Howdy! My name is Jonathan. I’m curious and always looking for new things to learn and try.

Entrepreneurship has been a part of me since my early days. I started my first business at 10 with my brother Joshua, selling home-baked banana breads door-to-door.

I learned a lot through that experience. My learning continued as a teenager. I started my first partnership (“SandStorm Computers”) at age 17 with a friend.

After nearly 5 years in a big agency, I went solo for about 6 months and then joined Automattic, where I served as Community Lead for WooCommerce, the largest ecommerce platform on the Open Web. I worked at WooCommerce for 18 months and went back to the business of WordPress.

I have a son (Jaiden, 14) and a daughter (Jensyn, 10). We live just outside of beautiful Coeur d’Alene, Idaho.

I love games, particularly strategy games. These days, my favorites are Polytopia and the Age of Empires series.

Work

I’ve been building websites myself since I was 12 and began doing so professionally at 17. I started working with WordPress back in 2005 and I’ve been full-time in WordPress in a mix of ventures ever since.

Speaking

For some of the highlights, check out my WordCamp talks on WordPress.tv.

I also serve as emcee / moderator for WP Day at the annual CloudFest event in Germany.

I enjoy acting and got my start with in community theatre several years back. 2024 marks my third year in a row playing Lucifer.

Writing

I started my writing career at 9, publishing a small-circulation magazine called “Cougar Club.” Each issue was packed with fun facts, stories, illustrations, and activities.

I published my first book, Tiny Habits, back in 2018.

Want to see what I’m up to lately? Visit my Digital Garden.

Faith

I am a Seventh-day Adventist Christian and my faith has shaped who I am today. I work 6 days a week and rest on the seventh day, from sundown Friday to sundown on Sabbath (Saturday).

TruthLink.org by Ty Gibson is my favorite Bible study series.