Post Status Podcasts

In this episode of the Post Status Happiness Hour, host Michelle Frechette discusses the upcoming Page Builder Summit with guests Dan Maby and Nathan Wrigley. Scheduled for May 12-16, 2025, the summit aims to unite the WordPress community. Michele highlights the collaborative spirit and the importance of community engagement. Dan and Nathan share insights into the planning process, the diverse range of sessions, and the evolution of page builders. They emphasize the summit's role in fostering learning and connections.\Top TakeawaysThe Summit Is Exceptionally Accessible and Flexible: The Page Builder Summit is designed to be easy and low-pressure for attendees. With free access to pre-recorded sessions for 48 hours, viewers can tune in when it's convenient for them. The optional Power Pack gives extended access and extra bonuses.Visibility for Lesser-Known Creators and Speakers: One of the summit’s highlights is giving a platform to a diverse lineup of speakers, many of whom aren’t regularly featured at large in-person WordCamps or other conferences. It’s a space for new voices and fresh perspectives to shine.Sponsorships Make the Event Possible—and Deserve Support: Nathan highlighted that without sponsor support, the summit wouldn’t happen. Sponsors like GoDaddy, WS Form, BigScoots, and many others contribute more than just funds—they provide energy, tools, and community-building support.Mentioned In The Show:WPLDNPageBuilderSummit.com MagentoDrupalAnchen le RouxKadenceElementorDiviBeaver BuilderGoDaddyKinstaMelapressBlackwallPress Forward podcastBig Orange HeartWP Coffee Talk podcastBig ScootsWeb Designer ProYour Moxie MavenWeb Designer AcademyZainatain Dynamic.oooAB Split TestBS-Free BusinessWP MavensCroco BlockWS FormsCheck ViewDroip🙏 Sponsor: A2HostingA2 Hosting offers solutions for WordPress and WooCommerce that are both blazing fast and ultra-reliable. WordPress can be used on ANY Web Hosting plan from A2.  You can deploy WordPress easily on Shared, VPS, or Dedicated Hosting plans. A2 also offers Managed WordPress and WooCommerce Hosting. Take a look at a2hosting.com today!🐦 You can follow Post Status and our guests online:Dan Maby (Founder / Executive Director, Big Orange Heart)Nathan Wrigley (Founder, WP Builds)Michelle Frechette (Director of Community Relations, Post Status)Olivia Bisset (Intern, Post Status)The Post Status  podcast is geared toward WordPress professionals, with interviews, news, and deep analysis. 📝Browse our archives, and don’t forget to subscribe via iTunes, Google Podcasts, YouTube, Stitcher, Simplecast, or RSS. 🎧

In this podcast episode, host Michelle Frechette interviews Kyle Van Deusen, who runs a small web agency in Richmond, Virginia, and founded "The Admin Bar," a community for freelancers and agency owners. They discuss the 2025 WordPress Professional Survey, which Kyle conducted to gather insights from web professionals. The survey, which received 1,233 responses, highlights the experiences and challenges faced by freelancers and agency owners.Top TakeawaysMany Agency Owners Lack Business Fundamentals: A lot of agency owners start by accident, not with a business plan. As a result, many undercharge and lack confidence in setting prices. Kyle pointed out that few are reaching their income goals—not due to market limits, but because they don’t know what’s possible. This shows a big need for basic business education around pricing, value, and financial planning.Marketing and Networking Are Largely Overlooked: Nearly 60% of respondents aren’t doing in-person networking, and many aren’t investing in marketing. Too many rely on being found organically, which isn’t enough anymore. Kyle and Michelle highlighted that growth requires showing up, building relationships, and actively promoting your services.Community Helps Build Confidence and Clarity: Talking with peers can shift your mindset and pricing strategy. Kyle shared how learning what others charged helped him raise his rates confidently. Community support helps agency owners avoid mistakes, learn faster, and feel less alone in their journey.The Survey Is a Valuable, Underused Resource: Kyle stressed that the real power of the survey lies in how people use it. By digging into the data, agency owners can find paths others have taken to success. The more participation it gets, the more valuable and representative it becomes for the whole community.Mentioned in the Show:https://theadminbar.com/2025-survey/https://theadminbar.com/https://www.facebook.com/groups/2147806538801573🙏 Sponsor: A2HostingA2 Hosting offers solutions for WordPress and WooCommerce that are both blazing fast and ultra-reliable. WordPress can be used on ANY Web Hosting plan from A2.  You can deploy WordPress easily on Shared, VPS, or Dedicated Hosting plans. A2 also offers Managed WordPress and WooCommerce Hosting. Take a look at a2hosting.com today!🐦 You can follow Post Status and our guests on socials:Kyle Van Deusen (Founder, The Admin Bar)Michelle Frechette (Director of Community Relations, Post Status)Olivia Bisset (Intern, Post Status)The Post Status  podcast is geared toward WordPress professionals, with interviews, news, and deep analysis. 📝Browse our archives, and don’t forget to subscribe via iTunes, Google Podcasts, YouTube, Stitcher, Simplecast, or RSS. 🎧

In this episode of the Post Status Happiness Hour, host Michelle Frechette interviews Neel Schivdasani a product manager in the AI division at Automattic, about the integration of AI into WordPress.com. Neil discusses his background and the development of an AI website builder designed to simplify website creation for users without technical expertise. The conversation covers the evolution of AI in web development, the challenges faced, and future enhancements. A live demonstration showcases the tool's user-friendly features, emphasizing its potential to democratize web publishing. The episode concludes with a discussion on user feedback and the collaborative spirit of the WordPress community.Top TakeawaysThe AI Website Builder Lowers Barriers for Non-Technical Users: The builder is specifically designed for people who don’t know what WordPress is, or who feel overwhelmed by traditional website tools. It's aimed at helping individuals quickly create a professional-looking site without needing to learn plugins, themes, or complex design tools. The assistant guides users through content creation, layout choices, and even image sourcing.A Major Intelligence Upgrade is Coming: Neel teased an upcoming “step function” increase in intelligence for the assistant. This includes improved reasoning, contextual awareness, and the ability to understand abstract commands. Future iterations will allow users to describe desired layouts or functionality in natural language, and the assistant will generate the appropriate code or configuration—bridging the gap between vision and execution.Commerce and Custom Layouts Are on the Roadmap:The team is working to support broader use cases, especially eCommerce. The assistant will eventually be able to understand what a user is trying to sell, recommend necessary plugins (like for payment or shipping), and configure stores accordingly. Users will also soon be able to generate specific layouts (e.g., “2x2 image grid with a CTA button”) just by describing them.It’s Not Replacing Developers—It’s Growing the Ecosystem: There’s pushback from some developers, but Neel emphasized this tool isn't meant to replace them. Instead, it's about helping people who wouldn’t otherwise be able to afford or access web development. It gives them a starting point, and ideally, they’ll grow into more advanced needs—eventually hiring developers or agencies.Mentioned In The Show:AutomatticWordPress.com/AIMailchimpCursorLovable🙏 Sponsor: WordPress.comBuild and manage professional sites with secure managed hosting on WordPress.com. Beautiful themes, built-in SEO, and payment tools, and access to over 50,000 plugins. Everything you need for your business, plus 24/7 support from WordPress experts. 🐦 You can follow Post Status and our guests on Twitter:Neel Schivdasani (Product Manager, Automattic)Michelle Frechette (Director of Community Relations, Post Status)Olivia Bisset (Intern, Post Status)The Post Status  podcast is geared toward WordPress professionals, with interviews, news, and deep analysis. 📝Browse our archives, and don’t forget to subscribe via iTunes, Google Podcasts, YouTube, Stitcher, Simplecast, or RSS. 🎧

In this episode of the Post Status Happiness Hour, host Michelle Frechette interviews Tim Bouchard, and Ron Brennan discuss the upcoming Color Code event, a conference focused on design, technology, and marketing. Unlike traditional WordCamps, Color Code aims to be more inclusive, welcoming participants from various platforms and technologies. The event will feature a diverse lineup of speakers, interactive elements like a live graffiti art competition, and networking opportunities. Set to take place in Buffalo, New York, the conference emphasizes accessibility and community involvement, promising a dynamic and engaging experience for all attendees.Top Takeaways:Networking and Collaboration Opportunities: The Color Code event emphasizes the power of in-person connections. With a focus on creative professionals, marketers, and developers, the event is designed to facilitate collaboration through both formal presentations and informal networking (the "hallway track"). Attendees can expect meaningful conversations and potential partnerships that might not happen in a purely virtual setting.Diverse and Relevant Topics: The event will cover a range of cutting-edge topics, such as AI, content strategies, and the challenges of decoupling from major tech players like Google. These presentations, led by volunteer speakers, aim to provide valuable insights and practical knowledge, making the event a great opportunity for professionals to stay informed on industry trends.Affordability and Accessibility: With an affordable ticket price ($40), including lunch and the after-party, Color Code positions itself as an accessible event for professionals of all backgrounds. The organizers also plan to record sessions and make them available online, ensuring that those who can’t attend in person still have access to the valuable content.Mentioned In The Show:Color CodePress ConfWP EngineMeetupSeneca One TowerDouglas DevelopmentLuminousGene McCarthy's🙏 Sponsor: A2HostingA2 Hosting offers solutions for WordPress and WooCommerce that are both blazing fast and ultra-reliable. WordPress can be used on ANY Web Hosting plan from A2.  You can deploy WordPress easily on Shared, VPS, or Dedicated Hosting plans. A2 also offers Managed WordPress and WooCommerce Hosting. Take a look at a2hosting.com today!🐦 You can follow Post Status and our guests on Twitter:Tim Bouchard (Owner/CEO, LuminusAgency)Ron Brennan (Managing Partner, CANI Marketing Group)Michelle Frechette (Director of Community Relations, Post Status)Olivia Bisset (Intern, Post Status)The Post Status  podcast is geared toward WordPress professionals, with interviews, news, and deep analysis. 📝Browse our archives, and don’t forget to subscribe via iTunes, Google Podcasts, YouTube, Stitcher, Simplecast, or RSS. 🎧

In this episode of the Post Status Happiness Hour, host Michelle Frechette interviews Roger Williams from Kinsta. Who serves as the Partnerships and Community Manager for North America. They discuss various topics including the WordPress community, Kinsta's new affiliate program, and their global sponsorship of WordCamps. The episode also highlights the creation of collaborative music playlists within the Post Status Slack community and the importance of concise, engaging content. Additionally, the guest shares insights on supporting WordPress contributors and the launch of Kinsta's new automatic updates feature for themes and plugins.Top Takeaways:The Importance of Thorough Testing in Software Development and Releases: Michelle emphasized the critical role of testing and feedback during the release cycle of WordPress 6.8, particularly as they approach its official launch. Despite having a dedicated testing community, the need for more testers is constant to ensure compatibility with a wide range of plugins and themes. The takeaway is that comprehensive testing is vital for minimizing issues at launch, and encouraging more community involvement can help ensure smoother releases.The Value of Consistent Community Contribution and Support for Open Source Projects: Roger highlighted the importance of documentation in open-source projects like WordPress, noting that it's often underappreciated until something goes wrong. He also spoke about Kinsta’s involvement in supporting the community through contributions, such as sponsoring WordCamp and supporting documentation initiatives. The takeaway is that consistent, behind-the-scenes contributions, like documentation and community support, are crucial for the sustainability and success of open-source projects, even though they are often taken for granted.Kinsta’s Automatic Updates Feature Enhances Site Reliability: Roger introduced Kinsta’s new Automatic Updates feature, which ensures WordPress sites remain updated while minimizing risks. The system takes a before-and-after screenshot during updates and automatically reverts changes if visual differences are detected, helping prevent website issues that could impact business operations.Mentioned In The Show:KinstaLinux container project  LinkedInWordCamp USSevallaCloudflare EnterpriseStackOverflowMeetup.comWordPress FoundationEsoTerra CideryKinsta Automatic Updates🙏 Sponsor: WordPress.comBuild and manage professional sites with secure managed hosting on WordPress.com. Beautiful themes, built-in SEO, and payment tools, and access to over 50,000 plugins. Everything you need for your business, plus 24/7 support from WordPress experts. 🐦 You can follow Post Status and our guests on Twitter:Roger Williams  (Community Manager, Kinsta)Michelle Frechette (Director of Community Relations, Post Status)Olivia Bisset (Intern, Post Status)The Post Status  podcast is geared toward WordPress professionals, with interviews, news, and deep analysis. 📝Browse our archives, and don’t forget to subscribe via iTunes, Google Podcasts, YouTube, Stitcher, Simplecast, or RSS. 🎧

In this episode of the Post Status Happiness Hour, host Michelle Frechette interviews Cami MacNamara a seasoned web designer and solopreneur. Cami shares insights into her business, Web Cam LLC, and her new initiative, "Web Designer Habits," which aims to help web designers develop productive habits. They discuss the importance of accountability, time management techniques like time blocking and the Pomodoro technique, and the benefits of joining online and local networking groups. The episode also teases a collaborative project between Michelle and Cammy involving a planner designed to support web designers in maintaining their habits.Top Takeaways:Small Changes Lead to Big Improvements – Cami emphasized the power of incremental progress, whether in business, design, or personal productivity. Tackling tasks in small steps can make overwhelming projects more manageable and sustainable.Be Prepared for the Unexpected – Michelle shared practical travel and everyday preparedness tips, from keeping essential items in the car to ensuring that your luggage complies with airline regulations. Thinking ahead can save time, stress, and even money.Documenting Processes is Key – The discussion touched on the importance of writing down systems and workflows, especially for solopreneurs. Whether through standard operating procedures (SOPs) or simple notes, having a record helps maintain efficiency and organization.Community and Support Matter – Both Michelle and Cami highlighted the value of connection in professional spaces, particularly within the WordPress and web design communities. Engaging with peers through newsletters, Facebook groups, and live discussions fosters learning, growth, and mutual encouragement.Mentioned In The Show:Web Cami, LLCwebdesignerhabits.comStreamYardWebCamiCafeGoDaddySheinPomodoro TechniqueWordPress TVManaged WPAdmin BarBeaver BuilderCalendlyWPCoffeeTalk🙏 Sponsor: A2HostingA2 Hosting offers solutions for WordPress and WooCommerce that are both blazing fast and ultra-reliable. WordPress can be used on ANY Web Hosting plan from A2.  You can deploy WordPress easily on Shared, VPS, or Dedicated Hosting plans. A2 also offers Managed WordPress and WooCommerce Hosting. Take a look at a2hosting.com today!🐦 You can follow Post Status and our guests on Twitter:Cami MacNamara (Owner & Designer, WebCami LLC)Michelle Frechette (Director of Community Relations, Post Status)Olivia Bisset (Intern, Post Status)The Post Status  podcast is geared toward WordPress professionals, with interviews, news, and deep analysis. 📝Browse our archives, and don’t forget to subscribe via iTunes, Google Podcasts, YouTube, Stitcher, Simplecast, or RSS. 🎧

In this episode of the Post Status Happiness Hour, host Michelle Frechette interviews Gen Herres from Easy A11y Guide to discuss web accessibility. Jen shares her background as a developer and her journey in understanding and implementing accessibility standards. She emphasizes the importance of simplifying complex accessibility concepts for clients and offers strategies for agencies to sell accessibility services. Jen introduces a five-day challenge to help agencies qualify potential clients and sell their first accessibility package. The conversation highlights the significance of making websites accessible to a broader audience and the various reasons why accessibility is essential for businesses.Top Takeaways:Accessibility Doesn’t Have to Be Scary:  Many people find web accessibility intimidating, but experts like Gen Herres help simplify the process. There are resources available to make accessibility more approachable.Planning for Accessibility Takes Time: Implementing accessibility properly requires time for strategy, testing, and client approvals. Starting now helps businesses integrate it seamlessly into their workflow instead of rushing later.Accessibility Can Help Generate More Revenue: Learning how to sell accessibility services effectively can help web professionals increase their income by offering more value to clients.Mentioned In The Show:Easy A11y GuideWCAGMozilla17 HatsEqualize DigitalWacomNew York E-Z Pass Apple VoiceOverDequeJAWSCloudflareWPAccessibility.dayCami MacNamara5-Day Accessibility Selling ChallengeAgency Accessibility SystemGuidebook for Accessibility at Your Agency🙏 Sponsor: WordPress.comBuild and manage professional sites with secure managed hosting on WordPress.com. Beautiful themes, built-in SEO, and payment tools, and access to over 50,000 plugins. Everything you need for your business, plus 24/7 support from WordPress experts. 🐦 You can follow Post Status and our guests on Twitter:Gen Herres (Web Accessibility Specialist, Easy A11y Guide)Michelle Frechette (Director of Community Relations, Post Status)Olivia Bisset (Intern, Post Status)The Post Status  podcast is geared toward WordPress professionals, with interviews, news, and deep analysis. 📝Browse our archives, and don’t forget to subscribe via iTunes, Google Podcasts, YouTube, Stitcher, Simplecast, or RSS. 🎧

In this special edition of the "Get Hired" podcast, the hosts, including  Nicky Bulmer, co-host Misty Combs, and guest Michelle Frechette, answer listener-submitted questions on job seeking. They discuss how to address job hopping by providing context on resumes, the pros and cons of functional versus chronological resume formats, and strategies for explaining employment gaps. The episode also covers handling common interview questions, the importance of being honest about salary expectations, and the role of social media in hiring. The speakers offer practical advice to empower job seekers in their application processTop Takeaways:Job Interviews Are a Two-Way Street: Candidates should ask insightful questions, such as how salary ranges are determined and what differentiates top earners from lower earners.It’s important for job seekers to showcase their skills and experience even if the interviewer doesn’t directly ask about them.Thinking Beyond Standard Questions: Candidates should anticipate questions beyond their resumes and prepare to discuss communication tools, remote work habits, and problem-solving approaches.Tailor Your Resume to the Job You're Applying For: It’s important to customize your resume for each job application. Highlight relevant skills, experiences, and achievements that directly relate to the position. A generic resume may not stand out as much, while one that speaks to the specific needs of the company and role shows that you've taken the time to understand what they’re looking for, making you a more appealing candidateMentioned In The Show:Liquid WebGet Hired Podcast🙏 Sponsor:  OmnisendAll-in-one marketing for WordPress - From popups to email & SMS, automation & more, Omnisend helps you turn first-time visitors into lifelong subscribers. Spend less on ads, connect more with your audience.🐦 You can follow Post Status and our guests on Twitter:Misty Combs (Human Resource Director, Liquid Web)Nicky Bulmer (Technical Hiring Coordinator, Liquid Web)Michelle Frechette (Director of Community Relations, Post Status)Olivia Bisset (Intern, Post Status)The Post Status  podcast is geared toward WordPress professionals, with interviews, news, and deep analysis. 📝

In this episode of the Post Status Happiness Hour, host Michelle Frechette interviews Jono Alderson, an independent technical SEO consultant and WordPress advocate. Jono shares his journey of creating and submitting his first plugin to the WordPress repository, focusing on image optimization for website performance. They discuss the complexities of managing multiple image sizes in WordPress and how Jono's plugin generates images on-the-fly using services like Cloudflare, reducing server load and improving performance. The conversation also covers the environmental impact of web hosting, Jono's background, and his experience with AI-assisted coding.Top Takeaways:Image Optimization Plugin for WordPress:Jono Alderson’s plugin focuses on solving WordPress image optimization issues by addressing the inefficiencies in how images are handled. WordPress often generates unnecessary image sizes, which leads to slower load times and inefficient storage use. His plugin dynamically generates the appropriately sized images for each device, improving both website performance and storage efficiency. By eliminating the need for WordPress to create multiple versions of images, the plugin optimizes the backend and frontend performance of a website.Environmental Impact of Image Management: The discussion highlights the environmental impact of inefficient image management. Storing and serving large or redundant images increases the carbon footprint due to the energy used in data centers and transmission networks. Optimizing images and reducing excess storage can help lower this impact, making even small changes in image management significant for sustainability.Jono Alderson’s Plugin Submission Experience: Jono Alderson shared his experience submitting a plugin to WordPress, noting initial nervousness due to his self-taught background. After carefully following guidelines, the submission went smoothly, with only minor issues to address. Once live, Jono quickly fixed bugs and found updating easier with practice.Mentioned In The Show:YoastCloudflareWooCommerceGravity FormsSlackWhatsAppFacebookGoogle DiscoverFortniteHello BeautifulGitHubCursorJonoAlderson.com🙏 Sponsor: A2HostingA2 Hosting offers solutions for WordPress and WooCommerce that are both blazing fast and ultra-reliable. WordPress can be used on ANY Web Hosting plan from A2.  You can deploy WordPress easily on Shared, VPS, or Dedicated Hosting plans. A2 also offers Managed WordPress and WooCommerce Hosting. Take a look at a2hosting.com today!🐦 You can follow Post Status and our guests on Twitter:Jono Alderson (Founder, Edge Images)Michelle Frechette (Director of Community Relations, Post Status)Olivia Bisset (Intern, Post Status)The Post Status  podcast is geared toward WordPress professionals, with interviews, news, and deep analysis. 📝Browse our archives, and don’t forget to subscribe via iTunes, Google Podcasts, YouTube, Stitcher, Simplecast, or RSS. 🎧

In this podcast episode, host Michelle Frechette and guests Tamara Niesen and Beau Lebens.  They discuss WooCommerce's recent rebranding, emphasizing the distinction between "Woo" and "WooCommerce." Tamara highlights the importance of community and customer focus in their marketing strategy. Beau outlines the roadmap for WooCommerce, including improvements in core features, payment solutions, and shipping integrations. The episode underscores WooCommerce's commitment to evolving its platform to meet diverse business needs while maintaining strong community engagement and support.Top TakeawaysMarketing Focus on Community-Driven Development: WooCommerce's marketing approach emphasizes listening to merchants and the community. By integrating feedback into product development, they ensure their solutions address real user needs. This transparency strengthens trust and engagement with the ecosystem.Collaboration and Ecosystem Strength Matter: WooCommerce sees the entire ecosystem as interconnected—whether it's developers, merchants, or marketers. By improving core functionality and providing better tools, they aim to ensure that all WooCommerce-based businesses thrive, as their success reflects on the entire platform.Community Feedback is Essential: WooCommerce’s marketing and product teams are committed to keeping the feedback loop open. They encourage users and developers to share their thoughts on new features, usability, and how the company can better support merchants and builders in the ecosystem.Mentioned in the Show:WooAutomatticStellarWPIconicOrderableSomewhere WarmElementor Kadence🙏 Sponsor: A2HostingA2 Hosting offers solutions for WordPress and WooCommerce that are both blazing fast and ultra-reliable. WordPress can be used on ANY Web Hosting plan from A2.  You can deploy WordPress easily on Shared, VPS, or Dedicated Hosting plans. A2 also offers Managed WordPress and WooCommerce Hosting. Take a look at a2hosting.com today!🐦 You can follow Post Status and our guests on socials:Tamara Niesen (CMO, WooCommerce)Beau Lebens (Artistic Director, WooCommerce)Michelle Frechette (Director of Community Relations, Post Status)Olivia Bisset (Intern, Post Status)The Post Status  podcast is geared toward WordPress professionals, with interviews, news, and deep analysis. 📝Browse our archives, and don’t forget to subscribe via iTunes, Google Podcasts, YouTube, Stitcher, Simplecast, or RSS. 🎧