Monte Martin –

As digital marketing consultant I spend most of my time glued to my laptop, but when I get a free minute I usually spend it on my bike. I love cyclocross, mountain biking, my wife, and my jack russell, (not necessarily in that order).

He will be presenting a session titled “Optimizing your site for (business) performance” on Saturday. 

Interview with Monte:

Why do you use WordPress?
It both easy to use and extensible. You can start with a small site and WordPress will easily grow with you.

What do you like best about WordCamps?
The variety of attendees. It attracts all types of nerds, from the creative recluse to mathematical geniuses, and average business users still feel right at home in the mix.

What is your favorite tip or resource for a new WordPress user?
Be very careful when selecting the peripherals that support your site, ESPECIALLY your theme. There are lot of really great themes out their. There are just as many, if not more, that I wouldn’t wish on my direct competitor. Look for something that is lightweight and add functionality via plugins. Don’t look for a theme that does everything you want and more.

How do you stay up to date with new information about WordPress?
Code Poet Newsletters and Twitter. I don’t do enough development these days to actively stay on top of all the latest stuff.

Do you have any advice for a person who’s building a business around WordPress design/development?
Make sure your clients can measure the success of what you do for them, and measure what matters to them. If you don’t know how, don’t miss my talk!