Steve Grunwell is a Senior Web Engineer and Project Lead at 10up, a World-class web design + development consultancy. Specializing in WordPress and application development he has worked with brands and organizations including TED, Microsoft, Xylem, Elmer’s, and Experience Columbus.
Steve has released several plugins in the WordPress.org repositories, including one from the grounds of The White House during the first annual National Day of Civic Hacking in 2013. When he’s not writing software he enjoys hiking, music, and writing about writing software on his blog.
Steve holds a B.A. in Telecommunications from Bowling Green State University where he graduated Cum Laude with minors in General Business and Recording Technologies.
More information, including portfolio work and his development blog, can be found at https://stevegrunwell.com.
Steve Grunwell will be presenting “Taking the Web Offline” on Saturday, October 15 at 4:00pm in the Assembly Hall.
Why do use WordPress?
I’m a big proponent of open source software, and WordPress as a platform makes publishing easy. I’ve helped a lot of clients be successful by leveraging WordPress, and I love the idea of anyone, anywhere being able to set up a site and start publishing.
When and how did you start using WordPress?
Back in 2010, I was working at a small agency that specialized in building custom content management systems. One client came in and asked if we could build a site on WordPress, and after digging in (and a few missteps), I was hooked.
Give an example of a cool WordPress project you have worked on recently.
Lately, I’ve been working closely with several departments at Microsoft as they’ve leaned more and more on WordPress for making publishing and content distribution even easier for their teams. Now, not only do I get to say “oh yeah, I’m doing work for Microsoft”, but I get to say “I’m helping Microsoft embrace open-source software for their official news outlets”.
What is your favorite part of WordCamps?
WordCamps feel like a homecoming for me; at this point, I’ve attended enough to usually know at least a few people, and I always come away meeting dozens more.
What advice do you have for anyone looking to start or grow a WordPress based business?
There are a lot of WordPress developers out there, and you absolutely get what you pay for. I’ve seen plenty of sites where the developer tried to force his/her idea of a CMS into WordPress, often with disastrous results. Seek out referrals, check references, and don’t be afraid to have someone do a code review on anything that’s written for you; if you’re building your business on it, make sure you have a strong foundation.
Tell us something awesome about yourself that is not WordPress related.
When I started working for 10up, I decided I needed to up my home coffee game. As a result, I started roasting my own coffee at home, guaranteeing I always have freshly-roasted coffee at a fraction of the cost.
Name someone in the WordPress community that inspires you.
I’m continually impressed by my fellow 10uppers, both current and alumni. People like Helen Hou-Sandí, Eric Mann, Adam Silverstein, and more are helping to shape the direction of WordPress and making sure we can continue to build our businesses on top of it.
What should someone learn before attending your talk at WordCamp Ann Arbor?
It’s not specific to my talk in particular, but learn how to step outside of your comfort zone and introduce yourself to the person sitting next to you. The real value of WordCamps is only half-derived from the sessions; it’s the social interaction that makes WordCamps so great.
Where can we find you online?
I blog occasionally on stevegrunwell.com, but mostly hang out on Twitter. I’m also a lurker in *far* too many Slack teams, and publish all of my open-source work on GitHub.