News, Speakers

Get to Know Ira Horowitz

ira-horowitz

Bio

With 15 years’ experience, Ira has become an expert in nonprofit online communications and online fundraising. Working with hundreds of organizations, Ira has managed and executed many web projects that have resulted in increased funds and resounding engagement. Since Cornershop’s founding, Ira ensures that all projects are successful by providing our clients with the best possible final product. Ira also manages all of our strategic engagements and helps guide nonprofits to determine their long-term strategy goals for online communications.

Prior to founding Cornershop, Ira was the Senior Project Manager at Firefly Partners and has also served as the Online Organizer for Free Press. Ira executed campaigns at Free Press that were awarded the 2007 People’s Choice Webby Award for Best Activism Website and the 2008 Convio Innovator Award for Best Advocacy Campaign. Ira has also previously served at American Jewish World Service, Fund for Public Interest, and Grassroots Campaigns, Inc.

Ira received a BA in Economics and Political Science from The Ohio State University and currently resides in Ann Arbor, Michigan with his wife, son, daughter, and two awesome cats.

Why do you use WordPress?

I use WordPress for three main reasons: (1) it is easy to use for everyone involved in a web project; (2) it is so flexible that you can run a tiny brochure site on WordPress just as easily as a complex news site; and (3) the community is so vast that it makes expanding functionality on a site as easy as possible.

When and how did you start using WordPress?

I first began building sites on WordPress in 2008.

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

WordCamp is a great opportunity to learn from experts about WordPress to expand your usage of the platform, as well as network with others who are a similar position and want to improve their knowledge and skills.

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

n/a

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

http://globalhealthgrades.org/, http://orionmagazine.org/, and http://www.fortwashingtonchurch.org/

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

As with an business, make sure you have a viable market and audience for your product and service. If so, jump in!

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

I was a lead organizer in getting 100,000 people to DC for a rally to Save Darfur in 2006.

What has been your biggest WordPress related accomplishment to date?

We do a lot to improve the backend security of our sites. Of the 200+ projects I’ve helped build at Cornershop, no site we have built has ever been hacked.

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

It has given us an opportunity to share what is working well for us and implement new features, suggestions, and improvements based on what others are doing.

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

work for a nonprofit or small business

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

nothing, it’s fairly intro.

What is your favorite WordPress related resource?

Envato Marketplace

Where can we find you online?