Summary
AI Becky
Steve Mosby joins Bud from Manchester, England, for a conversation about family, relationships, career changes, and the unexpected ways WordPress has shaped his life. Born in Leeds and raised in a small Yorkshire village, Steve describes a modest upbringing with a father from Yorkshire and a mother born in Hong Kong. His parents met in a local pub and have been together for nearly five decades. Steve shares his love of cooking traditional British dishes, experimenting with Italian and Indian flavors, and growing vegetables in the garden he created during the COVID pandemic. Gardening has become an important escape from technology, giving him an opportunity to relax and disconnect from his computer. He also recalls discovering computers at school when they were still relatively uncommon, playing rugby league, and regretting that he never became fluent in another language.
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The conversation becomes more personal as Steve describes meeting his husband, Chris, through an online connection. They quickly developed a relationship, only to discover that years earlier they had worked in the same Manchester office building, just one floor apart, without ever meeting. Now married for more than ten years, they enjoy the support of both families. Steve recalls his grandfather, who apparently understood their relationship even though Steve never explicitly told him, and his grandmother, who memorably refused to put down her champagne during the family photographs at their wedding. He also speaks about his younger brother, who has autism and lives with their parents. Growing up, Steve helped care for his brother while his father frequently worked overseas. Those responsibilities taught him independence and practical skills that later earned him the nickname “Big Brother” at university. Steve and Chris have discussed the possibility of assuming greater responsibility for his brother’s care as their parents grow older.
Steve’s professional journey has taken him through several unexpected fields. After studying business at university in Manchester, he entered the workforce but experienced redundancy during the economic downturn around 2009. He subsequently joined Britain’s National Health Service, where he spent approximately twelve years working in analysis and finance. One of his most memorable assignments involved supporting a pediatric oncology department, an experience he describes as both heartbreaking and uplifting because of the remarkable children and staff he encountered. He was also working at the hospital during the aftermath of the Manchester Arena terrorist attack, when casualties were brought in for treatment. Steve later qualified as an accountant and began developing his own business. Combining his financial expertise with his interest in WordPress, he created accounting software that enables small businesses to prepare and submit tax returns directly to the UK government. He describes it as the first WordPress-based accounting software officially recognized for that purpose.
Steve’s involvement in the WordPress community began almost accidentally during the COVID pandemic, when he discovered an online conference looking for volunteers. What started as a way to occupy an evening quickly developed into a substantial commitment to WordCamp organizing. He progressed from volunteering to helping organize events, serving as a lead organizer for WordCamp Europe in Switzerland, and eventually becoming one of the mentors supporting WordCamp Europe’s organizing teams. Rather than directing volunteers, Steve sees his responsibility as providing guidance, answering questions, and stepping in whenever additional help is needed. He also participates in the committee that evaluates potential host cities for future WordCamp Europe events, considering factors such as local communities, finances, and logistics. His background in accounting gives him a particularly useful perspective on event budgeting and financial planning.
Throughout the interview, Steve emphasizes that the greatest reward of participating in WordPress is the friendships and connections it creates. He describes traveling to WordCamp Galicia with friends from Serbia and Georgia, joking that people outside the community sometimes struggle to understand why he would travel hundreds of miles with people from different countries whom he met through WordPress. For Steve, those relationships are precisely what makes the community special. They provide professional support, opportunities to collaborate, and friendships that extend far beyond technology. He also expresses enthusiasm about the return of WordCamp Manchester after an eight-year absence, hoping it will help revitalize the local community. As the conversation concludes, Steve recommends longtime WordCamp contributor Uros Tasic and Wendy Huizentveld from the Netherlands as future guests. Bud and Steve finish by discussing how WordCamp Europe locations are selected, sharing their enthusiasm for the international community, and reflecting on how volunteering has transformed Steve’s life in ways he never anticipated.
What’s Steve Up To? Find Out At The WP World.