Secure Hosting Setup Guidance

I run a fully custom-built website that is still sitting on basic shared hosting, and it has started to show its limits from both a performance and security standpoint. I now want to migrate to a more robust environment—whether that ends up being a managed VPS, a cloud instance, or a small dedicated box—and I need someone who can walk me through each step, make the move safely, and harden the new server once we are live.

Right now the site has no staging area, no automated backups, and only a self-signed certificate, so I am looking for a professional with solid, demonstrable experience in server hardening and website migrations to take ownership of the technical side while explaining the decisions to me in plain English.

Key deliverables
• Issue and install a trusted SSL certificate
• Configure an effective firewall (iptables, ufw, or an equivalent control panel tool)
• Set up automated daily backups with easy restore procedures
• Provide clear post-migration documentation so I can handle routine tasks myself

I am not tied to any hosting company; your guidance on selecting the best provider, sizing the instance, and estimating ongoing costs will be part of the engagement. Please cite comparable projects or roles where you secured or migrated custom sites—real-world experience will weigh more than long proposals.