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An unexpected conversation with a world traveler who knows a good cigar when he smokes one.

In this episode of Seriously, BUD?, Bud talks with James, a WordPress developer from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, in a relaxed, wide-ranging conversation that starts with cigars and unfolds into a deeper look at life, work, and perspective. James shares his casual approach to cigar smoking, his experience living in a surprisingly diverse Iowa community, and his journey from serving in the U.S. Navy to becoming a self-taught WordPress developer. The discussion moves into personal territory – including family, faith, and adoption – while also touching on bigger themes like AI, job uncertainty, and the future of digital work. As always, the episode

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An unexpected conversation with a guy who is an expert on Jollof Rice and loves his relationship with God.

Bud talks with Joel, a young Nigerian developer and Kinsta editor he’s worked with but never met live, uncovering a thoughtful and driven individual shaped by faith, curiosity, and ambition. Joel shares insights into life near Lagos, his Christian beliefs, and a daily routine centered on learning AI, writing, and building a SaaS product around web scraping. Despite a modest family background, he maintains strong connections with loved ones while pursuing global aspirations through tech. The conversation blends humor and depth, touching on culture, travel dreams, and personal growth, ultimately reflecting the human, unexpected storytelling at the heart of Seriously, BUD

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An unexpected conversation with a Jersey girl who glamps, then sends people to web pages.

Pam shares how her love of glamping led not only to a tight-knit community in New Jersey but also to meeting her husband during the pandemic, while her career evolved just as unexpectedly—from a secretary navigating both analog and digital systems to teaching herself web development, discovering WordPress, and ultimately building a boutique SEO agency. Through hands-on experience, she grew into e-commerce and marketing, later forming strategic partnerships within the WordPress community, especially through WordCamps. At the core of her journey is a belief that storytelling and real human experience matter more than ever in today

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An unexpected conversation for episode 100 with two people that aren't people.

In this special 100th episode of Seriously, BUD?, AI-generated hosts Eve and Adam take a step back to explore the deeper patterns behind the conversations that have shaped the show. What emerges is a powerful portrait of the WordPress community—not as developers or designers, but as people. From introversion and meaningful connection at WordCamps to the surprising overlap between coding, music, and creative expression, this episode uncovers the emotional and human threads that run through it all. With moments of humor, vulnerability, and resilience, the conversation reveals something bigger: the internet we build reflects who we are. And behind WordPress is a community grounded in curiosity, creativity, and compassion.

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An unexpected conversation with an engaging entrepreneur who first turned on a computer on day one at university to get his Master’s in Computer Science.

This episode of Seriously, Bud? features Bud in conversation with Manish Dudharejia, tracing his journey from a modest, education-focused upbringing in India to becoming the founder of E2M Solutions. With early exposure to business through helping his father, Manish eventually discovered his passion not in coding, but in SEO and digital marketing after a chance encounter in college. That turning point led him into the WordPress ecosystem and, over time, to building a successful white-label agency serving clients worldwide. Now focused on strategy and growth, Manish also reflects on cultural traditions, personal experiences, and the evolving role of education and technology—ultimately expressing a strong desire to give back by sharing what he’s learned along the way.

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An unexpected conversation with a WordPress entrepreneur who helped millions rank better on Google - and still prefers a quiet life in his small Dutch town.

In this episode of Seriously, BUD?, Joost de Valk reflects on the journey that led him from a small town in the Netherlands to becoming one of the most influential figures in the WordPress ecosystem. He discusses his upbringing in a family deeply engaged in social and community work, his early detour into theology studies, and how curiosity eventually pulled him into the world of technology and open-source development. Joost recounts how blogging about CSS and experimenting with WordPress sparked his interest in search engine optimization, ultimately leading to the creation of the Yoast SEO plugin at a time when WordPress users lacked strong SEO tools. After selling Yoast, he now focuses on investing in companies and developing Progress Planner, a project aimed at helping people continuously improve their websites. Throughout the conversation, Joost emphasizes that his success was less about a master plan and more about curiosity, timing, and collaboration, while staying grounded in family life and community involvement.

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An unexpected conversation with a guy who appreciates the luck he's had changing his career from civil engineer to Mr. WooCommerce.

Rodolfo Melogli joins the show with a story that feels like it was written for a movie. At 20 years old, while vacationing on the volcanic island of Lipari off the coast of Sicily, he met a young woman and - despite being shy - left her a handwritten note asking to meet on the beach the next day. She said yes. They spent a day together, shared a kiss, and then life pulled them in different directions. Eighteen years passed. Careers, relationships, countries. Then, through social media and a shared love of food, they reconnected. One visit to Sicily turned into a second beginning. Today they’re married, have a five-year-old son, and often joke that their two kisses - separated by nearly two decades—felt like no time had passed at all.

Professionally, Rodolfo’s path was anything but linear. Trained as a civil engineer in Rome, he moved to Ireland for work but was laid off around the 2011 recession. Instead of retreating, he pivoted. He began building websites, reasoning that constructing digital stores wasn’t so different from building roads - just more flexible. In 2016, as an early digital nomad, he traveled solo through South America for six months with nothing but a laptop and a local SIM card, serving clients remotely. What started as simple code snippets and fixes shared online gradually evolved into a steady stream of inbound leads.

That sharing ultimately made him widely known in the WordPress world for his expertise in WooCommerce. What began as a personal archive of solutions turned into a high-traffic educational platform. For more than a decade, he has consistently published tutorials, built courses, and recently transitioned to a membership community model. His philosophy is simple but powerful: give generously, build trust, and the business will follow. Even when his father questioned why he would “give away secrets for free,” Rodolfo understood the modern reality - free content builds credibility, and credibility builds opportunity.

Outside of work, Rodolfo is deeply passionate about sports - especially football (soccer), tennis, and basketball. He prefers playing over watching, though he still follows major tournaments when time allows. Life now revolves around family rhythms in Palermo, where late dinners with children at restaurants are perfectly normal. His wife, trained as a biologist, is exploring her next chapter while they balance parenting and professional life. Travel remains a shared love, though Rodolfo admits he often overlooks the tourist attractions in his own country - a classic case of locals ignoring what visitors travel across oceans to see.

The conversation closes with Rodolfo’s newest venture: “The Checkout Summit,” an independent WooCommerce-focused event in Sicily designed to bring online colleagues together in person. It reflects his larger belief in community, connection, and creating opportunities rather than waiting for them. He also shares the inspiring story of a Nigerian doctor-turned-developer who grew through Rodolfo’s community and is now launching his own agency. For Rodolfo, success isn’t just about code or commerce - it’s about recognizing opportunity when it appears, working consistently once luck strikes, and building something meaningful from it.

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An unexpected conversation with a guy who thinks analytically and acts independently.

In this episode of Seriously, BUD?, Ben Sibley shares the story of his recent cross-cultural marriage to Izzy, blending a traditional Ismaili Nika ceremony with an American-style celebration in Philadelphia. From choreographed wedding dances to an upcoming trip to Pakistan’s Hunza Valley, Ben reflects on love, family, and merging traditions. He also dives into his upbringing in Pennsylvania, his entrepreneurial path from building WordPress sites in college to founding Compete Themes and co-creating Independent Analytics, and his passion for privacy-first tools in the WordPress ecosystem. The conversation weaves together marriage, travel, business, and community, capturing both Ben’s personal warmth and his thoughtful approach to building products and relationships alike.