We just hit a big milestone here at Homestead: 10 years in business! Technically, we didn't launch the first version of Homestead until January 1998, but we use October 1st as our official birthday because it lines up with the anniversary of the original company, KartoffelSoft. I started KartoffelSoft on October 1st, 1994, so it's the 13th anniversary of our company if you trace it back to the very beginning. It's amazing how far things can progress once they gain a momentum of their own.
KartoffelSoft was an educational software company that paid the bills by "bootstrapping" (read: doing anything that was legal for money) while we tried to invent great software that would free us from the indentured servitude of technical consulting. All these years later we've built something quite different than what we set out to do, but in many ways it is much more exciting and bigger than our original dreams.
Maybe there is a lesson there for aspiring entrepreneurs? You rarely recognize the true "big idea" at the beginning, but if you don't start somewhere you are guaranteed to get nowhere.
Happy Birthday Homestead. A sincere "thank you" to our hundreds of employees and millions of customers who have been a part of our journey so far!
--jsk
HAPPY BIRTHDAY JUSTIN from Smallbiztechnology.com!!!
Posted by: Ramon Ray | October 05, 2007 at 05:12 AM
Congratulations, Justin, from The Journal Blog! Here's to your next 10 years.
Posted by: Dawn Rivers Baker | October 09, 2007 at 06:00 AM
Hi...I have been a Homestead member since 2000. I LOVE Homestead! However, I am pretty blue about blogs and other items. So, when is Homestead going to add a full feature blog? I mean I know we can add rss feed, but it's not the same. I see you use Typepad, but it's important that blogger comments, link back to our domain and not typepad, for ranking. What about a forum to add on? I really need one. Justin, I actually have a LOT of ideas floating around in my head for Homestead. I would love to talk to you. I don't know if you are available to talk to. I apologize for posting this here, but I was hoping you would get to read this before your other emails. God Bless!
Angie
Posted by: Angie | November 08, 2007 at 10:36 PM
Hi Justin, I would like to thank you and the team for establishing homestead.com for such a long time. I still remember at that time, Homestead.com offered a free service for website building.My first website ever was hosted here. It was YusCapoeira.homestead.com. It was homestead first who had the drag n drop website building tools, followed by geocities as i remembered.
Thanks to you guys, i now have more knowledge in webs authoring. I really really appreciate what you guys had done before.
Thanks.
Posted by: yusri | November 12, 2007 at 09:14 AM
A blog and a forum option...that's what I need too. I use Blogger and have used Typepad, but I'd love to see Homestead add these options for us. That would rock. Happy Tenth!!!!
Posted by: Sherry | November 27, 2007 at 07:27 AM
Wow this is very inspiring as i have just started a business and am still bootstrapping. I hope i can say the same 10 years from now and it gives me the courage to keep going.
Posted by: Jabali | January 26, 2008 at 04:14 AM
Hello All,
Homestead rules ! I have been able to make over 20 web sites like http://www.floridaflatfeemlsfsbo.com
And make money with flat fee mls and do not have to go to work ! Thanks Homestead !
Posted by: Paul Gioffre | February 23, 2008 at 01:55 AM
First thing's first: You've gotta want it. I mean absolutely have the drive and desire to forsake all of the stupid distractions and focus on becoming an Amazing Business Leader. Little fires pop up each day, and you can spend all of your time working on them, but you can't. So take a weekend off to read The Pursuit of Now! Every Person's Guide to Topsy-Turvy Times. It's hard to read Nathan Orms and not get excited about your company, and the possibilities therein.
Posted by: TypePad | July 06, 2008 at 01:22 PM
First thing's first: You've gotta want it. I mean absolutely have the drive and desire to forsake all of the stupid distractions and focus on becoming an Amazing Business Leader. Little fires pop up each day, and you can spend all of your time working on them, but you can't. So take a weekend off to read The Pursuit of Now! Every Person's Guide to Topsy-Turvy Times. It's hard to read Nathan Orms and not get excited about your company, and the possibilities therein.
Posted by: TypePad | July 06, 2008 at 01:22 PM
yeah i totally agree with the typepad nick guy .
Posted by: jeff paul internet marketing | December 29, 2008 at 10:56 PM
Hi there, Not enought information Thanks Tania
Posted by: Tania | February 04, 2009 at 01:22 AM
Please help me....I cannot get a "person" to talk to at Homestead and you probably already are aware that the "help" tab on your site doesn't load.
I am unable to get into my site to make adjustments. I don't know if its realted or not, but I have a permanent white square on my computer desk top that is blank and has "launch site builder" written on it. I cannot get rid of it, and cannot access my site.
Posted by: Sharyn Davis | March 06, 2009 at 06:25 PM
yepp, a great blog
Posted by: Flug | March 25, 2009 at 07:50 AM
your site said free looks like faults advertising to me.
take the word free out.
Posted by: john | March 28, 2009 at 10:23 AM
When will Homestead make a homesite builder compatable for us MAC users????
Posted by: Michael | April 10, 2009 at 06:42 PM
Right now, I am a very unhappy Homestead customer. Getting a problem resolved through Help Support has been impossible...
Here's the problem...
I operate three websites through Homestead...using the same account...and all three are registered and built under the same account...using the same Site Builder download.
On two of those sites...everything is just fine. I can open a new page...build it...and publish it. On the other site,
Site Builder will not permit me to even open a new page.
What gives? Why can't Homestead tech support take care of the problem. I've already sent 4 help tickets...and all I seem to get back is the run around.
Thought I'd try to get some help and resolution here.
Posted by: Toby Bridges | May 05, 2009 at 02:36 PM