Member Spotlight: James LePage

James LePage is a tech entrepreneur and experienced web developer with a focus on WordPress development and AI-powered tools. He is the founder of Isotropic, a digital agency based in New York City that specializes in building custom WordPress websites and WooCommerce shops for a variety of clients. Isotropic Agency is known for creating high-traffic content and e-commerce sites, showcasing LePage’s expertise in the field.

In addition to his work with Isotropic, James LePage the founder of CodeWP, an AI-powered WordPress code generator. CodeWP AI is designed to quickly and accurately generate code for WordPress plugins, custom post types, taxonomies, and Advanced Custom Fields (ACF), among other features. The tool supports PHP, JavaScript, WooCommerce, and several popular plugins, making it a valuable asset for WordPress creators.

James LePage’s experience in web development, particularly in the WordPress ecosystem, and his involvement with CodeWP demonstrate his commitment to innovation and problem-solving in the industry. While his primary focus has been on Isotropic and CodeWP, LePage has also founded other successful companies, such as WappCap and ShareClub, highlighting his entrepreneurial spirit and ability to create and scale businesses in various sectors.

What do you enjoy most about working in WordPress?

There’s so much to love – the people, the tech, the opportunities.

The people involved with WordPress, from contributors, to developers, to clients are my favorite part. When I was building Isotropic, I started publishing my thoughts to the agency blog, and soon found myself immersed in a thriving community of like-minded individuals who were passionate about WordPress. This collaborative environment fosters innovation and helps everyone grow and learn from each other’s experiences. It’s a really a pleasure to work with such a supportive and creative group of people, and I don’t know of any other project that have this level of community associated with them.

The technology itself is another aspect that I enjoy. WordPress is an incredibly flexible and powerful platform, allowing for endless possibilities in web development. I’ve built everything from a basic 1 pager brochure site, to major D2C ecommerce shops, and digital magazines with 6-figure views per day … all using WordPress! It’s also constantly evolving, and the open-source nature of the project means that there are always new tools, plugins, and themes being developed, which keep things fresh and exciting. This adaptability also allows me to cater to a wide range of client needs, ensuring that their websites are tailored to their specific requirements and goals.

A lot of people hate on PHP — I’m the complete opposite. I love building with the language, meaning that my day to day is pretty enjoyable 🙂

The opportunities and size of WP is another understated aspect of WordPress. The industry is massive. I’m just now realizing – after launching CodeWP as a side project, it’s experienced incredible growth and opened my eyes to just how big WordPress really is. It’s also crazy (in a good way) to think that anybody can break into the industry (I had no experience running or scaling a company when starting Isotropic, which grew to a team of 5!).

I don’t think there’s anything like WordPress and am really grateful to be involved with it.

What do you love most about your Post Status membership?

As a new member of Post Status, I haven’t made any connections yet, but I can already see the potential value in networking with other professionals in the WordPress ecosystem. The members-only Slack community and Weekly Member Huddles seem like excellent opportunities to connect with others and learn from their experiences.

Having already read a lot of the content, I finding it to be incredibly helpful and interesting. It’s a good “pulse” on the overall community.

The Post Status Job Board and Get Hired project seem really great – I’ve seen a lot of talk about them recently on Twitter, due to some of the instability in our industry, and I can see how helpful it could be to some.

I’m really excited about the possibilities and opportunities that Post Status membership offers. I’m excited to diving deeper into the content, making connections with other professionals, and contributing to this thriving community!

What business/web/WordPress advice do you have for others in our industry?

Some advice I’d offer others in our industry is to never stop learning and embracing change. The world of WordPress is ever-evolving with new technologies, tools, and best practices constantly emerging. Keeping current with the latest trends and developments is really important for staying competitive and offering the best possible solutions to clients. This also means being open to learning from others in the community and sharing your own knowledge and experiences. Collaboration is key in our industry and the more we can support and learn from one another, the better we’ll all become.

Another important aspect is to understand the value of specialization while maintaining versatility. In the WordPress business, it’s tempting to try to be a jack-of-all-trades and offer every possible service, but it’s essential to find your niche and excel in it (there was an interesting The Admin Bar survey which showed this recently). This allows you to stand out from the competition and become an expert in your chosen area, making it easier to attract clients who are looking for your specific expertise. At the same time, it’s important to maintain a certain level of versatility, as clients often require a diverse range of services. By keeping your skills sharp and staying up-to-date with the latest tools and technologies, you’ll be better equipped to handle a wide range of client needs and adapt to the ever-changing landscape of the WordPress ecosystem.

In short, find your niche, become an expert in it, but don’t let that limit your overall growth and ability to adapt.