Sheryle will be joining us as a speaker for WordCamp DFW with her talk entitled “Is Building Your Business On Open Source And GPL Technology Right For You?” on our Business track.
Why do you use WordPress?
I use WordPress in a variety of ways because I find it to be versatile and easier to extend than other CMSs. First, I have a blog where I like to share my experiences and help others find sanity and purpose in life, leadership and nonprofit technology project management (because that’s the world I live in.) Secondly, I find WordPress easy to set up and easy to use and so I recommend it to many of our partners when they are evaluating CMS frameworks. Lastly, our organization PurposeWP leverages the power of WordPress to build better tools and a better experience for nonprofits and social enterprises.
When and how did you get started using WordPress?
I’m not sure when my love affair with WordPress began. I used it to build my church’s website and soon after my husband shifted his business focus solely to WordPress. I started attending the local meet ups and by the following year we had a DFW WordCamp. I feel a little like I’ve grown with this community we have now in DFW. Some are certainly far more advanced, while for others, I know just enough to offer some assistance. Through this I also continue to grow and in the last 5 years, I’ve learned a lot and continue to evolve, just as our software continues to evolve.
How do you stay informed about WordPress news, tips, etc.?
Michael Gillihan. j/k, but not really. The people I know, including my husband, definitely help me stay “in the know” with WordPress happenings. I think Torque is the only feed I follow. I suppose I could identify more resources, but my world isn’t all WordPress as I work primarily in Business Development.
What do you like most about WordCamps? (and which have you attended?)
I’ve attend all the recent DFW WordCamps. I’ve also attended OKC’s first WordCamp this past summer. I enjoy the business oriented talks. I get tips and ideas from other business minded folks I meet in the hallway track or from other speakers. We can always gain something from hearing how others tackle problems or when engaged in a creative discussion. I greatly appreciate the supportive nature of the WordPress community and those that share their wisdom. Without it, I’m not sure I’d be such a fangirl of the platform despite its many strengths.