Here, elevated conversation on crucial issues. Lloyd Matheson on inside sources.

Here, elevated conversation on crucial issues. Lloyd Matheson on inside sources.

Welcome back to inside sources here on KSL News Radio. It's great to be with you today. I am Boyd Matheson. We're broadcasting live today from Silicon Slope Summit here at the Delta Center in downtown Salt Lake City, an extraordinary collection of CEO S and authors and tech experts all coming together to learn to lead to connect and to make a difference in the community. And we're just thrilled to have Matt Mullen with us here live and Matt, of course, is the CEO of automatic founding developer of wordpress, which I think everybody has a few

Welcome back to inside sources here on KSL News Radio. It's great to be with you today. I am Boyd Matheson. We're broadcasting live today from Silicon Slope Summit here at the Delta Center in downtown Salt Lake City, an extraordinary collection of CEO S and authors and tech experts all coming together to learn to lead to connect and to make a difference in the community. And we're just thrilled to have Matt Mullen with us here live and Matt, of course, is the CEO of automatic founding developer of wordpress, which I think everybody has a few

questions about. And uh Matt, welcome back. I know that you haven't been to Salt Lake in a while, but uh welcome back since

questions about. And uh Matt, welcome back. I know that you haven't been to Salt Lake in a while, but uh welcome back since

2018. But I'm really sad to be back like uh it, it is looking better than ever. Yeah, it

2018. But I'm really sad to be back like uh it, it is looking better than ever. Yeah, it

is a great thing. And as you look at this uh amazing collection of, of people, we were talking about the bump ability factor in the hallways of uh just the energy and the buzz around that uh you're gonna be presenting on the on stage there, give us a little peek into what you hope to be talking about with these folks today.

is a great thing. And as you look at this uh amazing collection of, of people, we were talking about the bump ability factor in the hallways of uh just the energy and the buzz around that uh you're gonna be presenting on the on stage there, give us a little peek into what you hope to be talking about with these folks today.

The talk is called uh life distributed and open source. And so I'm gonna be making some connections um with open source as a philosophy, you know, this idea that software should have liberties attached and freedoms and as our lives are more and more influenced by our technology, um you know, determines what route we take. When we go to the store, it determines who we date. Like it's influencing so many parts of our lives, we should be able to see how that software works. We should be able to modify it

The talk is called uh life distributed and open source. And so I'm gonna be making some connections um with open source as a philosophy, you know, this idea that software should have liberties attached and freedoms and as our lives are more and more influenced by our technology, um you know, determines what route we take. When we go to the store, it determines who we date. Like it's influencing so many parts of our lives, we should be able to see how that software works. We should be able to modify it

and we should have, you know, digital sovereignty privacy, all these things get more and more important. So open source provides that and uh that's what I've dedicated my life to wordpress is one example of that, but we have lots of other open source things we created and I want, you know, future generations to grow up in a world with a web that is uh

and we should have, you know, digital sovereignty privacy, all these things get more and more important. So open source provides that and uh that's what I've dedicated my life to wordpress is one example of that, but we have lots of other open source things we created and I want, you know, future generations to grow up in a world with a web that is uh

you know, it really belongs to the

you know, it really belongs to the

people. Yeah. Oh And I love that and that there's about 27 things to unpack in that sentence uh of all the things in terms of uh how it is so interconnected into our lives and, and why we should know what's going on. What are, what are those algorithms doing or why is it serving me this content or, you know, pointing me to this space. Uh give us use the example of wordpress because I think it's one everyone can kind of wrap their head around uh in terms of a, of an open source and uh what it's actually doing in terms of powering the way

people. Yeah. Oh And I love that and that there's about 27 things to unpack in that sentence uh of all the things in terms of uh how it is so interconnected into our lives and, and why we should know what's going on. What are, what are those algorithms doing or why is it serving me this content or, you know, pointing me to this space. Uh give us use the example of wordpress because I think it's one everyone can kind of wrap their head around uh in terms of a, of an open source and uh what it's actually doing in terms of powering the way

and, and the influence there.

and, and the influence there.

Sure. So wordpress started actually 20 years ago. So when I was 19 years old, um started it and then dropped out of college. So, so do something first and drop out. Don't, don't drop out.

Sure. So wordpress started actually 20 years ago. So when I was 19 years old, um started it and then dropped out of college. So, so do something first and drop out. Don't, don't drop out.

I did it the other way. I dropped out and then did something

I did it the other way. I dropped out and then did something

and um yeah, over the years it's really grown but not because of anything I did, but because of community so much like the Wikipedia wordpress is put together by thousands and thousands of people, some who do translations, some who write documentation, some who write code and um the open nature means that it can run on any web post. You know, you have blue host here in the neighborhood, a company that's been around for a while, but you can also run on a Wordpress dot com. Go Daddy and all these sorts of different places.

and um yeah, over the years it's really grown but not because of anything I did, but because of community so much like the Wikipedia wordpress is put together by thousands and thousands of people, some who do translations, some who write documentation, some who write code and um the open nature means that it can run on any web post. You know, you have blue host here in the neighborhood, a company that's been around for a while, but you can also run on a Wordpress dot com. Go Daddy and all these sorts of different places.

And it's now grown to power over 40% of all websites um on the internet, which is right now 10 times the number two in the market. So in some ways, you know, in normal non open source technology that that would be a bad thing or maybe this product or this power, but it's not a company that's the thing it belongs to

And it's now grown to power over 40% of all websites um on the internet, which is right now 10 times the number two in the market. So in some ways, you know, in normal non open source technology that that would be a bad thing or maybe this product or this power, but it's not a company that's the thing it belongs to

all of us. No one's like, hey, the Wikipedia has like too much information because it belongs to all of us where the press belongs just as much to you as it has to me. So what happens is when open source gets this, what I'll call a positive fly wheel where it gets more users when some percentage of those like usually 1% will contribute.

all of us. No one's like, hey, the Wikipedia has like too much information because it belongs to all of us where the press belongs just as much to you as it has to me. So what happens is when open source gets this, what I'll call a positive fly wheel where it gets more users when some percentage of those like usually 1% will contribute.

Um And then it gets better and then it gets more users. And so that sort of positive fly wheel creates um just kind of a natural what I'll call a standard.

Um And then it gets better and then it gets more users. And so that sort of positive fly wheel creates um just kind of a natural what I'll call a standard.

Yeah. Oh I love that. And uh for everyone listening, this is such a great example. Uh not just when it comes to open source in terms of

Yeah. Oh I love that. And uh for everyone listening, this is such a great example. Uh not just when it comes to open source in terms of

what's going on computer wise, uh and tech wise, you actually just described how communities should function and it is that fly will of having that open source, having that shared interest. You get a few more people on. It's, it's always, you know, it starts with one person with a crazy idea and then you have two people and, and they might be foolish but not crazy. And 10 and suddenly they start to act in 100 and you got a little bit of momentum and 1000 you can, you can change a community or a neighborhood.

what's going on computer wise, uh and tech wise, you actually just described how communities should function and it is that fly will of having that open source, having that shared interest. You get a few more people on. It's, it's always, you know, it starts with one person with a crazy idea and then you have two people and, and they might be foolish but not crazy. And 10 and suddenly they start to act in 100 and you got a little bit of momentum and 1000 you can, you can change a community or a neighborhood.

Uh And so I love that principle. You

Uh And so I love that principle. You

never know when it's gonna happen either. So Wordpress started, I never met the co-founder. Um He just commented on my blog one comment. It was the only comment on the blog post that I had done and that then sort of, you know, snowballed. I picked up steam over the years. Yeah.

never know when it's gonna happen either. So Wordpress started, I never met the co-founder. Um He just commented on my blog one comment. It was the only comment on the blog post that I had done and that then sort of, you know, snowballed. I picked up steam over the years. Yeah.

Oh, I love that. I love that and that sense of, of community uh because that creates a culture all of its own. And I think Wordpress has done this in particular uh in terms of just creating,

Oh, I love that. I love that and that sense of, of community uh because that creates a culture all of its own. And I think Wordpress has done this in particular uh in terms of just creating,

hey, we're gonna come together, we're gonna make this thing better. And so we're gonna offer our best, you know, we're not gonna, we're not gonna hide and hoard and we're not gonna try to amass, you know, power or control. Uh That's a pretty good model.

hey, we're gonna come together, we're gonna make this thing better. And so we're gonna offer our best, you know, we're not gonna, we're not gonna hide and hoard and we're not gonna try to amass, you know, power or control. Uh That's a pretty good model.

Well, and the other nice thing is that if anyone ever disagrees, they can modify it. So Wordpress has this really extensive plug-in and theme system. So if someone doesn't like some decision we made, you just install a plug-in, change it right back. So it really puts the control back in the hand of users. That's something we've done in wordpress. And also, you know, I founded a company Automatic, a few years later. It's now um about 1900 people in 97 countries, so fully distributed.

Well, and the other nice thing is that if anyone ever disagrees, they can modify it. So Wordpress has this really extensive plug-in and theme system. So if someone doesn't like some decision we made, you just install a plug-in, change it right back. So it really puts the control back in the hand of users. That's something we've done in wordpress. And also, you know, I founded a company Automatic, a few years later. It's now um about 1900 people in 97 countries, so fully distributed.

And um with all of our products, Tumblr Jetpack, uh pocket cast, open source podcasting. Yeah. Um We try to say how can we make this as user centric as possible. Yeah.

And um with all of our products, Tumblr Jetpack, uh pocket cast, open source podcasting. Yeah. Um We try to say how can we make this as user centric as possible. Yeah.

And that, that user centric, uh, again is another thing that often gets lost in the many of the business spaces is they, uh, they get that control element going there and there becomes a scarcity mentality. I guess that's the other thing I love about what you do and how you do it.

And that, that user centric, uh, again is another thing that often gets lost in the many of the business spaces is they, uh, they get that control element going there and there becomes a scarcity mentality. I guess that's the other thing I love about what you do and how you do it.

Uh, we live politically. It's a zero sum game, you know, if you're doing well, that means I'm doing less well. Uh So that's bad. Uh And so I love that you're just breaking all of those, you know, myths of how we should approach things. Uh So it's an abundance approach. That's

Uh, we live politically. It's a zero sum game, you know, if you're doing well, that means I'm doing less well. Uh So that's bad. Uh And so I love that you're just breaking all of those, you know, myths of how we should approach things. Uh So it's an abundance approach. That's

why I love technology, right? Working in bits instead of atoms, things can be positive. Some, yeah, there's something called a network effect. So the more people that use something, the more valuable it becomes like the first

why I love technology, right? Working in bits instead of atoms, things can be positive. Some, yeah, there's something called a network effect. So the more people that use something, the more valuable it becomes like the first

two telephones were cool but weren't not that useful. But all of a sudden when you know, half the people in the world have them, they're very, very useful the same way. Like when wordpress is as more people use wordpress, it's a bigger market. So more people develop solutions, you know, Google optimizes for it. So it really can like, you know, the SEO is great and so everyone kind of builds around it as a standard, even the language we're built on, which is called PHP.

two telephones were cool but weren't not that useful. But all of a sudden when you know, half the people in the world have them, they're very, very useful the same way. Like when wordpress is as more people use wordpress, it's a bigger market. So more people develop solutions, you know, Google optimizes for it. So it really can like, you know, the SEO is great and so everyone kind of builds around it as a standard, even the language we're built on, which is called PHP.

Now optimizes their new releases to run wordpress better. So it's sort of, uh, you know, every release gets a little faster without us even doing anything. That's

Now optimizes their new releases to run wordpress better. So it's sort of, uh, you know, every release gets a little faster without us even doing anything. That's

amazing. Uh And again, such a model for so many different things that this applies to business, it applies to government, it applies to your family, it applies to your neighborhood and community. Uh I love that part of the conversation. And uh Matt, as you're, as you're here, as you're kind of bumping into, to people, uh as you're going through, give us just kind of a, a sense, what are some of the conversations you're engaging in that here at Silicon Summit?

amazing. Uh And again, such a model for so many different things that this applies to business, it applies to government, it applies to your family, it applies to your neighborhood and community. Uh I love that part of the conversation. And uh Matt, as you're, as you're here, as you're kind of bumping into, to people, uh as you're going through, give us just kind of a, a sense, what are some of the conversations you're engaging in that here at Silicon Summit?

It's actually been kind of fun because um you know, I'm speaking tomorrow, but in between then I'm just kind of walking the halls. We've got this teeny tiny booth, but we, I came to Utah for actually one main reason, they've asked me to speak at this conference forever. But um we're, I'm actually kind of looking for a very specific person which is uh a wizard of types. So, so like I said, we're running like 40% of the internet now, like the running those systems behind the scene is really challenging. And um so we're hiring a system engineer

It's actually been kind of fun because um you know, I'm speaking tomorrow, but in between then I'm just kind of walking the halls. We've got this teeny tiny booth, but we, I came to Utah for actually one main reason, they've asked me to speak at this conference forever. But um we're, I'm actually kind of looking for a very specific person which is uh a wizard of types. So, so like I said, we're running like 40% of the internet now, like the running those systems behind the scene is really challenging. And um so we're hiring a system engineer

and Utah has a lot of these types of folks, but they don't have linkedin's, you can't find them. And so that's kind of why I agreed to myself. I'm like, that's why I'm hanging out at the, in the halls and talking to people And, um, and then we're also, we said, uh, anyone who refers, including listen to the show or anyone at the conference who refers someone we hire for this, we're only hiring four people, um, gets $10,000 which we've never done a bounty before. I've hired over 3000 people. This is the first time we're ever paying something a rural, but that's how crucial this is because we are really limited right now

and Utah has a lot of these types of folks, but they don't have linkedin's, you can't find them. And so that's kind of why I agreed to myself. I'm like, that's why I'm hanging out at the, in the halls and talking to people And, um, and then we're also, we said, uh, anyone who refers, including listen to the show or anyone at the conference who refers someone we hire for this, we're only hiring four people, um, gets $10,000 which we've never done a bounty before. I've hired over 3000 people. This is the first time we're ever paying something a rural, but that's how crucial this is because we are really limited right now

because things are growing so fast by, uh, the systems engineering. So if you know anyone like that, please send them our way.

because things are growing so fast by, uh, the systems engineering. So if you know anyone like that, please send them our way.

All right. That's a, that's a good incentive on a, on a Wednesday. So we'll, we'll take that

All right. That's a, that's a good incentive on a, on a Wednesday. So we'll, we'll take that

it's the best flag of all the booths.

it's the best flag of all the booths.

I don't think there's a booth up there that's got a $10,000 bounty on it. So that's a, we'll point everybody that way. Fantastic. Well, Matt, before I let you go, uh, give us one kind of parting takeaway, uh, in terms of, uh, as you look out at, at the

I don't think there's a booth up there that's got a $10,000 bounty on it. So that's a, we'll point everybody that way. Fantastic. Well, Matt, before I let you go, uh, give us one kind of parting takeaway, uh, in terms of, uh, as you look out at, at the

connected world. Uh, what is it that you wish we were talking about a little more or a little bit different,

connected world. Uh, what is it that you wish we were talking about a little more or a little bit different,

I think, to bring it

I think, to bring it

to open source a little bit again, but maybe make it broader.

to open source a little bit again, but maybe make it broader.

I think it's, we don't often connect enough our principles or values to the decisions and how we vote with the products we use and how we vote with our wallet. So I would love people just to um we all have things we value. It's different that what I value is gonna be different from you. But think about that and think about how you can,

I think it's, we don't often connect enough our principles or values to the decisions and how we vote with the products we use and how we vote with our wallet. So I would love people just to um we all have things we value. It's different that what I value is gonna be different from you. But think about that and think about how you can,

you know, create more of what you want to see in the world. If you think Facebook's destroying democracy, like maybe use a little less, maybe start a tumbler account or something, you know, like whatever it is and then ultimately voting with your dollars is, is one of the most effective ways and capitalism works, you know, where you put your attention, where you put your money, there will be more and more of where

you know, create more of what you want to see in the world. If you think Facebook's destroying democracy, like maybe use a little less, maybe start a tumbler account or something, you know, like whatever it is and then ultimately voting with your dollars is, is one of the most effective ways and capitalism works, you know, where you put your attention, where you put your money, there will be more and more of where

you invest, whether it's your time, your money or your attention.

you invest, whether it's your time, your money or your attention.

Uh That's uh that is the difference maker. Uh Matt, thank you so much for making time for us today. Extraordinary conversation. We're glad you're here in the state. We hope you find your four people. Uh We'll try to help with that as we go through the day. Uh And uh we look forward to hearing from you tomorrow at Silicon Slope Summit and I look forward to where you go next. We'll be watching and following.

Uh That's uh that is the difference maker. Uh Matt, thank you so much for making time for us today. Extraordinary conversation. We're glad you're here in the state. We hope you find your four people. Uh We'll try to help with that as we go through the day. Uh And uh we look forward to hearing from you tomorrow at Silicon Slope Summit and I look forward to where you go next. We'll be watching and following.

Not because you're just doing extraordinary things from a business standpoint, but I think you're demonstrating the principles that we need more in tech, more in business and more in our communities to be living by. So, thanks so much for joining us today. Thank you so much for having me all Right. We'll step aside for some bottom of the hour, news, more inside sources coming up next on KSL news radio. Stick around.

Not because you're just doing extraordinary things from a business standpoint, but I think you're demonstrating the principles that we need more in tech, more in business and more in our communities to be living by. So, thanks so much for joining us today. Thank you so much for having me all Right. We'll step aside for some bottom of the hour, news, more inside sources coming up next on KSL news radio. Stick around.