Bio

Dustin Hartzler is a WordPress developer, podcaster and Happiness Engineer at Automattic. His passion is teaching other how to use WordPress effectively.

His weekly podcast Your Website Engineer has been downloaded over half a million times and in 163 countries.

Dustin enjoys speaking at tech events where he can actually see his audience :) He’s spoken at a dozen WordCamps across the midwest and at New Media Expo, Financial Bloggers Conference and Podcast Movement.

Dustin will be presenting “You’re Doing it Wrong:13 Mistakes that WordPress Beginners Make”.

Why do you use WordPress?

I use WordPress because it’s my job :)

But if it wasn’t my job, I would still use it as it’s simple enough to do the things that I need it to quickly, yet robust enough to build the most complex sites possible.

When and how did you start using WordPress?

I got started with WordPress in 2009 when a friend wanted me to build a website for his local political campaign. I had heard about this thing called WordPress and decided to check it out.

I almost quit using in the middle of the project because it took me three times longer to do anything, since I had to look up and research how to use WordPress along the way.

What would you tell someone to convince them to attend a WordCamp?

WordCamps aren’t your typical boring work conferences. They are all day workshops where you can learn about WordPress and meet other local (and sometimes not local) WordPress users and fans.

The cost of admission is really affordable and it normally includes lunch and some other WordPress swag.

Tell us about something awesome you’ve experienced at a WordCamp in the past.

Last year, at WordCamp Grand Rapids, I had the opportunity to meet and hang out with two of the members of the ServerPress team.

After they demoed their software for me, I was able to interview them on a podcast and they let me give away a one year license of their software to my listening audience.

I’m still good friends with these two and sometimes they show me behind the scenes of future releases.

Give an example of a cool WordPress project you have worked on recently.

At WordCamp Milwaukee, a small team of us built this website for a small non-profit in Milwaukee.

This was an official activity of the WordCamp and it was fun to spend some extra time throughout the day building a website for a non-profit that only had a Facebook / Instagram online presence.

What is your favorite part of WordCamps?

The two reasons that I go to WordCamps are to learn something and to meet people.

WordCamps have different tracks so users with any skill level can learn how to use WordPress better.

My other favorite part is meeting people. I try to make it a point to meet one or two people at each WordCamp I go and spend most of the WordCamp learning about them. I also try to make it a point to ask everyone how they use WordPress.

Tell us something awesome about yourself that is not WordPress related.

I’m a husband and father who loves spending time outside / playing sports.

Oh, and I’m tall. Don’t be surprised when you meet me at WordCamp Ann Arbor :)

Name someone in the WordPress community who inspires you.

Brian Richards of WPSessions.com.

He just left his position at Web Dev Studios to spend all of his efforts creating the best video learning site for WordPress at WPSessions.

What has been your biggest WordPress related accomplishment to date?

My biggest accomplishment is that I now have my dream job as a Happiness Engineer at Automattic.

How have WordCamps impacted you and your business in the past?

I’ve formed a lot of friendships with folks around the midwest and now I’m more excited to go to WordCamps to hang out with my WordPress buddies.

Fill in the blank for other attendees: “If you __________ then you should come talk to me at WordCamp”.

If you’ve just started using WordPress within the last year, then you should come talk to me at WordCamp.

or

If you’re interested in working at Automattic, then you should come talk to me at WordCamp.

What should someone learn before attending your talk at WordCamp Ann Arbor?

How to install and use the WordPress Dashboard. Then we’ll cover some of the mistakes that most WordPress users make.

What is your favorite WordPress related resource?

Right now, I’m loving the video lessons at WPSessions.com.

Where can we find you online?

YourWebsiteEngineer.com or DustinHartzler.com

Bio

Marc Benzakein has been working online since the mid 90s, starting as a Network Administrator for a small, independent ISP in Southern California and has been involved in almost all aspects of technology. In 2009, he started developing in WordPress, first for his own purposes and then for clients. In early 2013, he got involved with ServerPress, LLC, makers of DesktopServer, a local development tool created for WordPress designers and developers.

Marc lives in Milwaukee, Wisconsin with his wife, Jessica and two children, Eli (9) and Brenna (4).

Marc will be presenting “How to Rock a WordCamp Even if You’re a Total n00b”.

Why do you use WordPress?

Because WordPress is awesome. Not only as a CMS but as a Community Project. I’m a huge proponent of community in every possible aspect of life. The WordPress Project proves that Community can help businesses grow while maintaining a code of ethics.

When and how did you start using WordPress?

I started using WordPress for my own personal purposes in 2009 and once I discovered how easy it was to customize it into a website platform, I was sold.

What would you tell someone to convince them to attend a WordCamp?

Nowhere will you get more bang for your buck when it comes to business, community involvement and learning opportunities. It’s not like any other conference out there.

Tell us about something awesome you’ve experienced at a WordCamp in the past.

(1) It happened this past weekend at WordCamp Milwaukee. I sat down with one of the presenters who is blind. She spoke about accessibility and, after talking some, she wanted to test out our software to see how we addressed accessibility issues. To be honest, we had never really considered the layout of our software from an accessibility standpoint. While it made perfect sense to someone with sight, I was shown ways in which we could improve our software as I watched her work through the process.

It was a definite “”eye-opener”” for me and is not something that would have had as great of an impact had I not seen it first-hand.

(2) Also at Milwaukee, I was able to bring my kids down for Saturday. They had a BLAST! What other business conference environment can you think of where people can bring their kids AND feel welcome and part of the action?

Give an example of a cool WordPress project you have worked on recently.

We are working on DesktopServer 4.0. That’s all I can say right now, other than it’s going to be frickin’ awesome!

What advice do you have for anyone looking to start or grow a WordPress based business?

Get involved with the Community as one of your first steps. You’ll learn so much from it and you’ll get to contribute almost right away. Before you know it, you’ll have a leg up where you might have struggled before. It’s the most accepting, helpful community I’ve ever been a part of.

Tell us something awesome about yourself that is not WordPress related.

There is nothing that I do without my family in mind. Most people figure that part out within 5 minutes of meeting me.

Name someone in the WordPress community who inspires you.

Pippin (and not why you think). I was just recently at WordCamp Kansas City and I was lucky enough to spend some time hanging out with Pippin. After Saturday’s sessions, a group of about 15 of us went out to dinner.

As happens with many WordPress events, someone springs for the tab. In this case, Pippin paid for the meal. But that was not the amazing part to me. What was amazing was the understated way in which he did it. In fact, half of the people there didn’t even know WHO paid for their meal. While some might make a big show of paying for everyone, Pippin did it in the most humble way possible. I found that very appealing and inspirational.

The WordPress Community is full of people that will pay but finding the humble ones that have more talent and more to give in their little pinky than most have in their entire bodies is rare.

What has been your biggest WordPress related accomplishment to date?

Speaking at WordCamps. It took me a long time to conclude that I had something to give back in that way and then overcome my fear of speaking in front of a crowd (ok – I still cope with that). I am thrilled that I have been able to speak at several WordCamps now and it’s even better when people contact me later and tell me that they learned something!

How have WordCamps impacted you and your business in the past?

Plain and simple: If it weren’t for WordCamps, our company would not have gotten the exposure that it has. People use it in their presentations, both actively and as a reference. We would not be where we are if it were not for WordCamps.

Fill in the blank for other attendees: “If you __________ then you should come talk to me at WordCamp”.

Run a WordPress based business.

What should someone learn before attending your talk at WordCamp Ann Arbor?

Nothing. I am happy to answer any questions to the best of my ability and I try to keep my topics basic and understandable no matter what level of experience you might have.

What is your favorite WordPress related resource?

My business partner Gregg. He is always ON TOP of things. Always!

Where can we find you online?

@MarcBenzak
Marc Benzakein on Google+
MarcBenzak on Yo (yes, I have yo although I’m not sure why yet)

Bio

I’m a software engineer at Twitter. I spend my days building web applications and my nights working on open source software and blogging. Currently based in San Francisco.

Jon will be presenting “Integrating WordPress with a popular JavaScript Framework such as Backbone or Angular”.

Why do you use WordPress?

I think WordPress is the ultimate blogging platform. It’s easy to configure, fun to fine-tune and once it’s set up, it stays out of your way

Give an example of a cool WordPress project you have worked on recently.

I built a plugin for displaying Twitter intents on your blog.

What advice do you have for anyone looking to start or grow a WordPress based business?

Get to know the community. One of my favorite things about WordPress is the vibrant and thriving community. It’s great to do all of the proper things involved in setting up a business, but it’s really important to reach out to other WordPress developers / users in your area and get involved.

Tell us something awesome about yourself that is not WordPress related.

I love hiking, playing music and writing.

Fill in the blank for other attendees: “If you __________ then you should come talk to me at WordCamp”.

Are interesting in pushing WordPress to its limits.

What should someone learn before attending your talk at WordCamp Ann Arbor?

A basic understanding of JavaScript frameworks.

What is your favorite WordPress related resource?

The Codex.

Where can we find you online?

Twitter – jkup
Github – jkup

jonkuperman.com
codeplanet.io

Bio

Over 14 years of experience in website design and development – 11 of which I have specialized in WordPress. I create user friendly websites that are aesthetically pleasing, easy to navigate, and optimized for search engine indexing.

Angela will be presenting “Plugins 101 – 7 Awesome Plugins Everyone Should Be Using” at 1:30pm in Room D.

Why do you use WordPress?

The better question is why wouldn’t I? I have yet to find a project that WordPress couldn’t handle. Plus, beyond the ease of use WordPress provides, the community is amazing.

When and how did you start using WordPress?

I started using WordPress way back in 2002 with a little blogging script called b2/cafelog. Prior to that I had been using a script called Greymatter. I was very into the personal blogging and domain scene, and being able to use a script to update your “blog” was the big new thing.

What would you tell someone to convince them to attend a WordCamp?

Everyone can and will learn something. From someone that has never used WP, to those with advanced knowledge. It’s more then worth the time and money to attend.

Tell us about something awesome you’ve experienced at a WordCamp in the past.

The amazing community at each WordCamp. Every single time I attend a WordCamp I am just blown away by everyone coming together to share there knowledge and expertise.

Give an example of a cool WordPress project you have worked on recently.

I recently was part of a team that rebranded and relaunched the website for the city I live in. It was amazing to redo the site in WP multisite, not just as a job, but as a resident.

What is your favorite part of WordCamps?

The people, hands down. I always come away with new friends.

What advice do you have for anyone looking to start or grow a WordPress based business?

Pick a niche. I think we all fall into the category of wearing many hats, but you really have to pick a niche. That’s not to say you turn away things outside of that niche, but find a specific spot to excel in.

Tell us something awesome about yourself that is not WordPress related.

I am a huuuuuge gaming nerd. When I’m not working on WordPress related stuff, I am gaming online. I play WoW on PC and Diablo 3 on Xbox One mainly, but I almost always give a new MMO a run.

Name someone in the WordPress community who inspires you.

Joost de Valk

What has been your biggest WordPress related accomplishment to date?

Creating a career out of what started as a hobby.

How have WordCamps impacted you and your business in the past?

I’ve become more involved in my local WP community, and the greater web local community as a whole.

Fill in the blank for other attendees: “If you __________ then you should come talk to me at WordCamp”.

Have SEO questions

What is your favorite WordPress related resource?

WP Tavern

Where can we find you online?

Twitter. I am a huge fan of twitter, and it can at times be the best way to reach me.

Bio

Kyle is the co-founder and lead developer for Real Big Marketing, based in Jackson, Michigan. He’s a huge fan of WordPress, uses it every day and makes awesome stuff with it.

Building websites and developing plugins are his passions. Playing guitar is the only thing that could realistically get him to stop developing…if it only paid better.

Kyle will be presenting…

Kyle will be moderating the business panel “Building a WordPress Business” and also the developer panel “The Joys of Being a WordPress Developer”.

Why do you use WordPress?

Because I’m not a fan of headaches, frustration, confusion and limitations which is what I get with any alternative. I’d much prefer to stick with WP where I can accomplish anything I or my clients dream up.

When and how did you start using WordPress?

A few years back I was making websites from scratch using Dreamweaver when someone more experienced than I explained very kindly that no one actually makes websites that way anymore. The smart people are using this thing called WordPress. I gave it a whirl and have never considered going back since.

What would you tell someone to convince them to attend a WordCamp?

There’s usually beer after. And you can ride with me.

Tell us about something awesome you’ve experienced at a WordCamp in the past.

Meeting Matt Mullenweg at WordCamp Chicago in 2013 was really cool.

I also had a really good time at the speaker dinner in North Canton, Ohio. We got to go on a fun guided tour through the city and see some art galleries and stuff. It was pretty interesting and I made quite a few new friends.

Give an example of a cool WordPress project you have worked on recently.

Definitely clientdash.io has been my favorite recent project. It’s a really cool plugin that @JoelWorsham and I have been iterating on for months. I like where it’s going and we have some really cool stuff in the works for the next couple releases.

I’ve also been having a great time developing some themes from scratch using Zurb Foundation which is a very cool CSS/Javascript framework.

What is your favorite part of WordCamps?

Getting new stickers.

What advice do you have for anyone looking to start or grow a WordPress based business?

WordPress is growing fast so don’t hesitate. I think this is an excellent time to jump on board as there are so many incredible opportunities in this market right now. That and focus on quality. There’s not much room for more sub-par products and services.

Tell us something awesome about yourself that is not WordPress related.

I’m an award winning film director and play in a band. Don’t bother looking either up though. Just take my word for it.

Name someone in the WordPress community who inspires you.

Too many to count! I’ll list a few:

Peter Shackelford has always been a tremendous help and inspires me all the time to try new things and raise the bar.
Joel Worsham‘s creativity and development super powers constantly inspire me to improve and create bigger and better things.

Others who have impacted me in a big way: Ross Johnson, Brad Parbs, Chris Lema, Steve Zehngut, Pippin Williamson, Sam Hotchkiss, Jason Crawford, Chris Coyier, John James Jacoby, Rickey Messick, Andrea Rennick, Cory Miller, Brian Retterer, Kellen Mace and many, many others.

What has been your biggest WordPress related accomplishment to date?

I’m tempted to say the plugins I’ve been able to create or help create because I’m very proud of them but honestly creating a sustainable business that allows me to do what I want to do and be my own boss by using WordPress has really been my greatest accomplishment.

How have WordCamps impacted you and your business in the past?

Incredible connections. Great new friends. Invaluable insight. An entire drawer full of WP shirts. Need I go on?

Fill in the blank for other attendees: “If you __________ then you should come talk to me at WordCamp”.

…are here…

Actually, I’d really love to talk to anybody who’s struggling with WP or anyone living near Jackson county or any developers looking to collaborate on projects or anyone who can introduce me to the best beers in town.

What is your favorite WordPress related resource?

I think my local development environment is hard to beat. There I can experiment with anything and learn on my own.

More traditional resources would be Twitter, the Codex, Tuts+, CSS Tricks, Pippin’s Plugins and all my developer friends on Skype.

Where can we find you online?

Real Big Marketing
@MrKyleMaurer
LinkedIn
Google+
WP Round Table