Make a Living by Giving It Away for Free
A WordCamp Buffalo 2023 talk on how contributing to the community and giving plugins, code, and expertise away for free is itself a viable path to a WordPress consulting practice. The talk traces the same thesis the speaker first argued at WordCamps Detroit and Toronto in 2011 — twelve years of evidence in the same line of work.
Where and when
- Event: WordCamp Buffalo 2023
- Date: May 6, 2023
- Venue: KEN-TON Elmwood Commons, Kenmore (Buffalo metro), New York
- Session page: buffalo.wordcamp.org · session permalink
Watch or read
This session was not recorded for WordPress.tv. The official WordCamp Buffalo 2023 session page (linked above) is the canonical archive of the abstract.
The premise
From the published session abstract:
“This presentation is all about how contributing to the community and offering improved value will help developers, consultants, designers and everyone else in the WordPress eco-system make money by giving away WordPress for free.”
Related work
- Earlier versions of this thesis: WordCamp Detroit 2011 · WordCamp Toronto 2011 · WordCamp Ottawa 2013 (related framing)
- Open-source plugins by the speaker: wpShadow · External Link Control · WebP Support
- City archive: Buffalo speaking history
- Working with the speaker: WordPress services · Get in touch
Want this talk delivered for your team or conference? Get in touch — happy to bring a 2026 version with another decade of evidence in it.
Register for This Training Event
Complete the registration form below and we will confirm seats, delivery details, and payment instructions.
Pricing (CAD) Per Student
| Team Size | Price / Student |
|---|---|
| 1-3 attendees | $249 |
| 4-5 attendees | $229 |
| 6+ attendees | $209 |
Pricing is per student and excludes applicable taxes. Final confirmation is based on seat availability and delivery format.
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