David Prochaska

• David Prochaska
• Founder/President of MarketRiser
• MarketRiser
• @DavidProHQ

How were you first introduced to WordPress?
I was introduced to WordPress 4 years ago. I created a website to help college students with homework. I have created 20+ WordPress websites since then (it’s sort of part of my job).

What do you like about it?
I like how easy it is to set up. I’ve been creating websites since 2004, and back then it was all HTML and CSS by hand. I still have to get in the back end here and there, but for the most part, I don’t have to worry about the coding. I can focus more on driving results for my business rather than writing code.

What do you do with WP now?
I have my own business, MarketRiser, which I use WordPress on. All clients that I have built websites for are on WordPress. I also do SEO professionally, so I jump into WordPress on a daily basis.

How has the WP community (local and beyond) helped you?
Wordpress Codex has definitely been a life saver. The forums on the WordPress website are very helpful as well. Early on using WordPress, it’s easy to be totally confused on simple things like setting up a child theme. The WP community is more than helpful on solving any problems I have.

Did learning WP lead to any significant professional, personal, creative changes in your life?
Wordpress allowed me to build websites a lot faster than coding HTML, which led to being able to generate more money. WordPress now allows me to host my website where I generate a small amount of affiliate income.

What would you tell a brand new user?
Don’t get plugin happy. Plugins are essential for a WordPress site, but it’s easy to install every “bright shiny object.” For any website you have, no matter what it is, set up an opt-in form to gain subscribers to your email list. This goes beyond just WordPress because you have to have an email marketing provider, but it’s so essential for every website and business to have an email list. Pro tip: get a plugin like Visual Composer to create pages in a drag and drop format. It saves a TON of headaches.

Anything else we should we know?
I’m a husband and a father of 4 kids. My favorite quote, “Do not go where the path may lead. Go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.” -Ralph Waldo Emerson

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Derek Sanders

• Derek Q. Sanders
• Author, Relationship Coach
• Website: www.derekqsanders.com
• Twitter: @derekqsanders

How were you first introduced to WordPress?
I found out about WordPress on the Internet. I was looking to have a website built and stumbled upon WP in my searching.

What do you like about it?
I was able to build my own site with no experience. I love the ease of use and the fact that WP is a standard platform used by many reputable business.

What do you do with WP now?
I use it for marketing and blogging. Also, I am using WP to build websites for clients as an additional income stream.

How has the WP community (local and beyond) helped you?
The WP community will be very instrumental in my growth and development as I embark on this new income stream. There is a lot that I can learn from the greater community on my learning curve as a marketer and website builder.

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Marcus Crutcher

• Marcus Crutcher
• Web Design, SEO, Online Marketing
• Website: cSocially.com
• Twitter: @mcsocially

How were you first introduced to WordPress?
I can’t remember exactly when I first heard of WordPress, but I built my first WordPress business site a few years ago — and that changed everything.

What do you like about it?
I like that the WordPress community is generally easy to engage and interact with. I like that developers have put so much thought and effort into great plugins, tips, and code that can be forked to extend the functionality and effectiveness of any kind of site. And I like that WordPress is easy enough to use that anyone can make minor changes with relatively little effort.

What do you do with WP now?
I use WordPress for most new site development.

How as the WP community helped you?
The WP community has been huge in helping me gain knowledge of & confidence in everything from design trends, to SEO techniques, to server configuration. The Nashville WP community is awesome and the leadership team has been instrumental in creating what I feel is a very open & accepting community for WP users and developers of all levels.

Did learning WP lead to any significant changes in your life?
Yes. It has helped me grow my business substantially as one of my primary service offerings.

What would you tell a new user? A new developer?
Start following some authority sites and don’t be afraid to pay for the best plugins, themes, etc. up front. It will be worth it in the long run. And always keep a your site secure & fully backed up in an offsite location (not on your server).

Users – Learn the basics & be consistent in your learning. You’ll forget it if you only log in once per month. If you get stuck on something, just Google it. There’s about a 100 percent chance that someone else has run into the same issue and has a tutorial or forum thread about it.

Developers – jump in with both feet and keep a developmental site where you test new toys (frameworks, themes, plugins). Actively learn from other professionals in premium forums like iThemes Support, WPMUDEV Support, etc.

Anything else we should know?
Keep WP updated!

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Amber Weinberg

• Amber Weinberg
• WordPress Developer
• Primary website
• Twitter: @amberweinberg

How were you first introduced to WordPress?
Several years ago, I started getting more and more clients asking for blogs. Then, as WordPress grew into a full fledged CMS, I was able to code more complex sites using it.
What do you like about it?

What do you do with WP now?
How easy and versatile it is! I’m able to create the most complicated websites with a backend that’s simple for the most non-technical clients to use and update. Combining WordPress with the Advanced Custom Field plugin means I’m pretty much never hampered by the CMS. I can do anything.

How as the WP community helped you?
The best thing about WordPress is the community that surrounds it. I can google almost any WordPress related question and someone else has already done it and has a free tutorial. That can’t be said for many other systems.

Did learning WP lead to any significant changes in your life?
My whole business is now centered around WordPress! Once I really began to enjoy developing with it, I realized that it was what I wanted to stick with, so I moved my services around to accommodate.

What would you tell a new user? A new developer?
For users: Every developer does their themes differently. The trick for an easy-to-use site is to find a good developer who codes their themes logically. Also, stay away from premade themes. They’re always a pain for both users and devs!

For developers – Chris Coyier’s book Digging into WordPress is still one of the best primers to beginning development.

Anything else we should know?
When not coding amazing things, I knit, run, craft and travel the world.

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Stephanie Gordon Roy

• Stephanie Gordon Roy
• Freelance WordPress designer/developer
• Website: stephaniegordondesign.com
• Twitter: @Slg2gRoy

How were you first introduced to WordPress?
I first learned about WordPress when I started my own blog on WordPress.com. I wanted more functionality and learned about WordPress.org. I then set up an ecommerce site as my first site when i started my own business. I was paying another designer to maintain an html site for n=me and thought, “hey, why can’t I do this myself”? I statrted exploring WordPress more and loved it so much I decided to designing sites for other people full time!

What do you like about it?
I love that it is so versatile. Not every site has to look the same. You can really flex your design muscles and experiment with different themes and looks. I also love all the plugins! You can really find just about anything you could think of to add to your site. If you happen to not find it, it’s not too difficult to develop your own. WordPress also has so many great support and documentation resources.

What do you do with WP now?
I now work as a freelance designer/developer and make WordPress websites for a variety of clients. I develop custom themes as well as utilize several different pre-built themes.

How as the WP community helped you?
I love Wordcamp Nashville! I have only been twice but learned so much. The Nashville community is really helpful as I have contacted other WordPress Nashville members when I need help, ideas or project leads.

Did learning WP lead to any significant changes in your life?
By designing WordPress websites full time I make more money than I ever have! Because of that, this year my husband and I are building a new home. It also feels pretty awesome when a client loves their new website or you have solved a problem for someone by using WordPress.

What would you tell a new user? A new developer?
Users: Make use of the WordPress documentation and tutorials you can find all over the web. WordPress is very user friendly and don’t let the fact that you don’t know a coding language intimidate you.

Developers: Explore and experiment. There are so many themes and plugins out there. Don’t limit yourself! The more you play around with WordPress the better you get.

Anything else we should know?
In my free time and ride and compete gaited horses! I have even done several equine business WordPress sites.

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Brett Shumaker

• Brett Shumaker
• WordPressing since 2008
• WordPress Developer
• Website: brettshumaker.com
• Twitter: @bshumaker

How were you first introduced to WordPress?
I first got into WordPress in 2008 just after I graduated from Austin Peay State University. I had a B.F.A. in graphic design and no design job. I was connected with a local freelance designer who wanted to start building websites for her clients. We looked at Joomla, Drupal, and even (I think) a very early iteration of LightCMS before landing on WordPress.

What do you like about it?
I love the community aspect of WordPress. I’m a self-taught developer so it was very helpful early on that there was a place I could go to ask questions and get feedback. It really helped me understand what was going on with my code so I could start to move beyond just copy/pasting code into my projects.

What do you do with WP now?
I’m currently the lead developer with Ah So Designs here in town. I’m responsible for building all custom functionality our clients need. This can be anything from integrating with third party services like Instagram or Placester to setting up e-commerce and custom post types. In my freelance work, I’ve been focusing on custom plugin projects.

How as the WP community helped you?
Locally, it’s allowed me to meet and work with other developers. Being self-taught and working for small companies, I was always the only dev in the building so I never had anyone to bounce ideas off of to know if I was “doing it right.” I’ve also gotten connected with clients, and I got my current job through the local community.

Did learning WP lead to any significant changes in your life?
Definitely. WordPress has opened up a ton of career opportunities for me. Having a design background along with the ability to code some fairly complex functionality allowed me to go full-time freelance for a time. Knowing that I can fulfill both design and development tasks for a web project made that transition a *little* less scary.

What would you tell a new developer?
Use the codex, be ready to level-up your Google skills, and GO TO YOUR LOCAL MEETUP. And when you get to that meetup, don’t be afraid to ask questions. Anybody who knows more about development than you has been at your level before, so they know how it feels.

Anything else we should know?
Love dogs and have three: Lyla (Cavalier King Charles Spaniel), Ellie (English Bulldog), Molly (Italian Greyhound, Lab, Pit mix). From Ohio but have lived in Tennessee since 2003. Huge Ohio State fan…deal with it.

BECOME A FACE OF WORDPRESS

As a publishing platform, WordPress technology rocks. But what also makes WordPress amazing is the vast community of users, designers, coders, plugin developers and those many others who don’t fit neatly into any single category.

We started Faces of WordPress last year to highlight members of this global community who are based in Middle Tennessee. You can see the 2014 profiles here.

As WordCamp Nashville 2015 approaches, we continue this tradition – a second year makes it a tradition, right? This year, we ask you to take a few minutes to fill out our Faces of WordPress form, which will allow us to put together and publish more of them.

This is a great opportunity to show the diversity of our WordPress community and showcase how you use WordPress. The post will include a link to your primary site, your Twitter handle published and even a photograph showing your smiling or growling face – if you follow the directions within the form!

Please keep in mind the purpose here: Faces of WordPress highlights people and the platform and what it has allowed them to do. These are not advertorials, and the information you submit will be reviewed, edited if necessary and published by a person. Humor is acceptable; off-color language is not. A modest boast will be tolerated; overt promotional language will not be.

If you are reading this, you already are a face of WordPress. Why not make it official?

Take me to the Faces of WordPress form immediately!