From a light user of WordPress to the creation of a highly sophisticated WordPress practice, Americaneagle.com has driven enormous agency growth over the last two years. Hear from Jerry Boduch, VP of Strategic Alliances, on how they did it.

1. AGENCY BREAKOUT

2. Powering Agency
Growth with
WordPress
VP of Strategic Alliances
Americaneagle.com
Jerry Boduch
AGENCY BREAKOUT

3. Jerry Boduch
VP of Strategic Alliances
Americaneagle.com

4. Agenda.
Introductions
History of WordPress at
Americaneagle.com
Tips and Lessons Learned

5. Thank you.

6. Introductions.

7. 20+ Years at
Americaneagle.com
23 Year Career at Americaneagle.com
§ Developer (Classic ASP)
§ Integration Architect
§ Sales Engineer
§ Vice President of Strategic Alliances
Current role
§ Manage a great team of 8.
§ Growing new global partnerships with innovative solutions.
§ Finding the right solutions to help our customers.
§ Help expand the Americaneagle.com brand within digital technology solutions.
Married with 3 kids. 18yr son, 14yr daughter, 10yr daughter
Enjoy traveling, being outdoors, and sports. (Especially Soccer)
Carpe Diem!
Jerry Boduch
Vice President of Strategic
Alliances & Integrations
Americaneagle.com
jerryb@americaneagle.com

8. Company profile.
Americaneagle.com passionately delivers quality work,
service, and growth, through a deep partnership with clients.
Serving all industries with expertise spanning over 25 years,
our continued success is only measured by delivering results
to our Clients.
§ 550+ Employees
§ 25+ Years of Experience
§ 12,000+ Successful
Engagements
§ Full Service Creative, Digital &
Technology Offerings
§ Offices Nationwide and
International
§ Privately Held, Financially
Stable

9. Core Capabilities
Americaneagle.com
passionately delivers quality
work, service, and growth
through a deep collaboration
with clients. Serving all
industries with expertise
spanning 25+ years, we
produce results, no matter the
organization.
Web, Application and
Mobile Development
Business Goals
Achieved Across Multiple
Platforms
Experience Design
Seamless UX
Created to Tell Your
Brand’s Story
Strategy and Insights
ROI-Driven
Solutions Tailored
to Your Business
Digital Marketing
Strategic
Tactics that Drive
Traffic &
Conversations
Hosting and Security
24/7/365 Secure Hosting
with PCI Compliance
Client Services
Ongoing
Maintenance
Expertise Enabling
Continuous Growth

10. Platform
experience.
Our experts match the right
platform for each client
based on the unique aspects
of their business and project.

11. History of WordPress at
Americaneagle.com

12. Our timeline.
2013
Setting
the
stage

13. Setting the stage.
2013
§ Almost all development being doing in .NET.
§ Most of our client sites prior to 2010 were built using our own CMS
technology called idev.
§ So by 2013 we’re only 3 years into offering .NET solutions like Sitecore,
Sitefinity, and Kentico.
§ We hosted 99% of the sites we built.
§ We were mostly using WordPress for blogs.
§ Company size is about 250
employees
§ Average WordPress project:
$2000
§ Number of WordPress
experts: 0
§ # of projects: 2-5 blogs per
month
Stats.

14. Our timeline.
2013
Setting
the
stage
2015
There’s
a plugin
for
that!

15. “There’s a plugin for that.”
2015
§ We were going through a cultural shift from web developer to consultant /
digital agency
§ WordPress was taking off around the world
§ We had 2 new employees familiar with Word Press
§ Encouraged the growth of our practice – Ellis & Jason
§ “How do we create these sites on Idev?”
§ Consider Word Press – “There’s a plugin for that!”
§ Customers want thing done quickly
§ AE trying to complete projects quicker and cheaper
§ Customers want small license fee
§ Change internal perceptions.
§ WordPress is open source and not secure.
§ WordPress is used for blogging.
§ Company size is about 300
employees
§ Average WordPress project:
$10,000
§ Number of WordPress
experts: 3
§ # of projects: 3 sites per
month
Stats
Jason Harle
Technical WordPress
Project Manager
Ellis LaMay
Director of WordPress
Operations

16. Our timeline.
2015
There’s
a plugin
for
that!
2017
Wow,
we can
make
$$ with
this?

17. Wow, we can make $$ with
this?
2017
§ Dedicated WordPress team established.
§ Huge success, huge organizational investment
§ AE starting to hire team members that were experts on WordPress
§ Moving customers to WordPress to retain them
§ We started building accelerators
§ More community involvement
§ More industry case studies and marketing of WordPress
§ More Sales Enablement
§ Our customers love WordPress!
§ They can do a lot on their own.
§ We’re able to give them good value for their investment
§ Now enterprise customers are using WordPress too in additional to their other
technologies.
§ Officially became a WP Engine partner!
§ Company size is about 400
employees
§ Average WordPress project:
$25,000
§ Project ranges from $15,000
to $150,000
§ Number of Team members: 8
§ # of projects: 5 sites per
month
Stats

18. Why WP Engine?
Growth in our
WordPress Production
Cultural
Alignment
20+ years of hosting .NET solutions
• Know what it takes to match a
platform with best infrastructure
More sales leads – mix of current
customers re-platforming
Seeking enterprise level
solutionNeed with urgency
and high demand
for more hosting
options

19. Average troubleshooting time.
Other 3rd Party WP Engine
1. Find the support contact 1 hour 1 minute
2. Determine best method to contact them 1 hour 1 minute
3. Contact support and wait for response Up to 3 days 2 - 5 minutes
4. Typical time going back and forth Up to 4 days 2-30 minutes
Results 1 week L < 1 hour J

20. Our timeline.
2017
Wow,
we can
make
$$ with
this?
2019
NOW
What’s
next?
Sky’s
the
limit

21. Sky’s the limit.
2019 and beyond
§ We want to double the team in the next 2 years like we’ve done previously.
§ Continue to get the average project size up.
§ Continue to invest in all areas that have worked.
§ Training
§ Marketing
§ We want to do some specific Enterprise account targeting and vertical
targeting.
§ Develop more of our own IP and apps like Hawksearch connector.
§ Company size is about 520
employees
§ Average WordPress project:
$40,000
§ Number of Team members: 15
§ Project ranges from $15,000 to
$400,000
§ # of projects: 5 sites per month
§ 60 active projects
Stats

22. WordPress
Implementation
Partner.
300+
Project
Implementations
15
Dedicated
WordPress Staff
Members
10+
Average hours
to migrate
8
Dedicated server
clients
6
Shared servers
3
Years of official
partnership
300
clients
with
&

23. Our key WordPress wins.

24. Tips.
The right people are key
Focused on efficiency
Contribute to community
Listen to industry and customer need
Don’t be afraid to try something new
Make sure you are offering the right solutions for the right
problems

25. Lessons
learned.
Perhaps we should have listened earlier?
We’re not a fit for every customer
Focus on your strengths and where you can be most profitable

26. Thank You.
VP of Strategic Alliances
Americaneagle.com
Jerry Boduch