Bio
Phil identifies himself as a life time nerd and professional web developer.
Why do you use WordPress?
WordPress is a great platform with an amazing community and support.
When and how did you start using WordPress?
Around 2006 I was in need of a better blogging platform than the ones I had previously used and the only clear winner was WordPress.
What would you tell someone to convince them to attend a WordCamp?
There is something for everyone, from intro user to power user, to novice professional to WordPress Ninja there is always great conversation happening. Why wouldn’t you want to enjoy that.
Tell us about something awesome you’ve experienced at a WordCamp in the past.
Well I have only been to a few, but I have met some really great people and got the opportunity to talk with others about very specific WordPress topics that I wouldn’t be able to anywhere else.
Give an example of a cool WordPress project you have worked on recently.
I worked on a trilingual (english, japanese, chinese) site for a marketing company using WordPress multisite. Got to use some front end stuff I don’t get to play with everyday like Bootstrap, Parallax and some AJAX to dynamically pull content.
What is your favorite part of WordCamps?
Lunch… Joking of course!!! Happiness Bar is pretty fun to help people out.
What advice do you have for anyone looking to start or grow a WordPress based business?
Define what you are good at and where you want to go. Are you more front end or back end heavy, Have you thought about making WordPress products (themes, plugins, etc…), Per project base is hard to get your hands around, but not impossible to make a living, If you are lucky you will find a way to make an annuity out of it.
Tell us something awesome about yourself that is not WordPress related.
I was in a metal band for several years as a vocalist, I can get pretty brutal.
Name someone in the WordPress community who inspires you.
Pippin Williamson is kind of amazing. I like what he has built for himself and hope to aim for that.
What has been your biggest WordPress related accomplishment to date?
I built and launched a Theme Framework into the theme directory late last year and I continue to refine it everyday. That was pretty cool looking to do more of that.
How have WordCamps impacted you and your business in the past?
Again only been to a few, BUT I have met some really interesting people, I started a WordPress Cleveland Meetup group, and I look to grow my personal brand and business with other Pressers.
Fill in the blank for other attendees: “If you __________ then you should come talk to me at WordCamp”.
Want to build Themes that stand the test of time.
What should someone learn before attending your talk at WordCamp Ann Arbor?
An understanding of HTML, CSS, and the WordPress codex would be a great start but not mandatory. My talk is more about how to get people thinking about developing differently than a step by step instruction manual.
What is your favorite WordPress related resource?
WP Bacon was fun while it was around, WPMU is cool, WP Lift and WP Tavern have some cool articles. Idk I read a bunch of blogs hah.