Summary
AI Joshua
In this engaging conversation, Bud welcomes Beth Soderberg, an extroverted introvert who has excelled in the WordPress community and beyond. Despite initial perceptions of being mysterious and icy, Beth reveals herself to be a warm and empathetic person. She reflects on her shy childhood and how she has evolved over the years, becoming more outgoing and taking on public-facing roles such as being the president of the Gay-Straight Alliance in high school and a tour guide in college. Her educational journey included double majoring in Women’s and Gender Studies and Psychology at American University, which she completed through a creative loophole in her scholarship requirements.
The discussion deepens as Beth shares her professional journey, starting with her role as an executive assistant at the Feminist Majority Foundation and Ms. Magazine. During the 2008 recession, she adapted by diving into technology, specifically within the WordPress ecosystem, guided by a valuable mentorship. This led to her attending WordCamp Boston in 2010 and eventually co-founding a small WordPress agency, Bethink Studio. Her team focuses on development, information architecture, and project management, prioritizing clients who align with their values of integrity and empathy.
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Beth and her team intentionally cultivate a diverse range of skills and backgrounds within their agency, believing in the synergy of different perspectives. They work extensively with nonprofits, higher education, and some corporate clients, striving to make technology accessible and purposeful. They often collaborate with freelance experts in areas like design and accessibility, ensuring each project is handled by the best-suited professionals. Their approach is empathetic, treating every client as a person with a unique life situation, which has earned them a loyal client base.
The conversation also touches on Beth’s personal interests and teaching philosophy. She enjoys artistic pursuits like printmaking and art journaling, and while she has not formally taught art, her passion for mentorship informs her business practices. The agency incorporates mentorship into its workflow, allowing junior team members to learn through live, narrated work sessions. Beth envisions offering small group classes focused on live teaching, which she believes can be more effective than video-based learning.
Towards the end of the discussion, Beth speaks briefly about her family, including her sister who works in compliance in the financial services industry, a role Beth would not enjoy. She humorously recounts their different professional paths and how they both ended up content in their respective fields. Beth concludes the conversation by reflecting on the evolving WordPress community and the importance of staying intellectually engaged and emotionally connected. She suggests Courtney O’Callaghan, her mentor and current colleague, as a great potential guest for a future episode.
What’s Beth Up To? Find Out At The WP World.