My name is Nazmul Hasan Rupok, Co-Founder & CEO of WPDeveloper.com, residing in Dhaka, Bangladesh. My education is in Computer Science and Engineering, with a Bachelor of Science degree.
My childhood was quite unique, as I grew up in a suburb that was mostly village-like until the age of 15 when I moved to the city.
Despite the differences, my childhood was interesting and has shaped many aspects of my current life, for which I am grateful.
I often reminisce about those days and try to incorporate some of those childhood activities into my present life, such as playing cricket and football with my team on weekends.
The Journey Began
My journey with digital life started during my university days when I was introduced to programming. Despite having no prior knowledge, I instantly developed a liking for it and learned languages like C and C++.
I began working on freelance websites like Elance, Odesk, and Freelancer after a semester or two.
As I had limited time due to attending classes and exams, I realized that using WordPress to build websites was a quicker and more convenient approach.
The Need for WPDeveloper
WPDeveloper Logo
I gradually transitioned into becoming a WordPress developer, building custom themes and plugins, starting in 2008-2009.
I joined WPDeveloper later and I worked on various projects, including building apps and working for other companies as an agency.
I also had experience in building products from my freelance work, which I sell on marketplaces like Creative Market.
My first major product, Essential Addons, currently has nearly 2 million active users and was initially designed for Cornerstone, a different page builder.
However, when Elementor, a growing community with less than 50,000 users at the time emerged, my partner, M Asif Rahman suggested building it for Elementor as well.
Nazmul Hasan Rupok With Asif & CMO of WPDeveloper
Despite the challenges of an early-stage product and an evolving API, I took on the task and built Essential Addons for Elementor.
Over time, we released a pro version and managed support, eventually deciding to sell it on our own through WPDeveloper, which my partner had already started.
We rebuilt the website to create a proper marketplace and manage licenses, and as the user base grew to 10,000 and beyond, we expanded our team to accommodate the increasing demands of support and development.
There have been many proud moments for me, particularly in how I have nurtured and trained my team in my own unique way.
However, there have also been challenges along the way, especially as we experienced rapid growth and had to adjust to accommodate a larger team.
Overall, my journey in the digital world has been rewarding, and I am proud of how far we have come as a team at WPDeveloper.
On the other hand, the worst experience was when I made a mistake in releasing a product update that caused some major issues for our users.
It was a challenging time as we had to quickly identify and fix the problem, and deal with frustrated customers. It was a valuable lesson for me to double-check and thoroughly test before rolling out any updates in the future.
Overall, my journey as CEO of WPDeveloper has been a mix of proud moments and learning experiences.
I am grateful for the opportunities, challenges, and growth it has brought into my life. I continue to strive for excellence, constantly learning and improving, and looking forward to the future of WPDeveloper and our products.
Myself with my Brilliant Team
I’m proud of my team and how I trained them in my own way, without following the traditional job structure. Seeing them grow and succeed gives me a great sense of accomplishment.
Nazmul Hasan Rupok With the Team at WCAsia
Advice for Business Owners
As a developer and CEO, my advice would be to prioritize mindfulness and empathy in your leadership.
As a business owner, you are responsible for a team of people who are not just colleagues, but individuals with families and lives outside of work.
Being empathetic to their needs and creating a positive work culture can greatly impact their well-being and productivity.
While you can learn about business from various sources, not everyone emphasizes the importance of empathy and mindfulness.
Focusing on creating a better work environment where everyone feels valued and supported can lead to a happier and more motivated team.
In our company, we prioritize the well-being of our employees and strive to create a work culture where everyone can thrive. Success should not be limited to just a few individuals but extended to the entire team.
We believe in being people-oriented rather than solely profit-oriented.
So, my advice would be to take the time to be mindful, keep your mind fresh, and think about how you can create a better work environment for everyone.
Show empathy towards your team members and their personal lives, and strive to make their lives better.
When your team is happy and fulfilled, it can lead to greater success for your business in the long run.
Stay in Touch
WordPress & Beyond
As a developer, I believe that Gutenberg is heading in the right direction with continuous updates and improvements. It has come a long way from its earlier versions and is now more usable and sustainable.
The recent launch of a browser-based test version is a positive step toward its evolution.
However, I also acknowledge that there may be other base builders or completely different innovations in the future that we may not have even imagined yet.
It’s important for developers to think creatively and be open to new ideas that may change the web development experience in exclusive or different ways.
Parallel to Gutenberg, there may be other tools or templates that offer unique features and options for users.
For example, my team built templates in 2018, which was a new and exciting concept at that time. It required significant engineering efforts to make it work effectively.
In the coming years, the field of web development is likely to see further advancements and innovations.
It’s essential for developers to stay updated with the latest trends, technologies, and tools, and be willing to adapt and evolve to meet the changing needs of the industry and users.
My Love for the WordPress Community
I try to attend WordCamps as frequently as I can. It’s a fun experience to meet people and travel to new countries, and I aim to attend them every three to four months.
I make sure not to miss a WordCamp, and if there’s a WordCamp happening in Bangkok or nearby, I’m definitely interested in attending. I also enjoy attending WordCamps in India.
Nazmul Hasan Rupok Team at WC Asia 2023
As for a motivational story, there’s a colleague of mine named Nazmul Hashan Rabin, who was not familiar with contributing to the WordPress core just a few months ago.
However, when we organized a workshop in our office, he got started and received his first contributor badge. Since then, he has become incredibly passionate and excited about contributing, and he has now become a notable contributor.
Nazmul Hasan Rupok Speaking at WC Sylhet 2023
In fact, he is currently leading the testing team for the latest release. His enthusiasm has also encouraged many others in our office, and we now have around 40 contributors from our office alone in this release, with around 100 contributors from Bangladesh overall.
It’s inspiring to see how one person’s dedication can motivate others to get involved in the WordPress community.
How I Keep Myself Updated
I make it a priority to stay updated with WordPress news and industry changes, as I have multiple products with different dynamics.
It’s important to know what’s coming up and what’s changing, as we have millions of users relying on our products. We need to be prepared before updates are released to avoid potential issues that could affect thousands of websites.
We also try to attend WordCamps and meet with other companies to share knowledge and collaborate.
To stay updated, I primarily follow the PostStatus channel, where interesting stories and updates are often shared.
I don’t actively follow other news sources as I closely monitor what’s happening in the WordPress community in my daily life, which provides me with sufficient information.
I Have a Life Other Than the Work
Aside from work, I enjoy playing cricket with my office’s two passionate cricket teams. We have our own field, so we can play on weekends and sometimes even on weekdays. It’s one of my favorite activities.
In my free time, I also like to start my day early and reserve the first couple of hours for myself, including reading books, having breakfast, and spending time with my kids before heading to the office.
As for travel, my favorite destination changes over time. Currently, Switzerland holds the top spot as my favorite travel destination.
Nazmul Hasan at Stonehenge
I was fortunate enough to explore it during the last WordCamp Europe. After Porto, we traveled to several countries and ended up in Switzerland, which left a lasting impression on me with its breathtaking beauty.
I Reward Myself by
When it comes to rewarding myself for a job well done, my first instinct is to reward the team.
Seeing my team happy and satisfied with their achievements gives me a sense of fulfillment and is, in itself, a reward for me.
Making sure my team is happy and motivated is the best way to reward myself.
Connect With Me
- WPDeveloper | Twitter | Facebook | LinkedIn
