How long have you been a webmaster...

[seb_]

I think for me it was the fact that I could be creative and show that creativity to people all over the world. I come from a bit of an arty background and have always had an interst in art. website design is an art IMO and thats what I think attracted me to it.
However I have yet to turn my websites into somthing other than a cluttered mess but i'm still finding the time

 

[temi]

Seb,
Thanks for sharing that with us, just keep hammering away at the keyboard and you will eventually become a guru coder. For me getting into webmastering was a natural progression of what I was doing before. I was a LAN engineer in the days before the Internet become widespread, when the internet became more popular I jumped on the bandwagon.

I actually learn web design when I was quoted £2,000 by a web design company just to create a few pages of website for me back in 1998, I though sod it, its not rocket science I can learn it, I then started reading through HTML tutorial sites and I eventually managed to put a site together, today, I have over 20 websites, most of them not created by my but b my associate, I just design the sites this day and get the guys to do the hard work but when they are too busy I go do minor coding.

 

[Duke]

I got into webmastering because I was actually at a crossroads in life and wanted to come face to face with some of my inner demons. I didn't trust anyone, books didn't help, I didn't want to see a shrink, so the next best thing was to put together a website where I could vent, and allow others to vent as well. I felt the anonymity that the web provided would help people be more open and honest. I've also put a lot of effort into getting key members who are understanding, very active, and very supportive.

I also thought it would be nice if there was a site on the net that allowed people of all ages to post their issues, from children to adults. I thought it would be even better if the kids could read the parents issues and vice versa, maybe we could all understand each other a little better.

It's still in it's early stages but has received good feedback. I've been incredibly lucky with directories adding me with no waits, multiple requests for link exchanges and great content. The whole experience has been well worth it, regardless of outcome, and has spawned my desire to create an entire network of sites (still in the making).

In short, I love doing this as I'm sure you all do.

 

[Paul_KY]

I got into the business because if I didn't, my family would starve to death.

Looking back, it never really was a, "choice". It HAD to be done.

 

[OldWelshGuy]

I got into the business because if I didn't, my family would starve to death.

As it turned out you only had to eat 2 of the kids before the money started coming in lol

 

[Paul_KY]

I'll never forget that first $20 + dollar check. I couldn't believe it. It was actually real and it didn't bounce. Real Money!

 

[OldWelshGuy]

Great feeling isn't it. Last year just before Christmas We had a couple of cheques amounting to a few grand, and two packages in the post. One package was addressed to my daughter, and the other to my wife. When we opened them up they were gifts from a client whos site I had worked on that year. The cheques were banked, and I can't remember who they were from, but those gifts for my family meant a lot.

Maybe it is because of my inbuilt inferiority complex, I am not sure, but it sure made me feel good to think that a customerwould take that much time to do such a thing. And I still have my first cheque (photocopy of course lol)

 

[temi]

Ahhhh,
I don't have that many local work but I had one this year which was and SEO for a keyword that is not highly sough after, within 3 months they client is having more enquiries that he can cope with, now every time I walk past him in the street he always heap praises on me, its now getting embarrassing. The flip side was another local client a few year ago, different service this time; web design, this did not go well because when the client email stop working he ring me at home (even though his email provide is btinternet) and I have to explain that email service and web design have absolutely nothing to do with one another.
I don't go out of my way to attract local business any more but if I can have a nice customer like OWG described that would be nice.

 

[Paul_KY]

This is why I love working with networks like affiliatefuel.com. They take care of me. Last Christmas it was a huge holiday basket and this year they sent two very nice golf shirts.

Class outfit.