August 5, 2015 — Lightning Talk by Jonathan Desrosiers

August 5, 2015 — WordPress themes aren’t always one size fits all, but we, as developers can help get them a little bit closer. Ever get a 911 email from a client saying they added an extra piece of content to the homepage, and now the whole layout is broken? One of the best things about WordPress is that it allows non-technical people to control the content of their website, so why are we not considering this when building themes? In this talk we look at some of the common ways WordPress themes get broken from dynamic content, and how to prevent them from happening.

August 5, 2015 — Lightning Talk by Syed Balkhi

August 5, 2015 — Matt Medeiros is the creator of ConductorPlugin.com which helps WordPress users build powerful sites without code. He is the founder of WPMentor.org, a website dedicated to helping WordPress people find mentorships. Matt hosts the popular podcast Matt Report, which aims to help new WordPress freelancers and agencies grow their business.

August 5, 2015 — You’re the expert, that’s why they hired you. Let’s talk about how to handle ridiculous client requests, exercising your expertise, the importance of keeping the admin interface simple, how to avoid common pitfalls when working with clients, and how to handle your hourly rates.

August 5, 2015 — This talk is my personal story of how I rebuilt my life with a freelance WordPress career. In June 2011 after battling a crippling drug addiction most of my adult life, I was out of options. I stumbled into WordPress by accident and realized that it represented an opportunity to rebuild a name for myself and a business. I found in WordPress something that combined what I was good at with something that I enjoyed and got paid to do. For the first time in my life, I felt like I was delivering something of value to others, and I loved teaching people how to use a platform that gave them a voice.

This talk is the story of how battled my inner demons, fell in love with WordPress, built my business, and became involved in the WordPress community, both online and in person.

I cover how to quickly build technical skills, how to find mentors, how to become involved in the WordPress community, and how to keep moving forward without looking back. I talk about my inspiration for my WordPress educational business and organizing the first WordCamp in Connecticut. My hope is to inspire freelancers and anyone looking at WordPress as a career choice and a life choice, a platform that has introduced me to so many amazing people and allowed me to create a life only a few years ago I could have hardly dreamed.

August 5, 2015 — Learn how to leverage psychology in boosting conversion rates on your WordPress website. What makes a site visitor click? What makes a site visitor frustrated and leave? In this session, you’ll uncover key insights into the intersection of human psychology and user experience (UX) and learn to tap into your site visitors’ subconscious to spur them into action.

August 5, 2015 — Many software companies and freelancers are able to build fantastic websites, but they have no idea how to decide what to charge. Unfortunately, poor pricing decisions can destroy a company’s financial future and mean the difference between owning a successful business and being forced to live in a van down by the river. In this presentation, Adam presents techniques to determine the most appropriate pricing strategy for your WordPress projects.

August 5, 2015 — Are you using a theme on your blog or website that is almost what you’re looking for but that could use a bit of customization? Don’t want to look like everyone else using the twenty fifteen theme? Child themes let us inherit the functionality of an existing theme, while adding our own custom functionality and style to suit our tastes and needs. In this session we look at how to create a child theme and some ways which we can make that baby our own.

Presentation Slides »

August 5, 2015 — This presentation gives an in-depth look into how to extend or modify core functionality without touching core files. Learn how to use actions and filters as well as create their own custom hooks. We also take a look at some core hooks, and the best practices when it comes to using them.