Skip to main content
WPCoffeeTalk

WPCoffeeTalk

By Michelle Ames

Welcome to WPCoffeeTalk, where we talk to all kinds of people in the WordPress community!

One of the best ways to get to know someone is to sit down over coffee and “shoot the breeze.” Here at WPCoffeeTalk, we do just that.

Find out what’s in their cup, what they do with WordPress, how they got started, some of their favorite things, what they’ve learned along the way, and more.

You never know what might happen over coffee.
Available on
Apple Podcasts Logo
Google Podcasts Logo
Overcast Logo
Pocket Casts Logo
PodBean Logo
RadioPublic Logo
Spotify Logo
Currently playing episode

Ep 86 WPCoffeeTalk: Mizanur Rahaman Mizan

WPCoffeeTalkSep 05, 2020

00:00
35:23
Ep 122 WPCoffeeTalk: Ben Gabler

Ep 122 WPCoffeeTalk: Ben Gabler

Ben Gabler is one of the coolest cats in WordPress, with arguably the best sense of humor. Oh, and he's pretty good at running an awesome hosting company, too.

Sep 12, 202252:11
EP 121 WPCoffeeTalk: Mark Westguard

EP 121 WPCoffeeTalk: Mark Westguard

Mark Westguard is a developer with a great sense of humor, great business acumen, and a desire to help others in WordPress. He's also one of my WordPress besties - as you'll see in this episode!

Jul 19, 202235:07
EP 120 WPCoffeeTalk: Chris Ford

EP 120 WPCoffeeTalk: Chris Ford

Chris Ford is delightful to talk to, knowledgeable about SO MUCH, and a true advocate for underrepresented folks. She's a WordPress gem!

Mar 30, 202252:35
Ep 119 WPCoffeeTalk: Jill Binder

Ep 119 WPCoffeeTalk: Jill Binder

Jill Binder is fiercely invested in diversity and inclusion in tech, but particularly with WordPress. Chatting with her about her passion in this area was a real treat for me, and really informative for all of us.

Nov 16, 202135:14
Ep 118 WPCoffeeTalk: Chris Lema

Ep 118 WPCoffeeTalk: Chris Lema

Chris Lema is a mentor, sure, but he's more than that. He's a cheerleader for each of us in WordPress offering advice and more through his blog, talks, and Twitter - all while being the VP of Product at Nexcess/Liquid Web.

Jul 28, 202153:23
Ep 117 WPCoffeeTalk: WordFest

Ep 117 WPCoffeeTalk: WordFest

WordFest is a global celebration of WordPress, and an extension of Big Orange Heart. In this episode we break from our usual format to talk to the organizing team, learn about how WordFest came about, and what's in store for the next event!

Jun 14, 202130:20
Ep 116 WPCoffeeTalk: Robert Jacobi

Ep 116 WPCoffeeTalk: Robert Jacobi

Robert Jacobi is one of those people who loves the community, helps wherever he can, and does it all with a smile and a great sense of humor!

Jun 04, 202101:01:30
Ep 115 WPCoffeeTalk: Lesley Sim

Ep 115 WPCoffeeTalk: Lesley Sim

Lesley Sim is the brilliant and delightful developer behind Newsletter Glue. Getting to know her on this episode was so much fun!

May 04, 202133:37
Ep 114 WPCoffeeTalk: Prem Tiwari

Ep 114 WPCoffeeTalk: Prem Tiwari

Prem Tiwari is all in when it comes to helping the WordPress community! Not only does he work as a software engineer, but he also contributes across several WordPress teams, as well as in his local meetup and WordCamps. Enjoy this interview!

May 03, 202131:51
Ep 113 WPCoffeeTalk: Adrian Tobey

Ep 113 WPCoffeeTalk: Adrian Tobey

Wunderkind doesn't even begin to touch the talent that exists in Adrian Tobey. CEO of Groundhogg doing what he loves at a young age, and contributing to the WordPress community all at the same time.

Apr 23, 202155:18
Ep 112 WPCoffeeTalk: Bet Hannon

Ep 112 WPCoffeeTalk: Bet Hannon

Bet Hannon inspires me. The work that she does for her agency's clientele is top-notch, and her participation and willingness to give back to the community in many ways is admirable. And she's super talented at what she does!

Apr 15, 202153:26
Ep 111 WPCoffeeTalk: Allie Dye

Ep 111 WPCoffeeTalk: Allie Dye

Allie Dye is a dynamic, breath of fresh air in the WordPress space. A real go-getter who doesn't let chronic illness hold her back, I'm in awe of how much she accomplishes.

Apr 12, 202137:42
Ep 110 WPCoffeeTalk: Drew Griswold

Ep 110 WPCoffeeTalk: Drew Griswold

Drew Griswold specializes in marketing and advertising. I'm fortunate to work with him at GiveWP, and enjoy both his expertise and his awesome sense of humor.

Apr 08, 202140:07
Ep 109 WPCoffeeTalk: Jeroen Rotty

Ep 109 WPCoffeeTalk: Jeroen Rotty

Jeroen Rotty is all in for WordPress, from organizing meetups, contributing to the open source project, freelancing, and working support for Yoast. Get to know him here!

Apr 07, 202131:16
Ep 108 WPCoffeeTalk: Thomas Fanelli

Ep 108 WPCoffeeTalk: Thomas Fanelli

Tom Fanelli is a visionary when it comes to WordPress hosting. He's also fun to talk to, and a great community contributor!

Mar 30, 202152:54
Ep 107 WPCoffeeTalk: Meg Phillips

Ep 107 WPCoffeeTalk: Meg Phillips

Meg Phillips is a brilliant problem solver, and I love that she uses WordPress to solve so many problems. From creating a charter boat booking plugin to helping school teachers with online management, Meg's goals are always helping others.

Mar 29, 202101:00:13
Ep 106 WPCoffeeTalk: Sabrina Zeidan

Ep 106 WPCoffeeTalk: Sabrina Zeidan

Sabrina Zeidan is a ray of sunshine! And she's relentless about site speed. And helping others have faster sites, too.

Mar 25, 202151:31
Ep 105 WPCoffeeTalk: Joe Simpson

Ep 105 WPCoffeeTalk: Joe Simpson

Joe Simpson has an amazing WordPress story. How he discovered the community - and how his near-death experience formed all of his future involvements is a testimony to both the WordPress community and Joe's dedication to giving back to it. I always count myself fortunate when our paths cross.

Mar 22, 202158:33
Ep 104 WPCoffeeTalk: Megan Rose

Ep 104 WPCoffeeTalk: Megan Rose

Megan Rose exemplifies what it is to be a community-minded WordPresser. She's been an organizer for WordCamp Kent, WordCamp Northeast Ohio, WordCamp US, and Big Orange Heart's WordFest. Her helpfulness extends to all she meets, and her cheerfulness is contagious.

Mar 19, 202155:36
Ep 103 WPCoffeeTalk: Chris Badgett

Ep 103 WPCoffeeTalk: Chris Badgett

If you've thought about creating online courses, chances are you've come across Chris Badgett. Passionate about education and learning, Chris is the CEO and co-founder of LifterLMS, a learning management system that works really well on WordPress. In this episode we talk about WordPress, online learning, and much more.

Mar 17, 202141:14
Ep 102 WPCoffeeTalk: Zack Katz

Ep 102 WPCoffeeTalk: Zack Katz

Zack Katz is the CEO at GravityView, a plugin that makes displaying the information collected from your Gravity Forms displayable (and searchable) on your website. If that wasn't enough to make you like him, he also collects gifs and videos to make a bad day better, shares music to make you happy, and always finds a way to make others smile.

Mar 16, 202148:18
Ep 101 WPCoffeeTalk: Andrea Middleton

Ep 101 WPCoffeeTalk: Andrea Middleton

The first time I met Andrea was at WCUS 2016 to talk about making the Rochester meetup "official." I mentioned doing a WordCamp "someday." She said, "why not this year?" And the rest is history. So happy to have her as a colleague and friend.

Mar 15, 202151:03
Ep 100 WPCoffeeTalk: Matt Mullenweg

Ep 100 WPCoffeeTalk: Matt Mullenweg

You know that Matt Mullenweg is the co-founder of WordPress, and the Founder and CEO at Automattic (and partial to jazz and barbecue), but did you know he plays several instruments, credits his music teachers for much of his success, and geeks out over setting up home networks? He's also a genuine, gracious, and a tea drinker. Learn more about the man at the top of the WordPress community, and how much he's looking forward to what comes next for WordPress.

Mar 12, 202101:01:36
Ep 99 WPCoffeeTalk: Malcolm Peralty

Ep 99 WPCoffeeTalk: Malcolm Peralty

Malcolm Peralty is the Co-Founder of PressTitan, a Managed WordPress Hosting/Maintenance company and founder of Capeless Heroes, a site dedicated to sharing the stories of people doing good. We think he's doing a lot of good, too, and we're happy to have interviewed him for WPCoffeeTalk!

Mar 12, 202137:23
Ep 98 WPCoffeeTalk: Rachel Di Martino

Ep 98 WPCoffeeTalk: Rachel Di Martino

Some people really are rare finds, and priceless in who they are - in other words, unicorns. Such is Rachel Di Martino. So fun. So creative. So down-to-earth. Meeting her for this interview made my face hurt from smiling so much.

Mar 12, 202139:57
Ep 97 WPCoffeeTalk: Thomas Fanchin

Ep 97 WPCoffeeTalk: Thomas Fanchin

Sometimes you meet a person and your paths begin to cross again and again. Such it is with me and Thomas. I've repped Weglot, done webinars together, and crossed paths digitally many times, and still never stood in the same room. He's delightful to talk to, and his love for his cat and his community shines through it all.

Mar 09, 202135:16
Ep 96 WPCoffeeTalk: Ajit Bohra

Ep 96 WPCoffeeTalk: Ajit Bohra

On Ajit Bohra's WordPress profile he wrote “I didn’t choose the WordPress, the WordPress chose me.” Well I'm glad it did! He's a strong supporter of the WordPress community globally, and in India specifically, and a really great guy all around. It was a pleasure to interview him for WPCoffeeTalk.

Mar 09, 202132:15
Ep 95 WPCoffeeTalk: David Johnson

Ep 95 WPCoffeeTalk: David Johnson

David Johnson combines wit with know-how, and turns it into gold. Kind of a modern-day alchemist, his brand of business and personality shows how much having solid business acumen and a good sense of humor can do for you.

Mar 04, 202152:28
Ep 94 WPCoffeeTalk: Amanda Gorman

Ep 94 WPCoffeeTalk: Amanda Gorman

I've had the pleasure of knowing Amanda Gorman since she was a teenager. She's always been empathetic, capable, and caring, and watching her grow in knowledge and leadership is a true honor. Can't wait to see where her career takes her!

Mar 01, 202142:25
Ep 93 WPCoffeeTalk: Nick Adams

Ep 93 WPCoffeeTalk: Nick Adams

I first met Nick when he tried to start a new meetup in the area. I reached out and invited him to the one we already had, and the rest is history! From there he has become a close friend, amazing colleague, and huge supporter of all things WordPress.

Feb 23, 202156:20
Ep 92 WPCoffeeTalk: Topher DeRosia

Ep 92 WPCoffeeTalk: Topher DeRosia

The first time I met Topher DeRosia was watching his talk at WCUS 2016. I was in awe of the ability of WordPress to connect so many people worldwide, and Topher's ability to use WordPress to tell their stories. HeroPress has helped inform how WPCoffeeTalk works. It's my pleasure to tell Topher's story here!

Feb 22, 202101:04:50
Ep 91 WPCoffeeTalk: Brad Morrison

Ep 91 WPCoffeeTalk: Brad Morrison

Brad Morrison is one of the kindest, funniest, and most unassuming people to ever build a WordPress empire. And I think it's because he builds community and helps the community all while working hard for GoWP's customers.

Feb 16, 202156:14
Ep 90 WPCoffeeTalk: Birgit Pauli-Haack

Ep 90 WPCoffeeTalk: Birgit Pauli-Haack

Birgit Pauli-Haack is the driving force behind Gutenberg Times, and is a timeless supporter of all things WordPress - from WordCamps to the open source project. Oh, and she's a respected and successful agency owner, too!

Feb 15, 202154:58
Ep 89 WPCoffeeTalk: Greg Taylor
Dec 02, 202051:57
Ep 88 WPCoffeeTalk: Caylin White

Ep 88 WPCoffeeTalk: Caylin White

Caylin is a multi-talented marketer and artist with a heart of gold and an amazing sense of humor. Her work at GoWP puts her in touch with a lot of the WordPress community, and she shines!

Sep 25, 202052:07
Ep 87 WPCoffeeTalk: Termageddon

Ep 87 WPCoffeeTalk: Termageddon

Donata and Hans are the Dynamic Duo of WordPress! Their company, Termageddon, powers the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policies of countless websites. Always on the cutting edge of legislation, they've got you covered. Talking to them was so much fun!

Sep 25, 202048:48
Ep 86 WPCoffeeTalk: Mizanur Rahaman Mizan

Ep 86 WPCoffeeTalk: Mizanur Rahaman Mizan

If there was a dictionary entry for "WordPress Community Builder" you'd see Mizanur's photo there. Always looking for ways to help, ready with a smile, and he leaves you feeling better about your day after you talk to him. I hope you enjoy our interview as much as I did!

Sep 05, 202035:23
Ep 85 WPCoffeeTalk: Christie Chirinos

Ep 85 WPCoffeeTalk: Christie Chirinos

Although I'm old enough to be her mother, Christie is who I want to be when I grow up. She's smart. She's strategic. She's fun. She's also not afraid to speak her voice, stand up for others, and use her influence for good. Add to that her WordPress expertise, and I don't think there's anything that could stand in her way.

Jun 11, 202001:00:47
Ep 84 WPCoffeeTalk: Tim Toomey

Ep 84 WPCoffeeTalk: Tim Toomey

Tim Toomey is the quintessential agency owner - works with great devs, develops great plugins and themes, is wonderful to his clients, and still finds ways to give back to the WordPress community.

Jun 04, 202055:50
Ep 83 WPCoffeeTalk: Francesca Marano

Ep 83 WPCoffeeTalk: Francesca Marano

A self-proclaimed "shouty lady," Francesca Marano is all about getting the work done in WordPress. Both in her work at SiteGround, and all the volunteer hours she logs in the community, she's all heart, multi-talented, and well-respected. When you think of "WordPress Community," Francesca comes to mind.

Jun 03, 202054:57
Ep 82 WPCoffeeTalk: Ben Pines

Ep 82 WPCoffeeTalk: Ben Pines

Not only does Ben Pines know all about page builders and how they can  enhance your WordPress sites, but he's a super nice guy who does a spot  on Matt Mullenweg impression. (Hint: he does it for us on this episode!)

Jun 03, 202042:17
Ep 81 WPCoffeeTalk: Marieke Van de rakt

Ep 81 WPCoffeeTalk: Marieke Van de rakt

She's an influential and powerful woman in WordPress, and also one of the kindest, warmest, and friendliest people you'll meet. She's not afraid to make bold decisions. And she's not afraid to keep it real. I hope you enjoy this interview as much as I enjoyed the time together.

Jun 01, 202058:11
Ep 80 WPCoffeeTalk: Amy Hall

Ep 80 WPCoffeeTalk: Amy Hall

Amy Hall is an email marketing wiz. Honestly, she knows more about harnessing the power of MailChimp than I could hope to learn. And she shares that knowledge with others while doing amazing things for her clients email marketing at the same time.

May 22, 202047:48
Ep 79 WPCoffeeTalk: Jan Koch

Ep 79 WPCoffeeTalk: Jan Koch

If anyone understands how to create value, it's Jan Koch. A digital mastermind, Jan creates community and content by leveraging both his technical know how, and the wisdom and knowledge of those in the community to create online events worth attending.

May 20, 202054:14
Ep 78 WPCoffeeTalk: Kathy Zant

Ep 78 WPCoffeeTalk: Kathy Zant

Kathy Zant is a WordPress treasure! Full of compassion, creativity, knowledge, and love for the WordPress community, Kathy is one of those people that you are so happy to call friend. Here we talked about WordFence, WordPress, and the film, Open, her passion project and a give to WordPress.

Apr 28, 202051:35
Ep 77 WPCoffeeTalk: Rene Morozowich

Ep 77 WPCoffeeTalk: Rene Morozowich

I first met Rene Morozowich at WordCamp Kent, and quickly discovered what a genuis she is at teaching web designers and developers how to manage their business (and personal) finances. She's a pretty badass WordPress developer, too!

Apr 27, 202044:45
Ep 76 WPCoffeeTalk: David Martin

Ep 76 WPCoffeeTalk: David Martin

David Martin has been using technology since he was a child learning to code on an Apple III. He's used that passion for technology to create his web design business. And he's a pretty rad saxophonist, too!

Apr 14, 202052:46
Ep 75 WPCoffeeTalk: Wolf Bishop

Ep 75 WPCoffeeTalk: Wolf Bishop

Wolf Bishop is the founder of WP Top Hat, managed WordPress hosting. He's a big fan of all things WordPress, and a great supporter of the WordPress Community. Say hello to Wolf!

Apr 13, 202044:36
Ep 74 WPCoffeeTalk: Vito Peleg

Ep 74 WPCoffeeTalk: Vito Peleg

Vito Peleg is a WordPress titan. He has a true talent for envisioning the goal and creating the right team to make it happen. WP Feedback is a prime example!

Apr 06, 202039:40
Ep 73 WPCoffeeTalk: Nate Maingard

Ep 73 WPCoffeeTalk: Nate Maingard

Nate Maingard is an amazing singer, story-teller, and one of the most kind-hearted people I've met. He uses WordPress for his music and for supporting his musical endeavors by accepting sponsorships online. After you listen to this episode, give his music a listen, too!

Apr 01, 202057:15