Just Show Up

Andrew Wilder, founder of NerdPress, tracks his journey from theater lighting designer to food blogger to web solopreneur to tech CEO. Andrew recalls his dad’s advice, to walk different paths and see what you like. Doing this got him to what he is passionate about—enabling people to use complex tech solutions. Once Andrew let go of the need to define his identity through professional labels, he freed himself to measure success by his own standards and metrics. Key among those was targeting excellence rather than perfection. Andrew explains how in his leadership role, coat-checking his “control freak” tendencies, delegating, and collaborating on decisions empowers his team and fuels NerdPress’s growth. He emphasizes how core company values apply to both customers and staff, and how checking in with those principles helps him and his team make decisions that align with their mission. A strong company culture, robust communication system, and strategic partnerships enable Andrew’s work family to have fun while providing exceptional services. Andrew shares how just “showing up” and talking with people led to unexpected opportunities in his career. He encourages listeners to be bold, take risks, and stay open to possibilities that may lead to the next big thing.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

Be bold and take risks: Just showing up and connecting with people leads to opportunities and growth. Many of the pivotal moments in Andrew’s journey were the result of unexpected conversations.

Let go of labels: Andrew shares his journey, from attaching his identity to labels to building a company and defining success his own way.

Strive for excellence, not perfection: The pursuit of excellence leads to success and fulfillment, while obsessing about perfection can hold you back.

Collaborate, empower, and trust: Hiring good people, leveraging the power of communication software, and forming strategic partnerships, Andrew ensures that NerdPress clients enter a collaborative orbit for “WordPress support that feels like family.”

Core values as a tool: Andrew and his team work by a fundamental rule: When you’re struggling to make a decision, use the company’s core values as a guide.

SOUND BITES

“Just showing up is huge. You never know what's gonna happen. Be bold and take a risk. It's so easy to reach out to somebody. Where I am now is a result of all these little interactions that I never could have predicted."

“My dad just encouraged me to try stuff. He would say, ‘There's always going to be a bunch of paths in front of you, and you should try going down them and see what sticks and what you like.’ Walking down a path isn't a huge commitment. It sometimes feels like it is, but it isn't.”

“I'm not going to let go of excellence, but it doesn't have to be perfect. There's a difference.”

“I found myself not really liking the work. I loved having done it, and being proud of the work. But I didn't like the actual doing. The idea is one thing, but the day to day is another. We are the sum of our days. And if we're miserable each day, we're going to be miserable. One of the things I look for when hiring is intrinsic motivation. One of my favorite interview questions is, ‘What gets you excited to get out of bed in the morning?’ I love hearing how people answer that question.”

“If I'm struggling to make a decision, I look at our core values. If we have a company culture that’s resilient, and is a shared set of values, as long as somebody on my team is living those values, I'm going to back them 100 percent.”

“There's a cartoon that’s, like, two panes. One side says ‘What people think success is.’ It's just a graph of a straight diagonal line, going up right with an arrow. The next pane is ‘What success really looks like’—a squiggly line going all the way around until you finally get to the top corner. It's very messy. If you're constantly comparing yourself to others, you're only seeing that straight line.”

ABOUT ANDREW WILDER

Andrew Wilder is the founder and CEO of NerdPress, a dynamic team renowned for providing exceptional WordPress support, optimization, and maintenance to hundreds of publishers and small businesses. Andrew's first career, in theater lighting design, instilled in him a deep appreciation for collaboration, a principle integrated into the ethos of NerdPress. Andrew’s technical expertise and knack for making complex topics understandable have made him a go-to speaker on web-tech, and a regular contributor on the “SEO for Bloggers” webinar series. Through his Eating Rules food blog, Andrew started the October Unprocessed challenge that inspired more than 30,000 people to adopt healthier eating habits by building community and avoiding processed foods. An Eagle Scout, Andrew serves on several boards and commissions in Los Angeles as part of his commitment to community service.

CONNECT WITH ANDREW

Website: https://www.nerdpress.net/

Website: https://eatingrules.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nerdpress.net

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/eatingrules

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nerdpressteam

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrewjwilder/

CONNECT WITH TESS

Website: https://tessmasters.com/

Podcast Website: https://ithastobeme.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theblendergirl/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theblendergirl/