Hi Jim, please share a brief history of your company:<\/p>\n
I’ve worked with WordPress since one of my team members set up my blog in 2005. At the time, I didn’t understand the importance of keeping WordPress, my theme and plugins up-to-date and eventually the site got hacked. So in late 2009, I taught myself how to install a new WordPress blog and migrate the posts over to the new site. Along the way I learned about the benefits of a premium theme and moved in that direction as well. I now run a series of websites on WordPress including my personal blog, company website, as well as several niche sites. In early 2011, I attended my first WordCamp in Phoenix and plan to attend many more in the future. We have an awesome community.<\/p>\n
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What is your favorite plugin?<\/p>\n
It would have to be Backup Buddy which is a premium plugin.<\/p>\n
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Tell us about your latest WP project:<\/p>\n
My colleague Shelby Sapusek and I are building a series of niche sites. It’s an experiment to see if we can make significant money doing things our way with affiliate marketing.<\/p>\n
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Share one WP tip:<\/p>\n
Back up your site frequently and test your backups at least every few months by restoring the site on a different server.<\/p>\n
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What inspires you?<\/p>\n
Helping others. I am constantly in awe of people coming to me for help and advice.<\/p>\n
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Any tips for people just getting started with Blogging or using WP?<\/p>\n
Write every day even when you don’t want to. Look at your stats no more than once a week.<\/p>\n
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Do you have a WP hero?<\/p>\n
Chris Pearson of Thesis Theme fame.<\/p>\n
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What is your motto?<\/p>\n
Writing is the doing part of thinking.<\/p>\n
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What is the funniest or most informative tweet you ever wrote or read?<\/p>\n
\u201cBurgers\u201d sent by my friend Joe Sorge from his @AJBombers account.<\/p>\n
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What is the funniest thing that ever happened to you at a conference?<\/p>\n
At BlogWorld 2010 in Las Vegas a picture of me putting a $100 bill in a female friend’s shirt somehow ended up on Flickr. So, I now say what happens in Vegas stays on Flickr forever.<\/p>\n
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Who is the most interesting person you have met through social media? (Either virtually or in person.)<\/p>\n
Chris Brogan<\/p>\n
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What is your favorite restaurant or club in Chicago?<\/p>\n
Restaurant is Le Colonial. Club is probably Roof at theWit.<\/p>\n
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What is your idea of success?<\/p>\n
Freedom however one chooses to defines that.<\/p>\n
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Why did you choose your topic for WC Chicago?<\/p>\n
Since social media (and make no mistake, blogging is social media) is about conversations why not create a presentation that is a conversation? That’s what drives Shelby and me.<\/p>\n
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What do you hope the attendees will get out of going to your session?<\/p>\n
An understanding that even when folks agree on the basics there is always more than one way to look at an issue.<\/p>\n
How can people contact you?<\/p>\n
jim@jimraffel.com<\/a><\/p>\n @raffel<\/p>\n http:\/\/facebook.com\/jim.raffel<\/a><\/p>\n http:\/\/linkedin.com\/in\/jimraffel<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Hi Jim, please share a brief history of your company: I’ve worked with WordPress since one of my team members set up my blog in 2005. At the time, I didn’t understand the importance of keeping WordPress, my theme and … Continue reading Interview with Jim Raffel<\/span>