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.
I see you're getting lots of advice just to use c/selfhosted as a free consultant. That's good advice if you're self-motivated and focused.
If you want someone to be a coach through the process, to keep you focused and moving, that's a) a slightly different skillset and b) worth putting in the description. I mention this only because I have a bunch of aspirational projects on my to--do list that have just sat there for literally years because of perfectionism, anxiety, and maybe some undiagnosed ADHD. I'll also counter by noting that a lot of people, this time of year, buy a gym membership on the theory that spending the money will somehow force them actually to go to the gym, only to find that spent money is not actually a motivator.
A coach is the right word, thank you for that. I edited my post to clarify.
This isn't a New Year's thing - I've been debating this for a few months now. It's also not about using money as a motivater because that doesn't work for me. I just find that body doubling / external accountability really helps me. Sometimes you just have to accept who you are and pay the ADHD tax ๐