Cory Miller
Cory Miller is a former newspaper journalist turned full-time entrepreneur. In 2008, he started iThemes, which builds web design software and offers cutting-edge web design training for WordPress for thousands of customers around the globe.
Named the 7th fastest growing company in Oklahoma City in 2011 by the Metro 50, iThemes employs over 20+ people, with headquarters in Edmond, Oklahoma.
In 2011, he co-founded The Div, Inc, a nonprofit tech foundation aimed at inspiring and training the next generation of web developers through its kid’s program, Div Jr.
He is the co-author of WordPress All-in-One for Dummies (Wiley, 2011) and is a member and past communications chair of the Oklahoma chapter of Entrepreneurs’ Organization, a network of over 8,000 entrepreneurs in 40 countries with companies that have revenue over $1 million dollars annually.
He blogs regularly about his adventures in life and entrepreneurship at CoryMiller.com. He is a mental health advocate, sharing his personal story and struggles, for the past several years.
He is married to Lindsey Miller, who is the WordPress Partner Manager at Liquid Web, and formerly a political fundraising consultant and entrepreneur. They have two young children, an adorable son named Caloway and a little sweetheart daughter named Lillian.
WordCamp Session Title
Entrepreneurial Resilience: Handling The Toughest Times in Business and Surviving
Why Is This Important?
Entrepreneurship is one of the toughest, most lonely jobs out there. I want to share my experiences over the last 10 years to say, “you’re not alone,” and to offer tactics that have helped me cope and live a happier, healthier life.
How Did You Discover WordPress?
I started a blog over 10 years ago and initially started on Blogger.com. It was very limited and found WordPress, this awesome CMS that made it easy to do things and was free… and never looked back.
How Do You Use WordPress?
I am the founder of iThemes.com, one of the first WordPress commercial product companies, which I started in 2008. We build top-quality WordPress plugins and software that makes people’s lives easier.
I personally use WordPress to power my personal blog.
How Has WordPress Impacted You?
It’s completely changed my life. In 2007 I was a communications director for a church, and essentially that meant I was making copies of the Sunday bulletin.
WordPress, through my blog initially, and then through building plugins and themes for WordPress through iThemes has opened up opportunities to grow and improve my life in many ways. Now I’m supported full-time through my work with WordPress as an entrepreneur, supporting my family and traveling to amazing places around the world, being able to share my story through WordCamps, working with an amazing team of 20+ people, and serving thousands of customers around the world.
What Do You Do When Not Working?
I don’t have many, if any, hobbies… I’m mainly focused now on raising my two young children, and being on a lifelong adventure with my wife.