Summary
AI Nancy
Bud Kraus welcomes guest Ben Sibley to Seriously, BUD? for a warm, personal conversation that quickly turns to Ben’s recent marriage. Ben shares how he met his wife Izzy (full name Isat, from the Ismaili sect of Islam) on Bumble; she had moved from Pakistan to the U.S. at age 12 and was commuting from New York to Philly for work. Their September wedding in Germantown, PA blended cultures beautifully: they held the traditional Nika ceremony on-site at the venue so her parents (who flew in from Pakistan) could attend, followed by an American-style reception complete with an open bar after thoughtful family discussions.
The couple intentionally merged traditions. Men wore suits while many women on Ben’s side excitedly donned ornate Pakistani dresses. A highlight was the mandatory performances – Ben and friends hired a Philly-based choreographer via Instagram and YouTube, practicing a 90-second dance for weeks. Ben describes the Hunza Valley in northern Pakistan’s Himalayan mountains as their next destination in August; now that they’re married, he can finally join Izzy on her trip home, a long journey via Dubai, Islamabad, and a rugged four-and-a-half-hour drive.
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Ben then opens up about his own roots. His father was born in Nigeria during his globetrotting parents’ travels (the family business was birding – his uncle wrote the famous Sibley Guide to Birds). Seeking stability after years of jungle expeditions in Ecuador and beyond, his dad settled the family in Pennsylvania. Ben grew up in a tight-knit Exton/West Chester neighborhood with a community pool and shared mailboxes until age 10, enjoyed a solid suburban childhood, navigated high-school friendship challenges, then thrived at Temple University where he studied business and minored in entrepreneurship.
Professionally, Ben started building WordPress sites in 2010 as a Temple student, first selling SEO and affiliate services before launching Compete Themes in 2014—minimalist, content-creator-friendly themes that paid the bills and let him move back to Philly and stand on his own. After selling a content-calendar plugin, he spotted the need for privacy-first, WordPress-native analytics amid GDPR concerns and the rise of tools like Plausible and Fathom. He reconnected with college friend Andrew Mead; together they built Independent Analytics, with Andrew now handling 99% of development while Ben focuses on marketing.
The episode ends on a light, reflective note. Ben recounts a fun Mediterranean cruise with friends (Barcelona, Malta, Santorini, Mykonos, Turkey, Athens—though the blazing Acropolis heat nearly did him in) and mentions possible WordCamp plans, likely skipping Europe this summer for the Pakistan trip. He speaks movingly about feeling an instant “cut from the same cloth” connection with Izzy from their first tacos-and-drinks date, how both families ultimately embraced the union, and names Katie Keith and Matt Cromwell as favorite people to follow in the WordPress space. The conversation closes with mutual appreciation and laughter, perfectly capturing the show’s heartwarming vibe.
What’s Ben Up To? Find Out At The WP World.