Been at a steady 10 with the community for years. Took that up to 11, because it was one more. And still going strong. I talk more about this and what it means to Do the Woo and the builder community here.
When I turned it up to 11 on the community
As you have noticed, one cannot even write about the WooCommerce community without looking at the bigger picture of the WordPress community. The software sits on top of the other, so why not the community. In fact, I can safely say that in most posts or conversations here on the podcast, chances are good you that there will be at least one reference to community. It’s really a no-brainer.
Maybe it has always been there, I don’t know. But on BobWP.com, back in November of last year, I wrote a post titled The WordPress Community, Now I’m Turning It Up To 11 (sorry, the post not longer exists as I changed course there). So many parts of that post were pieces that have existed in the time I have spent working with WordPress, and yes, WooCommerce. So it is a the perfect conversation for me to have with you on this podcast, as it all fits in here. So hang in there as I dive into revisiting that post. Because between that post and having worked diligently over the last 16 months here, it all comes together right now and moving forward.
The navigation of the community ship
You will likely notice various analogies throughout this podcast as I talk about what I have written and where it is going.
I start with this because it is obvious that some are continuing the cruise as others start to jump the ship. I referred to this in the post, because let’s face it, any open source community will have turnover. Sometimes we notice it and other times, not so much. It can also come in larger bursts due to something that has transpired. In any case, some people just need to move on. This is a result of anything from frustration, burnout, or perhaps a new job. And, of course, everything between.
Without going into all the reasons behind these shifts, it has apparently been happening in the WordPress community over the last year or so. It likely has happened in the smaller Woo community. The fact is, this has been going on for a long time, as that is a natural state for any open source community. But lately more and more people are being more transparent and vocal vs. those who you just realize that you haven’t seen for sometime. And the fact that they want to share their story is cool. I give them kudos for doing what is right for them.
Now on the other side of the coin, there are always new people moving into he community. Or back to that analogy, boarding the ship. New faces, new ideas, new energy. In any case, people come and people go. Sure it’s sad to lose good people in the community, kind of like when that person you have worked alongside of for so long moves onto a new job. But that is the way of life, and yes, the way of open source.
Don’t burn yourself out
I know that a lot of people have invested a good portion of their life and time in the space, both with WordPress and WooCommerce. The problem is that things change, or don’t change, and they get frustrated or downright angry. Their attempts to change things don’t pan out and that even makes their blood boil more. Unfortunately some of them hang around and vent that anger, become a hard-nosed critic and come to a point where they enjoy poking and stabbing at everything they feel is wrong. That isn’t good for for their health, both mentally or physically. Nor is it good for the community.
I have a post talking a bit about this and the perception of the negativity from the outside looking in. And I wonder if these people who go on these rants realize a couple of important things.
First, they are giving a lasting impression of the overall community. When those from outside the bubble see this kind of negative talk, it doesn’t do anyone any good.
And what about those who start down this road but are still creating WordPress sites or building products for WordPress. Someone new to the community can surely question why you are so distraught with all things WordPress but still using it to make a living. This is what I talk about in this upcoming post with a couple of real-time examples I experienced personally.
But here’s the deal on all of this. The smart ones know when to leave. Give up that piece of WordPress, WooCommerce, whatever, and move on. Sure, as a result the community loses good people. But the ecosystem of any good community that lives and thrives is the energies of those who are behind it.
Shaping this community
So, in the post I also touched lightly on shaping the community. I hear so many people talk about this. It’s never mentioned literally, but everyone wants to see something that they have visualized for the future of the community.
Well, I hate to burst your bubble. Or let me put it more lightly this way. We can all diligently work to shape this community on so many small ways. But consider this. Each one of us might view the community differently. The WordPress community is how we perceive it individually. There are no hard boundaries or defined parameters. Sometimes what we think of as the WordPress community in our minds can be a lot different than what real experience has shown us. Or perhaps when you are discussing it with someone else.
Of course, we can work on the bigger picture to find ways to make it better for everyone, but it’s never going to be perfect.
And then throw other variables into the mix. Do you look at the WordPress community as the business community? Or more of a social community? Or perhaps a blend. As I said, we aren’t perfect, and do you dream of a time when we all hold hands and sing kumbaya? And face it, there are cliques, clubs, egos and challenges like every other community? The fact is, we are all human.
Now. This brings me to the reason I have revisited this post and where I am headed with it.
WordPress and WooCommerce community, that’s what I am all about
I have a lot of perspectives on the WordPress community. The same goes for this Woo builder community. I’ll be honest with you. I find the positive. I stay optimistic. And most importantly, I am flexible. I have been around this space since 2007 and have marveled at all the changes and twists both with the software and the community.
I came into this space having run a business and freelancing in the “regular business world” for over 25 years. And since stepping into the WordPress ecosystem, community has always played a huge part for me, no matter what I was doing. Later on, when I was using WooCommerce more and more, that same thing happened with that community.
I could write a gazillion word post on all that percolates in my head about the WordPress community, or I could do episodes similar to this. In other words, what I had planned for talking about community over on BobWP.com, easily transfers here. Fact, is we have already been doing it here. This doesn’t mean I’m going to bombard this site with my own perspectives and insights. It just gives me the means to an end. Which is literally helping to you grow and shape this community that we call Woo builders, which is part of that larger WordPress community.
There’s a lot to unpack when it comes to the WordPress community.
I’ll be sharing more on this as a veteran of the “community” I have perceived a lot. And the only way we can grow this Woo builder community, is to better understand and navigate the waters of the bigger WordPress community ecosystem.
How does Do the Woo play into all of this. Well, it should be obvious, but to wrap this up I can clarify. There are a lot of behind the scenes stuff that happens with me and others in the community that affects us all. But I can also give you a reminder of what we have had here, what we now have, and how those will help to not only elevate you in the community, but help others grow, learn and basically make sense of it all.
This site is continually reshaping itself to meets the needs of the community. Keep on top of things here so you can get the most out of Do the Woo.
So, there you have it.
When others are becoming less involved with the community, making changes in content or other mediums to not be so WordPress centric, or simply jumping the ship, instead, when it comes to the WordPress and WooCommerce community, I am turning it to eleven, again. And if you are already a big advocate of the community, and have been holding steady at a 10, you may ask me why 11.
That’s simple, it’s one more.
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