Podcast appearances and mentions of jonathan denwood

Introducing Russell Aaron I didn't learn WordPress at a fancy college or career academy. I graduated from the University of YouTube. My internship was the Las Vegas WordPress Meetup and WordCamp Vegas. The rest I learned building mortgage company platforms, working for casinos, inside managed WordPress hosts, and at some of the best WordPress development and support shops on the planet. Show Notes For more on Russell, check out his website: https://russellenvy.com Transcript: Topher DeRosia: All right. Here we go. Hey folks. Russell Aaron: And three, two, one. Topher DeRosia: Hey folks. Welcome to Hallway Chats. I’m Topher, and I’m here with Russell Aaron. I assume I pronounced that right, because it’s not that hard, but you never know. Russell Aaron: You know, so many people call me Aaron. They’ll tag me and they go, “Thanks, Aaron.” And I’m like, “You know, it’s Russell, but it’s cool.” Topher DeRosia: Yeah, nice. All right. Well, I saw a post on LinkedIn the other day from you talking about podcasts having the same people on episodes all the time. I thought, “Oh, I gotta have that guy on my podcast.” Because then you can’t go on any other ever again, because then you’ll be that guy. Russell Aaron: Maybe. Topher DeRosia: So, I snooped a little. You live much closer to me than I expected. Have we met? Did we meet at a WordCamp? Russell Aaron: I think we met at WordCamp Ann Arbor one year. Topher DeRosia: Oh, okay. I went to a whole bunch of those. Russell Aaron: Yeah. I think I spoke 2018, something like that. Topher DeRosia: Yeah. I was probably there. Russell Aaron: Yeah. Topher DeRosia: All right. So tell me where you live, what you do, all that kind of stuff. Russell Aaron: I currently reside in Indianapolis, Indiana, and I am just freelancing as of right now. You know, I live in a pretty small town where it’s kind of old school WordPress, if you will. Anyone who is worth their salt keys will remember a day when websites were not responsive or a business has a cousin of a friend of a brother who builds websites and, “Hey, he’s working on it,” and three years later, there’s still no new website. I kind of live in a town where I’m kind of getting back to my grassroots, where I stay up late at night with my insomnia, and I will roll up to a business and I will say, “Your new website can look like this today. If you pay me this much money, I will install it today, and this is your new website.” And it’s got your updated menu, and it’s responsive, and it works on mobile, and we can connect it to AppPresser and make it an app and stuff like that. So I’m kind of reliving the glory days of what I remember WordPress to be. Topher DeRosia: I’m also freelancing right now, sort of by choice, sort of not by choice. Somebody I’m married to would rather I had regular pay and insurance. Russell Aaron: Heard that. Topher DeRosia: Are you in the same boat, or did you do this on purpose? Russell Aaron: I did this on purpose. I was not working for the man, but I was working with some people. I’m over the tiny little granular things that somebody can fire you over. Like they’re watching if your mouse moves or they’re watching if you haven’t logged in. There’s just no more trust, I feel like, in so many cases. And so I know that I can do things better on my own, and I’m going to. Topher DeRosia: I have to admit, I love the freelance life. It is pretty special. Russell Aaron: Right. It’s almost like… what’s that movie? The 40-Year-Old Virgin, where they are making a website and they’re like, “Hey, Spider-Man 3’s on in five minutes. Let’s go watch it.” Like they totally ignore their job and they just go watch this movie now. It’s kind of like that. Topher DeRosia: Yeah. Yeah. For me, it’s doing stuff with my wife. She has a day job, but it has kind of chaotic hours and not specific days of the week. And so I work when she does, which sometimes is Saturday and Sunday, and then I just don’t on Tuesday and Thursday. That’s pretty great. Russell Aaron: I’m kind of in the same boat. My wife has a wonderful job, and she is with a great group, and she does global advocacy. I mean, she just deals with people that are happy with the product, and she keeps them happy. She does lots of stuff like that. I’m kind of the same thing, where their company is now starting to get into AI, and they have so many questions, and I’m over here building things with AI and doing things like that. So I’m not exactly consulting, but my ideas are going into their company through my wife. Topher DeRosia: My wife works at a grocery store, and they have a cash machine they use in the back office that runs Linux. Russell Aaron: Oh, wow Topher DeRosia: And the IT guys had to come in and do some work on it, and she saw the screen and she’s like, “Oh, is that Linux?” And I’m like, “Who are you, and what do you know?” Super nerd. So what’s your company name? Do you have one, or is it just WP Pro Support? Russell Aaron: WP Pro Support. Topher DeRosia: WP Pro Support. Okay. Do you concentrate more on support, or do you build more? Russell Aaron: I have been doing support since 2011. I formed my very first support company, and I launched it the same day that Shane Sanderson launched Maintainn. My buddy, who you might know, John Hawkins, I was at the Vegas WordPress Meetup Group, and I had the idea in Vegas WordPress Meetup Group where there’s 70 people sitting right here behind me and they all want help. And I was like, “How do I do this?” So I built my first thing where I gave everybody free-for-life support, and they were my test group, if you will. And they helped me work out my bugs and tickets, and they helped me work out how I actually operate and do stuff like that. Then when I launched it, literally that day, John goes, “Wait, have you seen this?” And we had no idea about each other, but we literally launched them the same day. Fast forward three years down the road, I ended up working for Maintainn when it was owned by WebDevStudios. But everything I’ve done in WordPress has been support, whether I’ve worked for a mortgage company, a casino in Vegas, hosting with Liquid Web, doing stuff with NerdPress or AppPresser. Everything I’ve done is support. That’s really where my passion is because I remember what it’s like being a first timer. I think that there is a huge market potential here of people are always going to be new. I don’t care who you are. There’s always somebody new walking in the door, and there has to be a person who will sit down and say, “Come here, I’ll hold your hand.” And I am that person. I always try to look at WordPress from that lens is if a new person is looking at this today, are they going to be happy? Are they going to be confused? And I go from there. So currently today I’m transitioning away from support as we know it, where you write a ticket and then somebody on the other end is like, “Hey, I fixed your site,” or whatever. And I’m transitioning to a new product that I’m working on. So I’m going to be getting away from traditional support, but I’m still going to be doing things in the support space, if that makes sense. Topher DeRosia: Yeah, that makes sense. When I first got into WordPress, it was 2010, and custom post types were brand new. Russell Aaron: Right? Topher DeRosia: And I was out of my element with WordPress. I did not know what I was doing, but I did know PHP, and no one else knew post types yet. So when it comes to that, I was on an equal footing, and that was my way in. That was my leverage. I made a lot of money in the early days just building custom post types. Russell Aaron: Custom post types and single-posttype.php or whatever. Yeah. Topher DeRosia: So I was a competent PHP guy who didn’t know WordPress. And I feel like we’re in kind of the same transition space right now with AI, where we have tons of competent WordPressers who don’t really know AI yet. I think there’s a great space for that, teaching our friends, teaching everybody we’ve known for 10 years in WordPress. You know what I mean? Russell Aaron: I do. That’s one of the things that I really love about WordPress is that… let’s take the new 7.0 that just came out, I think it re-leveled the playing field. Before this came out, there were people that were ahead of others when it comes to patterns or blocks or the command palette and stuff like that. But now I think with this, we’re back to an even playing field because every… I mean, not exactly. There’s still some people who know AI a lot better than others, but you’re always five minutes ahead of somebody and five minutes behind somebody else. Topher DeRosia: Oh, yeah. Russell Aaron: But I do think that with 7.0, a new level playing field has come out. And now is the time to start learning, or you got to wait until 7.1 comes out where that new level playing field comes out. But that’s what I love about WordPress is that it continues to happen. Like you said, CPTs. I still love CPTs. I think they’re one of my favorite things. I look at all of these features, you know, page builders, another time when the playing field was leveled again. Now you learn page builders and then shortcodes and then this and then that. I think that’s the one gift that WordPress keeps giving is that you might be out of date six months from now, but then 7.1 comes out and you’re caught right back up. Topher DeRosia: Right. Yeah. And while you’re five minutes ahead, you quick do a WordCamp talk. Russell Aaron: Yes. Yeah. Topher DeRosia: For that long, you know more than other people, right? Russell Aaron: At least it’s on video, right? Topher DeRosia: Right. I was an expert for a minute and a half. Russell Aaron: That was my 15 minutes of fame. Topher DeRosia: What is your WordCamp life like these days? When was the last one you went to? Russell Aaron: The last one I went to was in Vegas, 2018. It was at the Plaza Hotel, which I worked at. When John was putting that together, in Vegas we had a wonderful space, and it was called The Innevation Center, and it was at a data facility called Switch. And they donated so much to us, and we are so grateful to them. And then they kind of had a change in their policy where they weren’t doing things, and then they overpriced how much it would cost to hold events and stuff like that. I was working at a hotel, and so we had this giant convention space, if you will. And so because I was able to pull some strings, we got a great, great discount, all food paid for. I mean, all of it. So that was my last WordCamp. The after party was on top of a pool deck, and there was pickleball courts, and there was a pool, and there was an open bar. I mean, it was rad. That was my last one. I have kids now. My kids are seven and eight and so my WordPress travels have slowed. No, I’m sorry. I take it back. WordCamp US last year was my last one, where we went scorched earth. That’s what I call it. I call it WordCamp scorched earth. Topher DeRosia: I was there for that one. I used to go to a lot every year. Go to- Russell Aaron: Five, six? Topher DeRosia: Five and 10. But since COVID, I think maybe just US every year. It’s weird to just go to one. Russell Aaron: It is. And just US, it’s almost like we used to have what I used to call regional events, where I lived in Vegas, I would hit up WordCamp Orange County, then I’d hit up San Diego, then we’d hit up LA, and then we’d make our way up to Portland, and then maybe if San Francisco did one, and then Phoenix. I did all my regional stuff. And then every once in a while I would venture… I mean, I love WordCamp Minneapolis. Love the people up there. Love so much about that event. Used to do that a lot. What’s the one in Ohio that I used to go to? Topher DeRosia: In the teens, there were five in Ohio. And being in Michigan, I used to just cruise down there. Russell Aaron: It’s a three-hour, three-and-a-half-hour drive, huh? Topher DeRosia: Yeah. Russell Aaron: About that. Yeah. Topher DeRosia: At the time, I was working for a company that was paying me to go to WordCamps. I had to make the case for each one, but it was a really simple case for all the Ohio ones because I didn’t need a plane ticket. I just drive over there. It’s like five in Ohio. There was Ann Arbor, there was Detroit, there was Grand Rapids, there was Chicago. I mean, there was almost 10 WordCamps within a three-hour drive of me. Russell Aaron: That’s beautiful. Topher DeRosia: It’s just not there anymore. Russell Aaron: I was very fortunate to work for companies like WebDevStudios, where I could tell them, “Hey, I got into WordCamp Minneapolis. I’m going to speak there.” And because I’m speaking there, they would reimburse me X amount of dollars for something, and then they would sponsor the WordCamp, and then they would make a thing out of it. I mean, I was very fortunate in being able to do that. Then I worked with a really great company called NerdPress, and they are a fantastic group of people that do the same thing. And then I ventured out into different straits, and it was very much different. I’ll say that much. Topher DeRosia: Yeah. Those are good times. Russell Aaron: It’s almost like… the way that I put it is it’s like we all graduated. We all did our four years of college, we all graduated, and now we went to our temp jobs or we went to our internships. Like the band broke up. Topher DeRosia: Yep. Yeah, it is a lot like that. I have seen generations of WordPressers. There was all the crew before 2010 that were downloading zip files and hacking themes to even get them to run. Then there was after 2010, and custom post types were new and stuff. And then there’s the whole Gutenberg generation that never experienced all that crazy theme stuff. Russell Aaron: I mean, you tell people that child themes were so new that people didn’t even grasp the concept of a child theme, and today it’s so baked in. It’s not even something that people think about. It’s just you install this and the child theme, and it’s a thing. But I remember writing those by hand. Topher DeRosia: Yeah. No kidding. Then to a certain extent, not even having child themes anymore because nothing is stored on the file system. Russell Aaron: I love it. I love it. In my very first WordCamp talk in Vegas 2012, I made a prediction that everything was powered by the theme. Everything used to… I mean, that’s as far as I go back is every template was the same. It was left column, right sidebar, header, and every page, whether you liked it or not, looked like a blog post. And it wasn’t full-width, responsive. I remember a lot of that. And then corporate themes came out, and then cupcake themes came out, then lawn company themes came out, and then the rise of Envato and stuff like that. That’s a good name for a band, The Rise of Envato. Topher DeRosia: I’d go see them. Russell Aaron: But all that stuff comes out. And then you look at it now and it’s like, that seems so far away. I still remember the day that I learned about child themes, and I’ve never forgotten that. And I think, coming back full circle, that’s why I stay in this beginner support space because I’m kind of keeping that nostalgia around, I guess. Topher DeRosia: Yeah. There’s a lot of joy in watching people’s eyes light up when they get it. Russell Aaron: That’s the best part is just telling people what’s possible. When they’re frustrated with something and you go, “Oh, hey, Gravity Forms can do that.” And they’re like, “Wait, what?” And I’m like, “Yeah.” And they can also do… And I just start naming stuff. And I show all 50 extensions that they have and they’re just like, “Wait, what?” And I’m like, “Yeah.” I’m like, “This starts getting radical when you’re into it.” Topher DeRosia: There’s something I miss from old WordPress that I don’t see in modern WordPress. It might not be a thing. And that is dramatic new styling with a theme the instant you install it. My wife is not a computer person and does not care about computers. She loves design stuff. There was a time we used Winamp. Russell Aaron: Wow. Topher DeRosia: And she loved getting skins for Winamp. And she would download 30 in a day and try them all out. And then when I set her up for the blog the first time and showed her the theme repo on .org, this is in 2011, she would literally spend a day just downloading theme after theme after theme. Russell Aaron: Same way. Topher DeRosia: And you just install it and poof, your site looks amazingly different. These days, I mean, you install something like Kadence or GeneratePress or Ollie or any of them, really, and it’s kind of a blank canvas. Russell Aaron: It’s very minimalist. It’s very minimalist. Topher DeRosia: I miss the ability to say, “I feel like making a change today,” and two minutes later, your site looks completely different because you’re using… Russell Aaron: Couldn’t agree more. Couldn’t agree more. I mean, I look back at old pictures from when I would host the meetup group in Vegas, and there’s pictures of me talking, and then on the screen behind me is my old site, and it was this old layout. I bought the theme from Envato because I was just fascinated with it. It was everything that I wanted it to look like. But same thing is now when you change your theme from this one to that one, that dark grunge kind of thing is gone, and now you’ve got this bootstrap-looking thing or whatever. I agree with you. I think that comes from my days of being in MySpace. That’s how I got started with all this. So you could change your MySpace template like that, and I think that’s where it comes from, at least for me. Topher DeRosia: I haven’t even looked into it. Can you make a Gutenberg-based blog theme that has a very striking look and just release it? And then, I don’t know, just release a whole bunch of them like in the old days? Theme shops had 35 themes for sale, and they all looked different because they were all totally different themes. Russell Aaron: I remember there was a day on Envato where it was the same theme, it was just rebranded. So it was like theme name 1.0, and it was called Atlas. And then it’s the same theme but in orange, and now it’s 1.2, and it’s called Dungeon or something. And then we have 1.3 again. Same theme, same framework, but each version was named something different. It made that developer look like they had five different products instead of just one over and over. Now you look at something like a page builder, and it’s like, “We’ve got 500 different templates in one thing.” I can’t do that. I think that’s too much for me. Topher DeRosia: It’s like the days of the CSS Zen Garden. Russell Aaron: Right. Topher DeRosia: HTML is the same, CSS changes. Before I used WordPress, I built my own blog system. Russell Aaron: Oh, wow. Topher DeRosia: It never got super advanced, but I used it for 10 years. One of the things you can do in your HTML is register alternate stylesheets. It’s the same tag, it’s just an alternate word in there. And then in Firefox, at least, you can go under “view Page Style”, and they would all be listed there, and you can just choose different themes. I figured out the JavaScript, even though I didn’t know JavaScript. I figured out the JavaScript to make a little dropdown box in my sidebar so my visitors could say, “Oh, I want to change my theme here.” I never figured out how to do that in WordPress because everything was so tied to style.css. I didn’t know how to make a different one be the main one. But that’s something else I miss in WordPress is the ability to just so dramatically and dynamically change your design because your content is structured so well. Russell Aaron: You know, not only that, but I really liked the websites where there was a demo, and then it gave you a basic username. The username was demo, the password was demo. But then the one thing I never figured out was how every 24 hours the site would just reset. So somebody can go in there and they could do whatever they wanted to do. They could create their own pages. They could create their own blog posts. And for 24 hours, there was a page called Russell’s Awesome. But then after 24 hours, it would just reset. I always thought that was so cool, but I could never figure out how to do that. Topher DeRosia: Oh, yeah. And everybody was editing all at the same time, within that 24-hour period. Russell Aaron: I have since restructured my website. I use the block theme from WebDevStudios. I kind of feel like that’s where I got my education from. I was somebody who kind of dabbled around in WordPress, and then when I went to go work with them for three years, they had a set of standards that I couldn’t even fathom to begin with. But then as we built things and I saw how their machine works, how their business revolves, I was like, “You know, for me, this is the way that I like to do things, is the way that they like to do things.” And so my new website… I mean, not new website, but it’s my new theme, I actually had AI build it for me. I had Claude. I was using… It’s by ThemeIsle. Neve. I was using Neve, one of my favorite themes. Love them. So I was using that, and then my site was kind of all over the place. It was an “I’ll teach you how to do this”. That’s kind of the main focus of my site is I will jump on a call with you, and whatever questions you have, I’ll sit here for five hours with you if you want. I will teach you and until you get it. But then I also had this section about band names that were just… earlier when we were talking about the rise of Envato, you know, like I would have a section on my blog where you could create a new band name and then I had all these random blog posts. And so my website was kind of like this potluck, if you will, just like this random stuff. And I was like, you know, I want to be doing something else. I think my website needs to change. And I have those old blog posts still, but they’re hidden. So now with my new theme, I had AI look at my old site and say, this is what I think we should do. I picked out some colors and over like five days, I had it build me five different HTML pages, like completely different, you know? And then I started giving AI and I said like, “Okay, I want to look like this.” And then I was like, well, okay, I like this and I like this, but I also like this from this other site.” So I started feeding it information and like when the HTML came out, I had 12 different templates. I had my blog posts, I had my archive, but I had everything built in HTML. And the cool thing about the WDS block theme is that it serves everything as an HTML page. So I literally just took AI and said, “Take these HTML pages, bake them into how this theme does it,” and bam, my site came up. I had it done in maybe two days. Topher DeRosia: Wow. Russell Aaron: And then after that, I had it take all of those HTML pages and create me patterns. So now I can go in, and when I go into my full site editor, I can go to patterns, I have all my homepage patterns, my blog patterns, I sliced everything up, and they’re all WordPress native blocks. So I can literally go in and change the coloring on any page I want instead of having to edit the HTML or anything. And now that I have that, I feel this sense of freedom where I’m not worrying about an update coming tomorrow, if my update is gonna break or I don’t have to read a changelog that is not specific anymore. I can’t stress how much I love not having to read changelogs or the lack of changelogs. I mean, I’m fully happy with how things have come out. And over time, I’m gonna keep fine-tuning it, but I’m pretty much where I’m at right now. With all of this new technology that’s come out, I’ve really kind of found my love again for WordPress. I was kind of in a slump where I just wasn’t really doing anything. Now I take my son and we’ll drive down to Louisville, Kentucky. He rides BMX. So while he’s racing, I will literally have Claude Code open on my computer and I will log into the Claude app on my phone and I can keep sitting there having the same conversation. So this new thing that I’m building, I can still do it while I’m sitting there watching him race or while I’m doing something else. I was just like, this is fantastic. And then my wife will drive home and I’ll just sit there and I talk into my phone, I literally put the microphone on and I’ll be like, “You know, I don’t like that. And here’s my thoughts about this.” And you know, my phone dictates all of that and then I send it to my computer through the app and it just keeps spinning things up. Then by the time I get home, I have a new version that I can demo or I have a new version that I can test. I mean, I am just so fascinated by it. Topher DeRosia: That’s cool. Were we at WebDev at the same time? Russel Aaron: I don’t think so. Topher DeRosia: I was there just over three years ago. Russel Aaron: I was there 2015 through 2018. Topher DeRosia: Oh, yeah. I came much later. I was only there for like two months. Russell Aaron: Oh, wow. Sometimes that’s the way it goes. Topher DeRosia: Yeah. They were gonna get a big contract that hired a bunch of people and two months later didn’t get the contract and let us all go. Russell Aaron: As much as I hate that, that also taught me that the people that do great work or the people that show up every day and are putting in more than they’re getting out, those are usually the people that stay in companies like that. That really changed my work ethic. I used to be somebody who wanted to be not lazy, but I didn’t wanna be pressed for time or having to go, go, go and having to be on all the time. Now, I’m the opposite. Now, I’m like, now that I’ve done that, I kind of earn for that stretch for a little bit. I mean, you were just saying that how you’ve transitioned to where you are. I was watching a Barstool Sports interview with a guy who runs a pizza shop in… it’s either New Jersey or New York. The guy’s only open Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday. And he’s only open nine to six or something like that. And he built that business… well, it’s been in his family for like 60 years or something. He has one of the last original pizza ovens ever. But anyways, the point is, is that he lives at the pizza place, that’s where his entire life is, but he built the business around his life. I’m doing the same thing where if I wanna literally go jump on my bike right now and go for a two-mile ride, I’m gonna go do that. And I don’t have to feel like, hey, you’re not logged in and we’re not tracking your mouse. Like what’s happening? How come you’re not on Slack? You know what I mean? I’m not tied down to that. And I can’t stress that enough of like, that is where I wanna be. Topher DeRosia: Yeah. Yeah, it is a good life. We are at about the time to wrap it up. Okay. So I’m gonna do that. Where do you hang out online? Russel Aaron: Where do I hang out online? Topher DeRosia: Are you in any common WordPress Slacks? Russel Aaron: I’m on the main WordPress Slack sometimes. I tend to watch more than I do involve anymore. A long time ago, I used to be very vocal and I used to be not afraid to walk in to a room guns blazing. With the big cultural shift that happened in WordPress, I tend to just sit back now and be more self-reserved. So I post on my website, russellenvy.com. I’m on LinkedIn. I’ve been utilizing Reddit a lot too. I think for me, Reddit is a place where I kind of disagree with the fact that you can hide behind a pseudonym, but I do like the brutal honesty that people will have because they are hiding behind something and they will say, dude, this flat out sucks. Or they’ll be like, Hey, this is great, but it would be cool if, or somebody can be like, “Hey, that already exists. You’re not doing anything new.” I do like that. Because it kind of not puts me in my place, but it shows me either how connected or disconnected I am to what I think I’m doing. And so Reddit is a very great place. I mean, everything is russellenvy.com except for Twitter or X, whatever you want to call it. Topher DeRosia: All right, cool. Russel Aaron: Where do you hang out at? Topher DeRosia: I am in probably 40 slacks, but the vast majority of them, I don’t look at. I’m there so that someone can ping me. I’m in a couple of slacks in India. Okay. I’m in the WordPress Italian community Slack. Russel Aaron: That’s interesting. Topher DeRosia: Post status make, of course there’s a hero press Slack. I have my own company Slack, my local meetup has a Slack. There’s just a lot of them. I wouldn’t say I’m super active on any of them. I just occasionally interact with somebody. I use my own company Slack to invite my clients in when we talk there. Russel Aaron: Right. Do you find yourself reading things more than, you know… from the outsider looking in, I post a lot and it looks like I post a lot… I mean, especially on LinkedIn, but I’m always consuming more than I’m posting. Do you find yourself doing that? Like where you’re… maybe not keeping up with the trades anymore, but like, you know… I used to read maybe 1,500 blog posts a week and then… what was that service where you could like save…? I used to have a service where you could save articles and then that way, late at night, I would just read, you know, maybe 10 or 15 of them a night. But now I look at things like Reddit where I see… I just look at somebody who’s going on there and asking for help. Again, it’s a standard WordPress person that, hey, I’m new to this, I don’t know how, and I’m looking at it and I’m just like, how can we make that better? That’s kind of where I’m at these days. Topher DeRosia: I don’t read a whole lot in Slack. It really is for my convenience. I’m pretty active with my RSS reader. I follow a lot of stuff. Russell Aaron: Oh, wow. Topher DeRosia: Because I don’t wanna go chase it all down all over the internet. So, you know, there’s that. I’m on LinkedIn a fair amount, Facebook a little bit. I’m on Mastodon and Blue Sky mostly just to post stuff. It’s funny, I have more followers… No, let me say it this way. Mastodon, I have the fewest followers, but the most engagement from those followers. Russell Aaron: Isn’t that interesting? Topher DeRosia: Yeah, I’ll post something and I’ll get some favorites or reposts or whatever. Blue Sky, I get almost nothing at all, despite the fact that I have like a thousand followers there. Russell Aaron: But Blue Sky is a community that is fast-moving. I almost compare it to anything Meta has, which is you can post today right now and in three minutes you’re 785 posts down. That’s what I really love about Reddit is that I posted something about this AI team that I’m building that I give away for free on GitHub, and so for like five days, I was the number two post on that subreddit. And the volume that I saw from that. I mean, Reddit really loves human writing. If you go in there, you post something that somewhat seemingly might suggest that you had AI do anything with it, they will just downvote it. But if you write original and you write from the heart and stuff, like your stuff skyrockets there. I’ve learned a lot from Reddit because of that. Topher DeRosia: That’s really cool. Russell Aaron: It’s interesting. Topher DeRosia: Yeah. All right, well, thanks for chatting with me. Russell Aaron: Thank you for the time. Topher DeRosia: And now you can’t be on anybody else’s podcast. Russell Aaron: I’m actually starting my own, sir. Topher DeRosia: Are you? All right. Russell Aaron: I have, like you said, the reason why we started this is because you saw something from me that says, “I’m tired of the indie circuit,” if you will. I put out a LinkedIn post, I don’t know, maybe a month ago at this point and I asked people if they wanted to be on a show. So I have WP Roundtable. I got that from Kyle Mahler, a person who I love in WordPress more than I can express. One of the best people on the planet, I feel like. I was thinking about starting that up again, because we don’t have WP Watercooler anymore. We don’t have anything like that. That’s kind of where I got my start from. But again, I also identify that that’s kind of the problem is that every Monday or Friday I was on a show and I was one of the people that you would see constantly. And so I was sitting there thinking and I was like, what doesn’t the space have? What kind of show do I wanna watch? Because I don’t watch shows when they come out, do you? Topher DeRosia: No. Russell Aaron: I always watch them maybe four weeks down the road at like 2:30 in the morning when I have nothing going on. And by that point, the information is almost stale. I mean, the way that anything works these days. And there’s a few that I might watch maybe within 48 hours of coming out, but at this point, there is something… a new idea that myself and… the guy’s actually an automatician. And so it’s actually kind of interesting because we don’t wanna say anything that would put him in a position to where he’s saying something bad about the company he works for, but I’m also the person where I get to say something to the person who works at Automattic to maybe incite some change. So we are working on something like that, but it’s not going to be an interview show. It is not going to be something where you tune it out or you put it on a 2.5 playback speed just to get through it. You know what I mean? And that’s really what the emphasis of my post was about is that so many of the interviews go that way. Topher DeRosia: Yeah. Are you familiar with wppodcasts.com? Russell Aaron: Yes. Topher DeRosia: Okay, good. So when you get it started up, submit it there. Russell Aaron: That’s a place. I’m very fascinated by Gary Vaynerchuk. Are you familiar with Gary V? Topher DeRosia: No. Russell Aaron: I watch something Gary V every day. That guy makes me feel like I’m lazy every single day, but he is also one of the people that says like, “Hey, you’re 40, you’re still just a baby.” A lot of people feel like I should be two kids, a house, marriage, this, that, and because I’m not, I’m behind the ball. And he’s one person that’s like, “Listen, you’re still a kid.” And he’s like, “You’re 40, I’m 40, and you have 10 years until you’re 50.” And even then you’re still so young to where you can generate something again and from 50 to 60, you can now do. That kind of mentality really moved me around. Why I bring that up is, I’m trying not to post on the same places that everybody else is. I wanna find that new venture. Substack is a great one. And they also have a way to release podcast episodes through them. So they can actually be your entire engine. So like you don’t have to host them on different places and stuff like that. So I’m looking for different plays like that. Topher DeRosia: All right, cool. Well, I look forward to hearing about it when it comes out. I’m sure you’ll post on LinkedIn. Russell Aaron: Yes, yeah. Topher DeRosia: All right. All right then, well, I will maybe find you on Slack or Reddit or someplace. Russell Aaron: Slack, Reddit, LinkedIn. Either way, please keep in touch. First of all, it’s great to see somebody familiar in the space. It’s great. I mean, just talking about the old days, I could sit here and do it forever. Topher DeRosia: All right, I’ll see ya. Russell Aaron: Have a good one. Topher DeRosia: All right, so that was the end of the podcast. If you could send me a headshot. And yep, that’s the one. Cool. And any links you want in the liner notes. Russell Aaron: Cool. Topher DeRosia: And two or three sentences about you and what you do and whatnot. Russell Aaron: Cool. I noticed that you… are you trying to revive Hallway Chats? Or is it something that when you just find something interesting, you’re like, hey, I’ll go do that. Topher DeRosia: That’s it right there. Russell Aaron: Okay. Sure, sure. Topher DeRosia: There was a time when it was a weekly podcast and now it’s a whenever I feel like it podcast. Russell Aaron: I love it. I think that’s the biggest reason why I’m trying to do something different is I really dislike watching a podcast. The first thing they do is they come on and they go, “Hey, welcome to WP whatever. Hey, sorry we didn’t post this week. I was bit…” If you are gonna say you’re gonna post every Wednesday at one, that’s on you. But I do not like when things start off with an apology. Like just get to it. Because I’m not watching it Wednesday at one. I mean, unless you’re Joe Rogan, or unless you are somebody who has a huge following that people will watch you live because it’s important. Otherwise, it’s just consumable stuff, you know? Topher DeRosia: Yeah. For years, I posted it Heropress weekly on Wednesday without fail. I would ignore my family to go get it done. Then I was talking to Morton Rand Hendrickson. You know him? Russell Aaron: Uh-huh. Topher DeRosia: Yeah, he’s a huge fan of Heropress. And I said to him, “Do you read every week?” He’s like, “Oh no, not at all.” He’s like, “Oh, I thought you really liked it.” And he said, “Oh, I love it. But I don’t have time to read every week.” Every few months I’ll get depressed about the WordPress community and I’ll go read 10 essays. And then one time I was at WordCamp Ann Arbor, probably the same one you were at and Josepha came to me and said that… she was kind of a sounding board for employees that come to her and said, “Listen, I’ve been working support all day and people suck and I’m depressed and I hate life.” And she would just listen for a while and then at the end they would say, “Okay, I’m gonna go read a bunch of Heropress and I’ll feel better.” And it really changed my perspective of what I was making. I wasn’t making a weekly publication. I was making an archive, a collection to be used as a tool, a library. Russell Aaron: I’m gonna say this poorly, but it’s almost like you are creating a support help hotline where it’s like, if you’re on the verge of blowing up your website, please call this number. We’ll talk you down from it. It’s almost like you’re building that. Topher DeRosia: That’s funny. Russell Aaron: That’s interesting. And then now you’re just selective about it or you’re so far- Topher DeRosia: I’m less aggressive about finding essayists and less insistent that they get it to me by a certain time. Like I would find somebody and say, listen, I need it by Sunday on this date. And they were like, “Okay.” And that worked for a while. Russell Aaron: Oh, before, before. Okay. Topher DeRosia: Yeah. But now I’ll find somebody… No, I don’t go looking as often. Russell Aaron: You’ll maybe find something that somebody wrote and you’ll be like, “Hey, are you interested in doing this?” Topher DeRosia: Yes. And I don’t find people as often. I used to find my people on Twitter and I’m not on there anymore. Russell Aaron: Like by personal choice? Topher DeRosia: Yeah. Russell Aaron: Okay. Topher DeRosia: I just left Twitter. Russell Aaron: Oh, wow. You feel like your life improved? Topher DeRosia: Yes and no. Russell Aaron: Okay. Topher DeRosia: I feel the loss of what Twitter was. And it’s not there anymore. It’s just gone. Russell Aaron: Especially around WordCamp and stuff like that. That used to have to be the place that you’d be on, you know? Topher DeRosia: The Twitter I loved doesn’t exist anymore. And so, yeah, I feel that loss. Russell Aaron: I need a t-shirt that says that. Topher DeRosia: Yeah. Wow. I’m in the process of making a printable store. Printable? Printful. Printful store. Russell Aaron: Cool. Topher DeRosia: With Woo, to make a video with. I need to make a bunch of products. Maybe I’ll make one of those. Russell Aaron: It’s interesting. Wow. You just flat-out left X. Do you feel like with Heropress, it was… and again, this is why I made that post, is that people almost see it like they can make the rounds. And it’s like, well, I haven’t gone there yet. And so they’re gonna submit something to you because they’re gonna get some press out of it. And it’s not so much what’s best for your brand or it’s not best for your website. They just see it as, well, I’m gonna get some exposure there. Do you feel like it used to be that? Topher DeRosia: No. I’ve gotten maybe two or three submissions ever like that. And a couple of them, I was able to say, “No, that’s not what we’re about. It’s this other thing, what Heropress is actually about.” And they’re like, “Oh, well, okay, that’d be great.” And they do that. And maybe one or two people have said, “I built this great company and everyone should come use my company.” Like, no, not so much. Russell Aaron: Interesting. Topher DeRosia: And that’s the end of it. Russell Aaron: I remember back in, I wanna say like 2013, people used to call each other out and be like, why are you giving the same speech at WordCamp Miami, WordCamp Minneapolis, WordCamp San Diego. And that’s kind of where I was at with that same LinkedIn post. It’s like, I really, really enjoy watching Matt Cromwell’s show, but the guy that he just had on also was on Jonathan Denwood and was also on this one. It was also on, I was like, I’ve already seen this. Maybe I get three more percent information that wasn’t in that last, or because Matt knows a little bit more about personal stuff in WordPress or building a business, he might have some more insight there, but it’s like, I’ve already heard this and I’m kind of already over it. And that’s kind of where I was at is you don’t have to just say, I’m gonna do this one and that’s it. But it’s almost like, you’re making yourself not… what’s the word. Not credible because you’re going around and saying the same thing and it’s just, you’re not doing anything different than a blog post could have done. Topher DeRosia: You know what I mean? I don’t feel too bad about repeating WordCamp talks because, especially at small camps, because a lot of people are just gonna go to their local camp and never go to another one. And unless they cruise.tv, they’re not gonna see it. I struggle a little bit with podcasts because I’ve been asked a lot over the last 10 years to come on a podcast and talk about the story of WordPress. And it’s the same story every time, you know? And so, I’ll try to mix it up a little bit, give different information that I’ve never given before, that sort of thing. But it is something I think about and struggle with a little bit. Russell Aaron: What do you struggle with about it? Topher DeRosia: I don’t wanna just say the same thing over and over again. You know, I don’t want people to go, oh, Topher’s on another podcast episode. Oh, I’ve heard this story. I don’t need to be on this episode. Fortunately, it’s been around long enough that I can give a brief synopsis of the beginning and talk about stuff that’s happened in the last couple of years. Russell Aaron: Right. Topher DeRosia: Which is gonna be really different from the podcast episode I was on in 2020. Russell Aaron: You know? Right. Topher DeRosia: It’s an interesting dilemma when you have one story to tell and everybody wants you to tell it. How do you deal with that? Russell Aaron: Well, I’ve noticed that too. It is like, you know, I’ll watch [Insert Famous Name Here], and they have a podcast, and they’re interviewing, again, [Insert Famous Name Here], and that person was also just on That Famous Name and That Famous Name. I actually saw somebody, it’s like almost a year ago, and they were just like, “Do you want me just to say this so your show has this speech in it or are you genuinely asking me?” Because, you know, like you want this story so you can post it on your social media. But I’ve already given that story 15 different times because they wanted it for their own, you know? And it’s almost going that way where I kind of respect it in a way because you don’t want to post other people’s content. But I also feel like I’m tired of saying the same shit over and over again. It’s interesting, man. Topher DeRosia: Yeah, that’s a dilemma. Russell Aaron: So you’re just like kicking back and… are you building something for you that you think is gonna scale or are you trying to get away from WordPress? That’s kind of where I’m at right now. Topher DeRosia: Yes and no. I have always wanted to… I’ve always been better with people than code. I’m a life coach. Russell Aaron: Yeah. I did not know that about you. Topher DeRosia: I love talking to the client more than coding. I love helping people learn things. And so those skills could be anywhere in WordPress, but also could be anywhere outside of WordPress. So I’m looking for those jobs and they are not out there. Russell Aaron: Right. Topher DeRosia: So here we are. Russell Aaron: I’m to the point now where my son, he’s eight, but he races BMX, like actual bikes and stuff. And so there’s a college here in Indianapolis and it’s one of the best cycling schools in the country. And there’s like five Olympians that practice every Tuesday and Thursday and they’re right in our back door. These are people that have a great social following, but they don’t post very well. They have a brand name, but they don’t have a website. So I’m noticing that every new space that I go into, it’s kind of like I get to jump back into WordPress again, where it’s like, hey, I just built a website for this BMX track in Louisville, Kentucky. It’s one of the best tracks in the country by everybody that has ever raced in a sport, they all vote that it’s one of the best, but they don’t have a website period. I just went through this where they have a guy, he’s their treasurer and he’s like, “Well, I’m an AI software guy.” And I’m like, “Well, how come you don’t have a website?” And he’s like, “Well…” And I’m like, “Listen, I submitted a new version of a we… literally, I uploaded it to my Russell website or to my Russell Envy site and I just put it in a sub-folder and I was like, “Your website could look like this today.” I was like, “For free. I don’t want anything from you. No free anything.” I was like, “I want to donate this to you because I want to grow the sport.” And the guy’s like, “I wanted to build it and React.” And I’m like, “Well, why didn’t you?” And the guy’s like, “Uh.” And I’m like, “I have free hosting for life from WPEngine.” And I was like, “I won’t charge you guys ever. I will host a site. I have free with AppPresser. I’ll build you guys an app where you guys can send push notifications.” And the guy’s like, “Well, I want to have a lot of control and say over it.” And I was just like, “All right, you know what?” And then I built my own. Now I own a domain all about their BMX track and now they’re calling me going, “We should have went with you.” I’m to the point now where I’m nice. And then it’s just like, “Dude, I’m 10,000 miles over you and I’m going to go this way.” Liquid Web did that to me. Liquid Web brought me in and they were like, “We’re going to…” I was supposed to be the OG stellar WP. They brought me in, I was hiring all my friends and I was bringing in people and we were building something. And then they called me and they were like, “Well, you can either be a level two support person or you could just not work here.” And I was like, “Well, I don’t work here anymore.” And they were like, “Well, wait, hang on.” And I literally hit “click” and I have never logged on since. Topher DeRosia: That’s funny. Russell Aaron: I’m in that same boat where, you know, I don’t have to work for you. You know what I mean? Like, fuck, I’m 40. I should be doing something on my own anyway. I kind of wish I had… what was WP 101? Sean did that for all those years. I wish I would have done that. Or every week, I should have had some YouTube about talking about something and maybe I could have monetized that, but I’m not behind the ball. I let the ball slip is what I feel like. Topher DeRosia: It’s not too late to start. I picked that up when Sean, quit and I’ve got a YouTube channel with a bunch of stuff on it. I published one today. Russell Aaron: Oh wow. It’s just interesting things that you think about, or is it like educational, like tutorials? Topher DeRosia: It’s educational tutorials, but stuff that I find interesting. Like today I made a desktop wallpaper for WordCamp Europe. Russell Aaron: Nice. Topher DeRosia: And I did it by going to their webpage in my browser and using the console to hack the HTML and CSS until it looked like a screen, a wallpaper. Russell Aaron: That’s fucking cool. Topher DeRosia: So I published it right before I’d started talking to you, like minutes before that. And it has three views. Russell Aaron: Woohoo. Topher DeRosia: But a couple of weeks ago I did one called fun and games in the terminal. And it’s how to play Tetris in the terminal and how to make a choo-choo train go across your screen when you type LS wrong. And it has 784 views right now. Russell Aaron: That’s awesome. Topher DeRosia: I did one on how to brighten a photo. I did a series. I’m working on a series called Topher learns how, or I talk to people who know how to do things that I really should know how to do, but don’t. I talked to Scott Kingsley Clark about pods, which has been around forever, but I’ve never used. I talked to Donata about Termageddon, because I know it’s important, but I have stayed away because I don’t understand and it’s scary. Russell Aaron: Termageddon. I’ve never heard that. Topher DeRosia: Oh. You know the little cookie consent things, privacy policies and whatnot? Russell Aaron: Yeah. Topher DeRosia: So when you sign up with term again, you pay a surprisingly low monthly fee and they have a human get on the phone with you and talk through your requirements of where you live, your legal stuff. Like, are you in Europe? Are you in California? Where are you? Where are your customers, your viewers? Then you drop in a short code for your privacy code and for the cookies and they keep them up to date based on how the laws change. So you don’t have to pay attention to, Oh, did California make some crazy new law about cookies? What do I need to do to update my site? It’s really, really great. So I did an interview with her. Russell Aaron: $12 a month or $119 a year. Topher DeRosia: Yeah. Russell Aaron: What is the point of having a privacy policy if you don’t pay extra for limiting your liability? Wow. That’s amazing. Topher DeRosia: It is. Russell Aaron: That’s someone just thinking outside the box. Topher DeRosia: Yeah. I have a couple of videos where I was given an account at a hosting company that I’ve never used and videoed logging in for the first time and getting to a website. Russell Aaron: Oh, wow. Just from first login to setting everything up to now you have something production. Wow. Topher DeRosia: Yeah. Specifically not reading the docs. Russell Aaron: Oh, just trying to brute force your way through it. Topher DeRosia: Yeah. Russell Aaron: That’s smart, dude. Topher DeRosia: It’s partly about… well, they may have wonderful docs. It may be super easy to do if you read all the docs. I don’t want to read the docs. Russell Aaron: Me neither. Topher DeRosia: Clickety clickety click, I have a website. So I did GreenGeeks. I did honesthosting.io. I did X cloud. So that’s the kind of stuff I’m doing. Russell Aaron: That’s interesting. That is something that, that Gary V talks about a lot is that it used to have to be where you are this WordPress brand and you do just this and all your videos could only be about that. Anytime you stepped outside the box, people were like, “Why am I watching this?” And today now we’re to finally to where my website would probably actually thrive is it’s so random. It’s just something out of my head and one thing can skyrocket and it’s like hitting the jackpot, you know? That’s interesting. Topher DeRosia: Another thing I did is I made a site called topher.how and because I realized I had never really made stuff in my own channel. I’ve been blogging for decades, making videos, WinningWP. I have over a hundred videos on WinningWP. Russell Aaron: WinningWP? Topher DeRosia: Yeah. Russell Aaron: Did you start that when Charlie Sheen started doing Winning? Topher DeRosia: No, no, no, no. But I was thinking, boy, I’d love to have all this stuff on my own website, but I don’t want to go find it all and copy paste posts. And then I realized nearly every place I’ve ever made content has RSS for their authors. Russell Aaron: Yeah. Topher DeRosia: And so I found the sites, found my author RSS feed and started piping them into WP all import. And now topher.how has all my content from the last 15 years on a dozen different sites, doesn’t more than a dozen different sites, all my videos, all my posts, everything on wordpress.tv, all that stuff. So it’s kind of a portfolio. Yeah, so you can go to topher.how and see all my stuff. Russell Aaron: That was actually one thing that I was really proud of was that my entire WordPress journey is documented on somebody else’s project. So, like you go to WPwatercooler and my resume, what is great about it is that it is not me who can edit those videos, it is not me who can master them. Those words are there. Those words are me. You want to know my qualifications in WordPress, there’s all my shit. For me, I was like, “That’s actually pretty sick. You know what I mean?” Topher DeRosia: Yeah. Russell Aaron: Wow. Topher.how. Oh, dude, do you know who Jeffrey Zinn is? Topher DeRosia: No. Russell Aaron: Oh God. Him and Brandon Dove they have Pixel Jar. Have you ever heard of Pixel Jar? Topher DeRosia: Maybe. Russell Aaron: They’re big West coasters. I’ll tell you that much. He just wrote me, “He literally just said, dude, how do you find the time to write so much on LinkedIn? I enjoy all your stuff, but mostly I’m blown away by the volume.” Topher DeRosia: Nice. Russell Aaron: I’m going to write him back and just tell him the truth. But you know, it’s all thought man. Interesting. Topher, I’ve had a lot of fun. Am I taking up your time? Topher DeRosia: I should get back to work. Russell Aaron: All right, sir. Have a good one. Topher DeRosia: All right. I’ll see ya. Russell Aaron: Bye. Topher DeRosia: Bye.

In this LMScast episode, Jonathan Denwood talks about how WP-Tonic makes it easier for instructors, coaches, owners of membership sites, and educational institutions to create robust WordPress-based learning management systems without having to deal with complex technical settings. He clarifies that WP-Tonic is a comprehensive solution that includes managed hosting, premium plugins, CRM tools, email […] The post The Business of WordPress LMS Hosting with WP Tonic Founder Jonathan Denwood appeared first on LMScast.

A WPProAtoZHost.com Company.... Episode 67: Exploring the WordPress Galaxy with Jonathan Denwood of WP-Tonic! Today, we're blasting off into the vast universe of WordPress with a true thought leader who's been navigating its stars for over a decade. Jonathan Denwood, the founder of WP-Tonic, joins us to share his insights on running a boutique hosting company in 2025, the future of WordPress amidst the rise of AI, and the impact of Matt Mullenweg on the community. Plus, we'll dive into the good, the bad, and the ugly of running a long-term WordPress podcast, as Jonathan reflects on his journey with the WP-Tonic Podcast. Whether you're a plugin enthusiast or a WordPress professional, this episode is packed with cosmic wisdom you won't want to miss—let's get started! The post Exploring the WordPress Galaxy with Jonathan Denwood of WP-Tonic : Interview 67 appeared first on WordPress Plugins A to Z.

We dive in deep on what WordPress Hosting (+) looks like. Jonathan tells us about WP-Tonic and his path to running a successful WP-based business. https://wp-tonic.com https://manananomas.com #wordpress #hosting #manananomas #entrpreneur --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/manananomas/message

March 22 2024It's the WP Minute! Today we ask, “Who's responsible for WordPress marketing?” Coming up next! Josepha Haden Chomphosy, Executive Director of the WordPress Open Source project, posted an idea that shifts the dynamics of the WordPress Marketing team. A call for a Media Press Corps. Also known as a Dramatic Shift.It's still too early to tell if this initiative will stick, so I won't comment directly on the idea of a Media Press Corps at the moment. Stay tuned to this space as that story develops.However, this shift begs the question, Who is responsible for WordPress marketing?[Classified]Let me TL;DR it for you first, as my boss at Gravity Forms Carl Hancock says, “It's the entire ecosystem.” Something I agree with, and not just because he signs my paycheck. The ecosystem as a whole has always been the biggest driving force for WordPress adoption. Because WordPress is not a product first organization. It's not a corporate entity. It's open source software & community. Sure, it happens to be lead by Matt Mullenweg who founded the software, who also owns Automattic, can irritate us at times, but also pours a tremendous amount of resources into a project that we all enjoy. Still, doesn't make WordPress.org a product first initiative. There's no budget, there's no access to crucial data, there's no access to social channels, and the marketing team has no influence on the direction of the project. I'm sure I'm missing something else. How far could an official Marketing Team take it? An insurmountable task I wouldn't want to take on. Which leaves the marketing of WordPress up to you and I: You're an agency owner, you're preaching to clients about the advantages of WordPress.You're a blogger, you're telling people to own their own content & platform.You're a YouTuber, you're teaching viewers how to use WordPress.You're a Managed WordPress hosting provider, you're talking about how fast and scalable WordPress is.You're a plugin author, you're selling on the idea that you're making a good platform even better.You're a WordPress Media outlet, you're informing, educating, and entertaining an audience.Whether we call it a Marketing Team or a Media Press Corps, WordPress biggest marketing advantages — even in the face of Wix/squarespace Super Bowl ads — is us, like it always has been.So tell me, how would you spread awareness and brand positioning for WordPress? Got a thought about a WordPress Media Corps? Hit reply and let me know.Together with The RepositoryComing up in The Repository this week: We unpack the announcement that WordPress is getting a media corps and cover Do the Woo's big move to WordPress.com. Plus, the latest on the upcoming WordPress 6.5 release.Not a subscriber? Sign up at therepository.email for more on what's happening in WordPress – and what everyone's saying about it.Important LinksIt's that time again! More link goodies for WordPress news!Josepha Haden Chomphosy introduces the idea for a WordPress Media Corps.WP Umbrella is getting hit with another wide spread phishing attack.Marcus Burnette ponders if we have a “versus” problem.WordPress 6.5 is next week, here's what's new according to Courtney Robertson. Also see the WordPress 6.5 Source of Truth post by Anne McCarthyWordPress dot com now supports GitHub deployments.Be sure to register for Using Site Editor in Production for Clients.Product owners: Optimize your Readme according to Matt CromwellMasterWP newsletter is shifting focus on AI a majority of the time.I discussed WordPress Media with Jonathan Denwood from WP Tonic.Video: Use This to Change Your Blocks EverywhereVideo: The One BIG Update Coming to WordPress 6.5 ★ Support this podcast ★

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"Online learning is the gateway to a boundless classroom, where knowledge transcends physical boundaries, and the pursuit of education becomes an immersive journey accessible to all."Tune into #TGV412 to get clarity on the above topic. Here are the pointers from Jonathan Denwood's conversation with Naveen Samala on The Guiding VoiceFirst rapid fire, Introduction to the guest Jonathan Denwood, and context settingA bit more about his journey and how he got started in the world of web design and WordPress.His Success MantraHow has Jonath seen WordPress evolve over the years, and what makes it such a powerful tool for entrepreneurs and course creators?What are the key benefits of using WordPress for developing eLearning platforms?Some of the latest trends he's observed in the online education space, and how can course creators stay ahead of the curve?What are some common hurdles that entrepreneurs face while building online courses, and how can they overcome them?Success story or case study of a client or project where WordPress played a pivotal role in transforming their online course business?WITTY ANSWERS TO THE RAPID-FIRE QUESTIONSWhat does he foresee as the future of online education, and how should entrepreneurs prepare for it?TRIVIA ABOUT Online Learning ABOUT THE GUEST:Jonathan Denwood is an Owner of WP-Tonic A WordPress boutique hosting company specializing In LMS (Learning management systems) and membership Websites, Serving Associations, Nonprofits, Coaches & eLearning Entrepreneurs. Connect with Jonathan on LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathandenwood/Connect with the Host on LinkedIn: Naveen Samala: LinkedIn | Personal WebsiteSupport Our Mission: To contribute to our mission, consider making a donation (any amount of your choice) via PayPal: Donate HereExplore Productivity: Become a productivity monk by enrolling in this course: Productivity Monk CourseDiscover "TGV Inspiring Lives" on Amazon: Volume 1 available on Kindle and Paperback:KindlePaperbackConnect in Your Preferred Language: #TGV is available in Hindi & Telugu on YouTube:HindiTeluguAudio Podcast: Listen to #TGV on Spotify:HindiTeluguFollow on Twitter:@GuidingVoice@NaveenSamala Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We're doing something a little different today. I was asked to speak at the Membership Success Summit at the end of this month and the host, Jonathan Denwood asked me to hop on a call to do a little bit of a preview of the topic I'm going to be speaking on which is all about how your membership fits within your business model. It's always interesting when somebody else is doing the interviewing and asking the questions. We talk about all kinds of things in this session and it's a great overview of all things memberships - all the things that can get in our way of doing it, mistakes people make about content. You'll also get a chance to hear about the Membership Success Summit. Which I think will be awesome. Jonathan brought all together a whole bunch of really interesting people in the industry, who have a lot of experience in tech, audience building, funnels and lots of other complex topics. He's also coming from a background which is very much tech because he works in the WordPress environment. That was something that I had fun learning more about because it's so different than my focus on program design, positioning and marketing & sales. So please don't hesitate to join the membership Success Summit at the end of the month is September 29 to October 1. https://themembershipsuccesssummit.com/ref/Lisa%20Princic/

Learn how to create a training based membership site on WordPress the easy way without limits with Jonathan Denwood from WP Tonic in this episode of the LMScast podcast hosted by Chris Badgett from LifterLMS. Jonathan has a great podcast called the WP-Tonic Show where he interviews members of the WordPress community about various topics each week. Chris goes on Jonathan's Friday round table show semi-regularly, which is a really great discussion on things that are happening in tech and WordPress, and even in the elearning space. But in this episode we really get into what Jonathan offers over at … How to Create a Training Based Membership Site on WordPress the Easy Way Without Limits with Jonathan Denwood from WP Tonic Read More » The post How to Create a Training Based Membership Site on WordPress the Easy Way Without Limits with Jonathan Denwood from WP Tonic appeared first on LMScast - LifterLMS Podcast.

Learn how to build a full stack managed WordPress LMS hosting company with Jonathan Denwood from WP-Tonic in this episode of the LMScast podcast hosted by LifterLMS. Jonathan breaks down the three factors he has seen make someone successful in the online LMS site building industry: The personal element – Jonathan has dyslexia, and that's always made him interested in education and the limitations of the education system. He sees the possibilities of online education and training as a great way for people that don't fit into the established systems to learn in an environment with many teachers and teaching … How to Build a Full Stack Managed WordPress LMS Hosting Company with Jonathan Denwood from WP-Tonic Read More » The post How to Build a Full Stack Managed WordPress LMS Hosting Company with Jonathan Denwood from WP-Tonic appeared first on LMScast - LifterLMS Podcast.

All real estate agent need to develop in 2020 a digital marketing plan. Why? Basically a DMP will help you understand your local market and while you should be spending you hard earned money to get the best results. Robert has just published a great and very detailed post on how to develop a digital marketing plan that will really work for you. You can see his plan here: https://inboundrem.com/real-estate-marketing-plan-strategies-calendar/ Jonathan Denwood https://www.mail-right.com/ Robert Newman https://inboundrem.com

All real estate agent need to develop in 2020 a digital marketing plan. Why? Basically a DMP will help you understand your local market and while you should be spending you hard earned money to get the best results. Robert has just published a great and very detailed post on how to develop a digital marketing plan that will really work for you. You can see his plan here: https://inboundrem.com/real-estate-marketing-plan-strategies-calendar/ Jonathan Denwood https://www.mail-right.com/ Robert Newman https://inboundrem.com

In this week's show we talk about digital content and what is the best content for your website, Facebook page, or your YouTube channel. What content based on our experience will get you the most engagement and leads? Jonathan Denwood https://www.mail-right.com/ Robert Newman https://inboundrem.com/

In this week's show we talk about digital content and what is the best content for your website, Facebook page, or your YouTube channel. What content based on our experience will get you the most engagement and leads? Jonathan Denwood https://www.mail-right.com/ Robert Newman https://inboundrem.com/

Hello and welcome, today's podcast guest is Jonathan Denwood from WP-tonic.com who is based out in Nevada in the United States. He has a lot of experience in helping people to automate and systematise their online businesses by using WordPress.He's a huge advocate for using WordPress as a platform for all that it's capable of versus using some of the new all-in-one hosted solutions like Kartra or Kajabi. It's a really interesting discussion because a lot of the internet seems to be going towards that direction. We speak to the benefits of keeping everything on WordPress and how you can automate and systemize your online businessTopics We Discuss:Helping people build successful online courses.Getting started with online coursesWordpress vs all-in-one solutions for course creatorsThis episode is for you if you're a freelancer digital nomad or aspiring online entrepreneur who's interested in creating your own course.It is also for you if you run your business on WordPress.I learned a lot of new information in this episodeSubscribe, leave a review and share this episode with any Facebook groups that you think will benefit from this episode. Thanks for tuning in!https://digitalnomadcafe.com/ See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Jonathan Denwood is a leading influencer in the WordPress space (with his own leading podcast in the eLearning entrepreneurship WordPress area) and a champion of the eLearning Entrepreneur who wants to build a substantial online business. In this episode, you will learn the following: What you need to know when you start creating a website? Does the type of platform in hosting a course matters? Can you share great functions, plug-ins, features of Wordpress that are not present on other platforms? What is Learning Manage System (LMS) and what are the fun things you can do with it? What are the considerations when you decide to build a course using Wordpress? What is Caching? What you need to know when you start creating a website? When starting a website, you need to decide and know your foundations. Start asking questions like: Is the content I am creating in demand, useful, and purposeful? Will this content solve a real-life problem? Will I earn money from creating this content? Does the type of platform in hosting a course matter? If you intend to build a real business, it is best to build that on Wordpress. Wordpress is easy and intuitive to use. Managing content compared to other SAS Platforms is easier and simpler. It is also extremely customizable. On the otherhand, other SAS Platforms that you subscribe monthly are also great to use and they tend to market themselves as the "easy solution" but in reality they are much more complicated and complex than the Wordpress. You are spending much more money on these platforms but functionalities and features are very limited depending on your package, and it's not easy to migrate out from these systems. Can you share great functions, plug-ins, features of Wordpress that are not present on other platforms? There are two areas where Wordpress excels: First, the development of page builders such as Gutenberg, Elementor, and Beaver Builder with drag and drop feature. Second, Learning management system which gives you a lot of new features like having badges, take quizzes, tracking student's progress etc. What is Learning Manage System (LMS) and what are the fun things you can do with it? LMS increases the features and functions of a simple course. It helps you to generate good income. You can download extra materials like pdfs, quizzes, games, certificates, badges, etc. What are the considerations when you decide to build a course using Wordpress? Do not buy cheap hosting mobile for your initial hosting package. Buying from hosting provider like blue host for $3 a month will not help you start-up your business on building content on wordpress. It will give you a terrible experience. Initially, you need to invest on choosing your hosting mobile and look into getting those around $20, $30, $35 for your initial hosting package on your membership site. Reliable providers like WP- Tonic and WP-Engine among many others will help your website run fast, it can handle the traffic, and allows multiple members to use the website at the same time. What is Caching? It is a layer that allows to store up data so that future requests for that data are served up faster than is possible by accessing the data’s primary storage location. To learn more about Wordpress, go to WP-Tonic and listen to our podcast about Wordpress, latest features, plug-ins, page builders, learning management systems that you can get. Other services include: e-learning materials like blogs and training videos for entrepreneurs who want to build substantial online businesses, providing hosting and all the software included that starts at $35 a month, semi-custom and full-custom build-outs, they also ensure that your plug-ins up-to-date and your websites are secured. Resources WP-Tonic.com WPEngine: WordPress web hosting Beaver Builder LearnDash LifterLMS

It doesn't have to be difficult!Jonathan Denwood is a leading influencer in the WordPress space (with his own leading podcast in the eLearning entrepreneurship WordPress area) and a champion of the eLearning Entrepreneur who wants to build a substantial online business. Jonathan knows that sometimes people who have a lot of great experience and knowledge to share can get hung up on choosing and implementing the technology to publish their first course. He helps those people with that so they are able to focus on marketing their course to the targeted audience. Jonathan can also help people who have outgrown their original SaaS platform and want to move to WordPress. He recognizes that people don't always know where to begin when making this switch and he can help them navigate their way around creating a seamless, custom-designed WordPress.Thank you for listening!Please like and subscribe here and on your podcast app of choice. Also, share freely!Have a question for us? Visit the website https://www.abundantbeans.com to contact us!

Noah is a successful San Diego entrepreneur, television host and professional speaker. He shares inspiring, funny and educational stories about marketing, branding and small business tips. This is a gem of an interview from June 2017 when I was co-hosting The Mail-Right Real Estate Agent Podcast with my co-host & co-producer Jonathan Denwood; (The voice that sounds like OZZY).

Jonathan is a WordPress Junkie based in Carson City, Northern Nevada. He is the kind of guy who enjoys good old fashioned face to face communication wrapped within a very technological world. He has been in the web design and development industry for about 8 years.   Episode Summary:   In this episode of the Be Real Show, Travis is joined by Jonathan Denwood and they discuss building a profitable online membership business through eLearning.     Connect:   Jonathan Denwood Website - https://www.wp-tonic.com Twitter -  - https://twitter.com/jonathandenwood LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathandenwood/     Resources Mentioned:   WordPress - https://wordpress.com WP Tonic Show podcast - https://www.wp-tonic.com/podcast-episodes/

I'm delighted to interview longtime WordPress podcaster and friend of the show, Jonathan Denwood of WP-Tonic fame. I admire Jonathan's approach to doing business, that of becoming a story teller (or broadcaster) to hold an engaged audience. There's no other sorcery or growth hacks involved, just good old fashioned digital boots on the ground. These days, you can either spend dollars or sweat equity to grow your business, but one thing is certain: you need to lead with an opinion and define your core values. We talk about a lot of that stuff in today's episode, I hope you enjoy it. Thank you to lockedownseo.com and searchwp.com for sponsoring the show.If you're looking for an SEO specialist for manufacturing clients, check out lockedownseo.com!Want better search results in WordPress? Look no further than searchwp.com! ★ Support this podcast ★

I’m delighted to interview longtime WordPress podcaster and friend of the show, Jonathan Denwood of WP-Tonic fame. I admire Jonathan’s approach to doing business, that of becoming a story teller (or broadcaster) to hold an engaged audience. There’s no other sorcery or growth hacks involved, just good old fashioned digital boots on the ground. These…

I’m delighted to interview longtime WordPress podcaster and friend of the show, Jonathan Denwood of WP-Tonic fame. I admire Jonathan’s approach to doing business, that of becoming a story teller (or broadcaster) to hold an engaged audience. There’s no other sorcery or growth hacks involved, just good old fashioned digital boots on the ground. These…

Jonathan Denwood and Bill Conrad bring you "Nevada This Week in Politics."

Each year in August (End of summer) I review and publish a list of companies making the best real estate websites on the planet. From August of 2018 through December of 2019 there has been a single change in my list of recommended companies. Luxury presence joins the list of the top 10 replacing Resi. There have been many changes in price and service options from the companies that remain in the top 10. Here is a brief list of the companies that had the greatest changes in price, service or company structure. Jump down to the company reviews to find out the full details of any changes. Agent Image Boom Town Dakno Easy Agent Pro InboundREM Placester Real Estate Webmasters Real Geeks Luxury Presence Sierra Interactive To Read More https://inboundrem.com/  

Each year in August (End of summer) I review and publish a list of companies making the best real estate websites on the planet. From August of 2018 through December of 2019 there has been a single change in my list of recommended companies. Luxury presence joins the list of the top 10 replacing Resi. There have been many changes in price and service options from the companies that remain in the top 10. Here is a brief list of the companies that had the greatest changes in price, service or company structure. Jump down to the company reviews to find out the full details of any changes. Agent Image Boom Town Dakno Easy Agent Pro InboundREM Placester Real Estate Webmasters Real Geeks Luxury Presence Sierra Interactive To Read More https://inboundrem.com/  

10 Companies Making The Best Real Estate Websites in 2020 Each year in August (End of summer) I review and publish a list of companies making the best real estate websites on the planet. From August of 2018 through December of 2019 there has been a single change in my list of recommended companies. Luxury presence joins the list of the top 10 replacing Resi. There have been many changes in price and service options from the companies that remain in the top 10. Here is a brief list of the companies that had the greatest changes in price, service or company structure. Jump down to the company reviews to find out the full details of any changes. Agent Image Boom Town Dakno Easy Agent Pro InboundREM Placester Real Estate Webmasters Real Geeks Luxury Presence Sierra Interactive To Read More Use The Link Below https://inboundrem.com/  

10 Companies Making The Best Real Estate Websites in 2020 Each year in August (End of summer) I review and publish a list of companies making the best real estate websites on the planet. From August of 2018 through December of 2019 there has been a single change in my list of recommended companies. Luxury presence joins the list of the top 10 replacing Resi. There have been many changes in price and service options from the companies that remain in the top 10. Here is a brief list of the companies that had the greatest changes in price, service or company structure. Jump down to the company reviews to find out the full details of any changes. Agent Image Boom Town Dakno Easy Agent Pro InboundREM Placester Real Estate Webmasters Real Geeks Luxury Presence Sierra Interactive To Read More Use The Link Below https://inboundrem.com/  

In this episode Josh talks with Jonathan Denwood, Owner of WP-Tonic. They discuss using online training for both internal development and external customer facing training.

Jonathan Denwood is a leading influencer in the WordPress space (with his own leading podcast in the eLearning entrepreneurship WordPress area) and a champion of the eLearning Entrepreneur who wants to build a substantial online business. Many people who have great experience and a lot of knowledge to share in their field get caught up with choosing and implementing the technology to publish their first course. Jonathan can really help in getting people to get over this hurdle so that they can really concentrate on marketing their course to its targeted audience. Jonathan also helps those who have found themselves trapped on a SaaS platform, which they have outgrown and want to move to the flexibility and power of WordPress and don't know where to begin. “don't give up but be realistic. It's a strange duality. If something is not working and it's obviously not working you are going to have to change the business model… Most people give up too early because they don't realise that this is going to take longer than they thought ”…[Listen for More] Click Here for Show Notes To Listen or to Get the Show Notes go to https://wp.me/p6Tf4b-7lk

Jonathan Denwood is a leading influencer in the WordPress space (with his own leading podcast in the eLearning entrepreneurship WordPress area) and a champion of the eLearning Entrepreneur who wants to build a substantial online business. Many people who have great experience and a lot of knowledge to share in their field get caught up with choosing and implementing the technology to publish their first course. Jonathan can really help in getting people to get over this hurdle so that they can really concentrate on marketing their course to its targeted audience. Jonathan also helps those who have found themselves trapped on a SaaS platform, which they have outgrown and want to move to the flexibility and power of WordPress and don’t know where to begin. There are multiple balls you have to juggle in order to launch and manage a successful course in 2019. Jonathan has some great insights to help you get over your fears and moving forward.   Connect with Jonathan Denwood: Linkedin Page: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathandenwood/ Twitter: twitter.com/jonathandenwood Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wptonic/   Acuity Scheduling - Stop Wasting Time Setting Up Meetings Peak Accountability - http://www.thorconklin.com/accountability/ Thank you once again for listening Please follow us on: Facebook: Thor Conklin    Twitter: @ThorConklin Website: http://www.thorconklin.com   ThorConklin.com Thor Conklin Media Peak Performers Podcast Peak Performance Nation    #1 Podcast on how to get things done.  Learn from Peak Performers in all areas of life and Business.  Do you know what to do but can't figure out why you are not executing what you already know?   If so, this Podcast will give you the tools, strategies, and psychology to not only break through the choke point but to truly become a Peak Performer.   Thor will be sharing his tools and strategies as well as interviewing inspiring Peak Performers that are Entrepreneurs, Professional Athletes, Business leaders, Military, Technology guru's, Health and Fitness masters, Relationships Experts as well as Music & Entertainment superstars.   Mission and Purpose - To engage, educate, entertain and inspire listeners to excel in any area of life by mastering the science of execution and Peak Performance.  You will learn the necessary roadmap, strategies, tools, and psychology to win this game.

Jonathan became interested in computers to help him overcome his dyslexia and to become the first college graduate in his family.  His career path lead him to owning a chain of dry cleaning stores and eventually start an eLearning company called WP-Tonic that services clients all over the world.  Learn more about his career journey on the Learn From Others podcast. Business Website: https://www.wp-tonic.com/ Blog: https://www.wp-tonic.com/blog/ LinkedIn Page: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathandenwood Podcast: https://www.wp-tonic.com/podcast-episodes/ Listen to more career journey at www.LearnFromOthers.org Learn from Others is an educational podcast for students that highlights diverse career paths across the 16 career clusters identified by the United States Department of Education. Greg Stanley is the host and he interviews successful individuals about their careers, personal development, overcoming obstacles and even failures. This career podcast is one students can explore different career paths and learn from others so they can succeed.

When I talk to most service business owners about growing their firm, the majority tell me their strategy is focused on getting more clients they can serve with their current offerings. Which makes total sense of course. However, not many consider that there are alternative ways to grow your service business. And there's one specifically that doesn't require you to continue to add overhead and infrastructure to deliver the service itself… I'm talking about eLearning and online courses. This could be through a stand-alone course, or using them in combination with your existing services to enhance your client's experience, help to differentiate you from others in your space and charge higher fees.  But if you haven't considered eLearning as a viable option for you because you're put off by all the “techy stuff”, then my guest today is going to remove that excuse and really open your eyes to the possibilities of adding an online element to your service offerings. He is a fellow Brit but has made a very successful move to America, which is where he's joining me from today.  He is the Founder and CEO of WP-Tonic, where he helps his clients create online courses and eLearning platforms that can add a substantial additional revenue stream to your business! So as his approach to growing a service-based business is one not many consider straight away, yet is more simple than you realize, I'm really looking forward to talking to my guest today, Jonathan Denwood! On this episode: What is eLearning? How to use an eLearning platform to enhance your existing services How to plan and build your own online course  The 3 ways Jonathan attracts and catches clients for his business And much more! Resources Mentioned In This Episode: Visit Jonathan's website - WP Tonic Take The Business Growth Stage Scorecard As you're here I'm assuming you're looking for ideas to help you win new clients and grow your business, otherwise you'd probably be listening to a different podcast! And while everything my guests and I talk about "can" work (if done properly), some growth strategies are meant for different businesses at a different stage of growth, so aren't suitable for everyone. So how do you know the best ones to use for your business? That's why I created the Business Growth Stage Scorecard It measures you against 3 key ACCELERATORS of growth & identifies the solutions & action steps to take specifically for the stage you're in right now. Click here to find your score! Happy Fishing! Adam

Gone are the days of travelling to multi-day courses. Now we find our advancements through e-learning.  How do you design a course that solves a legitimate problem and gives you audience some quick victories? Our guest Jonathan Denwood, the CEO of WP-Tonic a company focused on eLearning for healthcare and business consultants making online content via WordPress. Jonathan gives us the low down on what you need to do before you even start to make your online content. Once that is in place you can use all the great advice Jonathan and Peter share to make smart moves developing your content, finding your audience, and most importantly properly market that content to them. Building digital content can be complex and time consuming.  You have to do as much research as possible before you dive in.  Start with our 3 Tips for Digital Content.

How To Choose The Right Online Marketing Platform For you The Real Estate Agent Both me and Robert have a discussion, this week, on why so many real estate agents are totally confused when it comes to all the online marketing platforms that are on the marketing at the present moment and how to choose the right one for your needs. #realestateagents #onlinemarketing #Realestateagentwebsites

How To Choose The Right Online Marketing Platform For you The Real Estate Agent Both me and Robert have a discussion, this week, on why so many real estate agents are totally confused when it comes to all the online marketing platforms that are on the marketing at the present moment and how to choose the right one for your needs. #realestateagents #onlinemarketing #Realestateagentwebsites

Tips on how to successfully create and launch an online course with Jonathan Denwood: One of the great things about creating an online course is it's an opportunity for somebody to build a real business online, which is possible to do while still doing your day job. The main thing is not to make building an online course a daunting task. But a lot of people that do their first course, and this is totally understandable, is to prove that they're offering great value to their students, they feel that they've got to literally build War and Peace in a course format. But he was giving examples where he's had to adjust pricing, and adjusting pricing has made an enormous difference on a course that didn't seem to be selling. Then suddenly, and it wasn't always downwards. But as a way of building brand recognition, I think Udemy has benefits and it's great. But building a real business on somebody else's platform, especially with a notorious discount as like Udemy, it's not a great idea With WordPress for an online course because of the plugin construction, you can select plugins that are top of their product in that specific functionality that you're looking for.  But the future of actually learning, of people giving real value, and I can only see it getting bigger and bigger and brighter and brighter. And I think people more and more are going to expect their training online. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ HOW TO SUCCESSFULLY CREATE AND LAUNCH AN ONLINE COURSE [just click to tweet] HOW TO SUCCESSFULLY CREATE AND LAUNCH AN ONLINE COURSE The main thing is not to make building an online course a daunting task. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Doug: Well, welcome back listeners to another episode of Real Marketing, Real Fast. Today we're going to talk about all things e-learning online courses and that whole industry. And joining me in studio today is Jonathan Denwood. He runs a company called WP-Tonic. He is a leading influencer in the WordPress space, and he's also a fellow podcaster with a focus on e-learning, entrepreneurship, and WordPress. He is a champion of e-learning and works with entrepreneurs who want to build substantial online businesses. Many people have great experience and a lot of knowledge to share in their fields, but we all get caught up in choosing and trying to choose and implement the right technology to get our first course out. So Jonathan is going to help us demystify that, and he's going to help us work through the process of getting over this hurdle so we can concentrate on marketing our courses to our target audience. Jonathan also helps those who have found themselves trapped in a SaaS platform, which they've outgrown, and they want to move to a more flexible and powerful WordPress platform where they can be in complete control of the design elements and the functionality of their online course. There are multiple balls for us to juggle when we're launching an online course and to manage a course successfully, and Jonathan has some great insights to help you get over those fears. So we're going to talk about what it takes to build your first online course, and what the difference is between WordPress and a platform such as Kajabi. So welcome to the Real Marketing, Real Fast podcast today, Jonathan. Well, Hey Jonathan, I'm super excited to have you on the Real Marketing, Real Fast podcast today. So welcome to the show. Jonathan: Oh, thank you, Doug. I really appreciate you having me on the show. Doug: Well, it's interesting looking at your background, because we're kind of kindred hearts in that we are both in the online space and trying to help our clients make a difference in the world and I'm in your camp. I'm a big WordPress fan. So do you want to share just a little bit of your background on kind of what you guys are doing and how you got there? Jonathan: Yeah, sure. I try and keep it as a not too big an intro as possible....

Your online membership business requires a bunch of different solutions that sometimes end up being duct-taped together, leading to frustrating results. You know the pain: your checkout page won’t add your customers into your mailing list, or your membership site won’t revoke access when a user refunds payment, etc. Selecting the right LMS for your […]

Manuj Aggarwal and Jonathan Denwood discuss how to build an online business with WordPress and how to use that business to generate income for you. What are you waiting for? Tune In Now!In this episode, we will learn about:How to successfully build an online businessHow to make an extra income from an online businessUnderstanding the benefits of using WordPress to build your online business siteUnderstanding the power and flexibility of WordPressHow to generate revenue from eLearning businessSuccess strategy for eLearning businessWhat it takes to start an online business    About Jonathan DenwoodJonathan Denwood is the founder and CEO of WP-Tonic. He helps clients build an online business in the eLearning entrepreneurship space by building successful online courses. In addition to building online courses, Jonathan has helped businesses move away from SaaS platforms that they have outgrown, too understanding the power and flexibility of WordPress. Education/Experience Jonathan Denwood has been at the forefront of helping businesses grow through his entrepreneurial online courses for years.Accomplishments:Jonathan has risen through the ranks to become the CEO of WordPress-Tonic. His knowledge about WordPress and online business has helped clients achieve immeasurable success in setting up a side income.Obstacles OvercameIt wasn't an easy road for Jonathan Denwood. Not knowing what online business or WordPress is, he sought out for more information and discovered what WordPress is and how he can use it to his businesses.Links & Mentions From This Episode:Jonathan's website: https://www.wp-tonic.com/TetraNoodle consulting services: https://bootstraptechstartup.com TetraNoodle professional training: https://courses.tetranoodle.com  Thanks for Tuning In! Thanks so much for being with us this week.Have some feedback you'd like to share? Please leave a note in the comments section! Enjoyed the episode? Kindly share it with your friends.Don't forget to subscribe to the show on iTunes to get automatic episode updates for our "Bootstrapping Your Dreams Show!"    

In this week show, we discuss some of our best shows and guests over the past 12 months, and what have been some of the best insights we have learned from our guest. This so far has been an interesting year with the rise of Opendoor and iBuyers from Zillow. However, I'm sure that real estate agents that really bring real value to the table of their clients have a great future.   Jonathan Denwood https://www.mail-right.com Robert Newman https://inboundrem.com inboundrem@gmail.com

In this week show, we discuss some of our best shows and guests over the past 12 months, and what have been some of the best insights we have learned from our guest. This so far has been an interesting year with the rise of Opendoor and iBuyers from Zillow. However, I'm sure that real estate agents that really bring real value to the table of their clients have a great future.   Jonathan Denwood https://www.mail-right.com Robert Newman https://inboundrem.com inboundrem@gmail.com

So many entrepreneurs, including our listeners have membership based programs and thus membership sites, but they aren’t all created equal, so I’m super pumped to be chatting with WP-Tonic Founder, Jonathan Denwood, who’s going to share how to build profitable online courses and membership sites with the flexibility of Wordpress. Membership programs and online courses are a fantastic revenue stream for entrepreneurs but the member area can honestly make or break client retention – can you share WHAT makes a great membership site? What are the options and why is Wordpress the BEST solution? What membership plugins work best with Wordpress? What are the biggest headaches that entrepreneurs experience when building them? What do people struggle with the most when it comes to their Wordpress site? Founder of WP-Tonic WHAT I DO: I help eLearning Entrepreneurs; Business & Health Consultants increase revenue through building profitable online courses using the power and flexibility of WordPress. WHAT MAKES ME UNIQUE: I run a leading podcast in the WordPress LMS and membership website space and I have over 10 years experience developing and managing WordPress projects with budgets from $5,000 to over $30.000. WHY IT MATTERS: If you've decided you want to create an online course/membership website so you can scale and add an additional income stream to your existing business, I can help. I support entrepreneurs and organizations to launch LMS websites that are effective, engaging and get the transformation that the students, are looking for. I help my clients in three main ways: Technology strategy sessions: i.e. helping clients with their tech questions to determine what are the best technology solutions for their membership Learning Management System. Help them build their course/membership website so they can concentrate on developing great course content and marketing their course online effectively. This really helps them make more money! Support and maintain Learning Management Systems (LMS) and membership websites on the WordPress platform which powers 33% of all websites on the internet in 2019. https://www.wp-tonic.com

In this show we going to be talking about all the apps and online services that can make you a more productive real estate agent from DropBox to Boomerang Mail. We cover a load of stuff in this episode and give some excellent tip and trick connected to getting stuff done!   Scott Hoen https://www.titlecapture.com/ Jonathan Denwood https://www.mail-right.com/ #productivity #realestateagents #titlecapture

In this show we going to be talking about all the apps and online services that can make you a more productive real estate agent from DropBox to Boomerang Mail. We cover a load of stuff in this episode and give some excellent tip and trick connected to getting stuff done!   Scott Hoen https://www.titlecapture.com/ Jonathan Denwood https://www.mail-right.com/ #productivity #realestateagents #titlecapture

We discuss how to avoid technology hassles with your self hosted WordPress LMS website with Jonathan Denwood of WP-Tonic in this episode of the LMScast podcast with Chris Badgett. Chris and Jonathan talk about self hosted versus hosted learning management systems and which is the best choice for your site. A self hosted LMS is a site you own and control. Using LifterLMS and WordPress makes a self hosted LMS setup. Hosted LMS companies like Teachable, Thinkific, and Kajabi allow you to create and sell courses on their platform. What a lot of people look for when choosing an LMS … How to Avoid Technology Hassles with Your Self Hosted WordPress LMS Website with Jonathan Denwood Read More » The post How to Avoid Technology Hassles with Your Self Hosted WordPress LMS Website with Jonathan Denwood appeared first on LMScast - LifterLMS Podcast.

Brea provides entrepreneurs with the confidence and steps needed to successfully launch their product and shift their business so that they can create profitable funnels that naturally create customers and create residual income. Brea began her entrepreneurial journey as a copywriter and virtual assistant, and went on to “accidentally” help a client with their launch. And it worked! Over the next few years, Brea had the good fortune to work on launches that have generated 5-, 6-, and 7-figures. Brea has natural gift for problem solving and funnel creation, and that together, she could help entrepreneurs level up and launch their dream businesses. Breanna Gunn https://www.breannagunn.com/ https://breannagunn.lpages.co/launch-secrets/ Jonathan Denwood https://www.wp-tonic.com/ Cindy Nicholson https://www.thecoursewhisperer.co/

In this episode we go further on why you the real estate agent should care about SEO (search engine optimization) and why so many real estate agent’s website are so bad in this particular area. Robert gives some great examples connected to websites that are really working connected to getting quality leads. We also discuss is really important to have a good quality property search on your website powered by IDX and have it freely available or have it semi locked down? Jonathan Denwood https://www.mail-right.com/ Robert Newman https://inboundrem.com/

In this episode we go further on why you the real estate agent should care about SEO (search engine optimization) and why so many real estate agent’s website are so bad in this particular area. Robert gives some great examples connected to websites that are really working connected to getting quality leads. We also discuss is really important to have a good quality property search on your website powered by IDX and have it freely available or have it semi locked down? Jonathan Denwood https://www.mail-right.com/ Robert Newman https://inboundrem.com/

We have a deep dive into what a real estate agent should do connected to having a marketing budget of $1,000 per month, what going to work the quickest and what should also should be done linked to a long term strategy connected to developing a strong local brand. Jonathan Denwood https://www.mail-right.com/ Robert Newman https://inboundrem.com/

We have a deep dive into what a real estate agent should do connected to having a marketing budget of $1,000 per month, what going to work the quickest and what should also should be done linked to a long term strategy connected to developing a strong local brand. Jonathan Denwood https://www.mail-right.com/ Robert Newman https://inboundrem.com/

Carrie Dils joined Jonathan Denwood and Kim Shivler for Episode 279 of the WP-Tonic Podcast. A long-time, successful WordPress freelancer, Carrie has launched a platform to help other freelancers find success in business. In this episode, Carrie shares her top tips for creating a successful freelancing business including Small Business Administration Resources and using clarity.fm to charge for consulting phone calls. Carrie Dils began working at Starbucks. She had a vision open her own coffee shop, and thought why not learn the ins and outs of how to make coffee and get paid to do it. But soon, she realized she didn’t want to depend on others for success. Not that her team wasn’t great, but she was done trading hours for dollars. For her birthday, Carrie’s dad signed her up for an annual subscription to Lynda. She started taking classes taught by Morten Rand-Hendriksen which is where her career started rolling as a freelance web developer. Now, she’s been consulting and educating for 3-4 years. Working for Lynda, she travels to California to record lessons around 3 times a year. She began blogging tutorials on her website as a way to give back to the community. The WordPress community is very generous with learning, and the positive affirmations and people she is able to help through teaching are strong motivators for her. https://carriedils.com/ https://twitter.com/cdils https://www.lynda.com/Carrie-Dils/965233-1.html