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.
Thank you for taking the time to reply. I want to self-host various personal services for myself though, not a piefed instance.
It's natural to share different parts of your life with different people, at varying levels of intimacy. Something doesn't have to be illegal or shameful for you not to want to talk about it at work. Using throw away accounts allows both parties the opportunity to keep a potential professional relationship separate from their personal account, which may give information about their private life that they don't wish to share. I'm not ashamed of my main account, I'm just a big fan of sandboxing 🙂
Well, if you like sandboxing, Docker is absolutely for you!!
With regards to the self-hosted aspect, pick one that really interests you, and get it up and running. That will give you experience and confidence going forward. The remaining items will be mostly cookie-cutter additions. If I also host that same item, I’d be happy to share samples of how I did it.
Thank you for the offer, that's very kind. I'll definitely be coming back to this community once I manage to get going.
The final thing I’ll say on this - as it directly ties back to your initial post. Don’t become paralyzed and neglect to start. Flip a coin, dartboard, whatever to pick your first one - there are no wrong answers. The truth is you’ll likely tear it down and redo it a half-dozen times before you are satisfied.