Well, I guess the obvious has been overlooked.

You say that you want to start a hosting and design company.

Hosting is the easy part. In fact, any 12 year old can start a hosting company.

Design is a completely different aspect.

Before jumping in and making the internet an ugly place, make sure you can design. I of course, don't mean that as disrespectful.

I'm simply saying that a lot of people (local to my me), claim to be "designers", because they took some trade school class that taught them how to use FrontPage.

Want examples?:
- http://www.uniontown.k12.pa.us/ ("designed" by a local company)
- http://www.lhsd.org/buildings/highschool/index.html (also "designed" by a local company...I feel shamed cause I graduated from there)

Again, no disrespect, but if this is you, please do the Internet and yourself a favor....don't do it! Practice some more, etc.

If this is NOT you, and you actually "design" rather than grabbing a color palette, and some html, then offering design services are simple...

- Start with competitions, at multiple forums. This will get you noticed.
- Design pre-made templates to sell at forums such as this one (also will get your talents noticed)
- Make sure your portfolio site displays only your best work, and is layed out in an impressive manner.

Above all else, in both the hosting and the design aspects, DO NOT, please allow me to repeat....DO NOT, fall into the trap of offering ridiculously low prices simply because your competitors do. This is something that will kill your business almost before you start, and it's something you will never be able to get out of, without pissing off a ton of people who want you to design and host the next 2advanced.com for a nickel, and heard from a friend of their's that you will.