Author Archives: Pamela Coyle

Sponsor Spotlight: Rockhouse Partners

Rockhouse Partners, a technology-based entertainment agency in Nashville, started its first clients on WordPress in 2009 and has not deviated.

According to Dale Liszka, lead developer at Rockhouse, the flexibility, power and ease of WordPress make it an ideal platform from which to manage large numbers of clients and empower those same clients to add content of their own. RockHouse Partners WordCamp Sponsor

“It is incredibly friendly and intuitive for all levels of technical ability.” he says.

Rockhouse Partners was designed to fill a growing digital gap between live entertainment companies and their fans by driving revenue for music, sports and other live events. In addition to getting clients on WordPress, the agency builds marketing calendars, develops content strategies, measures and monitor metrics and creates programs to drive long-term value.

rockhouse parters

The team at Rockhouse Partners at the 2012 SoBro festival.

Clients include The Orange Peel, Summercamp Festival, Lucky Man Concerts, The Cats Cradle, and Richmond Coliseum, as well as multiple concert promoters, music venues, festivals and state fairs.

WordPress powers Rockhouse, literally. All Rockhouse website clients use it and Rockhouse uses it for their company website.

The efficiency and continuity of a single-platform approach helped make the company an attractive acquisition target. Formed as a spin-off from Ticketmaster, Rockhouse was acquired by Etix, the largest independent ticketing company in the United States, in 2011.

“We knew WordPress would be the best choice for us and we have not been disappointed,” Liszka says.

Rockhouse Partners, Nashville, TN
Facebook: Rockhouse Partners
Twitter: @rhrpartners
Contact: Call 615.873.0924 or email Hello@RockhousePartners

WordCamp Nashville 2013 tickets on sale

Tickets are available. Right now.

Hop online and buy your WordCamp Nashville ticket – $20 for a day of learning, laughing, liveliness and lunch. Use the ticket form to select your lunch option (yes, we have vegetarian and vegan choices) and identify the track that fits the best.

WordCamp Nashville

Photo from WordCamp Nashville 2012 courtesy of Patricia Melton.

But please remember – WordCampers can attend any session, regardless of track. We need a general idea for planning purposes. The tracks:

1. Boot Camp: Learn to use WordPress
2. Specialization Training: Make WordPress work for you: Themes, Plugins, SEO & more
3. DevOps: PHP, Theming, Plugins & other tricks

We don’t like labels much, either, and we know attendees will range from “thinking about using WordPress” to “using WordPress but know I’m missing something” to awesome designers, developers and those who do both or what to start doing one.

Think of WordCamp Nashville 2013 as boot camp for all levels. At WordCamp, though, we encourage fraternization. You are not locked in to any track.

Buy WordCamp Nashville 2013 tickets. Now.
https://2013.nashville.wordcamp.org/register/

Second Hotel Option Announced for #wcn13

We’ve got a second hotel option confirmed for WordCamp Nashville 2013 participants – the Four Points Brentwood by Sheraton.

Rooms are $99 and available for WordCamp attendees and presenters from April 16 through April 22, 2013. To take advantage of the rate, book by April 5.

To book rooms, access a special page the hotel set up for us:
WordCamp Nashville/Four Points Brentwood by Sheraton.

HOTEL ADDRESS
FOUR POINTS BRENTWOOD by SHERATON
760 Old Hickory Boulevard
Brentwood, TN 37027
Phone: (615) 964-5500

Traveling Campers – Reserve Rooms by April 4

For WordCamp Nashville 2013 we’ve reserved a block of rooms at the Courtyard Nashville Brentwood and hope to add at least one more lodging option.

WordCamp Nashville hotel

Check out the work area at the Courtyard Nashville Brentwood. Photo: Courtyard Nashville Brentwood, a Marriott hotel.

The special rate is $99 per night but rooms must be booked by April 4. Attendees have two ways to book their rooms:

Call Marriott Central Reservations at 800-321-2211 and ask for the Word Camp 2013 located at the Courtyard Nashville Brentwood.

Book online with the below links.
Book KING at Courtyard Nashville Brentwood for $99 per night.
Book DOUBLE at Courtyard Nashville Brentwood for $99 per night.

WORDCAMP NASHVILLE 2013 rates are available for both Friday and Saturday nights, April 19 and 20, with checkout on Sunday, April 21.

Courtyard Nashville Brentwood
103 East Park Drive
Brentwood, Tennessee 37027 USA

WordCamp Nashville 2013 Sessions and Speaker Submissions

Deadline extended through March 15
WordCamp Nashville 2013 will show WordPress is an amazing, versatile and powerful platform but also will spotlight people in Middle Tennessee who use it. Three tracks will offer participants at all levels opportunities to network and learn.

We invite WordPress users, designers and developers to submit proposals for the topics below or suggest others. Don’t be shy or dally – the deadline is March 8. EXTENDED TO MARCH 15.

Track 1: A Beginner’s Bootcamp
At day’s end, beginner users should be able to log into WordPress, create and edit a post, add images and widgets, choose a theme, and install a plugin. We broke the day into these sessions and need speakers for each. If you would like to speak on one of these topics, please use the form.

Kenneth White WordCamp Nashville

Kenneth White talks about categories and tags at WordCamp Nashville 2012. Photo by Patricia Mercer

    WordPress Bootcamp– basics to get started, including WordPress dashboard, writing panel, settings
    Creating Content – posts, pages, categories and top 5 plugins to use for customization
    Images and Widgets – adding and customizing
    Themes – choosing, installing and configuring
    Plugins – selecting, installing and configuring

Track 2: A Specialized Training Camp
This intermediate track targets people who have WordPress installed and used it for 3-6 months. These users want to take their blog or site to the next level. We have thought of three ideas (below) and are looking for a few more ideas for talks in this area. Please use the form to submit your ideas. Working ideas:

    How to use SEO in WordPress,
    How to start developing in WordPress
    How to use WordPress for small and medium businesses

Track 3: A Dev Tools Bootcamp
We’d like to focus on specific tools people use to develop in WordPress. We have thought of four ideas (below) and are looking for two more ideas for talks in this area. Please use the form to submit your ideas. Working ideas:

    VIM and WordPress
    SAAS and WordPress
    WP Dev Resources
    Designing for Developers in WordPress

For all three tracks, the 1 p.m. session will be a networked keynote presentation. The topics for Track 1 are set but those in Tracks 2 and 3 are suggestions.

Regardless of track, we’ll ask all speakers to share a bit of background about their introduction to WordPress. The diversity and depth of experience, talent and enthusiasm among Middle Tennessee’s growing WordPress community is inspiring.

Help us spread it!

Submit a speaker proposal for WordCamp Nashville 2013.