Anand Upadhyay, the founder of WP Vibes is with us today for an exclusive interview so without further ado, let’s hear it from the man himself.
WPJuicer: Hello Anand, thank you for taking the time out for this interview. Before we start, how about you tell the readers about yourself?
Anand: Hi WPJuicer, thanks for giving me this opportunity. I am a WordPress lover from India. I am the founder of WPVibes where we build WordPress websites and plugins. My journey with Web Development started in 2010. At that time, I started as a Joomla developer. Gradually I started getting diverted towards WordPress. In 2016, I started developing WordPress plugins and founded WPVibes. Now we have thousands of users using our 5 Star rated plugin.
I also love contributing to WordPress. With the recent release of WordPress 5.6, I became a Core Contributor. I am also a Co-Organizer of the Ajmer WordPress Meetup group, where we regularly share our WordPress knowledge with others.
WPJuicer: You are the Founder of WPVibes. Tell us something about your company? How do you manage your responsibilities? Can you share any of your interesting stories?
Anand: WPVibes is a WordPress development agency. Our primary focus is on developing a WordPress plugin. I lead a team of enthusiastic developers, designers, and content manager. With an open team structure, everybody is free to share their ideas and feedback.
WPJuicer: What was the biggest challenge in getting WPVibes to market? What and how did you overcome development challenges?
Anand: Standing in the market is always full of challenges 🙂 We are a product-centric company. So one of the biggest challenges is making the solution so flexible that it can be useful for mass. If you are making a solution keeping only a specific use case in mind, you can’t grow. So we have to think from multiple perspectives while planning and developing any solution.
Another challenge is the proper handling of customer support. Here we get to know how the end-user thinks about our plugins and what their expectations are. This is from where we get most of the ideas for new features and enhancements.
WPJuicer: You have a very unique and simple website. How did that idea click your mind?
Anand: That is actually a work in progress 🙂 But yes, I do like a simple website that focuses on providing information that is easily accessible to site visitors.
WPJuicer: What are your views about the future of WordPress? Will its market share continue to grow? What is that one feature you would love to see in WordPress?
Anand: The future of WordPress is bright. If you look at the overall market share and the CMS market share, there is no close competitor. Also, there is a continuously evolving ecosystem around WordPress, which will keep taking WordPress to new heights.
Nowadays, SEO is like a basic necessity of every website. So, in my opinion, the functionalities provided by popular SEO plugins should be part of WordPress Core.
WPJuicer: What would you like to say for the WordPress community? How would you summarize the WordPress community in one word?
Anand: Fantastic.. During the initial days of my career, I was not aware of the Global WordPress community. But from the last 2-3 years, I have interacted a lot with the community. Whether it is attending WordCamps or getting involved with the WordPress community on social media platforms, I love it all.
WPJuicer: WordPress core is lesser known for its speed & security, what are your steps to optimize and make it more secure? Which plugins are your favorite and most recommended?
Anand: I always believe that if you choose your plugins and themes wisely and keep everything updated, most security issues will never arise.
WPJuicer: Within the WordPress Community, who do you consider among your best friends?
Anand: WordPress community is full of friendly people. I have made many friends while attending various WordCamps and interacting with the WordPress Community on social media.
WPJuicer: What do you look for in a managed WordPress host?
Anand: I prefer Cloudways Digital Ocean hosting. I started using it 4 years back and never looked back. Apart from performance and ease of use, the best part is their live support.
WPJuicer: We have talked too much about your professional life. Let’s tell our readers about your hobbies and interests. What does Anand do other than work?
Anand: When I am not working, I love to spend time in the backyard. I love gardening. I like flowering plants and also keep experimenting with growing vegetables. I also love trekking. My home is just at the foothills of Aravali Mountain Range. Exploring different routes to the peak is also one of my passions.
WPJuicer: Any other thoughts or things you wish to mention?
Anand: I would like to encourage individual and WordPress based agency owners to contribute more towards WordPress. This is the way to give back to the community from where you have gained a lot. And in my personal experience, any kind of contribution is itself a learning experience.
