WordPress onboarding is still too hard, and Andrew Palmer thinks hosts can fix it. He and Jesse explore why hosting companies should compete on the WordPress experience instead of increasing stats like PHP workers and CPUs. The two also discuss AI site builders, easier domain connections, and serving customers better. 

• Andrew Palmer
• Rocket.net
• Hosting.com
• Pressable
• Novamere
• BoldGrid
• GoDaddy Airo
• 10up
• CloudFest

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Fear-based messaging does not work for accessibility any more than it does for security. Anne-Mieke Bovelett and Jesse Friedman explain why a caring, positive approach gets better results when helping people build accessible WordPress sites.

The conversation covers the practical side of accessibility, including reduced motion settings, keyboard navigation, semantic HTML, and why WordPress core blocks are getting more accessible while many proprietary page builders are not. Anne-Mieke shares why she has personally canceled hosts over unusable interfaces and why she is not alone.

They also look at what is next. From AI assistants in the WordPress admin that could nudge users toward better contrast, to the idea of an accessibility standard for hosting companies, this episode maps out where the industry could go. It is a thoughtful discussion for anyone building hosting products or WordPress tools.

• Anne-Mieke Bovelett
• Open Dyslexic
• Google Lighthouse
• Create Block Theme
• Twenty Twenty-Five Theme
• Secure Hosting Alliance
• Nick Hamze
• Aaron Gustafson
• Github accessibility story

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Selling a website without accessibility is like selling a car without wheels. Jesse and Anne-Mieke Bovelett break down why accessibility is digital hygiene, not an add-on. They connect it to AI citations, search rankings, and the customers who silently walk away. Real talk for agencies and hosting companies alike. 

• Anne-Mieke Bovelett
• WordCamp Europe
• CloudFest
• WCAG
• Semrush
• Accessibility Checker
• SiteGround
• WordPress TV
• Jono Alderson
• Lily Ray
• Emma Young

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Support in hosting is usually built around speed. How fast can you resolve a ticket, close the chat, and move on. In this episode, Jesse Friedman and Sanja Grbic question that model and imagine something better. They discuss async, mobile-first communication that lets customers ask questions on their own time without feeling tied to a desk or a ticking clock.

Sanja, a senior product designer at Automattic, shares the WooCommerce merchant chat tool she helped build in six days. It lets shoppers ask questions right on the site, gives merchants a simple inbox to reply on the go, and can let AI answer straightforward questions automatically. The goal was never speed for its own sake. It was creating an experience where people feel comfortable having a real conversation.

Along the way, Jesse and Sanja talk about how AI is changing design and engineering roles, why open source lets hosting companies build their own tools, and how Automattic's habit of working in public keeps quality high. This is a thoughtful conversation about product, support, and the future of how hosting teams work.

• 500 people vibe-coded for 30 days. I was one of them. - Sanja Grbic, Automattic
• AI Engineers World's Fair
• Sketch
• Bespoke Post
• P2

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Real differentiation in hosting comes from partnerships and technology, not a few pixels around an icon. Jesse Friedman and Sanja Grbic of Automattic explore how hosting companies can stop worrying about looking unique and start focusing on what actually makes customers feel empowered.

Sanja explains her user-first philosophy and why she never approaches design from the perspective of scale. Whether a product serves ten people or millions, she starts with the individual experience. She and Jesse talk through the choice between putting features in the panel, the WP admin, the app, or even email, and why meeting the user where they already are beats forcing them into one place.

Listeners will also hear about the WordPress open-source design system and the Design System Tracker that Sanja built during Automattic's Radical Speed Month. It's a thoughtful discussion for hosting professionals thinking about how to build interfaces that feel familiar and trustworthy.

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AI has made the security arms race move faster than ever. Jesse Friedman sits down with Aaron Campbell, VP of Product at Monarx, to discuss how bad actors now use the same tools as the people defending against them. They explain how AI compresses the time between a vulnerability being disclosed and being exploited in the real world.

The conversation covers why layered security remains the gold standard. Aaron shares how Monarx blocked 8.7 trillion attacks last year, with more than half caught at the runtime layer based on behavior rather than known signatures. This matters because AI systems are finding brand new vulnerabilities and exploiting them immediately.

Jesse and Aaron also talk about WordCamp US in Phoenix and why it still delivers real value for agencies and hosting companies. From building connections to solving hard problems, they make the case for why sharing knowledge in the WordPress community continues to pay off. This episode is a practical look at security, AI, and the future of hosting.

• Monarx
• WordCamp US
• WordCamp TV
• Review Signal Web Hosting Benchmarks
• Secure Hosting Alliance
• i2 Coalition
• BruteProtect
• Jetpack Backups
• ThreatShield

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Security should be a beneficial add-on, not an assumed part of every hosting plan. That is one of the central ideas Aaron Campbell, VP of Product at Monarx, brings to this conversation with Jesse Friedman. Aaron spent 15 years in the hosting world before moving to a company that helps hosts fight malware and bad actors, and he draws a clear line between what a host should secure and what falls to the site owner.

Jesse and Aaron work through the metaphor of hosting as a neighborhood. The host keeps the streets clean and the infrastructure secure, but there is only so much they can do when a site owner uses a weak password or hands out admin access without thinking. They talk about how the low barrier to entry in WordPress created millions of users who never learned the basics of staying safe online.

The two also look at how AI could help close that education gap. Aaron shares how Monarx uses language models to turn technical breach data into plain words that regular people can act on. Anyone running a hosting company or building WordPress products will find useful ideas here about positioning security, building customer trust, and meeting users where they are.

• Monarx
• Have I Been Pwned
• Bluehost
• WordCamp US
• Code for the People

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This episode is a practical guide to getting the most out of WordCamp US in Phoenix. Jesse Friedman sits down with organizers Megan Marcel, Caroline Harrison, and Carol Stambaugh to talk through the schedule, the sponsor hall, and the many ways attendees can connect with one another.

The organizers explain how stopping by sponsor booths benefits both the sponsors and the attendees. It is one of the few places where you can talk directly to the people building the future of the web. They also highlight the new makers market and share why the hotel lobby often becomes the best networking spot of the whole week.

Megan and Carol describe how a single hotel lobby conversation last year turned into a daily working relationship. That kind of story captures what makes this community different. With accessible pricing, a coupon for 25 percent off, and something for every skill level, this episode makes a strong case for booking your ticket now.

• WordCamp US
• Radiateu
• 10Up
• Fueled
• Beaver Builder
• WP Playground
• WordCamp Asia
• Make WordPress Slack

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WordCamp US keeps ticket prices low on purpose, and this episode explains why. Jesse Friedman sits down with organizers Caroline Harrison, Megan Marcel, and Carol Stambaugh to talk about accessibility, community, and the work that goes into a great event.

Megan Marcel describes the sponsor support that lets the team focus on getting people in the door rather than turning a profit, along with perks like daily lunches, a happiness bar for one-on-one WordPress help, and speakers you can meet in the coffee line. Caroline Harrison talks about the volunteer experience and the friendships that form on the organizing team. Carol Stambaugh shares a story from WordCamp Phoenix about an attendee who found more value here than at a conference costing two thousand dollars.

There is also a candid section for hosting companies. Carol, an agency owner herself, explains what she looks for in a host, including watchdog tools, easy access to logs, and the freedom to move on and off a platform. She offers a smart approach to networking on the floor by asking customers about both their horror stories and their success stories. It's a valuable episode for hosting professionals and event-goers alike.

• RadiateHUE
• WordCamp US 2026
• WordCamp Phoenix

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Vito Peleg of Atarim explains why scope creep is the healthiest thing for agency growth. He and Jesse talk through AI as a junior team member, the value of taste and relationships, and why the human still signs off at the end. A practical take on blending AI with real expertise. 

• Atarim
• Arrow
• Hostinger Cody
• Elementor Angie
• Pressable
• Bluehost
• Hidden Door
• CloudLinux
• WebPros
• Sequoia

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