Meet Aurelio Volle, the brains behind WP Umbrella. His journey from European law to WordPress wizardry is anything but ordinary.

Aurelio's story kicks off with a twist. Picture this: a lawyer who ditches the courtroom for code. Fifteen years ago, he dove headfirst into WordPress and never looked back. Fast forward to today, and he's running WP Umbrella, a tool that's shaking up how people manage WordPress sites.

But here's the kicker - WP Umbrella wasn't Aurelio's first rodeo. He cut his teeth on ImageSEO, learning the ropes of the tech world. And get this - his co-founder? They've been buddies since grade school. Talk about a dream team!

What sets WP Umbrella apart? It's not just about the tech. Aurelio and his team are obsessed with solving real problems for their users. They're not just building a product; they're crafting solutions that people actually need.

Hi Aurelio, could you share a bit about your background and how you ended up getting into WordPress?

I have a background in European Law but started coding WordPress sites about 15 years ago. I dove back into the WordPress world around 5 years ago when my co-founder and I launched ImageSEO. We sold this product in 2023, and now we're fully focused on WP Umbrella.

Was WP Umbrella your first venture, or did you work on other projects before this? How did your previous experiences shape your approach to building WP Umbrella?

My first company, which I started at 24, was in public affairs. I was too young and inexperienced at the time. My first tech venture was ImageSEO, a side project that taught me a lot and allowed me to make mistakes without much pressure. It was also a lot of fun.

Tell us the story about how you met your co-founder Thomas and what made you guys team up to start up together?

Thomas and I have known each other since primary school! We decided to team up because our personalities and skills complement each other perfectly.

How did you guys come across the idea for WP Umbrella? Was it out of your own experience or was it based on your market understanding?

It was from our own experience! We were using ManageWP, which is a great tool, but it wasn’t being updated and didn't fully meet our needs. So, we started working on WP Umbrella and got incredible traction quickly.

What was the process like for building WP Umbrella? Did you have a clear vision of the plugin from the beginning? How did the product evolve during development, and were there any major pivots?

We started small with uptime monitoring for WordPress and have been adding services ever since, aiming to create the best WordPress management tool for agencies. It’s been more of a linear evolution rather than any major pivots.

How did you validate the idea for WP Umbrella? Did you engage in customer development by talking to potential users? Were there any surprises or insights during this validation process?

We launched WP Umbrella on Appsumo, and the response was overwhelming. We had to shut down our own deal because of the insane traction and love from users. This was a pivotal moment for us.

Did you guys work full-time on WP Umbrella from the start, or did you have a day job or were involved with consulting work during the initial stages? How did you manage your time and commitments during this period?

We wrote the first line of code in August 2020. Our CTO left his job in January 2022, and I quit mine in April 2022 due to contractual reasons. We spent about two years balancing full-time jobs with working on WP Umbrella in the evenings. It was incredibly exciting to be so busy and learn so much.

Does all the revenue for WP Umbrella come from plugin sales, or do you also offer consulting services? Currently, which source, plugin sales or consulting, contributes more significantly to your overall revenue?

All our revenue comes from plugin sales. We don’t do any consulting.

Did you have a community following or personal branding before WP Umbrella's launch?

Not at all, but we've been building and cultivating our community ever since. WP Umbrella is built in public with a public roadmap, and our user engagement is incredible: WP Umbrella Roadmap.

How did you secure your first sale for WP Umbrella, and how did you scale it to reach the first 100 sales? Were there any specific marketing or outreach strategies that worked well during this phase?

Our first sale came from the WordPress.org plugin directory. We're not great at marketing and have relied mainly on SEO and organic growth. About 95% of our growth has come from word of mouth.

What are your primary distribution methods for WP Umbrella? How do you reach your target audience?

Most people find us by searching for alternatives to ManageWP. We also target high-relevancy keywords like “WordPress monitoring” and “manage multiple sites.” Some users discover us through the WordPress plugin directory.

What do you see as the advantages and disadvantages of marketing a product within the WordPress ecosystem? How does the marketing differ for non-WordPress products like SaaS, etc.?

WP Umbrella is a SaaS based on a WordPress plugin, and honestly, I don't see much difference in marketing it compared to traditional SaaS products.

Which feature or aspect of WP Umbrella helped it stand out from other plugins during marketing? How did you communicate this USP effectively to potential users?

WP Umbrella is an all-in-one solution, but what sets us apart is how much we listen to our users. This is reflected in both our product and marketing approach.

How has the WordPress community been helpful throughout your entrepreneurial journey?

The WordPress community is a fantastic asset for plugin developers. Leveraging it by attending WordCamps has been crucial. Our business angels, the founders of WP Rocket, have been incredibly supportive, and I doubt we would have created WP Umbrella without their help.

What is your most important learning as an entrepreneur, especially related to WP Umbrella? If you were to start WP Umbrella again today, what would you do differently?

I would implement a robust analytics and tracking system from day one to make data-driven product decisions. Other than that, remember that entrepreneurship is a marathon, not a sprint, and success doesn't happen overnight.

What advice would you give to WordPress developers or entrepreneurs looking to build and launch their own plugin or service, drawing from your learnings and experiences with WP Umbrella?

Focus on adding value for your users by solving a real problem for a targeted audience. Many developers enjoy experimenting with new tech but overlook the importance of solving a real issue. Be obsessed with solving a real problem—the rest will follow.

Aurelio's got some golden nuggets of wisdom for aspiring plugin developers. His top tip? Focus on adding value. Don't get caught up in fancy tech if it's not solving a real issue.

Want to dive deeper into the world of WordPress entrepreneurship? Check out our other interviews in this series. You'll find a treasure trove of insights from folks who've been in the trenches and come out on top.

Remember, success in this game isn't about overnight miracles. It's a marathon, not a sprint. So lace up your coding boots and get ready for the long haul. Who knows? Maybe you'll be the next WordPress success story we feature!