07:47 PM	#14 (permalink)
Aminka Ozmun Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: New York City Posts: 209	Well, thanks for the advice, everyone: I've decided on Bluehost, finally! Again, thanks for teaching me to think like a real businesswoman.

Personal Development for Smart PeopleTM Forums

Personal Development for Smart People^TM Forums