Author: David Bisset

David is a full-time freelancer who specializes in WordPress (and BuddyPress) for startups, Fortune 500 companies, and everything in between. Organizer of WordCamp Miami for 10+ years.

Planning WordCamp Miami 2015

Posted on by David Bisset

WordCamp Miami 2015 dates were announced officially yesterday, and it’s happening on May 29th-31st. As one of the organizers of WCMIA i’m planning on sharing my thoughts more about it’s organization, planning, and my general thoughts going forward. Although i’ve written a few blog posts on WordCamp organization in the past, I feel like maybe someone else might be able to learn from what we do right OR WRONG this year.

How Do You Top Last Year?

WordCamp Miami 2014's Workshop For Kids brought 30+ kids and one of the biggest highlights of the event.
WordCamp Miami 2014’s Workshop For Kids brought 30+ kids and one of the biggest highlights of the event.

Sounds like a stupid question, but it’s one that you can catch yourself asking OR even get asked by others. I thought last year was our best one yet (it was certainly the largest, with our official attendee count about 770) but of course i’m biased. The HONEST response to that of course is that you don’t try – at least not directly. I personally don’t try to outdo myself or events, but constantly try to new things. I iterate things that seemed to have worked well. This helps WordCamp Miami to stay fresh and not be a carbon-copy of other events and conferences. I think anyone who runs a conference – especially a WordCamp – strives on some level to have a unique conference, even as that conference should be primarily focused on the local needs of the community.

Being unique doesn’t take much, and maybe I can write another post about my thoughts on that.

What’s We Are Planning This Year

WCMIA 2014 Speaker Cards
WCMIA 2014 Speaker Cards

Here’s a few things we’re thinking about:

– We are planning on changing up session formats a little bit. Not giving alot of details at the moment, because it’s still being hammered out. But we do want to hit the reset button here in some aspects and not have a copy-paste of previous years or from other WordCamps.
– New workshop(s). We want to try adding another workshop or expanding on previous years. A beginner’s workshop in Miami is being planned.
– BuddyCamp Miami 2015 is being considered. John James Jacoby has called Miami the home of BuddyCamp so how can I disappoint him? (Answer: You don’t).
– We have a new venue this year (FIU) which means new locations for after parties and speaker/VIP dinners. No announcements on anything in that department yet.
– We have a particular focus this year on those who normally don’t automatically attend WordCamps, or even tech conferences. According to feedback, networking is one of our BIGGEST reasons people come to WordCamp Miami so we want to get people meeting and talking with others they haven’t met and would like to get to know. This means focusing on the youth, diversity in general, and developers that work outside of WordPress (PHP in general, Drupal, etc.)
– Speaking of the youth, we have alot in the works for teenagers and younger at WCMIA this year. I can’t wait to tell you more, and it goes beyond having a Workshop For Kids on a Sunday.
– This year, we are going to be hiring a professional company for our live streaming and taping of all sessions.
– The event as a whole is going to be more “real time interactive”. That’s about all I can say at the moment, but i’m quite excited about this in particular.
– Ice Cream… maybe? Thoughts?
– Speaker Collector Cards… maybe these are going out of style? We’ve done them for the past two years. Leave a comment if you have thoughts.
– I would like to see a serious discussion about the future of WordPress. It’s been an active topic especially over the last few months. An overall positive discussion with both good and negatives discussed, with people involved that the community respects.

One of the best panels of WordCamp Miami history was the podcasting panel of 2014. Dradcast and Matt Medeiros pictured.

Developers. Developers. Developers

I think it’s time WordCamps start to dive deeper into “heavier” development talks. It’s hard to do this at WordCamps generally speaking (unless it’s a WordCamp meant just for developers) because you have a wide audience of developers with various skill levels. I think this is, in part, why LoopConf is happening (and why I think that it will be a success and be a good example of a non-WordCamp conference).

I personally would love to see topics beyond beginner-level focused on the WordPress REST API (great post here covering the basics on that from PostStatus) or Backbone.

So we are looking at creating a special experience for developers at WordCamp Miami, and will soon be polling some specific individuals in the WordPress community.

Pre-Conference Surveys / Reverse Call For Speakers

Surveys before you open a call for speakers have been a staple for WordCamp Miami for years. Because WordCamps are primarily local community events, they help you focus on what particular subjects your potential audience would like to see.

This is our survey for WordCamp Miami 2015. Please give your thoughts, even if you are just thinking of attending WCMIA this year (and thanks to Aaron Jorbin for some guidance on this from a past reverse call for speakers he had done).

Moving Forward

WordCamp Miami is just getting started, but we’ve made alot of announcements this week already. Sponsors and potential speakers are already reaching out. Our site will be updated visually later this month. We will be calling for speakers as early as next week, although if you are interested please read the information already on the site… and remember EVERYONE has a story and I would love to see new and interesting speakers this year.

More updates to come!

What Would You Like For Me To Talk About Regarding Planning WCMIA?

Please leave a note in the comments!

Maturity of WordPress News, Podcasts, and Events

Posted on by David Bisset

I made this comment on Twitter yesterday and my colleague Matt Medeiros wanted me to put my thoughts into a blog post. Okay, since Matt has those pictures of me and could go all “blackmail” on me, i’m going to expand a bit.

2014 was when WordPress news matured

WordPress news blogs have been around for a long time. But for a while you could group alot of sites into certain categories: passionate, but amateur (one man shops with limited time and resources), popular blogs that suddenly halted/vanished, and other sites that seemed to favor quantity over quality (example: WP Daily, which by July 2013 was closed and acquired).

But 2014 i think is when we saw a maturity in news site. If i had to limit my reasons to three:

1. WP Tavern expanded to include another author (Sarah Gooding) in September 2013. Her contributions to WP Tavern, along with Jeff’s usual devotion, helped make this site even better.
2. Post Status launched in 2013 but I think Brian Krogsgard’s site really hit it stride last year. His recent announcement of going full time with the site I think solidifies that we are leaving the “one man running a WordPress news site from his basement” feeling of prior years behind. (Heck, he just redesigned his site this week again and upgraded his domain name).
3. The Torque site has been stable in it’s high quality of posts and guest bloggers, and has proved itself in 2014 that it’s not going anywhere anytime soon.

2015 will be the year WordPress podcasts mature

A prediction, yes. But one i think has a good chance of coming true. Here’s why:

1. When we think of WordPress podcasts, it’s hard to not think of the Dradcast. It wasn’t in the first few WordPress podcasts by any stretch, but the quality since it’s start has been top notch. It’s been consistently well done, but 2014 saw Torque partner with Dradcast, with WPEngine sponsoring. Not sure if this is directly related to my opinon that the show was more polished in 2014… either way, I expect Brad and Dre to be kicking butt in 2015.
2. Apply Filters started in 2013 with a few episodes but I think it in 2014 really proved that a non-interview, non-news, niche WordPress (for the most part) podcast could thrive (it instead focuses on development). I think the show really got into it’s stride by early 2014 (which makes sense – Brad and Pippin by that time got into a rhythm).
3. New podcasts already starting showing great promise. Take John Hawkins (who has been a long standing member of the WordPress community and Wordcamp organizer in Las Vegas) and his new podcast.
4. WordPress Weekly has been the most stable and regular WordPress show – hands down. I see no evidence of that slowing down in 2015 is another huge pillar to what will make 2015 mature more for WordPress podcasts.
5. If Dradcast and WordPress Weekly are legs on the WordPress podcast stool, I think Matt Medieros’s MattReport.com podcast is the third leg. It provides the entrepreneur and freelance side of WordPress which I think has been more vital in 2014 (just like business related conferences have become) to the WordPress community.
6. Sadly, some podcasts left us in 2014. But I think this is good for 2015 if nothing more than stressing that fact that making a regular podcast is HARD. Any new podcasts in 2015 would have taken this lesson to heart and be stronger for it.

If i have to sum it up, WordPress podcasts in 2014 seemed to get their act together. Some smaller ones dropped off while others grew while acquiring actual sponsorships (large and small). It’s this start in 2014 that makes me think 2015 will be the equal of a well-oiled machine for this industry.

What About WordPress Events?

This could be another blog post, but looking REALLY far ahead it’s possible that 2015 and 2016 should see another level of maturity when it comes to WordPress events. I believe 2013 and 2014 tie for years that WordCamps themselves matured from an organizational standpoint, thanks much to the WordPress Foundation. But 2014 proved WordPress events are more than WordCamps now. Alot more has appeared in this industry with the continuing of Pressnomics, Prestige Conference, LoopConf, and even smaller “mini-conferences” like WP Bootcamp. Heck, even WordSesh. 2015 will be an interesting year to watch and see what works and what exactly doesn’t. 2015 could see a trend of birth and growth for WordPress events like 2014 saw for WordPress podcasts.

Photo Credit: Flickr

Podcast on Tech Conferences

Posted on by David Bisset

So I thinking about starting a podcast on:

  • Organizing tech conferences (large and small).
  • Interviews with current event organizers – interesting bits other organizers would benefit from.
  • Tips about speaking at events and conferences.
  • Tech conference industry coverage (trends, diversity, ticket prices, etc.).
  • What tech conferences people would recommend attending to other tech folks.
  • This would not be an exclusive WordPress / WordCamp podcast.

Why Another Podcast?

Well. Certainly this can’t be the worst subject for a podcast, unless you think Grown Ups 2 is a great movie (go ahead, click that link).

First, let me stress the LAST bullet above. This isn’t another “WordPress” podcast. Other podcasts cover these topics, so my idea isn’t unique. But I would hope WordPress and WordCamp people would get something from it and any guests.

After i moderated the WordPress Conference Round Table Discussion on WordSesh a few weeks back, I threw out the idea of perhaps continuing some of the topics I was discussing (with my great hosts Jenny Wong, Kiko Doran, and Ryan Sullivan) and the idea was warmly received.

Actually, the idea was FIRST conceived when i pitched this to Ryan Imel at WPCandy. We were actually going forward with this… but never made it far (if you know the history of WPCandy, this talking happened about a month or two before the site stopped being active).

Format

  • I don’t feel this is a podcast worthy of weekly episodes (plus I have no time for that).
  • The podcast would be monthly or would be a series of episodes (think TV seasons or series… first season would be six episodes of the course of a couple of months).
  • Guest hosts for every episode. The less I talk the better.
  • Short and straightforward: 30-40 minutes

So, here’s the question:

Would you listen? What topics would you want heard discussed?

What speakers would you like to hear (someone from your favorite conference, a favorite speaker, or maybe someone who can relate how they get the most of attending conferences)?

I’m listening.

How To Sell Yourself To The WordPress Community

Posted on by David Bisset

Recently, I was witness to two events:

1. During WordSesh, someone was attempting to spread word about a site and themselves during the live chat. After negative reactions from the rest of the chat, it went from “spamming a chatroom” to “troll” status quickly (going as far as that person creating new accounts after being banned).

2. One morning I got a short unsolicited email from someone “introducing me” to their upcoming WordPress related service (using “wordpress” in their domain, which is a no-no although maybe they weren’t initially aware of it). Many others got the same email and soon many were discussing this on Twitter – which the user eventually attempted to respond to. Soon afterwards he/she published “an open letter”. I won’t spend further time on this example, but the tone of the “letter” fits into my thoughts of this post.

If you’ve been on the Internet long enough, neither of these incidents will surprise you.

So if you are someone who is new to the WordPress community – on the “outside” trying to reach those with your idea, service, or skills – consider the following:

Don’t spam or “cold-call”.

Be honest to yourself about what you’re doing. If reaching out in mass of people you don’t already have a connection to (via email, contact forms, tweets, DMs, etc.) isn’t what you call spamming then call it a form of “cold calling“.

And while this technique may work in other places and industries, but rarely – if ever – works for reaching those in the WordPress community.

It’s not about your idea, coding, or marketing.

As you determine how you want to present yourself (and what you have to offer) to the WordPress community, remember these 3 points:

1. Your idea alone isn’t unique. (Ask an experienced freelancer when they recalled the last time a client came to them and they thought “wow, i’ve never heard of that before and i’m sure nobody has either.”)
2. It doesn’t matter how well you think you code (either you think you code great, or you don’t think you can code yourself out of a paper bag).
3. Your marketing skills don’t matter (thinking you are the greatest or the worst marketing person).

Note i’m not saying the above will NEVER matter… we are talking about approaching others in the WordPress community.

The WordPress community isn’t an exclusive club or cult… so don’t be an outsider.

Those in the WordPress community respond best to those who understand or are trying to understand WordPress and open-source. To those who don’t want have the interest or don’t want to invest the time to understand the community and it’s values, it might seem the WordPress community is full of self-righteous stuck-up morons.

Read the reactions to my tweet above.

How do you get started? Try starting a blog, attending local WordPress meetups, and generally reaching out to meet ones in the community. Also doesn’t hurt to find a niche and be an authority in that niche.

Respect Trademarks

You will avoid having a big “bullseye” on your chest if you use “WordPress” (or any other trademarked words) in your domain name (read this). To the WordPress community this the equal of wearing shorts, black socks and sandals at a formal wedding. Granted, I think some people in the community get overly aggressive on calling this out to people who don’t know any better (that’s another post) but you should research trademarks before announcing your company or product.

Ask For Feedback

WordPress community welcomes new businesses and those to the community, especially if you have a product or service you want to sell or provide. Like in most ventures, it makes sense to ask for feedback from the community (via meetups, forums, etc.) before you announce your “next big idea”. Which leads me to…

Be humble and accept criticism

So you made a mistake in your initial approach. Maybe you DID spam or the reaction to your “message” wasn’t received well by the community (for whatever reason). That’s ok. A great thing about the WordPress community is that it forgives and doesn’t hold back in giving suggestions (which for the most most are constructive). It’s the REACTION to the feedback you get that truly establishes yourself.

Listen. Accept feedback and criticism. Resist the urge to overly defend yourself to a community you don’t understand yet.

I’ve made a ton of stupid mistakes. And i’ll make a ton more. But I try to be humble and accept the feedback of my peers and those in the community (even though it’s in my nature to NOT accept these humbly).

Sometimes it’s best to not do anything – or simply say “thank you” – instead of trying to mount a defense on Twitter or in the form of “open letters”.

In the end, even if you are right, it’s your attitude that leaves an impression on people. The currency of perception is ultimately more valuable than any code, idea, or marketing technique.

Get involved with the community

Be a part of the community you want to “profit” from. Speak or volunteer at a local meetup or WordCamp. Get involved with the WordPress project (there are a TON of ways to do so – even if you don’t know or don’t care to know any code).

You don’t have to be a core contributor to have a successful WordPress product or business. But you should have the same overall attitude – always be learning, sharing that knowledge with others in the community in an approachable and positive way.

…but don’t get involved JUST to promote yourself

I’ve seen more than a few organize and volunteer thinking that it by doing so that will “increase awareness of their product or brand”. I’ve seen people try to speak at meetups and WordCamps for the primary reason of promoting themselves and their business (in varying degrees of obviousness). It’s sad when they don’t understand WHY… it’s even sadder when they blame this on WordPress being an “exclusive club that isn’t letting me promote myself” instead of realizing what was off in their baseline thinking.

Get involved for the RIGHT reasons. Get involved because you want to give back to the community, help and educate others, and grow your skills and experience.

It takes time

Be patient.

Great posts came out this past week from successful WordPress developers about doing business in WordPress and how they interacted with the community.

Read them, but understand how none of these people and projects were overnight success stories. These talented people dedicated REAL time and effort to not only coding and marketing but also being approachable and a positive influence to the WordPress community:

https://pippinsplugins.com/2014-review/
http://mattreport.com/precursor-greatness/
http://wpninjas.com/2014-review/

What’s Your Take?

I’m open to thoughts as to how ones on the outside of the WordPress bubble perceive the WordPress community, and what lessons learned (good or bad) you may have had that can be applied here.

Update: Chris Lema published some great thoughts on tips on approaching the WordPress community (funny enough posted at almost the same time as this post) with your product or service. In the usual Lema style, he gives a great positive spin. Worthy of a read.

WordSesh (December 13th, 2014)

Posted on by David Bisset

The 3rd WordSesh online conference was special to me because I was actually a speaker (duh!). Felt honored to be given a time slot. I selected the “conference panel” topic myself and special thanks to my panel members (all of which i contacted and coordinated within 24 hours). I believe we had a great discussion and actually wouldn’t mind spinning off some topics and themes in future podcasts and conference sessions.

Note: I was a little goofy in the beginning because I was attempting to be a Google Hangout He-Man and call on the name and the power of James Lipton. I failed, but it gets better after the first five minutes. I swear. But at least i’m in a suit (best dressed at WordSesh, btw… at least I had that going for me).

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