Category: Speakers

Introducing Our Keynote Speaker

Posted on by Robert Nissenbaum

I first met Jocelyn Mozak at WordCamp Portland in 2017. I was there primarily to network and connect with others I had only previously met online, but there were a couple of sessions which intrigued me.

One of those was Jocelyn’s Building a Profitable WP Agency. It wouldn’t normally be a topic of interest as my brand is all about content and social media marketing, but I was exploring possibilities which would allow me to focus more on my personal passions. It couldn’t hurt to listen.

By the time her talk was finished, I was impressed. I was impressed with the material presented. It was comprehensive and understandable. I was impressed with her speaking. As a speaker myself, that spoke volumes. She was comfortable, confident, and clearly passionate. She spoke to us, not at us. Her delivery was fun and she was relatable.

I had a chance to introduce myself later that afternoon. We had a great conversation and have been friends since. Over the past 2 years I have attended other talks she has given. Early this year we talked about her career, how WordPress has given so much to her, and her desire to help others in a more profound way.

When the opportunity arose this year for a keynote speaker, Jocelyn immediately came to mind.

Who is Jocelyn Mozak?

Jocelyn has over a decade of experience building, running and wrangling a 6-Figure WordPress Website Design Agency all while having two boys at home.

While her education in engineering certainly refined her technical and analytical skills, it is her passion for what she does that makes her an outstanding WordPress web designer. She is an expert in thinking outside the box and filtering out the key points amidst all the noise.

In addition to running her Agency, Jocelyn is a mentor & coach to other WordPress professionals helping them to build businesses that support the life they desire.

Her Keynote: The Gift of WordPress

In her own words:

“WordPress has come a long way from its humble beginning.

My own journey with WordPress began over 10 years ago. Seated at a park, reading the iThemes php code while my 2 boys played. Little did I know where my WordPress adventure would take me.

Maybe your experience with WordPress was similar.

You sat down at your computer one day with a dream, a vision and you installed this software called WordPress that everyone kept talking to you about. And off you went.

That is the gift of WordPress.

WordPress enters our life and we never look back.  

Whether you be a blogger, freelancer, or small business owner you will discover opportunities connect and grow within the WordPress community on a global and local level and how to get the most out of your WordCamp Seattle 2019 experience.” 

Please join us as we kick off #wcsea with Jocelyn Mozak!


We’ve extended Our Speaker Application Deadline.

Posted on by mattoperry

We’re excited by the variety and quality of proposals we’ve already received for WordCamp Seattle 2019. In the coming days, we’ll be reaching out to those who have applied to speak — so if you’ve applied, thank you! WordCamp would not exist without the participation, hard work and enthusiasm of all of our speakers.

This year we want to give more people a chance to apply, so we’ve decided to extend the application deadline to midnight on September 3.

Everyone has a story to tell.

Maybe you’ve discovered a particularly cool technique for managing your sites. Did you write or are you working on a particularly cool plugin? Do you know about optimizing WordPress for scale, performance or search? Do you use WordPress to solve problems in your classroom, business or enterprise? How has WordPress changed your life or livelihood?

We all have a story to tell, and we’d like you to speak this year and share yours!

We have extended the deadline for you.

All you need to do now is apply. You don’t have to be an expert. All you need is you story.

Submit your application with the basics about you and your topic, and you’ll hear from us soon.

WordCamp only works because folks like you (yes you!) decide to share your wisdom, ideas and experience with the wider community. So please apply to speak, and see you at WCSEA 2019!

You Don’t Need to be an Expert to Speak at WordCamp Seattle

Posted on by marenc

Maybe you have been mulling over whether or not you want to apply to speak at WordCamp Seattle this November.

Maybe you are concerned the content you want to present isn’t what others want to hear or that the topic has been done before and often. Perhaps it is how well you speak or that you do not consider yourself an expert on the subject matter.

Whatever your doubt, put it to rest. WordCamps aren’t about bring the experts to the stage. They are about community. About the every day user, whether that be a business owner depending on their website performing properly, a content writer, or a seasoned developer, coming together to meet, network, and learn. It doesn’t matter where you feel you fit into the community. You FIT!

Put those concerns to rest.

Concerned about the content of your talk? Speak with our team. We can give you ideas, not only on your topic, but other topics your could choose.

Think the topic has been overdone? We may have heard the topic before, but never from your perspective. It’s not only about what is said. It’s about how it is said. Your voice, your words, your message. That is unique and WILL resonate with someone.

Don’t feel you are great speaker? WordCamps focus on everyone. As organizers we aren’t looking for the best speakers. We are looking for those who have something to share. You do!

Don’t consider yourself an expert? As someone who has started learning from the ground up—whether as a blogger, business owner, or developer—you have experience newbies want to hear. Some people attend WordCamp because they are just getting started and they want a little inspiration or direction to get them on their feet.

Maybe you geek out at parties, your friends’ eyes glazing over, as you pontificate about the technical intricacies you’ve wrestled down. We’ve got the audience for that! There’s a whole cadre of WordCamp attendees who want to take their skillset to the next level. And you can help them get there!

We know this because they’ve told us.

WordCamp feedback surveys show we draw a mixed audience of users with varying degrees of experience in WordPress. Each group hopes to hear speakers that can get on their level—whatever level they happen to be on presently.

Don’t feel limited by trying to appeal to all audiences. Just make note in your pitch paragraph of the audience want to reach—beginner, intermediate, or advanced users. We’ll make sure the right audience finds you.

If you have a talk you’d like to present…

Apply and forget the doubts. You’ve got this and the audience wants to hear from you!