DWHS Web Hosting
Charles Yarbrough is the president and customer manager for DWHS Web Hosting (http://www.dwhswebhosting.com), a leading web hosting provider. Starting back in 1998 DWHS was created to offer a reliable web hosting solution for high traffic business websites. When Charles joined them in the year 2000, DWHS went public and created a web hosting solution that would meet the needs of all level websites. The founder James Gardner and other partners are now owners of a multi-million dollar data center in downtown LA. Between Charles, James, the new CFO John Souse, and 11 others they maintain a well known web hosting, dedicated server, and collocation company for thousands websites. For more information please visit http://www.dwhswebhosting.com
1) DWHS Web Hosting seemed to have foreseen the Internet boom early enough to get own data center space as early as 1998. What does DWHS Web Hosting do today to stay ahead of the competition and to make sure business growth is not an accident?
We where very lucky to assume that the internet was not going to take over the world like so many predicted back in 1998. I think we as a company always seen it as a great tool, like a shovel or a fork rather then try to make it more then what it is. We started out just wanting to provide a solid product that does what it should. I know it sounds trivial but in 1998 not very web hosts where worth shaking a stick at and data centers where marking up about 5000%. Investing into a data center was almost saving us money at those prices. We have added several nice perks since the beginning but our main focus is still to provide a solid product so our customers can focus on what their doing and not worry about their web hosting company.
2) What is your overall impression of the web hosting industry today?
It’s a tough market today, more and more big companies are coming in and out for a quick buck. These companies can create big waves in the market for long term companies like ours. Some months we are amazed that we are getting so many new customers and others are strangely quit. Without the experience of doing this for so long I can see how a company would get scared from time to time. The difference for us is that we know that we will be here and anything that comes in our way is just another wave that our ship will get over no matter how rough. If I had to predict the future I would say web hosting will calm down to a few thousand key players and become more stable over the next decade.
3) If you would have to start again – would you start as a web host again (and why)?
110% I love business and the internet and to be able to work with new and developed business’s everyday on the internet is great. I can’t speak for everyone but we enjoy what we do and put 100% into it. Our techs get to play video games and work on their own projects during downtime. They have access to top of the line computers and unlimited speed to the internet, how many jobs allow that?
4) What does give you satisfaction (business-wise)?
Definably watching a starter website grow. I have seen so many newbie’s not even know how to build a page, yet they grow to getting thousands of visitors a day and quitting their jobs to run their new internet business. I know a 40 or so year old successful lawyer who quit her job to help her daughter run their website and now they both separately make more then she did as a lawyer. There are many more scenarios like this that I have been lucky enough to watch unfold and I am sure there will be plenty more in the future.
5) If you could change some major in the hosting industry – what would that be?
The only thing I really want to change is when I get a new customer who registered their domain with a web hosting company that will not let them transfer it away. The company basically takes advantage of newbie’s to try and make them stay with their web hosting company even when the customer wants to leave. If we could somehow weed these jerks out, I think it would be a great thing for newbie’s starting their internet venture. Besides that I think it is great that there are so many people getting on the web, there is endless potential for anyone here and it’s easier then ever to have a great website. I do think someday all businesses will have a website, with the same importance as a phone number or a cash register. When that day comes DWHS Web Hosting will be here keeping it easy and reliable for them.
Many thanks to Charles for spending the time answering our questions. Good luck for your future ventures from WebHostingreport.net -> This interview was done in July of 2004.
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