My WordPress Story
Late 2016, I got into WordPress.
And the story is really nice, I would say.
What happened is I had just started learning coding. I was building little applications to see what I could do.
One day while I was building something, someone said, you can actually build websites with WordPress.
And I'm like, okay. WordPress.
The people around me were all against WordPress because they knew WordPress.com. Many of them didn't really know WordPress.org. This was 2016. WordPress had been around for a long while, but a lot of people still had misconceptions about what it was.
So what happened that day? I left there and went to try WordPress myself.
I saw WordPress. And then, of course, the WordPress local applications to host locally like LocalWP or DevKinsta weren't there at that point. What was there? Tools like XAMPP, WAMP server.
So I installed WAMP server on my system, then installed WordPress. That's how I started learning WordPress.
I went through the process, was able to install everything, saw a functional website.
And I started exploring.
It dawned on me that I was more of a visual explorer rather than just a logical explorer in the sense of exploring with code. I was more on the visual side. Explore visually but applying logic. Visual logic.
So that's when I said, okay. If this is how it is, I don't think I'll do so much coding again.
What made the difference is that a lot of people were entering WordPress just to learn how to build websites.
For me, I got into WordPress because when I saw this tool, when I saw the repositories of plugins, I realized I can do a lot with this, not just websites.
That gave me an open possibility. Knowing that with WordPress, I can actually achieve more.
From 2016, I started building not just websites. In fact, it was majorly websites at first to prove the value of WordPress to a lot of people.
But as early as 2017, 2018, 2019, I started building custom applications with WordPress and plugins.
I wasn't necessarily coding. Sometimes I'd do a little bit of coding, but 90% of it was just plugins.
And that brought me to the reality. Wow. This thing can build websites. It can do much more than building websites.
That led to the journey of building custom applications.
Opportunities came. I started building job portals, client portals, membership portals, proposal systems, invoice management systems. All with WordPress.
It dawned on me that we can actually use this tool. Because this is a toolbox with several tools. We can use this to power business operations.
In fact, we've already been doing that.
A lot of businesses use WordPress for submissions. They use WordPress plugins for booking systems. They already use WordPress for managing inventory with WooCommerce. They don't even have online sales. But because it's WooCommerce, they're able to use it as their inventory system.
With WordPress, a lot of businesses unknowingly today are using it for business operations. But many more don't even know it's an option.
There are many businesses who have WordPress sites but don't know WordPress could handle some of their operational needs. Where consolidation makes sense, WordPress could be a viable option. Where specialized functionality is needed, it can integrate with SaaS tools.
But what's the problem? It's the perception.
The perception that WordPress is just a website builder is affecting developers themselves. WordPress agencies, developers. Because they also carry that limited perception, that limited idea of WordPress.
They don't see how to present WordPress as an option for operations to their clients.
Then we have the clients themselves. A lot of them just see their WordPress as their website. They don't know that WordPress could handle some of their operational needs.
Many are using SaaS solutions, which are valuable. SaaS tools excel at specialized functions. But some don't know WordPress could be a viable alternative for certain operational needs, especially where consolidation makes sense. Or that WordPress can serve as a hub that integrates with their specialized tools.
Then we have business owners who are actually using WordPress but not aware of its full operational capabilities. They could consolidate some functions on WordPress while integrating with specialized SaaS tools where those tools provide superior functionality.
Look at what happened:
2003: WordPress was a blogging platform.
2010s: WordPress became a website builder.
2020s: WordPress is a business operations platform.
But most people's perception stopped at 2010.
They see WordPress as it was, not as it is.
This perception gap is costing people options.
Not because SaaS tools aren't valuable. They are. Many SaaS tools are excellent at what they do.
But because WordPress isn't even considered as an option for operational needs.
Developers don't present operational solutions because they don't see WordPress that way.
Business owners don't explore WordPress for operations because nobody's shown them it's possible.
The WordPress ecosystem doesn't get valued for its operational capabilities because they're not widely recognized.
Companies don't know they could consolidate some operations on WordPress while integrating with specialized tools where needed.
All because nobody's named this as an option.
And that is my focus.
I want to shift the perception from WordPress being just a website builder to WordPress being a viable business operations platform.
That is why I call it WordPress for Operations.
I'm shifting the perception.
WordPress is a business operations platform. Website building is just one feature.
WordPress can handle many operational needs while serving as a hub that integrates with specialized SaaS tools when those tools provide superior functionality.
I do this by documenting what's already happening. Interviewing developers building operational systems. Revealing businesses using WordPress beyond websites. Showing how WordPress integrates with other tools effectively.
Naming what everyone's doing but nobody's recognized as a category.
I call it WordPress for Operations.
I'm not saying WordPress should replace every SaaS tool.
Many SaaS tools are excellent at what they do and should be used.
What I'm saying is WordPress should be recognized as an option for operational needs.
For many businesses, WordPress can handle core operations while integrating with specialized tools where those tools excel.
It's about informed choice. Business owners should know WordPress is an option.
Developers should know they can present WordPress for operational solutions.
WordPress as the hub. Specialized tools as spokes. Integration making it work together.
When perception shifts, options open up.
Developers can present WordPress for operational needs alongside or as an alternative to multiple separate tools, depending on what makes sense for the client.
Business owners can consider consolidating some operations on WordPress while using specialized SaaS where it makes sense.
The WordPress ecosystem gets recognized for operational capabilities, not just content management.
Businesses can choose unified platforms with integration capabilities instead of only fragmented solutions.
Imagine this:
A business owner evaluates WordPress as an option for operational needs, not just websites.
A developer presents WordPress as a unified platform that can integrate with specialized tools.
WordPress gets valued for its operational capabilities and integration potential.
Companies make informed choices about consolidation versus specialization.
That world is already possible.
The tools exist. The implementations are happening.
We just need to shift the perception.
If you're building operational systems on WordPress, your story matters.
If your business runs operations on WordPress, document it.
If you're integrating WordPress with SaaS tools effectively, share how.
If you believe WordPress should be considered for operational needs, help spread the word.
The perception shift starts with recognition.
WordPress for Operations is here.
Let's shift the perception together.