That I love WordPress should be self-evident, but there’s someone I love even more – my Grandson.

Here I am with Jacob Ryan Kraus in the Finger Lakes in 2021. I’m giving him a lesson on my 12-string guitar. Like all my good students, he is  paying very close attention.

Hi! My Name Is Bud Kraus

I’ve been teaching web design and WordPress since the Earth cooled and I’m happy to see you here.

Since 1998, I’ve taught web design, then WordPress, to thousands in New York City and beyond. Whether in class or online, I’ve instructed people from over 80 countries. What an honor!

At first it was (and still is) about teaching best practices through the use of web design standards. Then, in 2009, it was WordPress. I saw that I could teach anyone how to make and manage wonderful websites without needing to know code.

In 2017, after years of classroom and webinar instruction, I started to take the best of what I knew and created the free WP A To Z Series. I took you step by step to build a WordPress site from (spoiler alert) A to Z. That was the predecessor of this site which featured 40 or so video lessons.

And people starting asking me to work on their WP sites and off I went re-modeling websites that weren’t working well or not at all.

 Passionate

No matter how much I’ve taught I’ve always ben driven by the wonders of WordPress and showing, if you put a little effort into it, how you can make meaningful websites. What can be more empowering than to achieve the ability to communicate to your audience and beyond.

Which is why Joy of WP is here. Think of it as your learning tool to come back to whenever you need to learning something you need right now or want to explore possibilities for your site.

I will be here for you updating video lessons and adding new ones so that you get the most out of learning with me.

 Involved

Can I quote myself?

The best part of WordPress is the WordPress Community. And the software is pretty good too.

When I got started with WP in 2009 I had no idea there was an expanding group of people that felt the same as I did about WordPress. Over time I was to go to many WP Meetups in person and via Zoom) in New York City and Montclair, New Jersey to share ideas and to help others with their sites.

Then in 2017 I spoke at the United Nations but exactly in the General Assembly for WordCamp NYC 2017. Since then I have been accepted to speak at many WordCamps meeting lots of WP folks. All of them are smart, friendly and willing to help. Many of them understand that WordPress has given their lives broader meaning and are willing to give back. I’m one of those.

And Then

As I write this the WP Community is starting to meet again in person after 2 years of being apart. Sure, there were plenty of online events but nothing beats the real thing.

So, in December 2021, the annual State of the Word, always presented at WordCamp US, was presented as usual by Matt Mullenweg, the co-founder of WordPress in 2003, in a most unusual way. I was lucky to be selected, with about 75 others, to attend the address in New York City while thousands looked on around the world.

Here I am with Matt. We exchanged our ages. And then I told him that we were going to know each other for a long time!