Thanks Pressable for supporting the podcast! What hosting should feel like...nothing! https://pressable.com/wpminute
Listen to a segment of Eric Karkovack's chat with Rodolfo Melogli, the founder of Business Bloomer and organizer of the Checkout Summit. The event is scheduled to take place on April 23-24, 2026, in Palermo, Sicily.
Check out the entire interview on The WP Minute+ podcast: https://thewpminute.com/checkout-summit-signals-a-return-to-woocommerce-events/
Support our work at https://thewpminute.com/support
Get the newsletter at https://thewpminute.com/subscribe
Thanks Pressable for supporting the podcast! What hosting should feel like...nothing! https://pressable.com/wpminute
Listen to a segment of Eric Karkovack's interview with Devin Walker. Devin is the co-founder of GiveWP and was recently named the head of Automattic's Jetpack plugin.
To hear the entire interview, check out The WP Minute+ podcast: https://thewpminute.com/creating-a-better-user-experience-for-jetpack/
Support our work at https://thewpminute.com/support
Get the newsletter at https://thewpminute.com/subscribe
Thanks Pressable for supporting the podcast! What hosting should feel like...nothing! https://pressable.com/wpminute
Listen to a segment of Eric's wide-ranging interview with Koko Analytics founder Danny van Kooten. Here, Danny discusses the importance of starting small with your site's analytical needs. Check out the full interview on The WP Minute+: https://thewpminute.com/taking-a-simple-approach-to-analytics/
Support our work at https://thewpminute.com/support
Get the newsletter at https://thewpminute.com/subscribe
Thanks Pressable for supporting the podcast! What hosting should feel like...nothing! https://pressable.com/wpminute
Every industry evolves. New tools and techniques will inevitably take hold. It’s safe to say that the web moves faster than most career paths. We must be prepared to change in the blink of an eye.
Consider the rise of artificial intelligence (AI). Apps like Copilot and ChatGPT rocked our world without prior notice. All of a sudden, web professionals not using these technologies were behind the curve. Many of us are still trying to understand how AI fits into our workflows and service offerings.
Most changes aren’t that massive. Yet, they still require us to adapt. New versions of WordPress often introduce additional features to master, best practices for writing code change with each PHP release, and website security is a moving target.
It all underscores the importance of continued learning. The ability to do more and do it more efficiently is key to a successful career – one that lasts a lifetime. However, it’s not always so simple.
We have limited time and resources, and there is an endless array of subjects and courses to consider. Which ones fit your needs? And how do you know if you’re spending your time wisely?
Let’s examine the role learning plays in your freelance growth. Along the way, we’ll help you determine the best opportunities and how they can impact your business.
Support our work at https://thewpminute.com/support
Get the newsletter at https://thewpminute.com/subscribe
Thanks Pressable for supporting the podcast! What hosting should feel like...nothing! https://pressable.com/wpminute
In this episode of The WP Minute podcast, Eric Karkovack discusses the importance of web accessibility with experts Adrienne Grace and Isla Waite. They preview the upcoming WP Accessibility Day (October 15-16, 2025) and share its diverse lineup of sessions. They also examine common mistakes in web accessibility, the challenge of finding accessible themes and plugins, and why AI can’t replace human oversight. Adrienne and Isla emphasize the role of education and training for clients to maintain accessible websites and learn best practices.
Takeaways:
Important Links:
Support our work at https://thewpminute.com/support
Get the newsletter at https://thewpminute.com/subscribe
Thanks Pressable for supporting the podcast! What hosting should feel like...nothing! https://pressable.com/wpminute
Freelancers love to book new clients. However, we shouldn't forget about the value of existing ones. This episode examines the untapped potential of your legacy WordPress clients. We'll show you how to improve their websites and strengthen your relationships.
Support our work at https://thewpminute.com/support
Get the newsletter at https://thewpminute.com/subscribe
Thanks Pressable for supporting the podcast! What hosting should feel like...nothing! https://pressable.com/wpminute
n this episode of The WP Minute+ podcast, Matt Medeiros speaks with Oliver Sild from Patchstack about the evolution of WordPress security, the challenges of managing plugin vulnerabilities, and the implications of the Cyber Resilience Act. They discuss the role of AI in development, the importance of vulnerability management, and how hosting security measures often fail to protect against exploits. Oliver emphasizes the importance of compliance and proactive security measures in the WordPress ecosystem.
Takeaways:
Important Links:
Support our work at https://thewpminute.com/support
Get the newsletter at https://thewpminute.com/subscribe
Thanks Pressable for supporting the podcast! What hosting should feel like...nothing! https://pressable.com/wpminute
Eric Karkovack looks at the freedom afforded by running a freelance WordPress business. Along the way, he examines the process of finding your place in the industry and finding happiness.
Support our work at https://thewpminute.com/support
Get the newsletter at https://thewpminute.com/subscribe
Thanks Pressable for supporting the podcast! What hosting should feel like...nothing! https://pressable.com/wpminute
Our Matt breaks down Matt Mullenweg’s keynote at WordCamp US 2025! Get the highlights and honest reactions to the most important moments, including:
Whether you missed the keynote or want a thoughtful recap, this episode covers the key takeaways and what they mean for the future of WordPress. Subscribe to The WP Minute for more insights, news, and community updates!
Matt's video on Telex AI by Automattic https://youtu.be/t5dRm70FnSg
Mullenweg's Keynote WCUS https://youtu.be/45HRzzc0waU?si=DIhxDiqwGNzAPWTL
Support our work at https://thewpminute.com/support
Get the newsletter at https://thewpminute.com/subscribe
Thanks Pressable for supporting the podcast! What hosting should feel like...nothing! https://pressable.com/wpminute
Register for FREE. Monday August 18th at 1PM EST
The Dog Daze of Agency Summer is a live, interactive webinar for WordPress agency owners looking to beat the late-summer slump.
Matt Medeiros, Kurt von Ahnen, and Toby Cryns will share strategies to keep momentum high when client decisions slow down, contracts stall, and teams drift into vacation mode. We’ll explore how to use this seasonal downtime to prepare for a strong fall season. From internal planning to energizing your team and sharpening your sales pipeline.
Key Takeaways
+ Turn downtime into prep time – Use the summer lull to refine processes, update proposals, and revisit client strategies.
+ Reignite team motivation – Tactics to keep staff engaged and productive before the busy fall rush.
+ Jumpstart stalled sales – How to nurture leads and tee up contracts so they’re ready to sign after Labor Day.
+ Plan for Q4 success – Align your marketing, sales, and project delivery for a strong close to the year.
+ Engage with peers – Live Q&A and open dialogue with other agency owners facing the same seasonal challenges.
\
Support our work at https://thewpminute.com/support
Get the newsletter at https://thewpminute.com/subscribe
Thanks Pressable for supporting the podcast! What hosting should feel like...nothing! https://pressable.com/wpminute
In this episode of The WP Minute Podcast, Eric Karkovack welcomes Zachary Hamed and Matthew Achariam, co-founders of Clay, a personal relationship management tool recently acquired by Automattic. They examine how Clay unifies fragmented contact data from various platforms, like Gmail, iMessage, Notion, Facebook, and ChatGPT, into a beautifully designed and user-owned system for managing relationships.
Zachary and Matthew discuss Clay’s origin story, their strong focus on design, data ownership, and privacy, and how AI features like Nexus are transforming personal outreach. They also share how their deep-rooted history with WordPress and open-source culture helped make the acquisition by Automattic feel like a natural evolution. Looking ahead, they tease potential WordPress integrations focused on people and relationships, and how Clay can amplify identity and CRM use cases across the Automattic ecosystem.
Key Takeaways:
Important Links:
Support our work at https://thewpminute.com/support
Get the newsletter at https://thewpminute.com/subscribe
Support our work at https://thewpminute.com/support
Get the newsletter at https://thewpminute.com/subscribe
It’s a tough time to be a WordPress freelancer. The entire ecosystem seems to be shifting beneath us, as we’ve witnessed legal battles and community drama. Not to mention a newfangled technology – artificial intelligence (AI) – taking over the planet.
None of this is good for stability or our confidence. It’s natural to wonder what it all means for the future of freelancing. Are we doomed or just in a time of transition?
I know my business has changed in the past year. Leads for new site builds have morphed into requests for maintenance. It feels like we’ll never get back to the way things were.
Perhaps that’s true. It doesn’t mean the future isn’t bright, though. There’s still value in what we do. Recognizing it is the first step to finding success in a new era.
So, consider this a pep talk for you, my fellow freelancer. Let’s have a collective mental reset to help us focus on what’s next.
★ Support this podcast ★In this episode, I unpack the big announcement behind FAIR — the Federated and Independent Repository — a new package manager initiative under the Linux Foundation. Scooped by The Repository and launched during WordCamp Europe week, FAIR promises decentralized plugin and theme distribution for WordPress, reducing reliance on wordpress.org and introducing a new governance model for the ecosystem. On paper, that’s a huge shift.
But I’ve got more questions than answers. Why the Linux Foundation? Is this really just for WordPress? And what does “a replacement for the ecosystem” even mean? For freelancers, agency owners, and power users like you and me, the pitch feels abstract. FAIR might offer technical insurance, but what does it actually do to help us build faster, better, more sustainable sites today?
This episode is less about hot takes and more about critical thinking — exploring FAIR from the lens of a working professional in WordPress, not someone living in contributor Slack channels. I want to know how this changes our day-to-day, and whether FAIR will drive real innovation… or just become another layer of complexity.
Key Takeaways:
URLs Mentioned:
Support our work at https://thewpminute.com/support
Get the newsletter at https://thewpminute.com/subscribe
founder of 10up and now a Partner at Fueled, to talk about a major agency evolution. Jake shares the journey from founding 10up in 2011 to its merger with Fueled in 2023, culminating in a rebrand that sees the combined entity operating under the Fueled name. He explains the motivations behind the merger, including the desire for diversification, access to broader resources, and positioning for enterprise-level digital transformation projects.
Jake also discusses the continued investment in open-source plugins such as ElasticPress, ClassifAI, and Distributor, which reflect Fueled’s commitment to supporting the WordPress ecosystem while solving real client problems. The conversation touches on the shift toward full site editing (FSE), the agency’s custom internal toolkit, and how AI and no-code tools are transforming the web development landscape. Jake’s new role allows for a better work-life balance and a renewed focus on brand storytelling and strategic initiatives.
Key Takeaways:
Important Links:
Support our work at https://thewpminute.com/support
Get the newsletter at https://thewpminute.com/subscribe
Being a freelance web designer often means dealing with disruption. Sometimes, it’s a client who needs a new feature built ASAP. But it can also come from a shakeup in the technology we use.
Artificial intelligence (AI) has undoubtedly been a disruptive force. It has upended our workflows and made some of us wary of its presence. Are these apps here to help us or replace us?
Perhaps AI site builders are the most cringe-inducing tools of them all. They claim to take the guesswork out of website creation. You don’t need to know code or how to pick a font pairing. Provide a few details, and you have a functioning website.
Several companies have released AI-based site generators; WordPress.com is among the latest. Our own Matt Medeiros took it for a spin. He “chatted” with a friendly bot that wanted to know more about his website needs. Within minutes, he had a website powered by WordPress.
These tools aren’t producing top agency-level websites just yet. Maybe they’re a novelty for the time being. But they’ll improve. With that comes the worry of their impact on freelancers. Will our potential clients choose a bot over a seasoned expert?
Let’s explore what AI site builders could mean for the future of freelancing. Do they signal the end of an era? Or are they just another tool for the DIY crowd?
Support our work at https://thewpminute.com/support
Get the newsletter at https://thewpminute.com/subscribe
The web was once a bastion of free and cheap things. Free tools and services catering to professionals and novices were abundant. And even things that cost money were relatively affordable.
This climate has been a boon to freelancers, agencies, and clients. WordPress and its ecosystem are prime examples of this in action. A free content management system (CMS) with a thriving market for themes and plugins has boosted many businesses. Meanwhile, third-party services like hosting and APIs allowed us to do more without spending a fortune.
That meant lower costs to pass on to clients. It helped keep our services more affordable to small and medium-sized organizations and created the expectation of cheaper websites.
Those days appear to be ending (if they haven’t already gone the way of the dodo). WordPress product pricing continues to increase, as do the other services we rely on. It’s all making for a difficult conversation with clients.
No one wants to pay more for the same thing. But it’s an unavoidable part of the current landscape. So, how do you approach clients with the bad news?
It’s all about preparation and communication. Let’s explore ways to take the sting out of the discussion.
Support our work at https://thewpminute.com/support
Get the newsletter at https://thewpminute.com/subscribe
Freelancers have plenty of options for leveraging artificial intelligence (AI). It seems like a new tool or five comes out each week. And that doesn’t include existing products with bolted-on AI features.
The hype train has morphed into a rocket ship. This is great for OpenAI and other product makers, as they rake in cash and tons of publicity.
But what about the rest of us? Specifically, those of us who make a living with WordPress. Are we gaining anything more than a few dog-and-pony tricks? Most importantly: Can AI help us make more money?
There’s some debate to be had on that last question. Some fear that AI will replace humans or devalue what we do. That using the technology will lead to our untimely demise as designers and developers.
But maybe there’s another way. Perhaps we can use AI to empower us rather than weaken our industry standing.
I believe it’s possible. Let’s look at ways AI might help build our businesses.
★ Support this podcast ★Support our work at https://thewpminute.com/support
Get the newsletter at https://thewpminute.com/subscribe
The web design industry is maturing. New projects used to be the lifeblood of freelancing, and companies spent money on feature-packed websites to establish themselves online. But those opportunities seem fewer and farther between these days.
Don’t get me wrong. New projects will continue to be a money-maker. But there are fewer gigs to go around and competition is fierce. Relying solely on this strategy is more challenging than ever.
I’ve seen evidence of this in my business. Prospective clients are more likely to ask me about maintaining their existing WordPress site rather than building a new one.
It’s a disappointing development on one hand. Building a new site is the “fun” part of this business as opposed to the messiness of working with one built by someone else. Even dealing with a site you built years ago is no picnic.
This shift could have some long-term benefits, though. It may be key to a freelance business that thrives into the future. Let’s talk about why maintenance matters.
★ Support this podcast ★Support our work at https://thewpminute.com/support
Get the newsletter at https://thewpminute.com/subscribe
As consumers, we are trained to crave what’s new and improved. It’s all about that massive feature launch or the illusion of getting more for your money.
I can understand the appeal. Having the latest and greatest product gives us bragging rights – and maybe more productivity. That’s why a new iPhone comes out every few months. Who wouldn’t want that?
Well, bigger isn’t always better. I believe that theory applies to the evolution of WordPress. Big changes can be clumsy and require us to adapt. That can temporarily negate any advantage we’re supposedly gaining.
Think about the switch from the Classic Editor to Gutenberg in WordPress 5.0. Everyone from users to developers to product makers felt the impact. You could cut the anxiety with a chainsaw. Not to mention that it took years for many of us to adapt. Things are great now, but still.
It does offer a renewed appreciation for the smaller (AKA ‘boring’) improvements, though. The little things that enhance accessibility, performance, security, and stability.
That’s what professionals need. They help us get more done and provide peace of mind.
Let’s discuss how these little things can add up and why we may see them more often.
★ Support this podcast ★Support our work at https://thewpminute.com/support
Get the newsletter at https://thewpminute.com/subscribe
Technical debt is an inevitable challenge for WordPress freelancers who have been in the industry for an extended period. Websites, tools, and services age, while outdated code, incompatible plugins, and inefficient workflows can accumulate. That creates obstacles that hinder progress. The key to success is proactively managing and minimizing technical debt to improve stability and efficiency.
Eric Karkovack outlines several strategies for mitigating technical debt, including creating a maintenance plan for websites, monitoring third-party dependencies, and regularly reviewing business tools and processes. By proactively addressing potential issues—such as updating software, selecting reputable service providers, and modernizing workflow systems—freelancers can prevent disruptive surprises and maintain client trust.
The goal is to make strategic decisions prioritizing stability while preparing for inevitable technological changes. That ensures a smooth path forward in an ever-evolving technical landscape.
★ Support this podcast ★