Welcome to Press This, the WordPress group podcast from WMR. Every episode options visitors from across the group and discussions of the most important points dealing with WordPress builders. The next is a transcription of the unique recording.
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David Vogelpohl: Whats up everybody and welcome to Press This, the WordPress group podcast on WMR. That is your host, David Vogelpohl. I supported the WordPress group by my position at WP Engine, and I beloved to convey the very best of the group to you right here each week on Press This. As a reminder, you possibly can observe me on Twitter @wpdavidv, you possibly can subscribe to Press This on Pink Circle, iTunes, Spotify, or obtain the most recent episodes at wmr.fm.
On this episode, we’re gonna be speaking about me, David Vogelpohl, saying farewell as host of Press This, welcoming a brand new host, and the beginning of a brand new journey for me.
For over 260 episodes I’ve interviewed numerous visitors from across the WordPress group concerning the newest developments in WordPress, attention-grabbing tasks, folks locally have been engaged on and a numerous checklist of optimizations, hacks, and methods to make WordPress websites higher.
It’s been an absolute honor to be within the host seat all these years. I need to thank our visitors who taught me a lot. I need to thank our viewers, who was simply as curious as I used to be once I requested all these questions.
On this episode, we’re going to show the tables and interview me—about my ideas round stepping down as host, new adventures in my profession, my favourite recollections internet hosting Press This, and what I’m enthusiastic about for the street forward.
And now for the remainder of the interview with me, I’d wish to thank and welcome a previous visitor of Press This, a bellwether within the WordPress group, and your model new host for Press This, the one, the one Doc Well-liked. Doc, welcome, and congratulations in your new host position.
Doc Pop: Nicely, thanks a lot, David. You already know, I’ve all the time appreciated being on this present, as a part of the Phrase Across the Campfire segments that you just did as soon as a month, and it’s an enormous honor to assist maintain the present going and maintain alive the custom that you just’ve had going for therefore lengthy. Thanks a lot.
DV: Yeah, after all. It was so enjoyable to have you ever on these Phrase Across the Campfire episodes, and I do know you’re so well-connected within the WordPress house, and have an extended background in broadcasting and podcasting and video casting.
So I’m actually excited to have you ever within the host seat, and I’m actually excited to reply your interview questions in the present day, Doc. I’m actually curious how that is gonna go, however I’ll step again from the host mic for a minute and do just like the Wayne’s world, get into the brand new modality. Actually wanting ahead to the interview Doc.
DP:Nicely, you already know, David, each episode you’ve requested people how they received into WordPress, and I don’t know if you happen to’ve shared your origin story, so why don’t you inform us about how you bought into WordPress?
DV: I’ll have talked about it on an episode or two, however I don’t know if I’ve actually advised it in a bit extra element. However, I used to be entering into visitor posting, I had been in digital advertising and marketing for some time, and I needed to start out making extra of a reputation for myself. So, I regarded for publications that I may visitor put up for, and I discovered one. It was a prime 10 digital advertising and marketing web site on the time, it was known as Advertising Pilgrim. It didn’t survive the 20-plus years since I did that. It was offered, I feel, and rolled into one other web site.
And I did a visitor put up, and I used to be uncovered to WordPress for the primary time. I had had expertise with Drupal and Joomla, however it was really writing a content material piece for Advertising Pilgrim. The one that owned that web site’s identify is Andy Beal, and Andy’s a pricey buddy, and that was a begin of a grand journey really, in each WordPress and in digital advertising and marketing.
DP: Wow. So that you began off with visitor posting, which is a factor I’m really actually fascinated by discovering out extra about. We’ll have to speak about that off the present, possibly, however when did you come to WP Engine and what have you ever been doing throughout your time right here?
DV: Nicely, WP Engine. In 2010, I began a digital company. WordPress was a spotlight, however not the one focus, and this was proper across the time that customized put up varieties and customized fields had been added into WordPress core.
I met a companion of WP Engine’s founder. So WP Engine’s founder is an individual named Jason Cohen and he had a companion on the time, they’re nonetheless pals, possibly companions on different issues. I don’t know. His identify is Josh Baer, and he’s related to a corporation in Austin known as Capital Manufacturing unit.
I met Josh at a meetup. And I didn’t discuss to anybody on the meetup, Doc. I used to be, I don’t know, it simply wasn’t in me that evening, and earlier than I left, I used to be like, I would like to speak to at least one individual. I rotated, and it was Josh Baer, and I talked to Josh, we received to type of conversing about our backgrounds, and he’s like, “you already know who that you must meet, is Jason Cohen.” And he launched me to Jason and WP Engine turned a consumer of my company, and we serviced WP Engine as their outsource, internet and digital advertising and marketing arm, if you’ll, for a few years,
Ultimately in 2015, I really joined WP Engine’s management group straight. So about 12 years since I’ve joined, however that’s the backstory about becoming a member of.
DP: I’ve to say, assembly Jason Cohen early on in your profession, that appears not simply fortuitous in your profession, however he’s such an attention-grabbing individual to speak to, and again then his perception into WordPress and the type of way forward for WordPress will need to have been fascinating. I’m simply type of curious what have been the vibes Jason was giving again then? Did he know it will be, you already know, almost 50% of the Web by 2020?
DV: It was pretty common on the time. I feel for me, customized put up varieties and fields are actually what turned WordPress right into a CMS. So I’d say at that time, that basically wasn’t what it was. I’ve been in my digital profession, about 20 years, this was concerning the midpoint in my profession, once I met Jason.
The primary assembly was on the WP Engine workplace, which was shared with a bunch of different very early stage startups—I feel there may need been three staff at WP Engine on the time. It was on the eighth flooring of the Omni Resort enterprise places of work in Austin, Texas, and I rolled up there.
And I get out, they usually have the entire eighth flooring, and it’s a part of Capital Thought, and once more, that’s why there’s these different startups in there, however it was principally empty. And there was similar to one a part of the entire flooring the place all people was working round all this used furnishings, and all of the lights have been off. And I bear in mind pondering, are the lights off as a result of they’re all engineers or as a result of they’ll’t afford to pay the sunshine invoice? And, it really was the latter. I’m sorry. The previous, not the latter.
DP: Whoa! [laughter]
DV: Nicely yeah, it was the previous. They simply, they appreciated it darkish, however you already know, I don’t assume they actually knew what it will be at the moment. I imply, it was common, Jason had executed some analysis and, and a few posts on LinkedIn type of proposing the concept of WP Engine, and lots of people have been getting behind it.
So I feel they knew there was one thing there, however it positively wasn’t 43% of the online. I wanna say it was most likely nearer to 12, a couple of 12 months or two later, it was round 16% of the online, if I recall. No less than that’s what Matt Mullenweg advised me at WordCamp Atlanta on the time. Individuals weren’t even actually monitoring the overall share of the online extensively. So, no, I don’t assume they foresaw what would occur with WordPress or WP Engine, even once I first received concerned.
DP: Nicely yeah, I do know you’ve seen some stuff. At WP Engine, you’d’ve seen the expansion in staff, you’d’ve seen the growth of WordCamps the world over and you already know, the growth of WordPress in market share. So that you’ve executed some thrilling issues prior to now at WP Engine, what are essentially the most present tasks that you just’ve been engaged on?
DV: Nicely, I’ve had a wide range of roles through the years, you already know, every thing from working with our labs group, main StudioPress after the acquisition of Studio,Press. And the position I’ve in the present day, or, or ought to I say earlier than I left WP Engine, was VP of Development, and what my groups centered on have been strategic applications that allowed WP Engine to develop in new and materials methods.
This spanned our worldwide presence, our model prospects, our company prospects and companions. It was offering help for issues like Flywheel Development Suite, for many who are unfamiliar, it’s a platform for businesses that enables them to drive MRR of their enterprise and simply handle their consumer’s websites. Our eCommerce providing, which is, for my part, in all these years, some of the revolutionary types of eCommerce internet hosting on the market, if not the highest, after which a wide range of different strategic applications from our company companion program, to our work in Atlas, and so it’s been an extremely enriching journey. I’ve been very blessed, if you’ll, to have such an incredible group. However that was my position at WP engine, was VP of Development
DP: Thrilling stuff, you’ve seen some unimaginable stuff within the WordPress group over the previous 12 years. We’re going to take a break, and once we come again, we’ll discuss to David Vogelpohl about what his future goes to be like locally and after Press This. So keep tuned.
DP: Welcome again to Press This the WordPress group podcast on WMR Radio. My identify is Doc and I’m speaking to David Vogelpohl, the previous host of Press This about his time within the WordPress group and dealing with Press This, and dealing with WP Engine. David, we’ve spent loads of time speaking about a few of your favourite recollections up to now, what’s the future for you? What are you going to be doing after Press This?
DV: Nicely, I’m positively happy to say that I gained’t be leaving the WordPress group. There’s really some significant connections to the WordPress world in my new position, however the position that I’ll be getting into is Chief Advertising Officer of an organization known as FastSpring.
FastSpring is a fee platform for software program corporations, they’ve a couple of WordPress product prospects which might be of their universe, they usually function off of what’s known as the Service provider of Document mannequin, which mainly means you should utilize the software program fee platform to promote your software program, your SaaS, and never must mess with any of the gross sales or again tax stuff, you mainly get a wire switch as soon as a month in your proceeds. However that’s successfully what FastSpring is, and I’ll be the Chief Advertising Officer of that firm.
DP: Wow, a C-suite, that’s candy, that’s a candy gig. So, you talked about that you just’re not leaving the WordPress group. What’s FastSpring’s connection to WordPress?
DV: Nicely, as I discussed, it’s a fee platform for software program corporations and truly has WordPress product corporations which might be prospects of theirs. If you happen to look on their homepage, you’ll see, Rank Math as a buyer. There are others not on their homepage, and it was actually attention-grabbing, you already know, as I used to be fascinated by this alteration, and naturally within the WP Engine universe, my complete world is WordPress, and so within the new position, it’ll be broader than simply WordPress.
However I used to be at WordCamp US in San Diego, and naturally, I used to be letting pals know and folk I knew from round the best way, and it was simply so encouraging and relieving, frankly, to listen to like, “oh yeah, I’ve heard of them,” or, “we use them to promote in Italy,” and you already know, “we used them prior to now.”
So, that familiarity there, I feel the WordPress product house is a crucial buyer base for FastSpring and I feel that’ll give me numerous alternatives to proceed my involvement in help of the group. I don’t know if you happen to can actually, really stroll away from WordPress, I suppose some folks do, however it has been such an enriching group to be a part of. I feel, as I used to be exploring, you already know, the following step in my profession to get into that C-suite if you’ll, it was vital for me to take care of these connections and keep that worth. I really feel I get from contributing to the group.
DP: I’m simply type of questioning, do you assume you’ll be doing a podcast sequence over at FastSpring?
DV: I’ve thought-about it. I feel they do have a podcast if I’m not mistaken. What I’ll say is that I’ve had many rewarding experiences at WP Engine and I feel Press That is approach, approach, approach excessive on that checklist. And, you already know, I feel when folks podcast, they typically consider, oh, the viewers I’ll construct and the issues I’ll develop as a result of I’m doing it. And I feel these components are nice, however the half that was most useful for me was studying one thing new each single week from completely different folks. It was simply such an incredible a part of the expertise.
And if you work in an company for therefore lengthy, and then you definitely type of get out of it and go into, you already know, inside a model, you will get separated from that world. However I felt like I by no means did as a result of I had this chance to do the podcast.
So yeah, I feel I most likely will do one thing like this sooner or later there, however I don’t have any concrete plans proper now.
DP: What’s going to you miss essentially the most about working with WP Engine?
DV: That may be a very troublesome query to reply, you already know, there’s a lot concerning the firm that I discovered worthwhile.
I feel the expansion and open supply puzzles I received to resolve have been extremely enlightening. I felt like I realized quite a bit about expertise, about enterprise, and doubtless above all management. I feel in these moments what most individuals say and it’s as a result of it’s true, I suppose in most individuals’s roles, possibly, possibly not, is the folks, the caliber of individuals, the depth during which they care, their smarts and above all, their coronary heart, is de facto, actually one thing particular.
And. I feel for folks exterior of the corporate which will come by to a level, clearly being inside, you possibly can actually really feel it. However I feel there are folks exterior the corporate who actually really feel it by way of WP Engine’s, prospects and companions, and, I do know Doc, you already know, this, however WP Engine after all has a set of Core Values and it’s issues like Do the Proper Factor and Constructed for Development and Dedicated to Give Again.
And WP Engine actually lives that, the folks right here actually stay that, and can make choices based mostly on these Core Values. The mix of smarts and hearts and dedication to values is tough to seek out, and I feel that aspect is what makes the folks of WP Engine particular, together with you Doc.
DP: Even me, I’ve to agree. The Core Values are one thing I’ve all the time been impressed with, working with the corporate, simply how a lot they follow it. And the management from Heather positively displays that internally. And I can’t say it externally, if folks fairly see how connected we’re to these values, you already know, that we discuss, on a weekly foundation, throughout our conferences.
After which after all Jason’s management is simply all the time very inspiring to his imaginative and prescient, has all the time been nice. So yeah, I ponder if externally, folks actually type of get the identical vibe we do, as a result of it’s magical to see right here. I haven’t labored at an organization like this earlier than.
DV: I used to be simply gonna say, and I’m wanting ahead to, you already know, type of taking these classes into my subsequent factor, and it’s, it was such a particular time for me with all these folks. However yeah, it’s an enormous a part of what I’ll miss.
DP: I I’m questioning additionally, if you happen to assume you’ll be doing as a lot touring and going to WordCamps and stuff together with your new position.
DV: Yeah. I feel what I’ll possible find yourself doing is doing both each WordCamp US and WordCamp Europe every year, or possibly one or the opposite.
I don’t assume I’ll be capable to do as many satellite tv for pc WordCamps as I’ve prior to now, and satellite tv for pc’s possibly the improper phrase to make use of, however, you already know, city-specific WordCamps. I simply had such an incredible time at WordCamp US, however there are enterprise causes for us to be centered there. as a result of once more, there’s loads of SMB software program corporations within the WordPress house, imagine it or not with 43% of the online.
So there’s that industrial curiosity as properly, however loads of my pals, a superb majority of my private pals now, not simply folks I do know at work, are within the WordPress house, and I’ve executed this in each group I’ve ever joined, I’ve gone all in and I nonetheless have lifelong pals from communities I’m not likely an energetic a part of anymore. And that’s okay, however to truly have materials enterprise causes to be there, it was improbable. Did you’ve gotten a superb time at WordCamp US, Doc?
DP: I had a good time at WordCamp US, as you already know, it was capped at 650 attendees, which is possibly a 3rd of what it was earlier than the pandemic.
And that was most likely out of warning of attempting to ease again into doing in-person meetups, however it actually gave it a really intimate really feel. I actually like that. You felt like you might really meet up with folks. If there’s somebody you have been in search of, you might discover them.
It stroke a chord in my memory of WordCamp San Francisco, a few years again, the place it did really feel like these have been the folks you needed to satisfy. And there was solely about 600 or 700 of them there. And you might hang around with them and also you weren’t type of preventing to seek out somebody or preventing to get somebody’s time. It stroke a chord in my memory of the early days, for me, of going to WordCamps.
DV: Oh, that’s cool. I soaked up each minute of it. If you happen to observe me on Twitter at WP David V from across the WordCamp US 2022 timeframe, you’ll see an image I tweeted from Daniel. It was similar to this huge smile on my face and I used to be simply absorbing each minute of it. It was such a particular expertise.
DP: Nicely, we’re going to take one other break. We’re chatting with David Vogelpohl, the previous host of Press This, and once we come again from this break, we’re gonna discuss his favourite experiences right here at Press This, so keep tuned.
DP: You’re listening to Press This, the WordPress group podcast on WMR. I’m Dr. Well-liked, the brand new host of Press This, speaking to David Vogelpohl, the one who began the Press This podcast, and who’s transferring on to a brand new profession at a FastSpring because the CMO. David, what are a few of your favourite experiences of internet hosting the Press This podcast?
DV: Nicely, I feel the very first thing that stood out to me is Doc, I really didn’t create Press This. Press This was initially created by Joost de Valk of the Yoast search engine marketing plugin, and I’d say one in every of my favourite experiences or recollections internet hosting Press This was these early days. For these acquainted with WMR, Brasco had talked to me about it and I knew Joost hosted the present. I really had listened to it prior to now. And I do know Joost from round the best way, he’s really been again on the present with me as host many instances, and I talked to him about it and received his standpoint. He was very supportive. I imply, it’s a WMR present, however that was nice, and he was really one of many early visitors.
I had by no means podcasted earlier than, I had executed public talking and issues like that. So I feel it was enjoyable to type of learn to determine it out. And I’ve a fairly busy job, so I needed to, you already know, work out methods to work it in and get it executed each week, and that was an journey. However I feel one factor that basically, actually stands out as a favourite expertise is listening to all these origin tales and listening to the traits in them.
There’s a shocking variety of musicians in WordPress, and nearly each origin story, Doc, was like, “I used to be at the back of my band’s van between reveals, making the web site for our band, after which I made it higher.”
That was a theme that emerged, loads of themes emerged, of people that have been leaving jobs they didn’t like, and careers they didn’t wish to reinvent themselves and to start out a enterprise, there was loads of that. A variety of misplaced souls who discovered WordPress alongside the best way.
I feel different themes that emerged that basically stood out have been how WordPress performed a job in folks coming from a low expertise background, all the best way as much as being a software program engineer, and the way folks become involved simply to make a web site for his or her soccer group or one thing. After which, you already know, low and behold, 5 years later, they’re writing customized plugins and doing splendidly attention-grabbing issues.
And so, I may most likely pick a couple of visitors. Mary Jo was an excellent visitor. I actually, actually love the interview with Meryl Evans round captions and accessibility. I actually love the interview, not too way back, with Jason Cohen and Brad from Scrumptious Brains across the acquisition of Scrumptious Brains.
That was a very enjoyable one. There’s simply been so lots of them through the years. I really feel like I’ve met all people in WordPress due to this podcast. If anybody listening is contemplating making a podcast, if nobody ever listens to it, and all you do is discuss to anyone new in your house as soon as per week. It’s properly well worth the effort.
I don’t know the way it’s 260 episodes in, I most likely have too many to share within the house of time we’ve Doc, however these have been among the ones that basically stood out.
DP: Nicely, I’m taking notes right here on these good visitors so I can ask them to return again. I’m wanting ahead to having a few of that have too, of studying from the visitors and, you already know, spotlighting new people and simply getting type of these intimate questions.
I’m type of a clumsy individual in actual life, so the prospect to have the ability to discuss to folks in a format like this, truthfully, is thrilling for me. I’m tremendous excited. What would you say as your type of remaining phrases for the Press This viewers? What would you wish to say to the listeners now?
DV: Nicely, I suppose earlier than I do extra of a goodbye, possibly what I’ll do is remark a bit bit on you as host, Doc, and I feel over these years internet hosting Press This, I discussed it earlier, I’ve, you already know, a fairly busy job. Not that you just don’t, however I’m simply saying I needed to type of function the present in a really constant sample. And I feel folks, in a big approach, reply positively to that. However I feel, you already know, you convey a lot creativity to your work Doc, you’re so linked, and I feel, there’s clearly others at WP Engine and past, that may produce other attention-grabbing inquiries to ask visitors and different tales to convey. And so I’m actually wanting ahead to that creativity you convey into every thing you do, Doc, and what the influence that may have on Press This.
So far as a particular message for the viewers, I suppose, as I transfer from host to listener. I’ve been at digital for 20 years. I’ve been concerned with most likely three main segments of the expertise group, WordPress being the newest, and, you already know, 12 years, most up-to-date.
We work in a very, actually, actually cool house. I do know within the second if you’re knee deep in tasks and attempting to determine the following problem or puzzle, or one thing’s getting you down, what we do is enjoyable. It’s cool. It’s particular. And it beats busting rocks, proper? It beats among the roles we’d have had prior to now, it gives alternative to others.
And I feel take pleasure in it, savor it. It’s one thing particular. It’s one thing price savoring and having fun with, and I’m very completely satisfied that the brand new firm I’m going to, their .com is a WordPress web site. So it’s not simply the shopper connections, however I’m very completely satisfied to have that connection there. However simply typically, it’s such an gratifying and enriching group, and never simply WordPress, however I feel digital and expertise typically, and we’re all very, very fortunate to have the ability to work on these sorts of puzzles in these sorts of how and make the most of these sorts of alternatives. So, lean in and luxuriate in this time as a result of it’s very very particular.
DP: David, how can folks keep up a correspondence with you and observe what you’re doing put up Press This?
DV: Oh, properly, maintain a watch out for me at future WordCamps, after all, as I discussed earlier than. Definitely search for me on LinkedIn after which if you wish to drop me a observe or a tweet on Twitter, you will discover me at, at WP David V.
DP: Superior. Nicely, David, as soon as once more, it’s an honor being a part of this present with you. I’ve all the time regarded ahead to those chats that we do. They’ve been one in every of my favourite issues to do with the corporate, is the Press This episodes that I’ve joined you and Anthony Burchell with fairly often, so thanks once more for doing what you’ve executed right here and, I want you luck in your new job, as CMO at FastSpring.
And with that, I need to thank the listeners for tuning into Press This, the WordPress group podcast on WMR. Keep in mind, you possibly can observe my adventures within the WordPress house over on the Torque. Torque is a publication about WordPress information and occasions.
You can even subscribe to Press This on Pink Circle, iTunes, Spotify, or obtain the most recent episodes at wmr.fm. It’s additionally out there on Torque magazine dot I O. That’s loads of hyperlinks for you, however we’ll present these within the present notes for you.
I’m Dr. Well-liked, the brand new host of Press This. I’m excited to get to know extra people by right here and know the listeners. I help the WordPress group by my position at WP Engine, and I like to highlight members of the WordPress group, like David, and plenty of others each week right here on Press This.
