On this week’s episode of the Niche Pursuits podcast, Andrew Wilder and I discuss his journey from lighting designer to WordPress support specialist. He explained how he scaled NerdPress to support over 900 websites and the steps every site owner should take to improve performance and protect their digital assets.
The conversation started with Andrew’s story, a look at how he turned his freelance work into a thriving subscription business, and ended with a practical checklist for WordPress website owners. Whether you’re a blogger, e-commerce owner, or WordPress enthusiast, this episode breaks down the exact systems and decisions that keep hundreds of sites running smoothly. Let’s take a look at Andrew’s way and his practical performances.
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From Theater Lighting to Website Support: Andrew’s Unexpected Path
Before NerdPress, Andrew Wilder worked in theater and lighting design for over a decade, even designing light shows for Princess Cruises. But exhaustion and a desire for change drove him to reinvent himself.
- He started his technology journey at the age of 8 by programming on an Apple II.
- He spent 10 years in theater and live events before changing careers.
- In 2010, she started a healthy eating blog that introduced her to food bloggers.
His passion for technology turned into a business when fellow food bloggers began asking him for help with their sites. What started as free support soon turned into paid freelance work, and by 2013, Andrew bundled recurring support tasks into monthly subscription plans.
How NerdPress was born and then rebranded
In 2013, Andrew introduced the first WordPress support plans with three price tiers: $39, $99, and a higher level plan he jokingly called the “Captain of Industry” tier.
- Early prices were determined by intuition and comparison of competitors.
- Real growth began when he raised prices based on perceived value rather than cost.
- A key conference moment helped him realize that customers weren’t trusting his service because the prices were too low.
The original name of his business was Blog Educator, but that didn’t reflect the technical nature of what he did. While brainstorming on a road trip, a friend came up with the name “NerdPress,” an apt identity for a team of technical problem solvers focused on WordPress.
Building a Team: Hiring with a Purpose
Andrew currently leads a team of 22 people, all based in the US, supporting over 900 sites. But being a CEO came with its challenges, especially with hiring and firing.
- Seek interest and aptitude for deep technical knowledge.
- Diversity, equity and inclusion are central to the team’s recruitment process.
- Recruiters use real-world tests where candidates are asked to solve WordPress problems live on Zoom.
Andrew emphasizes the importance of not making excuses when hiring. “What you see is what you get,” he explains. Relying on red flags and evaluating actual work has helped him create a strong, collaborative team culture.
Pricing Lessons for Freelancers and Service Providers
Prices were a recurring theme in the conversation. Andrew shared how fear held him back from raising rates, but the feedback from the conference was a wake-up call.
- People equated low prices with low quality, prompting him to raise tariffs.
- A simple change from $39 to $59 per month resulted in a dramatic increase in revenue.
- The focus is now on filling in what is needed to support high-quality service.
For anyone struggling with pricing, her advice is to iterate and test, but also to not underestimate yourself. “There’s no perfect price,” says Andrew, “but you can get pretty good.”
Backup Basics: Your First Line of Defense
When it comes to practical advice, Andrew doesn’t start with site speed; it starts with backups. This is the most boring yet critical part of WordPress administration.
- Automate backups to prevent them from being forgotten.
- Store backups off-site (e.g. Dropbox, Google Drive, AWS).
- Check your ability to restore from backups regularly.
He shares a horror story about a blogger who lost everything when his hosting company disappeared overnight. It took years to rebuild the site from the wreckage. Lesson? Don’t rely solely on host backups.
Site Security: Small Changes, Big Impact
Security isn’t as glamorous as SEO, but Andrew sees it as an essential layer for every site.
- Use strong, unique passwords with a password manager.
- Enable two-factor authentication on your website and email.
- Log out when using public Wi-Fi to prevent session hijacking.
One real-world example involves a hacked site where the attacker never got to the login page. They gained access by stealing a session cookie over a public Wi-Fi network.
WordPress Updates: Why You Can’t Ignore Them
Many site owners delay updates for fear of breaking something. But outdated plugins are one of the most common ways sites get hacked.
- Update plugins and WordPress core regularly.
- Delaying updates increases the risk of compatibility issues.
- Monitor change logs to anticipate major changes or vulnerabilities.
Andrew advises caution with surprise updates and major plugin version jumps. Avoid automatic updates if there is no monitoring.
Basic Web Vitals: The Real Deal for SEO and UX
When Google made Core Web Vitals a ranking factor in 2020, Andrew saw an uproar on the web. But understanding and addressing these metrics can make a real difference.
3 main indicators:
- Largest Content Paint (LCP): Time required to load the largest visible element (should be less than 2.5 seconds).
- Interoperability with Next Paint (INP): The time required for the site to respond after user interaction (must be less than 200ms).
- Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS): Measures how many items move during loading.
Simple optimization steps:
- Use a caching plugin like WP Rocket.
- Enable Cloudflare or similar CDN solutions for Enterprise.
- Keep your site lightweight by minimizing JavaScript and removing unnecessary assets.
Andrew also warns against getting obsessed with your PageSpeed Insights account. “This 0-100 score is simulated,” he says. “What really matters is the domain data above. It’s what Google uses for rankings.”
When to get technical and when to simplify
For technical users trying to get better results, Andrew advises caution.
- Don’t rely on micro-optimizations.
- Focus on real user metrics, not simulated tests.
- Remember that better user experience leads to better SEO performance.
Also, the mix of your traffic device is important. A site viewed primarily on mobile devices has different needs than a desktop-based site. Knowing your audience’s behavior helps you make smart optimization decisions.
Final Thoughts
Andrew Wilder’s journey from covering live events to leading a 22-person web support team is full of lessons for entrepreneurs. He built NerdPress from day one not through venture capital or massive scale, but through consistency, curiosity and customer-driven growth.
Here are some lengthy excerpts from the interview:
- Don’t underestimate your work; price is based on value, not fear.
- Build a team based on cultural fit and interest, not just skills.
- Backups, security and updates are fundamental to any WordPress site.
- Core Web Vitals are important, especially now that trust and UX are SEO signals.
- Allow boring things to happen (even if you’re not the one doing them).
Whether you’re running a blog, portfolio site or growing business, Andrew’s advice is clear: focus on the basics and your site and business will be in a stronger position.
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