Eleventy is becoming Build Awesome — and Zach Leatherman is here to explain what that actually means.

In this episode of Podcast Awesome, Matt has a chat with Zach about the Build Awesome Kickstarter, why this rebrand is part of building a sustainable future for the open source project, and what changes (and what doesn’t) for people already running Eleventy sites.

You’ll hear Zach break down the backwards compatibility promise, the Eleventy v3 → Build Awesome v4 upgrade path, and what Build Awesome Pro adds—especially for teams who want an easier publishing workflow and a smoother way for non-technical collaborators to edit content.

Plus: behind-the-scenes stories from filming the Kickstarter video in LA, including the cast/crew magic, a hot dog cake, and the origin story of the Awesome 'Possum.

🗒️ What We Cover in This Episode

🚀 Eleventy is becoming Build Awesome (and why Zach says this is the sustainable future of the project)
🧩 What changes vs. what stays the same (and the “no panic” promise)
🔁 Backwards compatibility: your existing Eleventy sites still work
⬆️ Upgrade path: what moving from Eleventy v3 → Build Awesome v4 looks like
🧰 What Build Awesome is (website generation that can be simple or powerful)
🧑‍🤝‍🧑 Build Awesome Pro: one-stop publishing + collab for non-technical editors
✍️ In-browser editing: fixing content directly on page w/o a separate CMS feel)
💸 Funding open source without burnout (+ why the “Font Awesome formula” works)
🎬 Kickstarter fun: filming in LA, cast/crew magic, and the cake/hot dog metaphor
🦝 Meet the Awesome 'Possum (mascot origins + brand homage)
🎁 How to support: tiers, swag, and where to go next

⏱️ Timestamps

0:00 - Cold Open: Build Awesome Kickstarter Announcement
 0:08 - Eleventy → Build Awesome (What This Episode Covers)
 0:40 - The Big News (Zach’s Announcement)
 1:25 - Joining the Awesomeverse (and why it matters)
 2:50 - Funding Open Source Without Burnout
 4:20 - What Build Awesome Is (and who it’s for)
 6:05 - Build Awesome Pro: Publishing + Collaboration Tools
 7:20 - Backwards Compatibility: Your Eleventy Sites Still Work
 8:10 - Upgrade Path: Eleventy v3 → Build Awesome v4
 10:05 - Why Pro Features Make the Free Core Better
 12:10 - In-Browser Editing: The “edit right on the site” experience
 13:25 - Kickstarter Fun: Shooting the Launch Video in LA
 15:40 - Cast, Crew, and the Cake/Hot Dog Metaphor
 18:55 - Meet the Awesome Possum (Mascot Origins + Brand Homage)
 20:40 - How to Support: Where to Go + Tiers + Swag
 22:40 - Wrap-Up + What to Watch Next

Links & Resources

• Build Awesome Kickstarter
• Eleventy / Build Awesome
• Font Awesome
• Web Awesome

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