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An unexpected conversation with a guy who probably knows it's not a good idea to walk dogs and ride his bike at the same time.

Here, we have an unexpected conversation between Bud and Leo, a personable and engaging guest from Indonesia. Initially, Leo discusses his name pronunciation and his move from Jakarta to Bogor, emphasizing Jakarta's traffic and pollution contrast with Bogor's cooler, hilly environment. The discussion then shifts to Leo's education, detailing his 14-year stint at a Catholic school and his tertiary education journey spanning Indonesia and Malaysia in the field of Business Management and International Business.

Leo also shares details about his personal life, including his experiences with owning and managing two large dogs, a Golden Retriever and a mixed Kintamani-Terrier, during the pandemic. He humorously describes how walking his dogs often appears as though the dogs are walking him. The conversation touches on Leo's cycling hobby, where he reveals his long-term commitment to cycling since 2008 and his adaptation to indoor training due to a busy schedule.

As the chat continues, Leo mentions a cultural stigma towards dating apps in Indonesia and discusses his reluctance to rush into relationships. He also talks about his limited but meaningful use of social media platforms like LinkedIn and Instagram while admitting not being an early adopter of newer platforms like Blue Sky. In the professional context, Leo talks about his journey with Hostinger and his work with WordPress, narrating how his role as a writer evolved after covering updates for WordPress 5.9, eventually enjoying a fruitful career despite the challenges posed by the pandemic.

Photography is another passion for Leo, where he enjoys capturing landscapes, streets, and transportation objects, often using a full-frame mirrorless camera. He has traveled to the United States for WordCamp events, where he visited places like Portland, Oregon, and the tri-state area around Maryland. Leo shares his reaction to seeing the White House, which he found larger than expected compared to media portrayals.

Towards the end, Bud queries Leo about his acquaintances, leading to the recommendation of Nadia Maya Ardiani, a significant contributor to the WordPress training team in Indonesia. Leo believes she has interesting stories that would add value to the podcast. The episode concludes on a high note with mutual appreciation between Bud and Leo, reflecting the camaraderie shared during the interview.

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An unexpected conversation with a bootstrapping serial entrepreneur who is always looking for something new to do.

In this episode, Andrew Palmer shares details about his complex personal life and entrepreneurial journey. He begins by discussing his familial relationships, highlighting his connections with an ex-wife and an ex-partner. He maintains a friendly relationship with his ex-wife, with whom he has a daughter, and lives with his ex-partner due to their enduring friendship. Andrew then delves into his family history, revealing that his father moved from Belfast to Glasgow soon after his birth, something Andrew recently discovered through his sister’s genealogical research.

Our conversation shifts to Andrew's childhood, which was marked by frequent relocations and working from a young age due to his family’s financial situation. He recalls experiences with an abusive stepfather that led to him and his twin brother being taken in by foster parents. Andrew speaks fondly of his foster parents, who provided him much-needed stability until welfare stopped supporting them, forcing him to live with his biological father, a strict man he barely knew. This tumultuous upbringing eventually led Andrew to become self-reliant at a very young age.

Andrew discusses his early career, revealing that he worked in various roles, including as a waiter and a motorcycle courier. His career took a turn when he found a job as a private detective, working on both domestic and industrial espionage cases. He shares interesting anecdotes about phone tapping for Barclays Bank and retrieving stolen blueprints for a lift company. Throughout the conversation, Andrew emphasizes his resilience and adaptability in navigating a variety of challenges across different industries.

As an entrepreneur, Andrew explains his approach to building and selling businesses. He co-founded Elegant Marketplace with minimal initial investment and, despite some partner challenges, successfully sold it to InMotion Hosting. He talks about his latest venture, Bertha AI, an AI tool for WordPress. Despite facing a major setback when ChatGPT launched, causing them to lose all subscribers, Andrew remains optimistic and continues to work on the project. His entrepreneurial spirit is defined by his short-term commitment to projects, driven by a constant search for new challenges.

Towards the end of our chat, Andrew reveals personal interests such as playing guitar and golf. He shares light-hearted stories about his experiences with these hobbies, including his brief stint at golf where he once had a nine handicap. His multifaceted life experiences, from personal struggles and professional achievements to his hobbies, paint a picture of a resilient and dynamic individual who continually reinvents himself.

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An unexpected conversation with a woman from Kherson, Ukraine, trying to stay safe while running a WordPress business in the middle of a war.

This episode features an interview with Anna Hurko, a Ukrainian currently in Romania due to the war in her homeland. Host Bud welcomes Anna, acknowledging his mispronunciation of her name and discusses her experiences during the war and her current location. Anna shares the difficulties faced by her family in Ukraine, including frequent bomb attacks, and her efforts to stay safe while continuing her work remotely in Romania.

Anna details her professional involvement in WordPress, mentioning her position as the CEO of Crocoblock and the development of plugins for dynamic websites. She explains the challenges of preparing for significant events like Black Friday while managing strategic planning and sponsorships for WordCamps. Anna also highlights the active Spanish WordPress community's influence on her and her dedication to learning new languages to connect better with customers worldwide.

Throughout the conversation, Anna talks about her personal interests, such as playing the guitar and painting, and her methods for learning languages through immersion and audio courses. Despite her busy schedule and the ongoing war, Anna emphasizes the importance of maintaining hobbies and finding joy in small things, such as being able to sleep through the night without alarms.

On a more personal note, Anna reveals her past attempts at finding a serious partner, the difficulties posed by her busy life and geographic mobility, and her high standards influenced by a previous relationship with a Ukrainian diplomat. She also touches upon the personal and professional challenges brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic and the war, expressing hope for a natural and meaningful connection in the future.

The interview concludes with discussions about the possible outcomes Anna envisions for Ukraine post-war, including economic recovery and territorial sovereignty. Bud asks Anna for recommendations on future podcast guests, leading to mentions of prominent figures from the WordPress community. They end the conversation on a positive note, expressing hope to see each other at future WordCamps in Europe or the United States.

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An unexpected conversation between me, myself, and I as I put a bow on my first year as a podcaster. 

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An unexpected conversation with a young entrepreneur who is never going to work a day in his life.

The podcast episode titled "40 - Adrian Tobey" features a conversation between Bud and Adrian Tobey. Bud starts the episode by asking Adrian about fixing foundation cracks with expansion polyurethane foam, leading to Adrian recounting how he tackled a water leakage issue in his basement after a significant snowmelt in Canada. He explains the process of using epoxy and polyurethane foam kits to seal the cracks, which he found to be more cost-effective than hiring a professional.

The discussion moves to Adrian's current residence in Niagara Falls, where he enjoys the picturesque view and proximity to wine country, which influenced their decision to settle there. Adrian shares his and his wife's passion for wine, detailing their visits to various wine regions during their travels. Bud learns about Adrian’s past, including his schooling at the University of Toronto, where he met his wife, and his transition from studying computer science to founding Groundhog, a WordPress plugin business.

Adrian elaborates on Groundhog’s value proposition, emphasizing its flat-rate pricing and self-hosting features as an alternative to costly SaaS CRMs like HubSpot and Salesforce. He touches upon his previous venture, Formlift, and his early start in the WordPress plugin business while still in university. The conversation also delves into Adrian’s personal hobbies, particularly his love for building elaborate Lego sets, including the Titanic.

Bud steers the talk into lighter subjects like Adrian’s hobbies and their shared enjoyment of Legos. Adrian discusses his collection and ongoing projects, mentioning the intricacies of building large sets like the Titanic. The conversation turns to sports, local interests, and childhood, providing a glimpse into Adrian’s personal life and upbringing.

Towards the end, the question of future family plans arises, with Adrian expressing his and his wife's intention to have children soon. The episode closes with a recommendation for Greg Franklin as a potential guest for the show and a spirited discussion about hosting future WordCamp events in Niagara Falls, highlighting its appealing aspects compared to other Canadian cities.

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An unexpected conversation between two guys who know what it's like to struggle with mental illness.

This episode of "Seriously Bud" features a heartfelt conversation between Bud and Cory Miller. The dialogue opens with Bud welcoming Cory and discussing their mutual unfamiliarity, leading into talks about Cory's origins in Oklahoma City and connections with notable people in the tech community. As they delve deeper, Cory shares his story of how he met his wife, Lindsay, highlighting their enduring marriage of 13 years and reflecting on the complexities and challenges of long-term relationships.

The conversation transitions into more profound territory as both Cory and Bud open up about their personal battles with mental health. Cory discusses his experiences with depression and burnout, emphasizing the importance of professional therapy and support in managing mental health challenges. Bud reciprocates by sharing his own prolonged struggle with depression, including his recurring thoughts about suicide, and the genetic predisposition to depression in his family. 

Bud and Cory reflect on the value of sharing their mental health struggles publicly, aiming to break the stigma surrounding these discussions. Cory mentions his early experiences in 2015 when he decided to openly discuss his mental health issues, a decision driven by a desire to obliterate the stigma and encourage others to seek help. Bud recalls being inspired by Cory's openness, leading him to share his own mental health journey for the first time on air.

As the conversation shifts back to lighter topics, Bud and Cory discuss their families, travel experiences, and professional endeavors. Cory talks about his role as Chief Evangelist at A2 Hosting, focusing on helping agencies through coaching and building long-term relationships. He also mentions his family's upcoming cruise and past travel adventures, sharing amusing anecdotes about his experience with travel logistics.

The episode closes with Bud and Cory emphasizing the importance of not suffering in silence and seeking professional help for mental health issues. They leave listeners with a powerful message: everyone experiences pain, but no one should go through it alone. They also discuss potential future guests for the show, with Bud expressing interest in having Kimberly Lopari and Brian Gardner on future episodes.

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An unexpected conversation with an outgoing introvert who lives in the middle of nowhere.

Aaron Campbell appeared on "Seriously Bud" and discussed his journey as an outgoing introvert, clarifying that being shy and being introverted are not the same. Aaron finds social interactions rewarding but also exhausting, and emphasized the importance of understanding one's own energy dynamics. He talked about his struggle with running a business while realizing his introverted nature, ultimately finding balance by conserving energy for meaningful interactions.

During the conversation, Aaron shared personal anecdotes about his upbringing in San Diego, his move to Seminole, Oklahoma, and his close relationship with his sister and grandparents. He explained that his relocation was motivated by the need to care for his grandparents, and praised the benefits of working remotely in the WordPress space, which allowed him to support his family while staying connected to his professional endeavors.

Aaron and Bud also discussed their personal interests, such as Aaron's recent immersion in Magic: The Gathering with his son. Aaron detailed how this new hobby grew quickly into a significant part of their lives, highlighting the importance of shared activities in maintaining strong family bonds. Additionally, they touched on other hobbies like riding dirt bikes and UTVs, revealing Aaron's appreciation for high-speed activities.

In the latter part of the interview, Aaron reflected on his professional journey within the hosting industry. He currently serves as the Director of Product at A2 Hosting and has previously worked with major companies like Endurance International Group and GoDaddy. Before entering the hosting industry, Aaron ran his own web development agency, which gave him valuable insights into the needs of clients seeking to establish their online presence.

The episode wrapped up with a discussion about Aaron's television preferences, particularly his anticipation for the final episode of "Only Murders in the Building." He recommended Sarah Glenn for a future interview on "Seriously Bud," highlighting her contributions to the WordPress community through events like WordCamp US and State of the Word. Aaron expressed his admiration for Bud's unique perspective and concluded with a mutual appreciation for the conversation.

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An unexpected conversation with a woman who is Tuscan forever, no matter where she lives.

In this episode, Piccia Neri dives into the unique aspects of her name and her life journey. She starts by explaining how her name, which isn't her official name, often garners intrigue, particularly because it doesn't exist in Italy. Despite living in multiple countries, including the UK and Spain, she has retained her distinct name. In Spain, however, her legal name takes on a comical existence due to its resemblance to a slang term for a male anatomical part.

Piccia shares her early life experiences, highlighting her Italian roots and her move from the idyllic childhood in Parma to the less favored childhood in Siena. Her father, who had ties to both Milan and Tuscany, was a winemaker, and his work influenced much of her upbringing. Despite initially studying law, she quickly abandoned it due to lack of interest and instead pursued her passion in London driven by her love of music, which was a major part of her life in the late 80s and early 90s. Piccia describes her involvement in the vibrant London music scene, surrounded by a community of musicians and artists.

After some time in London, Piccia ventured into the publishing world focused on arts institutions like museums and galleries. This led to her passion for typography, which she eventually evolved into accessible typography practices. Her work is described as platform-agnostic, emphasizing the importance of typography in creating effective visual communications, rooted in sound HTML structure.

Aside from her professional endeavors, Piccia discusses her personal interests such as inline skating and yoga. She shares how yoga has become an indispensable part of her daily routine, helping her maintain physical and mental well-being. The conversation also notes her dislike for helmets during skating due to the limited protection they offer, emphasizing her preference for safety in other activities where helmets are more effective.

The interview wraps up with insights into her cooking abilities, influenced by her profound family culinary traditions. Piccia also talks about her family, including her older brother, younger sister, and her close relationships with her niece and nephew. She concludes by recommending Andrew Palmer as a guest for a future interview, noting his interesting life and mentioning that they share mutual connections in the WordPress community.

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An unexpected conversation with a Michigander who knows a good story when he sees one and can tell a few too.

The interview, led by Bud, begins with a discussion about Topher’s adventurous experiences in aviation, including an intriguing anecdote where Topher piloted a plane over the Bering Sea during a mission trip to Alaska. Topher recounts his passion for aviation and aerospace, sharing that he earned his pilot’s license in the early 90s but hasn't flown since. The conversation then transitions into Topher’s dabble in creating desktop Windows themes, specifically a theme for the International Space Station, highlighting his proactive reach out to NASA, which led to its inclusion on their website.

As the dialogue progresses, Bud delves into Topher’s personal history, starting with his uniquely derived name, Topher, from his full name Christopher. This name originated from a misunderstanding in his childhood and became more prominent in college to differentiate from other students with the same first name. Topher also shares his experiences with almost becoming an Air Force pilot, his journey through college, and his eventual pivot from aviation to working with the internet, discovering his affinity for it and recalling the early days of internet connectivity.

Topher extensively discusses his project, HeroPress, which was born from a need to support and connect WordPress enthusiasts across the globe, especially those from underrepresented regions. He explains the project's evolution from a grand idea involving videos to a more feasible text-based format where contributors write essays about their WordPress journeys and successes. This format, according to Topher, particularly resonates with the Indian WordPress community due to its promise of unedited, authentic storytelling.

The interview touches on personal anecdotes, including Topher’s relationship with his wife, meeting in college, and their subsequent life together. It also covers Topher’s thoughts on storytelling, his love for books, especially fiction, and his interest in specific historical periods of aviation. Throughout, Bud and Topher reflect on their experiences in the WordPress community, acknowledging the perception versus reality of networking and the challenges of securing stable employment despite extensive connections.

In closing, Topher updates on his current projects, including his company focused on creating how-to videos and developing websites, while also expressing his ongoing search for a steady job. He shares about the upcoming 10th-anniversary fundraiser for HeroPress, aiming to sustain the project for another decade. The two reflect on their experiences, the dynamics of their professional fields, and exchange light-hearted remarks and observations to cap off the engaging discussion.

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 An unexpected conversation with a British expat who's very plugged into the WordPress world.

Katie Keith, co-founder of a web design and WordPress plugin business, shares her journey and experiences in an interview with Bud. The conversation starts with her recounting how she met her husband at Sheffield University, transitioning from friends to partners despite their geographical differences. Katie's academic background in English and philosophy did not directly correlate with her career. However, it helped her develop transferable skills in research, writing, and analysis, eventually landing her a role as a technical writer and various other positions before moving into the WordPress space.

Throughout the interview, Katie highlights her and her husband's decision to start their own web design business in 2009, a move influenced by their discontent with their rigid corporate jobs. They began offering web design services to local businesses, eventually focusing on WordPress specialization. By 2016, they started transitioning from service-based work to developing their own WordPress plugins, optimizing their business by selling lower-performing plugins and concentrating on their best sellers.

Katie's fascination with data is evident as she discusses how it influenced their business decisions, such as optimizing Black Friday marketing strategies and recognizing the need to divest less successful products. Her data-driven approach allowed for better resource allocation and profitability. Katie also shares her personal life in Mallorca, Spain, where she and her family have settled, taking advantage of the flexible lifestyle that their online business affords.

Katie delves into her various roles and the difference she made in sectors like fostering and adoption, where she applied her marketing acumen to help find homes for children. She worked with her father, a former TV producer, on innovative projects to aid this cause, emphasizing the importance of emotional connections in adoption processes. Lastly, she talks about her enjoyment of paddleboarding, her preference for tropical islands like Seychelles and Mauritius, and her adjustments to living among a German expat community in Mallorca.

Bud caps the interview by asking Keith for recommendations on future guests and touches on her plans for attending upcoming WordPress events. Katie suggests inviting Alex Standiford, who is making significant strides in the WordPress plugin world. The interview concludes with Katie reflecting on her affinity for Europe and her enjoyment of the flexibility her career affords her, allowing her to live and work from beautiful places like Mallorca.