Matt Report
Matt Report uncovers the most resilient digital business builders in WordPress, no-code, and SaaS space. Entrepreneurs share their story on how they built their business using some of our favorite online tools. If you're running a business using WordPress or no-code tools, make sure to subscribe!
WordPress content creators buying YouTube views
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Join me as I reflect on 18 years of dedication to WordPress Media, the WP Minute's professional journey, and the challenges faced from industry practices like purchased YouTube views. Learn about our omnichannel approach, spotlighting successes with team members like Eric and Toby, and the importance of genuine content creation. Discover how we've built a thriving community and the value of true engagement in the WordPress space.
00:00 Introduction and Personal Background
01:03 Challenges in WordPress Media
03:52 Building the WP Minute
04:59 Achievements and Team Growth
08:11...
Finding meaning in AI
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We are talking about finding meaning in AI. Also I launched a plugin called PodLoom to connect your Transistor.fm account up to WordPress.
â Support this podcast âWe need to get serious
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In this episode, we dive into the evolving WordPress landscape, particularly for business ownersâwhether you're running an agency, freelancing, or part of a SaaS venture. Explore the shift from a tightly-knit, open community to a more business-focused, competitive environment.
00:00 Introduction and Personal Reflection
00:31 The Changing Dynamics of the WordPress Community
01:56 Business Focus in the WordPress Space
03:35 Economic and Legal Influences
04:27 Technological Shifts and AI Impact
05:22 Sustaining Long-Term Success
05:55 Final Thoughts and Call to Action
Why WordPress hosting is important
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Weâve launched our first course at The WP Minute WordPress Hosting Decoded. Itâs a free, professional guide that helps freelancers and agency owners make smarter decisions about the hosting platforms they choose for their client projects.
This course has been years in the making. Itâs built for anyone who works with WordPress, from newcomers trying to understand hosting basics to agency teams that want to level up their technical awareness and client communication. The goal is to help you avoid common pitfalls, make better...
The ratio of money to AI performance is wrong
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In this conversation, Matt Medeiros discusses the dual nature of AI, expressing both excitement and skepticism. He highlights the consolidation of power in the AI industry, questioning the sustainability of current business models and the potential for an over-hyped bubble. He reflects on the implications of AI in content creation and the challenges of relying on AI-generated outputs. Ultimately, he emphasizes the need for a more thoughtful approach to AI's integration into business and society.
https://www.youtube.com/@wpminutepodcasts/
https://blog.samaltman.com/sora-update-number-1<...
Hiring for Marketing is HARD
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In this conversation, Matt discusses the evolving landscape of marketing roles, particularly the distinction between specialists and generalists. He expresses concerns about job postings that require a wide range of skills, suggesting that such roles may dilute the concept of specialization. He emphasizes the importance of brand representation and the challenges brands face in hiring individuals who can authentically convey their message.
Additionally, he highlights the necessity of a human touch in content creation, especially in an age dominated by AI-generated content.
Takeaways
...My Thoughts on Mullenweg's Keynote WCUS2025
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Our Matt breaks down Matt Mullenwegâs keynote at WordCamp US 2025! Get the highlights and honest reactions to the most important moments, including:
The evolving role of the WordPress community and the âfour freedomsâ at the heart of open source.Addressing the âelephant in the roomâ and the impact of recent legal and industry challenges.WordPressâs push to be more present on YouTube and across platforms, and why authentic community engagement matters.The future of AI in WordPress, including hands-on impressions of new tools like Telex and thoughts...The Dog Daze of Agency Summer
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Register for 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.Â
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. Weâll 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 pip...
Clients want a 'With You' approach
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In this conversation, Matt Medeiros discusses the evolution of consulting in the WordPress space, emphasizing the importance of shifting from a 'for you' mentality to a 'with you' mentality in partnerships and collaborations. He highlights the need for deeper connections and understanding between consultants and clients, especially in the context of content creation and sponsorships. The discussion also touches on the impact of AI on business relationships and the increasing desire for personal interaction in a digital world.
Takeaways
We need to shift our mindset...Yes, the WordPress echo chamber.
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In this episode, Matt discusses the concept of a 'WordPress Echo Chamber' prompted by a recent video from Imran Siddiq of Web Squadron and a blog response from Remkus de Vries.Â
The discussion covers the dynamics of WordPress content creation, the challenges faced by creators, and the perceived gatekeeping within the community. With over 17 years of experience in WordPress content creation, Matt shares unfiltered thoughts on the subject, highlighting the struggle to garner attention and the importance of focused content lanes. The episode also touches on t...
Agency Problems: Is Paid Discovery Still a Struggle in 2025?
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In this episode, I take a step back and reflect on what it means to support WordPress professionals in todayâs fast-evolving landscape. We've seen the definition of a âWordPress professionalâ shift significantly since the Gutenberg days. Technology has moved forward, and many of us are finding our roles stretched across WordPress, AI, and other no-code and low-code platforms. The WP Minute is also shifting with that momentumâbecoming a broader support network for freelancers, agencies, and builders trying to find their next step.
This episode unpacks...
AI vs Human Content Battle
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In this conversation, Matt discusses the evolving landscape of content creation, particularly in the context of AI's growing influence. He emphasizes the importance of personal branding and building trust over time, while exploring how AI can both compete with and complement human content creators. The discussion delves into the quality of AI-generated content, the necessity for human interaction, and strategies for freelancers and agency owners to navigate the challenges posed by AI in the content space.
Takeaways
Competing on content requires a...Innovation
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In this solo episode of the Matt Report, I explore a concept thatâs as exciting as it is frustrating: innovation. I reflect on my experience with Podcasting 2.0âa grassroots, open source movement that parallels WordPress.org in spiritâand how it's slowly reshaping podcast RSS feeds with new, standardized tags. While the tech is minimal, the impact is massive. Apple's and Spotifyâs recent adoption of the tag is proof that slow, open source innovation can lead to real changeâeventually.
That momentum brings me to a press...
The curious case of AI theft
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In this off-the-cuff response episode, I react to a pointed comment left on a recent YouTube live stream I hosted with Mark Z. Mansky. The topic? AI and its role in the WordPress ecosystemâsomething I think about a lot both at Gravity Forms and through the work I do with The WP Minute. The commenter, frustrated by AI's use of "stolen" code and content, challenged the moral and ethical implications of using AI in development and creative work. So, I took a beat to respondânot as a de...
The one thing missing from your AI strategy
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In this episode, I'm addressing the ongoing discussion about AI's impact on jobs, businesses, and particularly, those of us deeply involved in web and content creation. It's easy to get swept up in the fear that AI will soon replace all of our rolesâwhether you're building websites, editing videos, or crafting copy. But I think it's crucial not to leap to extremes. AI isn't something that's going away quietly, but nor will it completely eliminate the human factor, at least not in the immediate future.
Th...
Is your WordPress agency over?
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In this solo episode, I ask a critical question for WordPress agency owners and freelancers: where do you stand with AI? Are you ignoring it, dabbling with it, or going all in and restructuring your agency around it? Itâs time to figure out what kind of role this technology plays in your day-to-day work and how it might shape your future.
I compare todayâs AI shift to the 2008 financial crisis that helped fuel the rise of WordPress agencies. Back then, budget-conscious clients and evolving CMS...
Will you help with this?
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In this episode, Iâm laying out the foundation for a new initiative Iâm calling The Thriving Project. Itâs a simple, community-driven effort to refocus the conversation around why WordPress mattersâespecially in this era of AI hype and increasing web complexity. This isn't a top-down campaign. Thereâs no committee. Itâs just us, the WordPress community, creating and sharing authentic content that answers a powerful question: Why WordPress?
Whether youâre a developer, marketer, agency owner, or solo creator, Iâm encouraging yo...
Where are the WordPress businesses?
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In this episode, I unpack Joost de Valkâs recent post on ProgressPlanner.com, where he describes the âtwo faces of WordPressâ: the community-driven contributors and the commercially-driven businesses. While I largely agree with his premise that there's a widening gap between the two, I think thereâs more nuance that needs to be acknowledgedâespecially for those of us whoâve been working at the intersection of both worlds for over a decade.
The article calls for companies to support the WordPress community with not just money...
You don't suck at marketing
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If youâve ever said âI suck at marketingâ or felt like you just donât have what it takes to get your business out there, youâre definitely not alone. In this episode, I dig into why so many of us (myself included) feel overwhelmed by marketing and think weâre just not cut out for it. The truth is, marketing can feel like an endless checklist: blog posts, podcasts, newsletters, YouTube, webinars, speaking gigsâthe list goes on. But hereâs the thing: you donât need to do it all...
I've lost a lot of money...
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In this episode of The Matt Report, I fire up the mic after years of dormancy to explore a timely rabbit hole: how AI platforms like ChatGPT are surfacing and ranking contentâespecially in response to queries like âbest WordPress podcasts.â I noticed that The Matt Report still shows up in these AI-generated lists, despite not publishing new episodes for quite a while. Itâs both flattering and puzzling, especially when my current work at The WP Minute doesnât always get the same visibility.
This got m...
The WP Minute+: Syed Balkhi interview
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Be sure to subscribe to all long-form WordPress interviews, The WP Minute+: thewpminute.com/plusGet a weekly dose of your favorite 5 minutes of WordPress news: thewpminute.com/subscribeStay connected to Matt Report podcast for more "Blue Collar digital worker" content throughout 2023!https://twitter.com/syedbalkhihttps://thrivethemes.com/https://awesomemotive.com/https://thewpminute.com/support â Support this podcast â
Updates + My favorite episode ever
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Been a while right?!
Iâm back with an update to whatâs going on with Matt Report, and a potential new direction Iâll be taking the content through the new year. While I love all of the deep conversations Iâve had about WordPress, the new home for that is The WP Minute.
Thatâs where Iâve been focusing all of my WP energy these days, with lots more fun stuff to come.
I also wanted to take an oppo...
Before heading to WordCamp...
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Heading to a major WordCamp event can be an overwhelming experience for the brand new 'camper.
Having hundred if not thousands of WordPress-loving peers under one roof might have you stuck in your tracks, no pun intended. How do you meet new people? How do you get noticed? How do you recharge if you're an introvert?
Thanks to Gina, we'll learn about all of that and more! If you enjoy today's episode, please share it on social media, especially if you're headed to WordCamp...
WordPress accessibility in a page builder world
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Web accessibility was something I was afraid to discuss with clients, when I ran my agency.
I didn't know much about it, where to begin, or how much time it would it take to implement the various practices. That fear steered me away from presenting it as part of a web design project.
I'm not in the agency space anymore, but I know there's some of you out there faced with the same dilemma. Lucky for us, folks like Anne Bovelett advocate for both...
WordPress as a career: Freelancing to Automattic
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I forget that some WordPress users, even freelancers, don't realize the sheer size of WordPress.
From billion dollar hosting companies, to boutique agencies, WordPress is quite vast. It took Yaw a few years to even realize that Automattic, the commercial entity behind WordPress, even existed!
We'll explore his story today, starting out as a freelancer and now working for VIP at Automattic.
Important links
Yaw on Twitterjyoansah.meBlackPressSupport the show; Join our #linksquad membershipâĄď¸Check out what InMotion hosting is up to w...ServerPress closing: Reflecting on 12 years of business
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Marc Benzakein shares a retrospective on running ServerPress for a decade in the WordPress space.
We unpack the history on discovering the beloved software development tool and partnering with Steve Carnam, alongside Gregg Franklin.
What makes this WordPress business so challenging from others? What held back some of the development and getting ahead of the market? The answer might surprise you!
Important links
Marc on TwitterServerPressMarc's coaching websiteWhen it's time...it's timeServerPress is shutting downSupport the show; Join our #linksquad membershipâĄď¸ Chec...Introverts: Building businesses & networking
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Just because you're an introvert doesn't mean you can't build a business. It doesn't mean you're afraid to get on stage and talk about your success -- or failures.
Ken Elliott knows this role all too well. He's a self-described "networking introvert" that built a WordPress agency with his co-founder, will be emceeing WordCamp US next month, and appeared on this podcast!
We dove deep into how he built his agency, lessons learned from servicing clients, and what steps he's taking to grow the...
Why you need a business sabbatical
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What if you locked yourself in a room and threw away the key to work on your business?
Stop the Slacking, the doom scrolling, but forced to focus on the agenda of improving...everything.
That's exactly what Kim Coleman, co-founder Paid Memberships Pro & Sitewide Sales, did to re-focus the Sitewide Sales business. Running a business of 2 core products, 14+ employees, and with her husband...it was time to "get away."
If you enjoy today's episode, please share it on social media!
...
How to build an amazing product
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Corey is no stranger to building product. In part one, we chatted about his legacy of products, and selling his WordPress plugin. Today, we'll be back chatting about what goes into making great products.
Important links
Corey on TwitterGelformMexican Train OnlineWhere will the WordPress middleclass go?Check out the NEW stuff from InMotion hosting! â Support this podcast âLife after selling a plugin business
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I'm chatting with Corey Maas, former owner of the Kanban for WordPress plugin.
After a few years back in the saddle of day jobbing, he's now running Social Link Pages plugin for WordPress. He also spent some time during the pandemic launching a new online game -- built on WordPress.
Come learn what it's like to sell your plugin business and venture back into a day job...and then back again.
If you enjoyed today's episode, please consider buying me a virtual...
What's up with the WordPress vibe?
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In today's episode, I want to chat about the current vibe in WordPress.
Compare and contrast the community vibe, to the business vibe. Porto looked like a ton of fun, sad I missed it! The WP Minute showed up in a big way, so I'm really thankful for that.
Plus! I couldn't hold off from ranting about the WordPress content space...again.
Say THANK YOU to InMotion hosting for sponsoring the podcast. Support the show by purchasing us a digital coffee or...
Taking on Internet Art with WordPress
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Rachel Winchester is challenging us to think about WordPress as a canvas for art.
WordPress as a paint brush, not an NFT.
In this episode we uncover how she found WordPress and bringing those skills to her day job at DigitalCube. As a loyal Elementor builder, what does Rachel think about Gutenberg and FSE? Tune in to find out!
Find Rachel on Twitter https://twitter.com/VisualWebmaster
Rachel's Website https://www.visualwebmaster.com/
DigitalCube https://en.digitalcube.jp/<...
Can WordPress save the planet?
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The most common piece of advice I think WordPress freelancers receive first is to "find your niche."
Easier said than done. Niches are still hard to find. Crowded markets together with figuring out what you're best at providing to customers can be a challenge.
What if that niche involves web sustainability? That's not a crowded space -- right now.
You, a developer, literally saving the planet by coding efficient web applications and optimizing WordPress?! Sounds like a great opportunity to me!
<...Get better at customer support for WordPress products
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Today's guest, Ines van Dijk, is helping WordPress product owners get better at customer support.
With over a decade of experience in the WordPress customer support space with WooCommerce and Automattic, Ines knows what it takes to run a successful support team.
You can hire her team to help build you a complete plan for supporting users or download some ready-made templates for responding to customers.
If you enjoy today's episode please share it on social media and consider supporting the show...
Raising your freelance rates w/ Chima Mmeje
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There's an entire industry built on selling you the Holy Grail of raising your rates.
Courses, memberships, ebooks, videos all assuring you that $10,000 projects are just a click away. Why wouldn't you believe them? They're on the gram throwing hundred dollar bills off a boat or speeding away in a Lambo.
To be fair, I haven't seen a Lambo video in some time, but the one that gets me the most now is holding up an iPhone in selfie mode with AirPods and a...
Wrangling clients, plugins, and content with Aurooba Ahmed
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There's a new cohort of WordPress celebrity hitting the spotlight these days and I'm here for it.
When we look back in the Gutenberg history books we'll be able to show that blocks, patterns, and javascript not only rocked the code of the project, but the community as well.
Some immediately dropped out, other stayed, and new stars appeared. Born out of the ashes of WordPress old, rising like a Phoenix came our new celebrity (hero?): Aurooba Ahmed!
Okay, okay, I know...
Finding someone else to run your company w/ WP Buffs founder Joe Howard
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What does the word entrepreneur mean anymore? To you?
I think thereâs that slightly jaded view of the TechCrunch Disrupt vision of days gone by. Building a unicorn. Changing the world. Buying that Porsche you always wanted. Itâs about the endgame we so cleverly convince ourselves of.
However, some of the best business builders are doing it because they are naive. Wait. Naive? Hold that thought: not in a bad way, but in the way I am guilty of and maybe even you...
Buying a WordPress media property; Plugin business ecosystem
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From Expression Engine to WordPress, Rob Howard has built his WordPress agency as a flagship for larger agencies to source work to.
Unqualified customers are the biggest threat to the early days of building a business. Also known as bad product fit, when we're offering something to the wrong customer, the whole relationship is setting off on the wrong foot.
When you're offering your WordPress work to a customer that already gets it, in this case, other agencies, so much more can go right...
Hiring a WordPress team
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What's the side effect from WordPress changing so rapidly?
We're dragging blocks, inserting patterns, and visually building our themes these days. There's been great discussion spurred around themes, where Matt Mullenweg
What's the side effect from WordPress changing so rapidly?
We're dragging blocks, inserting patterns, and visually building our themes these days. There's been great discussion spurred around themes, where Matt Mullenweg wants 5,000 new themes in the directory while WP Minute Producers like Daniel Schutzsmith and Spencer Forman say we only need...
Never think about protecting WordPress again
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When you hear the phrase high performance WordPress websites, what examples come to mind?
This is a phrase that I see a lot of companies using in their marketing, which includes Malcare, todayâs guest and sponsor of this show.
Products and services targeting the type of buyer that might be managing a high traffic site like a Buzzfeed or a large WooCommerce store, like, well I canât think of one right now. High traffic or highly functional equals high performance?
My v...
