Hi all
In a series of interviews with the owners of the top kiteboarding websites in the world, we decided to start out with Toby Braeuer, owner of kiteforum.com - the biggest kiteboarding forums on the internet.
How and when did kiteforum start?I started kiting in 2000, and since the information was very rare, I spent lots of time in a German forum looking and asking for info.
My girlfriend meant I was wasting time, so I figured, if I run my own forum, it won't be waste of time and started
kiteforum.com in September 2001.
Reading so many postngs about kitebeaches, when, where etc, I decided to launch
kitebeaches.com in 2004 to have a database of kitebeaches around the world.
And then I always wanted a place where I can upload my videos, and where others can upload theirs as well, so I launched
kiteforum.tv a bit later.
Which sites do you currently manage?www.kiteforum.comwww.kitebeaches.comwww.kiteforum.tvHow did being a website owner change your life?
In the beginning it was a lot of work, without making any money from it. It was passion driven and was started as a hobby, never thinking to make any living with it.
After some years the costs for servers and programming started to increase, so I accepted banners to cover the costs.
And then I had to decide: going for it full force and make it a business, or keep it running on the side and go for a real job, I decided to try it and make a real job out of it.
And now I'm very happy for that decision, I can stay anywhere in the world, so no more Germany during winter!
Where is your favourite kiteboarding locations?Northeast Brazil and Mauritius.
Best Part of the JobFor me the best part is, that the sites help people to get more info and help for an awesome sport, for free.
And many people are very thankful and appreciate the work that is behind it, so one knows that it is for a good cause, making people happier.
And I get the chance to live anywhere in the world if I want to.
Worst part of the jobNo holidays! I wish I could take one week off and don't worry about anything, just go kiting.
Most popular post on Kiteforum
Most Sexy Kite Picture, over 2 million views and thousands of replies.
For more information on Toby and his sites, visit
http://www.kiteforum.com