In this episode of 'Within WordPress,' I talk to James Kemp, the new Core Product Manager for WooCommerce. James shares his journey from founding IconicWP to joining WooCommerce, detailing his previous roles and responsibilities.

We discuss the future direction of WooCommerce, focusing on the 'More in Core' initiative aimed at integrating essential plugins into the core product. James elaborates on the decision-making process behind adding new features, handling community feedback, and maintaining the balance between extensibility and basic functionality.

He also emphasizes WooCommerce's ongoing efforts to enhance performance and user experience, making 2025 a promising year for Woo merchants and developers alike.

00:00 Introduction
00:17 Meet James Kemp: WooCommerce Core Product Manager
01:09 James Kemp's Career Journey
03:24 Building WooCommerce Plugins
06:12 Magento and WordPress Integration
07:37 Transition to WooCommerce
12:43 Role and Responsibilities at WooCommerce
13:24 Core Experience vs. Core Platform
15:48 Order Management and Fulfillment
20:54 Deciding Features for WooCommerce Core
23:24 Premium Plugins and Core Integration
28:35 WooCommerce Plugin Strategy
30:10 Comparing WooCommerce and Shopify
33:28 User Feedback and Core Features
35:26 Challenges of Integrating Plugins into Core
37:11 Future Plans for WooCommerce Core
40:09 Balancing Core Features and Plugin Ecosystem
44:39 Extensibility and Community Feedback
59:00 Looking Ahead to 2025

Join us in a fun conversation with plenty of learnings for everyone with Rytis Lauris, co-founder and CEO of Omnisend.

In this episode of 'Within WordPress,' Rytis shares insights into Omnisend's journey from a digital marketing agency to a leading marketing automation platform.

We discuss the importance of focusing on solving problems rather than pushing marketing speak, effective use of automation in marketing, and the nuances of integrating with WordPress and WooCommerce. Learn about Rytis' vision for the future of WordPress in competing with DIY site editors, the challenges and opportunities of UX, and the essential components of a successful marketing strategy.

Whether you're a developer, marketer, or WordPress enthusiast, this episode offers valuable takeaways on business growth, customer engagement, and the evolving landscape of WordPress.

00:00 Introduction and Welcome
00:09 Setting the Conversation Tone
04:15 Introduction to Rytis and Omnisend
06:44 Omnisend's Journey and WordPress Integration
08:52 Company Culture and Team Dynamics
12:08 Goal Setting and Achievements
15:08 Community Engagement and Learning
29:51 WordPress Community Insights
35:23 Business Mindset in WordPress Community
36:19 WordCamp Experiences: US vs Europe
38:23 Navigating Market Specializations
41:35 Cultural Differences in SMS Adoption
49:51 The Power of Marketing Automation
01:06:07 Challenges in WordPress Integration
01:09:06 Future of WordPress and WooCommerce
01:12:15 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

Join us in this comprehensive Within WordPress episode as we explore the journey behind NitroPack with co-founder Mihail Stoichev. We talk about NitroPack's evolution from its beginnings in 2013 to its significant leap into WordPress optimization in 2019.

We delve into NitroPack's core philosophy, the importance of user-friendly design, sustainability, and its commitment to open source. We talk about the exceptional customer support and lessons learned from experiences in both open-source and closed systems like WordPress and Shopify.

Mihail also shares notable experiences with high-profile clients, best practices for user-centric design, and the strategic growth that led NitroPack to industry leadership, including its successful exit and the exciting launch of UXify.

This episode is packed with entrepreneurial insights, strategic planning tips, and the continual push for innovation and improvement within the WordPress ecosystem.

00:00 Introduction and Sound Check
00:38 Meet Mihail Stoichev from NitroPack
01:02 The Origins of NitroPack
02:38 Early Challenges and Solutions
04:28 Naming and Branding NitroPack
06:10 Launching NitroPack for WordPress
12:38 The SaaS Approach and Customer Support
24:31 Lessons from Shopify and SMS Bump
35:56 A Proud Soccer Enthusiast's Encounter
36:54 Working with Blackboard: A Different Kind of Rockstar
37:52 The Joy of Working with Big Brands
38:30 Building a Global Business from Bulgaria
39:14 The Importance of Community and Learning
40:29 Continuous Improvement in Software Development
41:55 Advice for Aspiring Entrepreneurs
46:19 The Journey of Exiting a Company
49:39 Transforming NitroPack and Strategic Growth
53:13 Developing NitroPack OneClick
57:36 The Second Exit and New Beginnings
01:00:15 Introducing UXify and Future Plans
01:06:01 Closing Thoughts and Gratitude

In this episode of Within WordPress, we explore the journey and experiences of Jean Baptiste Marchand-Arvier, JB for short, co-founder and CEO of WP Media, renowned for their WordPress performance solutions such as WP Rocket.

Our discussion delves into the evolution of caching plugins, the philosophy of making web performance seamless and user-friendly, and the challenges of integrating SaaS solutions in open-source environments.

The conversation also touches on the impact of technological advancements like the REST API and the changing landscape of WordPress plugins, offering insights into the strategic direction of WP Media and its commitment to user-centric performance improvement.

00:00 Introduction
00:08 Meet Jean Baptiste: The Performance Expert
01:00 The Birth of WP Rocket
01:49 Challenges with Existing Caching Plugins
03:49 WP Rocket's Philosophy and Simplicity
07:42 Evolution of WordPress and Its Impact
11:33 The Importance of REST API
16:17 Redesigning the WordPress Dashboard
20:20 Adapting Plugins to New WordPress Standards
25:18 WP Media's Acquisition and Growth
29:27 The Shift from Cowboy Coding to Structured Development
31:17 Implementing Sprints for Better Workflow
32:38 Balancing Bug Fixes and Feature Enhancements
35:29 The Role of Developers in Product Evolution
36:59 Challenges and Solutions in Plugin Development
43:18 The Future of SaaS in WordPress Plugins
45:59 Open Source vs. SaaS: The Ongoing Debate
53:35 Vision and Goals for Product Improvement

Join us in this episode of 'Within WordPress' as we chat with Cristian Raiber, a prominent figure in the WordPress community.

Cristian shares his journey from starting a local agency in Romania to founding the WPChill brand, which now runs several successful WordPress plugins.

Discover how he navigated the challenges of the market, his pivot from themes to plugins, and his transformative journey from avid gamer to dedicated entrepreneur.

Along the way,Cristian offers valuable insights on business strategy, team management, and his vision for the future of WordPress. Don't miss this deep dive into the mind of a WordPress innovator!

00:00 Introduction to Cristian Raiber
00:58 Christian's Early Career and Business Ventures
02:16 The Shift to Plugin Development
03:32 Balancing Gaming and Business
04:20 Breakthrough with Modula
06:36 Personal Growth and Business Strategy
13:24 Challenges in Managing a Team
18:35 Embracing the CEO Role
26:32 Empowering Your Team
27:25 Hiring Passionate Developers
28:22 Acquiring Download Monitor
32:45 The Unsung Heroes of WordPress
39:19 Challenges and Improvements in WordPress
48:10 The Future of WordPress
52:56 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

In this episode of Within WordPress, we sit down with Marc Benzakein, a familiar name to many in the WordPress community. Marc and I discuss his journey from ServerPress, creators of the popular Desktop Server, through its closure in 2022, to his current role at MainWP. We delve into the challenges and triumphs of product development, the impact of COVID on the WordPress community, and the innovation happening at MainWP.

Additionally, Marc shares insights on fostering mentorship within the WordPress community and previews his soon to be introduced new podcast, which aims to bridge generational gaps through respectful dialogue.

00:00 Introduction to the Podcast
00:14 Meet Marc Benzakein
00:37 Mark's Journey in the WordPress Community
01:52 The Impact of COVID on WordPress Events
03:47 Challenges and Changes in WordPress Meetups
06:31 Reviving the WordPress Community Spirit
08:05 The Evolution of WordCamps
14:00 The Rise and Fall of Desktop Server
30:34 The Evolution of Local Development Environments
31:40 Challenges and Limitations of Local Development
34:13 The Future of Development Tools
40:17 Introduction to MainWP
42:04 Innovative Features of MainWP
47:41 The Importance of Community Feedback
53:03 Ethical Alignment in Professional Partnerships
56:25 New Podcast Venture: Bridging Generational Gaps
01:02:09 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

Welcome to 'Within WordPress,' the podcast that delves into the vibrant WordPress community! In this episode, we sit down with Maciek Palmowski, Security Community Manager at PatchStack, as we explore his journey from development to developer relations and his passion for various CMS technologies. We discuss the multifaceted uses of headless CMS and static site generators like Statemik, Astro, and Frontmatter CMS, comparing their innovative features to those of WordPress. We also touch on the future of WordPress with exciting projects like WordPress Playground. Join us for an insightful conversation on WordPress, its community, and beyond!

00:00 Introduction to the Podcast
00:51 Meet Maciek: From Developer to Security Community Manager
01:35 WordCamp Europe Experiences
01:56 Exploring Other CMSs and Nostalgia for Old WordPress
03:14 The Evolution and Challenges of WordPress
06:51 The Complexity of Gutenberg Development
12:10 Headless WordPress: When Does It Make Sense?
23:40 Static WordPress Sites with Simply Static
24:25 Smarter Solutions for Headless Problems
26:34 The Simplicity of Static Sites 30:38 Exploring Alternative CMS Options
36:07 Markdown and Modern CMS Approaches
43:13 WordPress Playground: A New Frontier
48:54 Concluding Thoughts and Future Events

Join us in this episode of 'Within WordPress' as we sit down with Alex Standiford to explore his innovative Siren Affiliates plugin. Alex shares his fascinating journey through the WordPress ecosphere, emphasizing his work with Siren Affiliates and how it's transforming affiliate marketing within WordPress. We'll also touch on his extensive networking at WordCamps, his unique four-year adventure living in a camper across the U.S., and his passion for the open web and platforms like Mastodon. Additionally, we delve into his work with GoDaddy on WooCommerce products and his approach to refactoring technical debt. Whether you're a WordPress enthusiast or curious about remote work and digital nomad life, this podcast is packed with insights and stories that you won't want to miss!