This is just a quick follow up to the posts I’ve recently made regarding my upcoming project announcement. I’m sitting in the San Francisco airport getting ready to board a plane, but what I will say is that I just got done with a lengthy (and insanely productive) meeting this afternoon with Matt Mullenweg and Toni Schneider, who is the CEO of Automattic.
The waiting is just about over, and on Wednesday, October 1st, Jason and I will be making a formal announcement with the project details.
Until then, thanks for being patient!
Congratulations on…whatever it may be. With the four of you involved, we are expecting great things.
Chris, thanks – to be clear, this is really a project that Jason and I are doing on our own, but asked for them to meet with us so we could share in advance what our plans are. To some degree there will be some “collaboration” per se in various ways…
Cool!
Automattic’s site shows a great list of products that they are involved in.
Whatever the news is, it’s sure to be interesting.
Darren, we’re hoping people find it interesting. And to be clear, this project is independent of anything that Automattic might be listed as “involved” in – this meeting was just to bring them in on the loop of what we are doing.
Well I’m sure if you met with Matt it must be something pretty big. And exciting.
I can’t wait to hear what it is! I wish you continued success, Brian!
Matt, yes, it is – I can’t wait to announce it, will be a very fun and interesting project to be a part of.
It’s like that feeling I used to get on Christmas eve – I think I’m about to wet my pants!
Brandon, that’s one the best comments I’ve ever seen. Very funny, and don’t worry, Santa will come down the chimney sometime on Wednesday.
Something tells me this project is aimed at selling premium themes and theme customizations along the lines of WooThemes. The meeting with Matt was probably to discuss how they were going to do it and still be in line with WordPress and it’s GPL licensing. But I could be way off on this.
Time for more rumor-mongering
The Automattic connection tells me there are two possibilities: Brian and Jason are being pulled in to design themes for WordPress.com (Mullenweg has talked of premium themes designed specifically for WP.com) or Brian’s recent bbpress theme caught the eye of Automattic for use wiith the buddypress project.
keeping my fingers crossed !!
Awesome. Can’t wait to see what’s up. Good luck.
Looking forward to the announcement!
Hey guys, looks like some of you are having fun with the guessing game. Considering tomorrow will be our announcement, I’ll let the guessing continue to see if anyone else has any other ideas!
Bob: I think you are getting close to the truth. There has been much talk about the future of WordPress themes – both premium and free. Mullenweg, for instance, is pushing the idea of a WP.com marketplace where premium designers could leverage the millions of users of the blog aggregator. Designs that usually cost hundreds of dollars could then be sold for $50 – the designer gets a huge customerbase while WP.com users get a premium theme without paying an arm and a leg.
So, it makes sense to draw in Brian, one of the most well-known designers of premium WordPress themes.
OH how exciting..I been following you on this with Twitter and through your blog..it is like being on pins and needles!! Very exciting!!! Staying tuned….better grab myself some more Starbucks!!!
Oh no! The head revolutionary is joining the establishment!
Just kidding, congratulations Brian
I’m crossing my fingers that Automattic are planning a mould-breaking combination of WordPress, IntenseDebate and BuddyPress, with stunning premium themes to match provided by Mr. Gardner.
@ED + @Bob
Yeah, I don’t think Automattic can have failed to have noticed the success of Apple’s App Store in creating a viable, vibrant market.
WordSkill: I see a WP.com marketplace offering about 3 million users premium WordPress themes and plugins ala the iPhone App Store. Like Apple, which controls both the hardware and software sides of the iPhone, Automattic is in the enviable position to control the WordPress software and the distribution of add-ons, such as themes and plugins.
Just as developers rushed toward the iPhone and Apps Store, I see the same happening for the WP.com marketplace. Little wonder they recruited one of the best designers and software coders for the project.
Hey Brian,
I am following your every word so far and I eagerly await your announcement with the excitement I had when the Apple 3G IPhone was released. Tomorrow I am going to be up bright and earlier to get the news. God bless you, your family, and your partners.
@Ed: Yes, absolutely, the moves towards selecting, installing and updating themes and plugins from within the dashboard are certainly reminiscent of iTunes.
To be honest, I am perhaps not as optimistic as other Automattic fans that they have Apple’s ability to execute (the forums have long been a perplexing mess, as was the lack of an official, centralized themes database) but perhaps they are finally pulling all the bits of the jigsaw together.
Ok, just want to clear the air with this. I personally contacted Matt & Toni to ask if I could fly out to speak with them. Thankfully, they were kind enough to carve out time in their busy schedules to accommodate the request. Having said that, just know that this is not a conglomeration of what Jason and I are doing with Automattic, rather something we are doing on our own and just wanted to discuss with them.
Brian: Ahhh! So we aren’t going to read about some partnership agreement between Automattic and you, but rather you were looking for a go-ahead from Matt and Toni.
This makes me revise my guess to an independent Apps Store-like project where you can offer premium WordPress themes and plugins.
WordSkill: Yes, Apple has been brazen about its hardware, software locks – beit the iPod and iTunes or the iPhone and the Apps Store. Automattic is in the strange position of trying to monetize a software with GPL roots without looking “evil” and scaring off users and developers. So, their intermittent acquisition scheme is akin to testing the water. They should take Google as their model, which has offered much to the Internet community while building a robust revenue-generating machine.
Ed, yes you are right – see my comment #4.
Brian, I’ve been following you since the release of the Revolution theme. It’s amazing to see how you have developed since then and since you let go of your day gig. May you continue to be blessed in your future endeavors.
Dang, I can’t wait until tomorrow!
Tracy, thanks for the continued support. Jason and I are chomping at the bit to share this…
Brian – with your great skills and dedication to excellent customer service, this new venture is sure to be a roaring success.
Also, I have to say it’s thrilling to be able to watch your journey of growth and success – an inspiration to the rest of us!!
Tina, thanks. Like I mentioned in a previous post – being a manager at a local convenient store for years really developed my care for customer service. I do the best I can with responding, even though I get a TON of email.
My guess – Brian had mentioned awhile back creating a WP MU site for all the rev people and beyond. I’m placing bets on that…
Tina, nice guess, We’ll know if you’re right in 24 hours or so.
So, my very favorite people under the same roof, eh? You guys are changing the world. We love yaa.
I will be so happy if this involves WP MU.
It will be perfection approaching excellence.
Agree on MU
Vida & Donnacha, this whole project should potentially envelop all of Automattic’s products at some point.
Seems to me that the more of these ‘I’m going to …’ you use, the more comments you get
Remkus, I’m getting my fingers ready to respond to comments tomorrow. That should be the uber-long comments thread.
Yeah … I’ve already started drafting my comments and I don’t even know what the Hell is going on
Donnacha, hopefully you won’t be blasting us.
It’s gonna take me a while to draft up the post – might need some Starbucks tonight.
Ha! I hear ya WordSkill! I was just thinking the same thing.
Oh great, now you guys are conspiring to co-blast us. LOL!
You’d better believe we’re going to blast you, Mr. Hotshot-hanging-out-in-SanFran-with-Matt-and-Toni-
forgetting-your-Revolutionary-roots-guy!
Nobody is forgetting anybody. This whole project has the best interest of the WP community in mind.
lol @ Brian and Wordskill!
Anyway.. I have been in the state of ‘anxiously awaiting’ .. I guess I can wait one more night. Too bad we live in different time zones though :s
To those who are up late in the US – more than likely this post will get written tonight. (or in the morning for those across the pond) So chances are really late tonight, with enough Starbucks, I’ll be actually hitting the publish button.
Okay, I know I’m getting a bit ridiculous here Brian, but what time zone are you in? LOL
Brian, long time reader first time commenter. This post finally made me bite the bait.
As a theme developer and designer myself I have to say I look forward to whatever you and Jason are going to do and wish you the best of luck with it.
Can’t wait for tomorrow. It’s already the 1st for me
I’m on CST – and should be posting hopefully in a few hours. Just set your alarm if you’re going to bed soon!
Ha. This is getting funny. I wonder if I should call TechCrunch to liveblog your announcement!
Will you be wearing a black turtleneck while you post?
Brian, actually I’ll be wearing a red robe, and smoking a pipe. Just won’t have the girls next door with me.
I actually wouldn’t mind a TechCrunch post, if you can pull a few strings, I’ll make it worth your while!
Ok… this is just getting crazy. I feel like its a “Woot-off” here on your site, constantly pressing refresh, waiting to soak in the big news!!!
Meeting with Matt Mullenweg and Toni Schneider? That really sounds like a very “big” project. I’m very excited and can’t wait to find out what this project is.
Anyways, all the best to you and Jason!
Oh c’mon already. I even emailed TechCrunch for you. Where’s our news! Don’t tell me you fell asleep at the keyboard.
Did Arrington respond?
I have the post written. It’s sitting there, and will be delivered first thing in the morning!
Ha, in my dreams, lol.
First thing in the morning as in like midnight? Or are you actually going to make us go to sleep first? haha!
I guess, you say you should clear something else and postpone the event for the next two days
No, no, it should happen. Today!
Thank you, Brian, for all your themes and I guess that you make something alike wordpress.com, but for your themes. Let’s see.
It’s nearly lunchtime in the UK and I’m on tenterhooks!
It’s 7am EST – what’s first thing in the morning CST?
Also, if I guessed right and this is WP MU, do I get a prize?
Come on Brian, it’s “tomorrow” already!
Ohhh…I hope it has something to do with WP.com themes (probably not, though…)
Good Morning Brian,
What’s the word? Can’t wait to hear the great news! I know it is going to be awesome!
Maybe Brian is going to announce that he’s legally changed his name to “Captain Awesome”… I think I’ve been watching too many back-to-back episodes of Chuck.
Hey Benjamin,
That is a good one. LOL. We’ll see hopefully pretty soon.
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