They’re worth rooting for

Had my subject line been click-baity, like “Why WordPress Leaders Are Failing Us”, this email would have gotten more opens. It’s just how the internet works.

That’s not necessarily bad, but it’s not great either. What ends up happening too often is the most radical views get the most attention — both negative and positive. But whether you love it or hate it, you’re talking about it, and attention is currency in the online economy.

We see it in politics, and we see it inside our little WordPress ecosystem too.

But for every loud, attention-seeking headline, there’s someone quietly making a difference.

It’s a bit of shame that goes too often unnoticed, so today I thought I’d give flowers to some of the people I have the most respect and admiration for. They’re the least likely to run around shouting about how great they are themselves, but I think someone should do it.

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Hans & Donata at Termageddon. You want to talk about authenticity? These two are it. Donata’s all about the details, and Hans could turn a stranger into a dinner guest in under 60 seconds. Together they filter every decision through one question: How do we make this right, and how can we help our customers succeed?

Amber Hinds at Equalize Digital. She’s the kind of leader who doesn’t need to make a scene to make a difference. But Amber’s kindness doesn’t stop her from standing her ground — she’ll go toe-to-toe with anyone. The definition of an advocate for her cause.

Mark Westguard at WS Form. There is a ton of competition in this space, but Mark isn’t shouting to get attention — he’s showing up. Whether it’s sponsoring WordCamps, joining podcasts, or pushing out an update for a single user who requested a niche feature.

Thiago de Carvalho at Deer Designer. Because of TAB’s size & influence, I end up speaking to a lot of product & service companies. A lot of them start those conversations wanting to know conversion rates, demographics, and ROI. Thiago only asks how he can help, and he’s the first to volunteer anytime TAB needs anything.

This is by no means a complete list, but a great template for the types of people and companies I’m talking about.

WordPress has been a wild ride lately — it feels like enthusiasm has hit an all-time low.

But while attention-seekers will always dominate the headlines, if you block out the noise, I know there’s still a community worth rooting for.