November 11, 2016 — For small businesses, one of the biggest and most overwhelming challenges is often the finding, managing and letting go of employees or subcontractors. This panel will consist of experts who’ve experienced first hand the pains of hiring the wrong people as well as the benefits of hiring well. There will be open Q&A on the topics of when to hire, what to hire for, when to fire, finding good talent and getting the most out of existing human resources.

November 11, 2016 — Selling open source software is challenging. It can be complicated and confusing to navigate the premium WordPress product landscape for even veteran entrepreneurs. However, some have managed to do this pretty well and this panel discussion will feature some of those developers and business owners who’ve learned important lessons about what works and what does not when it comes to creating products people want to buy and also creating products that can sustain a business long term.

November 11, 2016 — The world of eCommerce is in constant change and flux. It’s never been easier or more affordable to sell online. I will be discussing the various methods of selling online using WordPress and how to using new plugins and services WordPress can be utilized as a sales channel alongside social networks, marketplaces, and POS. If you are interested in understanding the future of eCommerce and the role WordPress can play in this space then come pop in my talk.

November 11, 2016 — Keynote for WordCamp Birmingham 2016. Cory Miller talks about the importance of Pivot and Purpose to surviving and thriving in the near future.

November 11, 2016 — Most people think of website content as static pages that hold basic information. This is not the best way to engage your site visitors and grow your business.

Instead, it’s possible to create website content that’s a dynamic story told through the pages of your website. In this way, your website becomes a *process*, not just a dumping ground for information.

This talk is all about how to identify a goal for your website and develop a clear strategy to guide your visitors through your website in a way that gets them to do what you want them to do, whether that’s build your list, sign up for a session, or buy your product.

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November 11, 2016 — When opportunity knocks, it doesn’t always take the form you would expect. In August of 2016, I left a decade-long career as a professional chef to become the COO and part-owner of a digital agency. This talk is for would-be entrepreneurs, career changers, and just about anyone else that is thinking about taking a leap. It’s about preparing for the worst, expecting the best and trying to break free of the future we write for ourselves.

This talk is more than just a personal story. It’s a step-by-step guide through the transition of “employed,” to “self-employed,” and finally to “employer.” I’m not leaving anything out.

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November 11, 2016 — Scott presents on how he helped create a large, scaleable online bookstore for a Norwegian children’s publishing company Sandviks. What worked, what didn’t and why he thinks WooCommerce was the right fit.

November 11, 2016 — Is your WordPress website truly ready for an increase in visitors using mobile phones and tablets? Research shows most websites have much lower conversion ratios for mobile devices compared to the desktop. Why is this relevant and how can you change this for your website?

This presentation will offer insights into the behavior of your mobile visitors. It will also provide highly actionable tips and techniques on how to improve the top problems (such as loading speed, menus and forms) that prevent mobile visitors from converting to customers.

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November 10, 2016 — “Salesforce: $8 billion revenue in 2017” reads a headline in late 2015. “Salesforce Announces Appointment of Neelie Kroes to its Board of Directors” is the title of a press release from the Californian company.

Customer Relationship Management (CRM) has been around for a while so what is the big deal with Salesforce? What does this mean for WordPress projects? Acting on client requests to “make their WordPress site smarter” by connecting it to their Salesforce environment we set out to create an easy to use plugin that connects in a matter of minutes.

This talk focusses on questions and (red) flags raised when connecting WordPress to a CRM (Salesforce specific) for a client. Will this forever be a choir or can we make CRM and additional features such as accounting and market research exciting?

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November 10, 2016 — How many of us work for people, or answer to people that ultimately have no real understanding of what we do? Janel’s guess is a lot of us. Learning to talking around tech terms to make yourself understood, or at least get the resources your project needs, can be an art.

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