or Why I Switched to a Different Web Host

First and foremost, I want to be clear: I am not writing this to put down any specific companies or mindsets. I just want to share my thought process and business ideals with you.

This story starts out many years ago when I was just getting started online. I needed a domain name and hosting plan, so I shopped around for the best deal – and I got exactly that.

I ended up with the web host and domain registrar best known for sexy spokeswomen in tight t-shirts. At the time, their advertising gimmicks were the least of my worries. I mean, I wanted to make money online without spending a small fortune to get online; and at the time, they were the best deal going.

There were never any issues with the products or services I purchased from them. In fact, the way things were set up, I hardly had to know anything about domains, hosting, servers, and the like. I was sailing right along and then one day, I crashed right into a wall. (I think I might have cracked my glasses.) A client asked me to do something I didn’t know how to do. Enter: panic.

It was all well and good that my host made my life easy, but I didn’t realize they also made me lazy. I never had to learn ‘how to’ because they did it all for me. All of their back-end automation made it easy for me to grow my business without a thorough understanding of the process or technology involved. I was a web amateur to say the least.

Limping Right Along…

When I realized that my host had been a crutch for my skill set, I felt like a fraud. I had been touting myself as a web designer when in reality I knew just enough to squeak by.

What’s a girl to do when she realizes her ability doesn’t meet her client’s (let alone her own) expectations? Research like crazy, read every web design and development book with a 5-star rating, and experiment until she understands it: that’s what! And I did.

In the process I realized that my host was no longer a good fit for me or my business. Not only were their low prices and fancy control panel keeping me stagnant professionally, they were keeping me quiet ethically – and through no fault of their own! They never claimed to be anything more than cheap and reliable.

Every time I purchased or renewed a service, I felt like I was putting a great big stamp of approval on all of the boorish shenanigans they so proudly displayed. When clients and colleagues would ask who my host was, I felt embarrassed to tell them because their values were so far from my own.

Practice What You Preach…

It was then I decided I had to put my money where my mouth was. I did some digging, got some input from trusted friends and business owners, and made the switch to DreamHost. (At the time, they were running a fantastic deal and I was able to make the switch without emptying my pockets. Bonus!)

I felt so powerful. Not only had I said goodbye to a bad business relationship, I stood up (in a little way) to the demoralizing message of ‘sex for sale’ and gave my money to a company I felt aligned with my own personal and business values.

Regardless of your stance on wet t-shirt contests and fast cars, I urge you to invest your money in companies that represent your core values. The few dollars you might save here or there are worth placing in the hands of a business that you are proud to support.

This little piggy has been making it a point to do just that.

Thanks for the piggy bank, Ryan Hyde!