I have been in this space now since 2006. When I think back I was slowly making my way into the ecosystem during those first four years. When I hit 2010 and started the brand BobWP, my navigation was starting to smooth out.
So stepping back, we have all been there. And how you navigate those first few years in the space is determined by where you have been, what your goals are, and, of course, how your expectations easily slip into this ecosystem. Trust me, it’s not the easiest thing in the world to do.
Taking the big step into the space
Let’s take builders for example. Those who have businesses building products or websites, or both. Now, there are two things in play here. First, those who start moving into the WordPress space and then starting to build their very first business. It’s a bit easier as far as the integration into open source with no preconceived experience or expectations as a business. But the is no solid line between advice for proprietary products and services vs. open source. They often can get muddied up and be very confusing.
On the other hand, there are the established businesses who want a piece of the WordPress or WooCommerce pie. There are a lot of businesses, large and small that are eyeing the WordPress ecosystem. Some want to find a way to replicate this unique community while others are wanting to be a part of it. For the latter, this takes some serious flexibility. Because, let’s face it, open source is another world in so many ways, but still it inspires successful and solid businesses.
So you may be wondering why I bring this up. Well, one reason it’s something I deal with a lot. And think about a lot. I have had literally hundreds of conversations about this, many with those businesses new to the space. I don’t profess to have all the answers, but from experience and through so many discussions, I have found that I can easily offer guidance. Some of these are conversations that just happen with new people I meet. Others are sometimes through a service I offer.
And lastly, the other times it when I’m talking to sponsors and potential sponsors. For the sponsors I secure, I offer them time to always ask me questions or seek some kind of guidance. For potential sponsors, it has been a learning experience for them To be honest, I have talked with large businesses who wanted to sponsor, and after a chat, we both decided they still had some stuff to work on before diving into this ecosystem or that our audience wasn’t the right fit.
A story that could have gone wrong
Now I likely have told you this story, but it resonates so well with what I’m talking about. There was a product. Not going to say who or even the kind of SaaS product. But they were a good fit for the Woo ecosystem and obviously had the desire to fly into it, no holds barred. What I started seeing were high sales pitches popping up in some Slack channels and elsewhere. Nobody knew who they were as this product was fairly new as well. This went on for sometime until I received a DM and email that was a bit aggressive on the sales side of things. So I decided to reach out to them and explain that the WordPress and Woo space needs to be approaching differently. I offered to chat with this new contact of mine, and pretty much laid out to him what I suggest they do. Of course, the first words out of my mouth were something along the lines of, “I think you need to backoff and reevaluate”.
Long story short. They listened to what I said and not only became a thriving business in the space but also gaining partnerships, trust and funding from established businesses in the space.
The fact is they listened and started to understand more of the open source community, which really drives everything in our ecosystem.
How can we help?
On our end, I have already shared some of the things I have done. As I mentioned, these are conversations that I have with my sponsors, and in fact, we have created a new package for those who could use a bit of added exposure if they are sponsoring one of the flagship conferences. And of course, you can visit BobWP if you would like to retain me for some advice, or simply catch me next time and we will have a conversation.
For you, the builders out there, share your experiences. Those can be through telling your story on our podcast, but even more important, reaching out to new businesses in the space and offering a little help. I know that you want this ecosystem to continue to be strong and thriving.
And for those who are navigating this new ecosystem, be patient. Nothing good comes quickly. Take the time to get to know others in the community. Offer your knowledge and expertise to those who can benefit from it. And most of all, watch and listen. The open source community of WordPress and WooCommerce is a wealth of businesses who have gone through the same thing you have and built successful businesses in the space.
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