TL;DR: I totally landed a dream job with WebDevStudios! It’s late, I know….
2007, I download WordPress
When I downloaded WordPress to create my first site with it, I had no idea it would become such a huge part of my life. It was easy, it had plugins, it had themes, it was something I could work with. That’s how it all started. As the years went on I would go on to push WordPress as “the future,” and it was, especially for me. I would use WordPress to build many sites, it’s in everything I would build.
2007+
For almost a decade WordPress would be the center of most of the things I did. I can’t express enough how happy I am that WordPress is Open Source. My love, and of course need, for Open Source software is what pulled me to WordPress in the early days.
During this time I’d work building WordPress sites for lots of people, friends, and even family. Towards the end I would finally start working on my own WordPress themes and plugins.
…2014, I meet WordPress addicts
I attend my first WordCamp (#wcphx) and see all these WordPress addicts, thinking how lucky they are to get to do WordPress day in and day out and work with other WordPress people.
I decide to make a change. I need to work with these people, I needed to be a part of a community who are crazy about WordPress like I am. I set out to find a dream job, one of those “do what you love, you’ll never work a day in your life” deals.
I aim high hoping for anything I could get my hands on. Let’s just say it was a trip and I learned a lot along the way. But I noticed WebDevStudios needs a front-end developer. I think it’s a long shot, but knew this would be huge if I were able to get a job with these guys…
2015, …and I did!
It was a big deal when I got the call from Dre telling me I had got the job. I’m pretty sure I said something in reply like, “This is great. I can’t wait!” But what I was really thinking was, “Holy shit! I got the job!”
It’s been an amazing couple of weeks. WordPress is now what I do and I’m excited to work and learn with the great people I’ve been getting acquainted with over at WebDevStudios. They’re a crazy bunch, but that’s right up my alley, and I’m honored to be associated with such a prestigious company.
Thank You’s
A lot of people helped me along the way, especially family and friends with their encouragement and support. They truly know the “journey” I was on trying to make WordPress what I do, especially my patient and very understanding fiance Ashley.
But, most of all, as cliche as it will sound, I do owe a lot to the WordPress community itself. Because they make a great open source platform like WordPress, they’ve opened up this opportunity for me.