1078
6 min 28 sec

Student Bytes Into Lucrative Web Host Biz

A college student launches a web hosting side hustle that goes on to serve more than 30,000 clients.
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What It's About

A college student builds a six-figure web hosting business from his dorm room.

Business Model
Service
Skills Required
IT & Marketing
Complexity
Low
Profit Potential
High

Words of Wisdom

For many, starting a side hustle is about becoming your own boss and having more freedom and control. Corey share's an interesting perspective when you start scaling your company, “I'd say "not having a boss” has been one of the best parts, but that's not true. My first company had around 30,000 bosses (clients).”

Fun Fact

Playing in a band during college, Corey befriended many of the venue owners and local bands who he provided hosting services for. He calls his journey with Ubiquity his own version of becoming a rock star.

Notes from Chris

Episode 1078
While getting his degree in systems analysis at Illinois State University, Corey Northcutt found a way to combine his talents with his interests. The idea began organically ... he liked building websites and he had a friend who used the Linux operating system. Without much thought, they decided that they could combine the two.

Let’s talk very briefly about web hosting. To publicly share a website (make it to where someone else can visit), you need a web host, where your web pages and other content can live. Corey realized that people were paying faceless corporations to host their hopes and dreams, which was a bit scary. In response, he and his friend decided to offer them a better experience.

The pair decided on the name Ubiquity. It seemed fitting—by creating things to put on the internet, where they would be available anywhere and everywhere. Setting up the actual hosting part was easy, as it had a low startup cost and required few resources beyond their own experience in programming. All they needed was $60 per month for a virtual private server and PayPal fees.

What happened next is what Corey calls “a series of fortunate accidents.” With no business plan, Corey decided he would try using Ubiquity to make some extra cash as a student. He spent time on forums, absorbing knowledge from others who were offering web hosting. Though he had learned some concepts from his IT degree, he had to apply them in a way that was more useful through a process of hands-on learning.

After a few more coffee shop clients, as well as a number of bands he and his friend signed up since they were both musicians, they found themselves attracting people through web searches. Since Ubiquity had no budget for advertising, they worked especially hard on their SEO.

Eventually, they moved on to higher-paying clients, discovering that charging $500 per month for the rental of an entire server was the most profitable and successful plan. As a result, they raised their rates, focusing on delivering a premium product that helped them stand out.

Five years in, Corey sold Ubiquity to his partners. After cashing out, he told himself he’d just sit on a beach and build his own sites. That didn’t last long—two weeks to be exact—as he was approached to do consulting for someone he considered a mentor in his previous business. Within a year, he had created an entirely new company, Northcutt, that focuses on SEO for e-commerce brands.

He is able to look back on this first side hustle as how he got his start. He bootstrapped that business from the ground up, his dorm room, and that local coffee shop.

 
  MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

  • Corey has since sold his web hosting business (Ubiquity) and now focuses on SEO for e-commerce brands. Learn more about his new venture at Northcutt.com.
  SEE ALSO:

Inspiration is good; inspiration combined with action is better. Now get back to work!

Yours in the revolution,

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Quote of the Day
"I'd say "not having a boss” has been one of the best parts, but that's not true. My first company had around 30,000 bosses (clients)."
—Corey Northcutt #SideHustleSchool

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To infinity and beyond,

Chris Guillebeau