As the year draws to a close, we find ourselves at the threshold of the final chapter of 2023, reflecting on the milestones, innovations, and growth that have defined these twelve months for WebDevStudios (WDS). In this last company news blog post of the year, we’re eager to share not just our own achievements but also the exciting stuff happening in the world of WordPress.
At WebDevStudios, our commitment to delivering exceptional web solutions powered by WordPress remains unwavering. We recognize the immense value in keeping our readers, clients, peers, and potential clients abreast of the latest developments. This blog serves as more than a mere chronicle of our accomplishments; it’s a portal into the heart of our ethos, a platform to engage and inform, and a testament to our dedication to transparency and knowledge-sharing.
Join us in this retrospective glance at December as we celebrate our collective achievements and set our sights on the exciting opportunities that lie ahead in 2024.
State of the Word
The State of the Word, an annual keynote address by WordPress co-founder Matt Mullenweg, is a pivotal moment offering reflections on the WordPress project’s evolution and its vision for open source’s future. Breaking new ground, this year’s State of the Word ventured beyond North America to connect with the Spanish community in Madrid, Spain on December 11, marking a significant milestone. The event’s global reach expanded as it was live-streamed across WordPress.org’s social media platforms, inviting enthusiasts worldwide to partake in this influential gathering.
During the presentation, Matt reflected on WordPress’ evolution in 2023, highlighting its 20th anniversary. He also expanded on the future of WordPress and participated in a question-and-answer session. If you missed State of the Word, you can review it below. Additionally, WDS Director of Engineering Mitch Canter wrote his own recap of the event and published it on his blog. We recommend checking it out.
Algolia DevBit
Another big event that happened in December was Algolia DevBit, which is a quarterly livestream series. It features the Algolia engineering team disseminating updates, providing valuable insights, and presenting optimal methodologies directly to the thriving Algolia developer community.
As the developers behind WP Search with Algolia and WP Search with Algolia Pro, WDS is a part of the Algolia developer community. As such, our Co-Founder and CEO Brad Williams was invited to demonstrate live the power of WP Search with Algolia. In his demo, Brad showed just how easy it is to serve website visitors fast, relevant search results by combining with power of WordPress with Algolia. Watch Brad’s Algolia DevBit presentation below.
Holiday Festivities
Despite what the Scrooges of the world might think, it is possible to have a vibrant company culture in a remote work environment. Just take a look at how WebDevStudios is doing it.
Charity Challenge
Our annual charity challenge is in full swing. Our team chose to support OLPC, which stands for one laptop per child. Its mission is to not only provide laptops but also innovative and creative learning experiences for children all around the world. Learn more about and donate to our fundraiser at Rally Up.
Other Fun Activities
Besides our charity challenge, WDS also hosted a happy hour, scavenger hunt, Festivus tree and ugly sweater contests, and coordinated an international Secret Santa gift exchange. Needless to say, it’s been a fun and lively December.
We’re Hiring
WebDevStudios is actively recruiting a Director of Accounts to lead our sales team. If you are driven by client success, are an outcome-focused professional, possess effective communication skills, and have a background in managing client relationships, we want to talk to you!
Please take a moment to review the job description and submit your online application today.