Why I'm creating Jaycee Hosting
Hello there! My name is Eric Schmidt (not that Eric Schmidt – he wears much nicer suits than I do). I'm a self-employed web designer, Kalamazoo Jaycee, marketer and geek.
I joined the Kalamazoo, Michigan, chapter of the Jaycees in 2005, and it was one of the best things I have ever done. It started as a way to make business contacts; it eventually became so much more.
Why am I doing this?
Being the guy behind the Kalamazoo Jaycees website, I always wanted to know how other chapters presented themselves online.
One afternoon, my curiosity got the better of me, and I started exploring Jaycee websites from all over the country. It was obvious fairly quickly – most Jaycee chapters are really struggling with their web presence.
Believe me, I know how hard it can be – there are many chapter needs, a lot of opinions, and if you aren't a professional web developer, the technology can be overwhelming.
Here's the kicker, though: for people under 25, a website is the first – and often only – place they will go to learn about your chapter. If your first impression fails to impress, they will quickly move on.
Personally and professionally, the Jaycees have given me a lot. It's time I give back. If my knowledge and experience can help a chapter prosper even a little bit, I'm happy to do it.
What I hope to deliver with Jaycee Hosting:
- An affordable web hosting solution – Many Jaycee chapters are using free to dirt-cheap web hosting plans for their website. While I hope to deliver a much higher-quality product, my goal is to maintain a level of affordability.
- An easy-to-maintain website – The most powerful content management system is useless if no one is able to use it. My goal is to develop a website package useable by everyone – even non-programmers.
- Professionally designed templates – As I detailed earlier, I believe every chapter needs a professional-looking website to attract new members.
Interested?
If your chapter could use some help with its website, please submit your e-mail address using the form at the top of this page. I will be in touch with more details.
Want to improve your Jaycee chapter's website and online marketing efforts? Please visit my blog, Jaycee Web Nerd.

