Meet Cory Miller, WordPress Expert

Cory will be joining us for WPSession #2: Building a WordPress Busness on July 13th, 2013.

Where can we find you on the internet?

Cory MillerMy focus is on iThemes, so iThemes.com. I blog about entrepreneurship, marketing and career advice at my personal site at CoryMiller.com. Tweet @corymiller303. Oh, and if you want to see just cute pics of my adorable infant son, Caloway, then http://instagram.com/corymiller303 🙂 #proudpapa

When and how did you get started with WordPress?

In 2006 when I started a professional blog and wanted to do more with it and found WordPress. I was hooked at how easy it was and wanted to learn how to tweak my site design.

What resources to you turn to when you want to learn something new?

I eat books.

If I’m not learning, I’m dying … and reading books in particular (along with blogs) is the best way to learn new stuff.

I post my reading list here: http://corymiller.com/reading/

What is your favorite WordPress feature/aspect?

Being able to get a blog started in 5 minutes. The ease of use of WordPress has always been my favorite feature and hope that never changes. It’s what has made WordPress great.

What is your favorite business-related book and why?

I can’t pick just one, man. 🙂

I believe entrepreneurship is one of the ultimate ways to find true work-life alignment. So here are my recommendations for that.

What advice do you have for others looking to become WordPress experts?

Immersion.

If you want to become an expert you have to immerse yourself in the subject. If it’s WordPress that means these things:

  1. USE WordPress. Know it inside and out. Blog with it. Build sites with it.
  2. Embed yourself in the community. Go to WordCamps. Meetups. Or start one in your city.
  3. Bleed the brand. Champion WordPress everywhere.
  4. Find problems people have with it … and solve it for them. Whether it’s a service or a product, or just installing WP for them.
  5. Play nicely with others. Meaning don’t get consumed in DramaPress. This is software. It helps us do things better. Remember, it’s about people. WordPress won’t show up at your funeral. But people will.

Bonus Question: What is one interesting non-WordPress-related fact about yourself?

I’ve got 33 hours of seminary training. Extra bonus: I’m a pretty dang good snow skiier.