{"id":2386,"date":"2016-10-12T13:30:22","date_gmt":"2016-10-12T17:30:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/2016.annarbor.wordcamp.org\/?p=2386"},"modified":"2016-10-11T09:13:49","modified_gmt":"2016-10-11T13:13:49","slug":"speaker-spotlight-joel-worsham","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/annarbor.wordcamp.org\/2016\/speaker-spotlight-joel-worsham\/","title":{"rendered":"Speaker Spotlight: Joel Worsham"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"joel-worsham\"<\/a>I’m a WordPress enthusiast and plugin scientist. I love building really cool, new things for people and their websites. I’ve been working at Real Big Marketing with Kyle Maurer for about 3 years now doing exactly that.<\/p>\n

Oh, I also really love music and play in a gigging band!<\/p>\n

Joel Worsham will be presenting the “Version Control Workshop” on Friday, October 14 at 9:30am in the Wolverine room.<\/p>\n

Why do use WordPress?<\/h3>\n

Because it’s awesome. It’s incredibly modular, powerful, flexible, and highly supported. It also has the BIGGEST online community surrounding a piece of web building software (or perhaps any software!). This means that I can always have a place to go for help, because Stack Overflow is always teaming with new WordPress questions.<\/p>\n

When and how did you start using WordPress?<\/h3>\n

Around 5 years ago when I began working for a friend’s business. He used WordPress and needed someone to manage the site. I hated WordPress at the time, “Isn’t that just for blogging? pffff”. Oh, young Joel, so many things I would tell you about.<\/p>\n

Needless to say, I love it now and owe my exposure to that first site.<\/p>\n

What would you tell someone to convince them to attend a WordCamp?<\/h3>\n

Free coffee.<\/p>\n

Tell us about something awesome you’ve experienced at a WordCamp in the past.<\/h3>\n

Too many… I’ve met so many incredible people. The relationships and networks you build at these things are invaluable.<\/p>\n

Give an example of a cool WordPress project you have worked on recently.<\/h3>\n

I built an integration that allows a Gravity Form to submit entries to Google Sheets \ud83d\ude42 It’s nifty.<\/p>\n

What is your favorite part of WordCamps?<\/h3>\n

The community.<\/p>\n

What advice do you have for anyone looking to start or grow a WordPress based business?<\/h3>\n

Immerse yourself in this community. Trying it alone will never be fruitful. People really are the salt of the earth.<\/p>\n

Tell us something awesome about yourself that is not WordPress related.<\/h3>\n

I’m in a gigging band as the drummer and I roast my own coffee! … and I brew beer! \ud83d\ude42<\/p>\n

Name someone in the WordPress community that inspires you.<\/h3>\n

Pippin Williamson<\/p>\n

What has been your biggest WordPress related accomplishment to date?<\/h3>\n

Biggest? Hmm… I don’t know, so tough. So many things. Me and Kyle built a pretty neat free plugin called Client Dash, and it’s active on over 3000 sites, so that’s cool right?<\/p>\n

How have WordCamps impacted you and your business in the past?<\/h3>\n

So. Many. Ways. As previously mentioned, the relationships and networks you build are so helpful. I’ve gone to others for help\/advice so may times, and have also been able to offer the same in return.<\/p>\n

Fill in the blank for other attendees: “If you ___________ then you should come talk to me at WordCamp.”<\/h3>\n

breathe<\/p>\n

What should someone learn before attending your talk at WordCamp Ann Arbor?<\/h3>\n

It’s a workshop, so I’ll be starting from the ground up. So, I suppose at least familiarize yourself with the idea of version control and how it can help your projects.<\/p>\n

What is your favorite WordPress related resource?<\/h3>\n

The Codex I suppose, if we’re going by how often I view it \ud83d\ude09<\/p>\n

Where can we find you online?<\/h3>\n