Managed hosting for one type of small business

Small businesses, web designers and agencies who want a local, hands-on host and don't want to manage servers themselves.

Monthly managed hosting plans at a higher price than basic hosting, plus domain fees, migration and setup fees, and optional extras like monitoring or site care.

• Server administration (Linux, web servers, security)
• Troubleshooting under pressure
• Clear communication with non-technical customers

• You are responsible for security, backups and uptime, so plan for out-of-hours problems
• Check your obligations under the Privacy Act and the Notifiable Data Breaches scheme
• Consider professional indemnity and cyber insurance, and check what they cover
• Check auDA rules for .au domains and registrar requirements
• Check whether you need council approval for a home-based business, and register for GST once you reach the threshold

Startup costs are typically estimated at around $1,500 to $6,000, depending on the servers you rent and the tools you set up. You are responsible for security, backups and uptime, so allow time and budget for those.

Monthly revenue is typically estimated at around $1,500 to $7,500, depending on how many customers you host and the niche you serve. Plan for at least about 15 hours a week, including out-of-hours problems, and register for GST once you reach the threshold.

Check your Privacy Act and Notifiable Data Breaches obligations, auDA rules for .au domains and registrar requirements, and whether professional indemnity and cyber insurance suit you. Also check whether you need council approval for a home-based business.