The Future of WordPress

In WP Legends Episode 131, Matt Cromwell, Founder and CGO of Roots & Fruit, shares lessons from building and scaling WordPress products. From GiveWP to advising product teams today, he brings a clear perspective on product growth, customer experience, and long-term strategy.

We dive into product-market fit, customer feedback loops, north star metrics, and product-led growth, along with what WordPress companies need to focus on in an AI-driven market. The conversation also explores scaling challenges, support as a growth lever, and what types of products will succeed in the coming years.

Visit Us: https://seahawkmedia.com
Learn more about GiveWP: https://givewp.com/
Learn more about Roots & Fruit: https://rootsandfruit.com/
Follow Matt on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mattcromwell/

Timestamps:
00:00 Intro
00:38 Guest Introduction
02:10 The origin story of GiveWP
03:11 What GiveWP taught Matt about product-market fit
04:07 Roots and Fruit: Vision and plans for 2026
06:22 What do most WordPress companies misunderstand about CX?
07:44 What is the one metric that excites you more than revenue?
10:03 How do you protect brand identity while scaling fast?
14:17 What breaks first when product portfolios grow too fast?
17:45 What should you prioritize first: product, content, community, or paid growth?
19:45 Which WordPress products will thrive in the AI era?
28:47 Is NPS still a signal or just a vanity metric?
31:03 If you had to choose one, ads or product-led growth?
34:36 Which hosting or plugin companies do you admire the most?
36:48 Closing thoughts

Music Credits:
Valdez Off Crenshaw by Terrace Martin
Live Like Legends by Ruelle Nightcore Remix

#MattCromwell #GiveWP #WordPress #ProductGrowth #CustomerExperience #Bluehost #AI #WPLegends