Nate Reist is a partner and lead developer at Mindutopia in Grand Rapids MI. Mindutopia is primarily a WordPress development shop. He studied computer science and digital media arts and technologies at Michigan State University. He’s got a passion for problem-solving, and WordPress has been a great part of solving problems for him.

Nate will be presenting AJAX : using JavaScript in WordPress.

Interview

Why do you use WordPress?

I feel it is one of the best options for Content Management on the web. WordPress is a great platform for making everything from a website to a full fledged web application.

When and how did you start using WordPress?

Early 2010, Mindutopia tried it as new content management option for our clients. It was love at first site. *Pun intended*

What tips or resources would you recommend to a new WordPress user?

Explore and try new things. WordPress is very well documented online and has a great user base. And attend WordCamps for sure, learning from others and sometimes this is learning from their mistakes.

What advice would you give someone who’s building a business around WordPress design or development?

Many solutions exist out there for projects extending code from existing plugins and themes to custom written solutions. Learn how to appropriately evaluate the needs of the client and the project to make sure you are taking the right approach. Also make sure you have very clear scope and expectations from all parties involved in a project, this will save a lot of headaches.

How do you stay informed about WordPress (news, tips, etc.)?

Work with it every day, explore the code and the Codex, and read resources like WP Tavern and other industry blogs.

What’s a cool WordPress-based site you’ve seen recently?

Riotfest is a music fest that happens in cities around North America. I like seeing real-world uses of WordPress. I will note their subdomains are not in WordPress.

What do you like most about WordCamps?

Meeting others that are passionate about WordPress and learning new and exciting things from my peers

Where can we find you online?

mindutopia.com and profiles.wordpress.org/natereist/

Dan Kaufman is a successful, serial entrepreneur, advisor, and consultant to many small businesses from startups to $10 million+ in size. Unlike many marketing consultants and “experts,” Dan has owned and operated several businesses and has worked “in the trenches” across several different industries. Using this experience, Dan brings a unique “grass roots” approach to small businesses that maximizes revenue and profitability very quickly through a combination of both offline and online marketing media.

Dan lives in Grand Rapids with his wife, Carol, 2 daughters, Grace and Caitlyn, and little Yorkie, Max.

Dan will be presenting Building a Sales Funnel (that sells) with WordPress.

Interview

Why do you use WordPress?

WordPress is a platform that I can use that is easy to use and understand.

When and how did you start using WordPress?

I started using WordPress when I needed to something with my company website.

What tips or resources would you recommend to a new WordPress user?

Don’t neglect your site once it’s built, always be adding new content , testing and tweaking the site to refine it for the end user.

What advice would you give someone who’s building a business around WordPress design or development?

Keep it as simple as possible in the beginning, you can always add on as you build your business.

How do you stay informed about WordPress (news, tips, etc.)?

MasterMinding with other business owners and developers.

What’s a cool WordPress-based site you’ve seen recently?

christchurch-harbour-hotel.co.uk

What do you like most about WordCamps?

This will be my first one!

Where can we find you online?

Website: danielrkaufman.com
Twitter: @danielrkaufman
Facebook: facebook.com/kaufmandr

Chad Warner runs OptimWise, a web design company in Holland, Michigan. He’s into small business, WordPress, hiking, reading, and Tolkien.

Chad’s a co-organizer of the WordPress Grand Rapids meetup group and WordCamp Grand Rapids.

Chad will be presenting Website Mistakes Small Businesses Make, and How to Fix Them.

Interview

Why do you use WordPress?

It’s a great way to empower small businesses. We can create effective websites for clients, then train them to manage their own content.

When and how did you start using WordPress?

In 2009, my church asked me to take over their website. I spent hours researching and playing with Drupal, Joomla, and WordPress. I found that WordPress was easiest to learn and had the most helpful community.

What tips or resources would you recommend to a new WordPress user?

Rely on WordPress experts, because they’ll save you a lot of time you’d spend researching and breaking your site. I have a post with resources that I recommend to my clients: The WordPress Admin Area: learning resources.

What advice would you give someone who’s building a business around WordPress design or development?

Build a team (partners, subcontractors, or employees) so that each person does what they do best. Choose a niche and establish your expertise in it. Charge what you’re worth and seek clients who are willing to pay it.

How do you stay informed about WordPress (news, tips, etc.)?

WordPress podcasts, Twitter, WordPress.tv, Lynda, OSTraining, Slocum Studio, our WordPress Grand Rapids meetup group (in person and online).

What’s a cool WordPress-based site you’ve seen recently?

Boagworld.com has excellent content and fantastic design, and it’s easy to navigate and use.

What do you like most about WordCamps?

The high-energy learning and conversations. You can almost see the light bulbs popping on above people’s heads as they enthusiastically discuss what they do and aspire to do with WordPress. It’s also great to meet in person the people that you follow online.

Where can we find you online?

OptimWise.com
@warnerchad

Topher DeRosia is a Husband, Father, Christian, Coder. He lives in a small house in a quiet neighborhood in a smallish city where it still smells sweet after the rain.

He grew up in the woods, tried to be a pilot, and got sucked into the internet. Been working there ever since.

Topher will be presenting Command Line Awesome.

Interview

Why do you use WordPress?

WordPress does a wonderful job of thinking ahead to what I might want to do on the web, and provides methods for accomplishing that, while being flexible enough to allow me to change those methods if I wish.

When and how did you start using WordPress?

When it was first released, I tried it and thought I could do better. So I built something. My personal blog still uses that.

Then when 3.0 came out with custom content types, everything changed, and I haven’t really used anything since.

What tips or resources would you recommend to a new WordPress user?

Set up a site you don’t care about and try everything. Install themes, plugins, just go crazy with it. Getting your hands on the tool will give great insights.

Then read everything you can about WordPress.

What advice would you give someone who’s building a business around WordPress design or development?

Find people who are more knowledgeable than you and get to know them. Don’t necessarily ask a lot of questions, just watch and listen.

And read chrislema.com 🙂

How do you stay informed about WordPress (news, tips, etc.)?

Mostly Twitter, following people who are doing cool and interesting things.  I follow poststat.us and wptavern via Twitter.

What’s a cool WordPress-based site you’ve seen recently?

Oddly, I don’t visit that many web sites.  I had a hand in building ottawacitizen.com, that’s cool.

What do you like most about WordCamps?

Talking with everyone, meeting everyone, finding out what they’re building, growing, doing, etc.

Where can we find you online?

derosia.com/phlog/
Twitter: @topher1kenobe

Peter Shackelford is the Web Architect for Spring Arbor University. When not working with WordPress, he is taking care of his cattle, chickens and garden on his “homestead” with his wife and daughter. He also heads up the Jackson WordPress meetup with Kyle Maurer.

Peter will be presenting Fledgling WP Developer? Learn your PHP!

Interview

Why do you use WordPress?

The people in the WordPress community are why I use WordPress. I have built a career on the openness and generosity of the community. Getting help me on the forums. Reading people’s posts about setting up and managing multi-sites. Meeting some of those people and new people at WordCamp or other events.

When and how did you start using WordPress?

I started using WP as a blogging platform in 2005 and did my first freelance project in 2009. Since 2010 I have worked full time building and maintaining WordPress as a platform for my employers.

What tips or resources would you recommend to a new WordPress user?

Don’t be afraid to try things out. If you are worried about making changes to an admin panel, take a screenshot of it so you have a record. Figure out how to change things. At the very least learn the basics of HTML and CSS.

What advice would you give someone who’s building a business around WordPress design or development?

Github. Vagrant. Local development. PHPCode Sniffer.

How do you stay informed about WordPress (news, tips, etc.)?

Twitter. I follow people who do a lot with WordPress. I keep an eye out for slideshares/speakerdecks of recent WordCamp talks. I also read most of what comes out of WP Tavern, Halfelf.org, thethemefoundry.com, tommcfarlin.com, curtismchale.ca, justintadlock.com, etc…

What’s a cool WordPress-based site you’ve seen recently?

sweden.se [the official site of Sweden].

What do you like most about WordCamps?

Meeting people who I recognize online. Being apart of the community. Having my toolset, workflow and approach to problem solving kicked up a notch. Getting a new wardrobe of WP shirts.

Where can we find you online?

Twitter: @pixelplow

Steve Grunwell is a full-stack developer at Buckeye Interactive, an interactive media agency in New Albany, OH. Specializing in WordPress and application development, he has worked with brands and organizations including Experience Columbus, the Greater Columbus Sports Commission, Elmer’s, and the Greater Columbus Arts Council.

Steve has released several plugins in the WordPress.org repositories, including one from the grounds of The White House during the first annual National Day of Civic Hacking in 2013. When he’s not writing software, he enjoys hiking, music, and writing about writing software on his blog.

Steve holds a B.A. in Telecommunications from Bowling Green State University where he graduated Cum Laude with minors in General Business and Recording Technologies.

More information, including portfolio work and his development blog, can be found at stevegrunwell.com.

Steve will be presenting Keeping WordPress Under [Version] Control with Git.

Interview

Why do you use WordPress?

I’m a big proponent of open-source software, especially when it’s built well and encourages active engagement and contributions from the community. WordPress is flexible enough to suit many of my clients’ needs, will run pretty much anywhere, and has a huge community behind it.

When and how did you start using WordPress?

I started using WordPress just after the release of 3.0 back in 2010 when a client needed a blog. The more I started playing with WordPress, the more I saw the power behind the platform and quickly stopped rolling my own content management systems, instead focusing on creating the best experience possible within WordPress.

In September of 2010 I released my first plugin, WP Password Generator, in the WordPress.org repositories, and it’s been rainbows and unicorns from there.

What tips or resources would you recommend to a new WordPress user?

Start by tearing apart one of the default WordPress themes. Learn how the loop works, how a theme is structured, and then build something awesome. Also, familiarize yourself with the WP_Query codex page; if you’re doing any real customization, you’ll need to be comfortable generating your own query objects. Learn the WordPress template hierarchy, too, because it makes theming a hundred times easier. Finally, avoid plugins that promise the moon. Some of best plugins will only do one or two things, but they do them *really* well.

What advice would you give someone who’s building a business around WordPress design or development?

If you’re maintaining the site after launch, consider installing something like WP Remote. It gives you a dashboard so you can see the available updates across all of your sites, which is pretty rad. You can also install updates directly from WP Remote, but you’d never do that and risk screwing up your version control, would you?

How do you stay informed about WordPress (news, tips, etc.)?

I check Twitter daily and follow mostly developers, tutorial sites, and the occasional comedian. I’ll never have time to read everything, but I pretend I will someday but saving anything I can’t read right then to Pocket. I also subscribe to the WordPress Core Team’s blog via Feedly, for when I want to see what’s coming next.

What do you like most about WordCamps?

WordCamps are great for getting started with WordPress, learning how to take your site to the next level, and often meeting the people behind the tool that’s powering ~20% of the web. I love to sit there, take in everything I can, and see all the awesome stuff people are doing with WordPress.

Where can we find you online?

I occasionally blog about WordPress, Laravel, and other awesome stuff at stevegrunwell.com and tweet @stevegrunwell. Open source contributions and presentation slides are on Github.

Rebecca is founder and president of Web Savvy Marketing. She has as a well-rounded business background and over fifteen years of experience in sales and online marketing. Her love for WordPress website design and her strong belief in the user experience is equally matched by her fascination with search engine optimization, blogging, and marketing though social media. Rebecca provides one-on-one coaching, is a WordCamp organizer, and speaks at various WordCamps throughout the country. Connect with Rebecca at LinkedIn, Google+, Facebook, or Twitter.

Rebecca will be presenting 10 Tips for Turning Your WordPress Website Into an Traffic Driving Machine.

Interview

Why do you use WordPress?

After discovering WordPress I started to do self training on usage. I quickly learned I could create magical things with it and I continued to dig deeper.

I love the ease of use WordPress offers, the oodles of plugins available, and the passionate community that surrounds it.

When and how did you start using WordPress?

At my former employer we launched a new website in Joomla and connected a WordPress blog to it. It was my first experience with WordPress and one I will not forget. I immediately saw a world of possibilities with WordPress and fell in head over heels in love.

What tips or resources would you recommend to a new WordPress user?

Don’t settle for what you see in the WordPress dashboard. Dig deeper, educate yourself, and explore all that is has to offer.

What advice would you give someone who’s building a business around WordPress design or development?

I built our business from the ground up on WordPress. It is larger and more successful than I ever imagined. The last five years have taught me to not limit myself or my journey.

To others I would encourage them to dream a destination and let WordPress take you there.

And when in doubt, reach out to others within our community. We will help because we know helping you succeed will help the overall community grow stronger.

How do you stay informed about WordPress (news, tips, etc.)?

I jump on Twitter, follow key brands and people on Facebook, and subscribe to a number of websites that offer updates. I scan a lot of data and pull out what is important to me or our business.

What do you like most about WordCamps?

I love the hallway conversations and after conference dinners and drinks. I’ve met good friends at WordCamps and I look forward to attending future ones because I know I will have an opportunity to be with friends I know and love, as well as meet new friends I’ve yet to discover.

Where can we find you online?

Website: web-savvy-marketing.com
Twitter: @rebeccagill
LinkedIn
Facebook
Google+

Gloria Antonelli fits the current definition of a UX Unicorn – a web designer/developer with UX chops. Gloria attended her first UX workshop “Elements of User Experience” in 2004. Now an advocate of Lean UX, Gloria infuses her skills in rapid prototyping, front end development, user testing, and ideation within the WordPress design process. Her expertise also spans CSS, IA, Content and Documentation Strategies.

Gloria started presenting about the web in 1998 at local and national conferences and workshops. She began working with WordPress in 2006 and has been delighted to share her knowledge at WordCamps in Chicago, Detroit, Grand Rapids and Milwaukee. Happiness for Gloria besides researching UX trends, Mobile and App development is scuba diving in exotic locations.

Gloria will be presenting Be a Lean UX Team Machine.

Interview

Why do you use WordPress?

Years ago when I was teaching web development to Chicago creative professionals, I found myself saying “you can do this with WordPress faster by downloading a theme or adding a plugin.” WordPress was easier that building from scratch. It has really grown and continues to create better web solutions.

When and how did you start using WordPress?

I first learned about WordPress during Peter Merholz’s (credited with coining the word “blog”) 2-day “Designing the Complete User Experience” workshop in 2006. I was building web sites since 1998, but started adding WordPress blogs to client sites in 2007. I also added WordPress to my training curriculum that same year. Ah, those were the “pre-child theme” days of hacking away at themes and hard-coding navigation.

What tips or resources would you recommend to a new WordPress user?

A new WordPress user today has so many learning options compared to when I was first started. My most important tip is to keep yourself open to continuous learning from many sources and to look into complimentary web design skills. Don’t have tunnel vision. User experience is also so important!

What advice would you give someone who’s building a business around WordPress design or development?

Build a collaborative team, learn from the start-up community and most importantly build something that people actually want.

What do you like most about WordCamps?

As I have spoken at a number of WordCamps since 2011, first I would say I like sharing my knowledge about web development in the context of the WordPress environment. Second, I love learning from other WordCamp presenters. There is always more to learn!

Where can we find you online?

Twitter: @GloriaAntonelli

Peter DeHaan produces magazines, newsletters, and informational websites. A published author and prolific blogger, owner of a dozen WordPress sites and author of 1,500 posts, Peter will share how to write effective website copy and produce posts that engage readers. Learn more at peterdehaanpublishing.com and authorpeterdehaan.com.

Peter will be presenting 12 Tips For Better WordPress Content Creation.

Interview

Why do you use WordPress?

I needed to find a replacement for the aging and obsolete FrontPage. WordPress was the ideal solution. I wish I had switched sooner!

When and how did you start using WordPress?

I moved eight blogs over to WordPress in 2011 and started moving my websites over in 2012. Migrating websites, especially large ones, can be time-consuming. I have fourteen moved and six waiting to be moved.

What tips or resources would you recommend to a new WordPress user?

Many people I talk with seek a totally free solution and go with WordPress.com. What they later end up doing is spending money anyway (to suppress ads, buy a domain name, etc), so I recommend they start with WordPress.org from the beginning. If offers greater flexibility and more options, while still being cost-effective.

What advice would you give someone who’s building a business around WordPress design or development?

Don’t do what everyone else is doing or offer what you think will make you the most money. Look at what you are good at and enjoy doing; then build your business around that.

How do you stay informed about WordPress (news, tips, etc.)?

I’m a big fan of Dustin Hartzler (who I met last year at Word Camp Grand Rapids). His weekly podcasts are invaluable, providing most of the information I need. Plus he has many other resources online: yourwebsiteengineer.com.

I’m also part of a WordPress Meetup group, which aided me greatly when I was just starting out.

What’s a cool WordPress-based site you’ve seen recently?

I’m going to plug my friend’s site: ambscallcenter.com. Aaron Boatin first encouraged me to check out WordPress, and when he told me his site used WordPress, I was amazed!

What do you like most about WordCamps?

Meeting other WordPress enthusiasts; I learn from most of them and look to help out others wherever I can.

I look to meet more people this year!

Where can we find you online?

My business is at peterdehaanpublishing.com and one of my blogs, authorpeterdehaan.com. They are good places to start; they will point people to my other sites and social media pages.

Jim Luke isn’t a developer, but he is a WordPress addict. He’s been teaching economics at Lansing Community College for the last 13 years, including a lot of online teaching. His enthusiasm for innovation in college teaching and WordPress has led him to found a non-profit organization, Malartu Inc, to help all college faculty create their own WordPress sites and gain their online voice.

Before getting into teaching, he spent 25 years in corporate strategic planning consulting with a specialty in emerging technologies.

Jim will be presenting How WP Can Save Academic Freedom and Cure the Crises in Higher Education.

Interview

Why do you use WordPress?

I teach at a college. I use WP as public blog on economics news, as a teaching portfolio, and as a platform for teaching my online courses. I’ve also gotten involved in helping other faculty in higher ed use WP to improve teaching and productivity.

When and how did you start using WordPress?

Dec. 2008.

What tips or resources would you recommend to a new WordPress user?

Trust wordpress.org and the Codex. Use it.

What advice would you give someone who’s building a business around WordPress design or development?

Get involved with Meetups and WordCamps. There’s lots to be learned that will accelerate things. Reuse first, don’t try to always code and reinvent the wheel. Odds are there’s somebody that’s already solved your problem … and done it better.

How do you stay informed about WordPress (news, tips, etc.)?

Follow blogs: WordPress Tavern, The WHiP by WPMU, WordPress development blog.

Also find key developers to follow on Twitter such as Nacin.

What’s a cool WordPress-based site you’ve seen recently?

A bunch of different P2-theme based sites.

What do you like most about WordCamps?

How approachable everybody is and how enthusiastic they are. Everybody is willing to help.

Where can we find you online?

Twitter: @econproph
jimluke.com – teaching portfolio
econproph.com – economics blog
econproph.net – my online econ courses
malartu.org – the non-profit I’ve started to promote WP sites among higher ed faculty.