Epic Plugins Meets WP Elevation

Ok, I wanted to spend a little time writing an update to what Epic Plugins has been up to (apart from working on updates and new themes). What our focus has been on recently has been to reach outside of our little UK island and aim to touch base with other people in the same business as we are. Why?

Well, I think it’s a great idea to learn from people who have been where you are, and can help guide you along the way. The first person I* reached out to was Troy Dean, he runs WP elevation and I had watched a number of his videos interviewing various “celebrities” in the WordPress area. I had watched his interviews of Pippin Williamson and Paul Gibbs (both people who I have crossed paths with in the past – and both great guys in WordPress).

So, after contacting Troy a couple of months back, we finally got chance to schedule a bit of time together. I learned some more about what he’s doing down under, and I shared some insights into the “Epic Plugins” journey, what we do here and whether there’s a space where we can help each other. So, why am I blogging about this? surely it’s something that should be “kept behind closed doors”?

That’s sort of true, but I wanted to share some things that came out of the discussion, that I for one wasn’t 100% aware of, so here they are!

1. Troy is actually a really great and genuine guy, he listened to my story, provided sage advice and also explained what his team were up to with WP elevation. I encourage you to check them out here if you aren’t aware of them already.
2. He’s involved in Video User Manuals which is certainly something that, if you freelance, or generally if you’re unsure about WordPress is something to check out. Do you find yourself answering clients questions which actually relate to the use of WordPress (and not to your new design, or plugin)..  If like me, it’s a big YES, then I encourage you to check out if Video User Manuals is right for you.
3. Be the master of your own destiny. If you currently work for someone else, start planning how you could perhaps one day steer your own ship out of the harbour.
4. Hard work pays off. If you take a look at the blog over at WP elevation, you can see how much effort they’re putting into what they do.
5. An online scheduler is quite cool. Troy uses this: http://www.scheduleonce.com/meetme.aspx but I’ve personally found set more is a cool solution (and free)

[p.s. none of the above links are affiliate links]

Video User Manuals (in a bit more detail)

To add a bit of media content to this post. I wanted to spend a little bit of time looking into the video user manuals service, and why I personally think it’s a great tool if you consult using WordPress, develop WordPress Plugins or Themes or if you’re a beginner with WordPress.

• Videos just work. A picture speaks a thousand words. A video speaks a thousand pictures. A great way of making the client experience with WordPress that bit smoother.
• It’s white label, so you can add this as your own “solution” to help with client onboarding if they’re new to WordPress (why re-write the book on something (or re-record the video) if it already exists).

If you’ve used either WP elevation, or Video User Manuals I’d love to hear your own thoughts in the comments below.