I’m very excited to share this exclusive interview with Bob Dunn (aka BobWP) just prior to his launch of Do The Woo (now live at DoTheWoo.io). There is a lot going into this launch so am happy to get some quick Q&A with a well known name in the WooCommerce ecosystem.

RJ: Bob, great to have you here prior to your relaunch! Before we dive into that let’s catch up everyone with you and BobWP. What’s your background and what got you into the WordPress ecosystem and community?

Bob: Well, depending how far back you want to go. I started freelance graphic design in the late 1980’s, and started a marketing business in 1993 that my wife and I ran for 17 years.

In 2007, I started looking into WordPress as a solution for building sites for clients and was intrigued with blogging as well. 2010 I dove head first into WordPress and the community and started building the brand BobWP. Over the last decade I have worked primarily with beginners through coaching, teaching and consulting plus trying my hands at membership sites, online courses, podcasting and other forms on content marketing.

RJ: So you’ve seen a lot of WordPress! How did you wind up focusing on WooCommerce?

Bob: I was an early adopter when it came out in 2011, having built a relationship with WooThemes starting in 2009. Intrigued with eCommerce, I continued to dabble in it more and more and would use it to sell various services and downloads on my own sites.

At the same time I was starting to write more content around Woo. This just organically grew and it was obvious to me my audience had a strong interest in it. I started the Do the Woo podcast in 2016 which eventually became the WP eCommerce Show. But as I focused more and more on Woo, that is when I started the podcast back up in January of 2018. At the beginning of 2019, I went for a total focus of Woo on BobWP.com

RJ: What were the things at BobWP that made you think you needed a change?

Bob: There are probably several factors. A very large one was that I have been writing tutorial posts in this space for 13 years. And to be honest, I was getting burnt out on it. There are so many mediums for content these days that I found myself wanting to put more energy into my podcast, which led to a bigger focus around community. So I made the decision to break the Do the Woo podcast into its own site and build it into something bigger around the Woo builder community. This also gave me a new opportunity to take advantage of all I had built up in the ecosystem.

RJ: With all of that out of the way, let’s hear all about the new DoTheWoo.

Bob: Do the Woo is all about connecting the WooCommerce builders. There are the developers, designers, both individuals and agencies who use WooCommerce to build online stores for clients. It also includes all those who build products for WooCommerce. It’s not about learning how to build a store. Or how to promote a store.

It really is more about connecting all these builders through stories, perspective and insights. The chance to have a central place to know what is going on in the community and what people are thinking about. Also a great way to connect with each other by learning more about each other.

In a nutshell it will include 6 episodes of the podcast a month, including more of a panel discussion on two of those. I will cover WooCommerce news through various mediums. Profile members of the community and share events that are happening specifically in the Woo ecosystem (plus a few of my own events). I will also be providing job listings specific to people looking to use their WooCommerce talents.

There’s as many working pieces in a community as this site has facets and I’m sure it will organically grow over time.

RJ: Thanks so much for your time, looking forward to the October 6 launch!