This is a throw away account, in case I end up working with someone that reads this post.
I've been lurking on this community with my main account for a few months now. I have ideas on what I'd like to self-host but between my ADHD, perfectionism, and anxiety, I'm frozen.
I need help selecting and implementing an initial set up. I'm not an IT professional but I'm a reasonably advanced user, so I'm confident I can do the setup work and ongoing management myself. I just need someone to:
- Discuss the big picture of what's involved in self-hosting and help fill in gaps in my understanding;
- Help me decide on the best initial setup for my needs and skill level;
- Hold my hand during the setup phase and make sure I'm not doing anything stupid;
- Ideally be available long term for the occassional question.
I'm willing to pay a fair hourly rate for this assistance. If someone in this community is interested, please dm me. You might want to use a throw away for that too, assuming this work can't be done anonymously.
Alternatively, any suggestions for good websites to find a consultant, and what skills I should be looking for, would also be greatly appreciated.
Thank you for reading. Wishing you all the best for 2026.
Edit: I appreciate all the offers for free help on this forum.
I perhaps didn't explain well enough that what I really need is a knowledgeable coach, who can get me moving and provide guidance. I bought the Official Pi-hole Raspberry Pi 4 Kit a few months ago and it's still sitting on my desk gathering dust. Embarrassing but true.
Agree with everybody else here: don’t pay anyone for this.
We’re all a bunch of people hating that everything costs so much, so we selfhost what we can.
Use us, learn from our mistakes, make your own and start over when you fuck up to badly. We’ve all done it and still do it.
We’ll hold your hand every time you come back and ask for help, as long as you’ve shown at least a tiny bit of effort on your end.
Depending on your timezone, I could hop in a quick Discord call and nudge you in the right direction if it gets you going. I have some experience with ADHD so I know from second hand experience how you feel.
My TZ is CET.
Best of luck anyways!
I’d say the same. About money, I’d formulate this differently: most of the people here would be happy to help for free, I believe. And the author could just ‘thank with a coffee’ kind of thing, if they feel like it. I see that’s as a very nice option for everyone.
That is very kind of you to offer. I'm also on CET, so I might take you up on that offer.
I'm not interested in self-hosting to save money, though. It's more disillusionment and loss of trust with proprietary tech, which has me wanting to have more control. Also, I usually like to tinker with things. It feels as if self-hosting should be something I enjoy but for some reason I'm not managing to get out of my own head and start. If it was a purely technical thing, I'd have asked the question by now, promise.
Whatever you reason: let’s get you started!
Let me know if you’re taking me up on the offer or feel free to ask me directly if you’re more comfortable with that.
Happy New Year!