Think of it like being the king or queen of your digital realm. When you own your data and communication tools, you're in full command. This means everything important to your business stays safe, private, and just where you want it. Imagine if you depended on someone else, like using Slack or Twitter, and suddenly they changed the rules, hiked their prices, or worse, closed shop. By keeping your infrastructure in-house, you’re always in control, making sure your business stays nimble and not caught off-guard by others' decisions.

Having your own setup for emails, chats, and data storage isn’t just about using these services; it means you own them. In today’s world, where data is as precious as treasure, this is a big deal. Running your own servers keeps you safe from unexpected shutdowns and keeps your data away from those who might want to peek into or use it without permission. Plus, you can tweak everything to work just how you need it, something you can’t always get with ready-made services.

And let’s not forget security—keeping your data safe has never been more important. By hosting services yourself, you can beef up security to top-notch standards, keeping all your sensitive info under lock and key. Yes, setting up your own systems might need a bit more effort and money at the start, but the peace of mind and control you get in return? That’s priceless for any business that puts data privacy and independence at the top of its list.

Here are some examples of services you can self-host to replace your reliance on third parties: