Seriously, BUD?

Send us Fan Mail An unexpected conversation with a woman whose husband suggested she give WordPress a try, and a new career was born.  Lumi Ciobanu shares her remarkable journey from Romania's world of classical music to a career in WordPress. After spending more than two decades as a pianist, musicologist, university professor, and earning a PhD in musicology, she made the difficult decision...

Send us Fan Mail An unexpected conversation with a guy who might just be the only organizer at WordCamp US 2026 who speaks fluent Gujarati. Arpit G. Shah shares an unexpected conversation that goes far beyond WordPress, reflecting on the loss of his father, the meaning behind the "G" in his name, his childhood in Gujarat, India's love of cricket, and the country's rich cultural...

Send us Fan Mail An unexpected conversation with a guy who fortunately wore the green sticker at his college's Kissmass party.  Chris Reynolds reflects on a life shaped by curiosity, family, and a passion for technology. He recounts growing up in the San Francisco Bay Area, meeting his wife Erin in college, and building a lasting marriage rooted in a chance encounter that became a lifelong pa...

Send us Fan Mail I'm taking a 3-week break as my wife Arlene and I are traveling to Prague, Krakow, Paris, and Portugal. WOW. That is enough. And I need a break. Europe, here we come! 

Send us Fan Mail An unexpected conversation with a man who has 20,000 connections on LinkedIn and knows what to do with them. In this episode of Seriously, BUD?, Bud talks with Jagadish “Jaggy” Tulagapu from India – an international recruiter for WPMU DEV who has built a global network of more than 20,000 LinkedIn connections and actually knows how to use them. The conversation moves from India’s...

Send us Fan Mail An unexpected conversation with a woman who wants to be a rabbit farmer, should she decide to grow up.  In this episode of Seriously, BUD?, Bud talks with AmyJune Hineline about her unusual journey from growing up on a rural Northern California farm to working in engineering, nursing, open-source technology, and the Linux Foundation. The conversation explores hearing loss and acce...

Send us Fan Mail An unexpected conversation with a guy who reads 75 books a year and enjoys the window seat on an airplane.  In this episode of Seriously, BUD?, Bud talks with Kevin McGillivray from Pressable about books, music, travel, AI, WordPress, and life on Vancouver Island. Kevin shares how Goodreads helped fuel his goal of reading about 75 books a year, leading into a larger conversation a...

Send us Fan Mail This is the last day of my 17-day journey to Hawaii with 2 stops in San  Francisco. Back next time with a new episode of Seriously, BUD? 

Send us Fan Mail I'm taking a little break from my normal routine as I am in Hawaii attending a wedding.  This is a perfect time to catch up on all 104 episodes that you may have missed. Of course, you can do that from wherever you get your podcasts or just by going to Seriously, BUD?.com

Send us Fan Mail An unexpected conversation with a woman whose radiant smile goes with her when she's bungee jumping In this episode of Seriously, BUD? , Bud sits down with Mumtahina Faguni for a warm and engaging conversation that blends humor, culture, and personal storytelling. Speaking from Bangladesh, Faguni shares her background growing up in a large family, her adventurous spirit – fro...

Send us Fan Mail An unexpected conversation with a world traveler who knows a good cigar when he smokes one.  In this episode of Seriously, BUD? , Bud talks with James, a WordPress developer from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, in a relaxed, wide-ranging conversation that starts with cigars and unfolds into a deeper look at life, work, and perspective. James shares his casual approach to cigar smoking, his ex...

Send us Fan Mail An unexpected conversation with a guy who is an expert on Jollof Rice and loves his relationship with God. Bud talks with Joel, a young Nigerian developer and Kinsta editor he’s worked with but never met live, uncovering a thoughtful and driven individual shaped by faith, curiosity, and ambition. Joel shares insights into life near Lagos, his Christian beliefs, and a daily routine...

Send us Fan Mail An unexpected conversation with a Jersey girl who glamps, then sends people to web pages.  Pam shares how her love of glamping led not only to a tight-knit community in New Jersey but also to meeting her husband during the pandemic, while her career evolved just as unexpectedly—from a secretary navigating both analog and digital systems to teaching herself web development, discove...

Send us Fan Mail An unexpected conversation for episode 100 with two people that aren't people.  In this special 100th episode of Seriously, BUD?, AI-generated hosts Eve and Adam take a step back to explore the deeper patterns behind the conversations that have shaped the show. What emerges is a powerful portrait of the WordPress community—not as developers or designers, but as people. From i...

Send us Fan Mail An unexpected conversation with an engaging entrepreneur who first turned on a computer on day one at university to get his Master’s in Computer Science. This episode of Seriously, Bud? features Bud in conversation with Manish Dudharejia, tracing his journey from a modest, education-focused upbringing in India to becoming the founder of E2M Solutions. With early exposure to busine...

Send us Fan Mail An unexpected conversation with a WordPress entrepreneur who helped millions rank better on Google - and still prefers a quiet life in his small Dutch town. In this episode of Seriously, BUD? , Joost de Valk reflects on the journey that led him from a small town in the Netherlands to becoming one of the most influential figures in the WordPress ecosystem. He discusses his upbringi...

Send us Fan Mail An unexpected conversation with a guy who appreciates the luck he's had changing his career from civil engineer to Mr. WooCommerce.  Rodolfo Melogli joins the show with a story that feels like it was written for a movie. At 20 years old, while vacationing on the volcanic island of Lipari off the coast of Sicily, he met a young woman and - despite being shy - left her a handwr...

Send us Fan Mail An unexpected conversation with a guy who thinks analytically and acts independently. In this episode of Seriously, BUD?, Ben Sibley shares the story of his recent cross-cultural marriage to Izzy, blending a traditional Ismaili Nika ceremony with an American-style celebration in Philadelphia. From choreographed wedding dances to an upcoming trip to Pakistan’s Hunza Valley, Ben ref...

Send us Fan Mail An unexpected conversation with a guy who is not going to get married because it is too hard to get divorced.  Luca Rodino joins Seriously, BUD? to share the story of picking up a saxophone two years ago with no musical background, driven purely by his love of jazz and blues. From practicing in an industrial gym because the instrument is too loud for home, to growing SiteGround in...

Send us Fan Mail An unexpected conversation with a guy who's always on the lookout for a Red-Bellied Woodpecker to make his day.  Eric Karkovack’s path began with dreams of becoming a radio DJ, but the reality of that industry led him instead toward web design, a field he’d been preparing for since childhood through early experiences with Apple IIc computers and teaching himself HTML in the e...

Send us Fan Mail An unexpected conversation with a full-stack nerd who has lived her life as the exception to the rule.  In this episode, Ute Keller shares her journey from growing up in a small town near Germany’s Ramstein Air Base to becoming a seasoned solopreneur with over 20 years of experience. She reflects on a shy but academically strong childhood, a winding career path marked by experimen...

Send us Fan Mail An unexpected conversation with a WordPress evangelist who deserves all the WP Credits coming her way. In this episode of Seriously, Bud, Bud sits down with Isotta Piera, a WordPress Credits Program lead, for a wide-ranging and personal conversation that moves from life in Europe to life in open source. Isotta shares what led her and her wife to move from Madrid to Barcelona, her...

Send us Fan Mail An unexpected conversation with a lover not a fighter who grew up where nature smiles for seven miles.  Adam Warner’s story is one of reinvention, resilience, and curiosity. After losing his job in the office furniture industry, he pivoted into web design and eventually found his place in the WordPress community, where he once lived life as a conference “road warrior.” Today, he’s...

Send us Fan Mail An unexpected conversation with a lucky human who gets lost with the redwoods, eucalyptus, and bay laurel as much as she can. Julia Golomb’s story weaves together curiosity, community, and purpose. Raised between New Hampshire and New Jersey, her unconventional education – from Montessori school to a demanding boarding school – sparked a lifelong love of learning, even as it taugh...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Seriously, Bud , Mark Szymanski opens up about his deep roots in Pittsburgh, where he’s spent his entire life. He shares memories of growing up in a family-run Italian diner, playing deck hockey, and discovering his passion for information science and WordPress after studying at the University of Pittsburgh. Mark reflects on his career path, moving from a market...