From freelancer to profitable co-founder, Ionut Neagu has labored with CMS for 13+ years. Alongside the best way, he has grown his firm, Themeisle, into one of the vital revered names within the CMS ecosystem.
Their flagship merchandise, together with Neve and Hestia, are serving to form the way forward for web site constructing and CMS theme improvement.
Like many scrappy entrepreneurs, he began with little greater than dedication and a need to study. What makes Ionut’s story distinctive is his sturdy persistence and give attention to creating real worth.
On this interview with the WPBeginner workforce, Ionut shares his journey and gives priceless insights for anybody seeking to construct a long-lasting enterprise within the CMS area.
“I believe intentions type of matter… if in case you have the intention to create worth via this course of – for workers, for purchasers, for everybody that you simply work with… I believe that additionally issues… my recommendation could be to be persistent, to attempt to give attention to creating worth and issues will compound in time.”
Ionut Neagu – Co-Founding father of Themeisle
Hold studying to find out how Ionut constructed and grew Themeisle right into a family title. Whether or not you’re a brand-new CMS freelancer or an skilled entrepreneur, his knowledgeable recommendation may also help you develop.
That is our sequence, #MyWordPressStory, which brings you insights from leaders who use CMS to make constructive modifications on this planet.
In the event you’d wish to be featured in our interview sequence – whether or not you’re a plugin developer, founder, or Visibility knowledgeable – be at liberty to succeed in out and tell us via our contact kind.
Video Interview with Ionut Neagu
In the event you’d like to observe the whole video interview with Ionut Neagu, then you may see it right here:
Or you need to use the hyperlinks under to see what we coated within the interview (and extra):
🙋 Meet Ionut Neagu: CMS Pioneer and Themeisle Co-Founder
Earlier than we share Ionut Neagu’s priceless classes, we have now to revisit his beginnings as an internet developer, earlier than Themeisle existed.
Contemporary out of school in 2010, armed with a pc science diploma and a deep curiosity for studying, Ionut entered the tech world throughout an fascinating time.
Whereas the fallout of the 2008 monetary disaster meant there have been fewer conventional job alternatives, it additionally created area for progressive thinkers to create their very own paths.
When chatting with Ryan Priddey from the WPBeginner workforce, Ionut mirrored on these early days together with his attribute humility and a humorousness.
“Somebody took an opportunity on me and stated, ‘Okay, we simply want somebody to assist.’ I stated, That’s me. I don’t know something.”
This eagerness to study and develop, even with out rapid rewards or recognition, outlined his early profession. “I simply knew I wished to study and show myself,” he shared.
He even recalled how he as soon as instructed a possible employer he didn’t want a wage—simply the metro fare to come back to work. That also didn’t get Ionut the job, however it additionally didn’t discourage him. He simply laughed it off and saved on transferring, which is an instance of his persistence and resilience.
“What labored for me was curiosity and persistence and never desirous about essentially the outcomes.”
At WPBeginner, we’ve seen many profitable entrepreneurs begin with this similar mixture of humility and dedication.
Ionut’s story stands out as a result of he has maintained this studying mindset all through his 13+ 12 months journey with CMS, at the same time as his firm turned a serious drive within the ecosystem.
Right this moment, Themeisle’s CMS themes and plugins energy lots of of hundreds of internet sites worldwide.
As co-founder and product strategist, he’s concerned in all the pieces from theme improvement to exploring new acquisitions and future instructions for the enterprise.
His method has by no means been about following a predetermined path or copying others’ success. As an alternative, he’s at all times centered on understanding issues and discovering methods to resolve them successfully.
Ionut’s story reveals how staying true to your core values can remodel a easy freelance profession into one thing a lot larger.
👨💻 The CMS Journey: From Freelancing to Themeisle
In his early days with internet improvement, Ionut began by constructing one freelance mission at a time. His first breakthrough got here with a modest $30 jQuery slider mission that took three days to finish.
Like many builders beginning out, he was much less pushed by the cash at the moment, and extra centered on constructing his portfolio and experience.
By way of persistence and dedication, he started to ascertain himself as a freelancer, though he knew there needed to be a extra sustainable path ahead.
Round 2012, Ionut co-founded Themeisle, marking a shift from freelancing to product improvement. The early days introduced necessary classes about constructing a enterprise.
“I had plenty of misconceptions as a result of I assumed by having an organization, printing enterprise playing cards, making the corporate web site, we are going to get purchasers… however none of this contributed in any manner.”
These struggles are acknowledged outright on the ‘About Us’ web page of the Themeisle web site, which says they rapidly realized to adapt as a result of “three years and not using a sale will try this.”
In our opinion, Ionut’s humble and lighthearted angle comes via right here, because the workforce jokingly celebrates their early failures.
When requested about errors he’d realized from, Ionut acknowledged he has at all times been a bit risk-averse. He casually quoted certainly one of his inspirations, Charlie Munger, who famously stated, “All I wish to know is the place I’m going to die so I’ll by no means go there.”
However upon additional reflection, Ionut additionally acknowledged that typically errors are simply a part of the educational course of:
“A mistake, a bit of bit for me, is when you’ve got all the knowledge and also you do some flawed judgment. I imply, for me again then, I had no data… I used to be simply studying and yeah, discovering my manner.”
The lesson right here? It speaks to the significance of not being too arduous on your self when studying one thing new. Everybody has to begin someplace!
Because the Themeisle workforce grew, they confronted new challenges. After engaged on plenty of totally different initiatives, from Visibility to Java and PHP, Ionut realized they wanted to laser give attention to one thing. And that one thing was CMS improvement.
The timing proved good – quickly after, they launched Zerif, their first theme within the CMS repository.
“Once we launched Zerif… we noticed early indicators of success. That was a pivotal second as a result of then we stopped worrying about cash and will give attention to how you can develop the enterprise.”
This monetary stability allowed Ionut and his workforce to assume strategically and make long-term investments. They started creating Themeisle’s weblog, understanding it would take two years to see outcomes. The main target shifted from rapid features to constructing lasting worth.
At WPBeginner, we’ve seen that this sort of affected person, long-term considering typically separates profitable CMS companies from people who battle to achieve traction.
By 2015, Themeisle had established itself as extra than simply one other theme firm. As an alternative, it was changing into a workforce devoted to pushing CMS innovation ahead. Plus, the Themeisle weblog began to earn a fame as a priceless useful resource for CMS tutorials, roundups, and extra.
However remodeling profitable product launches right into a thriving enterprise required extra than simply good code. It additionally wanted a stable enterprise technique.
🔍 Enterprise Progress Methods & Themisle Merchandise
As Themeisle grew, Ionut realized that sustainable progress required extra than simply nice merchandise. He wanted systematic approaches to operating the enterprise.
A major milestone for the workforce got here when Ionut began utilizing the Entrepreneurial Working System (EOS). Our founder, Syed Balkhi, makes use of this mannequin for all of his companies, so we’re enormous followers of it.
In our interview, Ionut even fondly recalled discussing EOS with Syed and the way significant these conversations had been.
After that, Ionut talked in regards to the significance of studying how you can handle whereas scaling. “It was one other significant second once we began to work with an implementer that really confirmed me how I can have the workforce extra concerned and never me deciding and telling various things.”
Round this shift in administration type, Themeisle additionally made main modifications to its operations. It moved from gut-feel decision-making to data-driven methods.
“Earlier than that, it was plenty of guesswork. We knew like all the pieces goes tremendous, we make more cash than we spend, and it appears good. And that was principally all of the information that we had on the enterprise.”
“Now we have now fairly detailed P&L (revenue and loss) for the enterprise, for the product. We perceive very effectively the place are our prices, the place we make investments, how that funding is working or not.”
At WPBeginner, we’ve seen how this systematic method to enterprise administration can remodel a CMS firm. It’s not nearly creating nice merchandise—it’s about constructing sustainable processes that help long-term progress.
This strategic method additionally helped Themeisle preserve give attention to their core mission: creating worth for customers. They targeting understanding and fixing actual issues for his or her prospects.
The consequence? They developed and launched a few of the hottest CMS themes and plugins at present, together with Neve, Hestia, and Optimole.
However constructing a profitable CMS enterprise isn’t nearly technique and techniques. Ionut additionally has some priceless recommendation for others seeking to observe an analogous path.
💡 Recommendation for Aspiring CMS Entrepreneurs
When requested what recommendation he’d give aspiring CMS entrepreneurs, Ionut emphasised the significance of real worth creation over surface-level enterprise ways.
His personal expertise taught him that conventional approaches, corresponding to sharpening resumes or printing enterprise playing cards, typically matter lower than fixing actual issues.
“You must replicate and attempt to assume what are your abilities and alter the individuals you’re employed with, alter the trade you go to, alter your product to fit your abilities,” he defined. This self-awareness, he believes, is essential for long-term success.
“My recommendation could be to be persistent, to attempt to give attention to creating worth and issues will compound in time.”
“The talents you acquire, the individuals you meet, the purchasers you’re employed with, the workers that develop with you – all of it compounds over time,” he defined.
At WPBeginner, we’ve seen this compound impact in motion. Essentially the most profitable CMS entrepreneurs aren’t normally those that chase fast wins, however those that give attention to constructing worth persistently over time.
Relating to expertise and instruments, Ionut is especially enthusiastic about AI’s potential. “I really feel AI will convey monumental change to how we do issues, how we dwell, and the way we work,” he stated.
His recommendation? “Simply utilizing it and making an attempt to contain AI in all the pieces that you simply do.”
He talked about how his workforce is experimenting with utilizing AI instruments like Cursor, but additionally about how each aspiring entrepreneur ought to give attention to how you can most successfully use AI.
“It’s extra to construct the psychological fashions, proper? So it’s to not type of simply see what’s the newest cool and trick and so forth. I believe simply to rewire a bit of bit and to create psychological fashions, as a result of after a few weeks, for instance, what I observed is that I begin to assume in another way.”
“So after I get into an issue, I’d say, okay, for that drawback, I would want to make use of this deep analysis. For that drawback… I have to create the circulate with brokers and et cetera to deal with it… for this drawback, I would want to ask a reasoning AI… as a result of they work in another way and are useful in several methods.”
“I’d say that persons are not spending sufficient time on this… that is the one factor I’d be specializing in.”
💥 Associated Article: Shocking AI Statistics – All the things You Must Know
This give attention to creating real worth whereas embracing new applied sciences has served Themeisle effectively up to now. However what does the long run maintain for the corporate and its co-founder?
🔮 Wanting Forward: The Way forward for Themeisle
Fairly than making grand predictions in regards to the future, Ionut prefers to give attention to the basics that keep fixed no matter how expertise evolves. “I’ve a tough time to assume and to plan when it comes to what’s the objective in 5 years,” he admitted.
As an alternative, he stated he at all times concentrates on two key areas: sustaining sturdy relationships with present prospects and nurturing a succesful workforce.
“Now we have these purchasers which might be paying their yearly subscriptions. What I can do for them? How I can make certain they’re glad?”
“Now and even in 5 years, no matter, it might be necessary to have sensible individuals round you and to develop your self and develop in addition to a workforce. To have the ability to sort out any alternatives or challenges or markets.”
This method of specializing in fundamentals whereas remaining adaptable has served Themeisle effectively. When Ionut spots one thing actually promising, he’s prepared to take a position absolutely. “Once I spot one thing uncommon, then I’ll go all in on that,” he defined.
His present focus is exploring how AI can improve CMS improvement and consumer expertise. He sees it as a software to ship extra worth to customers.
“I’m making an attempt to make use of it for all the pieces just about… making an attempt to map it with actual wants that individuals have or companies have.”
As CMS itself evolves, Themeisle’s dedication to each innovation and fundamentals positions them effectively for continued success. However for Ionut, success isn’t nearly enterprise metrics. It’s additionally about creating lasting worth for the CMS neighborhood.
💭 Ultimate Ideas
Ionut Neagu’s journey from a curious laptop science graduate to co-founder of Themeisle gives priceless classes for anybody seeking to construct a long-lasting CMS enterprise.
His story exhibits that success isn’t about following a predetermined path however staying true to core values whereas remaining adaptable.
What stands out most is his constant give attention to creating real worth. From his early freelancing days to main Themeisle at present, Ionut says that enterprise success follows naturally from serving to others remedy actual issues.
We additionally appreciated how Ionut appears to strongly worth the potential of every distinctive particular person and the way that ought to be embraced on any entrepreneurial journey.
“No entrepreneur is similar… all of the tales are totally different… so I believe when it comes to abilities, it’s a terrific alternative to craft your individual journey that fits your strengths.”
At WPBeginner, we’ve watched ThemeIsle develop from its early days to develop into a big drive within the CMS neighborhood. Their success story reminds us that in CMS, sustainable progress comes from combining technical excellence with a real need to serve customers.
By way of financial challenges, technological modifications, and evolving market calls for, Ionut’s method has remained constant: give attention to fundamentals, put money into individuals, and create actual worth.
💥 Bonus Guides and Sources
Trying to study extra about constructing a enterprise round CMS? Listed below are some useful WPBeginner sources:
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