Your data. Your server. Your rules.
The one-day workshop in Kiel: you set up your own server and replace subscription services with open-source tools that belong to you, with no technical background at all.
why // the starting point
You decide where your data lives — not some corporation over in the US.
You don't want to depend on a service continuing to exist, staying affordable, or keeping your data to itself. And along the way you could save a few subscription euros too.
What happens in the workshop?
You learn how to set up and maintain a professional server with ease. Together we build your infrastructure, whether as a home server or hosted with a provider of your choice. On top of that, we show you which open-source tools are full replacements for the usual subscription services, and how to run them securely and reliably.
- [a]Home server: your own hardware, running at your place, maximum control.
- [b]Hosted: with a hosting provider from around €5 a month, no hardware of your own needed.
What exactly do you replace?
Open-source software that you host and control yourself, a full replacement for the usual subscription services. And because setting things up isn't enough on its own: maintenance is a fixed part of the curriculum.
Your cloud, your photo archive.
Seafile instead of Google Drive, Immich instead of Google Photos. Files and memories stay with you.
Mail, appointments, meetings.
Mailbox.org instead of Gmail, Calendar & Contacts, Vikunja instead of Google Tasks / Keep, Jitsi Meet / Nextcloud instead of Google Meet.
Writing and thinking.
OnlyOffice instead of Google Docs, Sheets & Slides, Affine instead of Notion. A full office suite, self-hosted.
Workflows without a subscription.
n8n instead of Zapier / Apps Script, Formbricks instead of Typeform / Google Forms, 5filters for RSS full text, Listmonk instead of Mailchimp.
Your business stack.
Depending on what you need: Cal.com instead of Calendly, Twenty as your CRM, Rybbit instead of Google Analytics, Open Notebook instead of NotebookLM.
Still running after the workshop.
We set up automatic updates and backups together, and you get a step-by-step guide for the most common problems.
Who is the workshop for?
You need no technical background, just a laptop and curiosity.
You want out of the dependency.
Your data in your own hands instead of depending on opaque US providers: no US CLOUD Act, no data passed on, no services that change overnight.
Professional tools without subscription costs.
CRM, newsletter, appointment booking, forms: the complete business stack, self-hosted, instead of monthly subscription invoices for a dozen services.
I run these tools myself, every day.
I know the pitfalls of setting them up, the questions that come up along the way, and the configurations that really do run reliably. That is exactly why the workshop is hands-on: we build it together, until your setup is standing.
More about me →When is the next workshop?
A full day in Kiel, by the end your own server is running.
No date that works for you? Get in touch directly, we'll find a solution.
Frequently asked questions.
Do I need my own hardware?
No. You can also run your server with a hosting provider, from around €5 a month. We'll help you choose the option that fits.
What if something breaks after the workshop?
In the workshop you learn not only how to set things up but also how to maintain them: we set up automatic updates and backups together, and you get a step-by-step guide for the most common problems. And if something does get stuck: write to me, for workshop participants I always find a way.
Is my data really safer that way?
You decide yourself where it lives and who has access. No US CLOUD Act, no opaque sharing of data, no dependence on external services that can change overnight.
Which tools are used?
Open-source software that you host and control yourself. You'll find the full list in the curriculum above.
What do I need to bring?
A laptop and curiosity. We'll discuss everything else beforehand.
Not sure yet, or straight away for the whole team?
Want to see what your own infrastructure can do first?
A 15-minute slot on our local AI server: bring your own data, watch local AI work in real time. No cloud, no data sharing. Afterwards you automatically get a report with performance metrics.
Request a slot →Sovereignty for the whole team?
The workshop is also available as an in-house format, combined with local AI infrastructure it becomes a completely self-contained digital workplace.
Free intro call →Start your journey into independence.
Book your seat in the next workshop, or get in touch if you still have questions.