Charting your Path Forward

Heather J. BrunnerCEO, WP EngineSeptember 1, 2016

September 2013 Confidential

Agenda

1. Introductions

2. Charting your path to $1M in revenue

3. Identifying your hero customer

4. Building a company with purpose

5. Discussion

September 2013 Confidential3

of the top 10,000 sites are powered by

WordPressof CMS Market

27% WordPress has

60%

26% of the web is powered by WordPress

WordPress is the undisputed open source leader of Content Management Systems

• Growth• Hit > 50K recurring

revenue customers in 6 years

• Offices in US and UK

• Efficiency• Raised ~ $40 million• LTV:CAC > 5

• Scale• Highly global > 130

countries• 5% of the online world

visits a WP Engine powered website each day

YEAR OVER YEAR HYPER GROWTH SINCE INCEPTION, WITH > 40% CUSTOMERS COMING FROM ENTERPRISE OFFERING

WP Engine Leads WordPress

Leveraging the Power of WP Engine’s Platform and Managed Service for Differentiation

Num

ber

of C

usto

mer

s

Number of Countries

4 16 62 100 > 130

2010 Today

Company Led byValues and

Proven Team

Founded in 2010; Headquarters in Austin, TX

Offices in London, Limerick, San Francisco and San Antonio

400 Employees

Award winning Workplace and Executive Team

60% Women Execs

31% Women non-exec management

26% Women company wide

28% Non-Caucasian

33% No college degree

Equal pay for equal work

DIVERSITY ATTRACTSDIVERSITY

Peak Performance

September 2013 Confidential

Path guide points – Getting started

Ø You must have firm conviction for your business idea and be 100% focused on building a business that will make money!

Ø Define your path to $1M in revenue before you start.

Ø Be committed in your pursuit of building a business that can fund itself.

Ø Do not give Vice President and Chief titles out to early team unless they have the experience to back it up.

September 2013 Confidential

Path guide points – Pre Revenue

Ø Clearly identify and articulate your product or service benefits and why it matters.

Ø Clearly identify the specific customer roles that will benefit from your product.

Ø Prioritize only 1 “hero customer”.

Built to Last

September 2013 Confidential

Your Hero Customer

Ø The single customer persona that is most likely to benefit from and be willing to try your product/service.

Ø Interview 25-40 people who represent your hero customer. This is critical!

Ø Leverage insights from interviews to build/refine your product/service beta.

Ø Go back and offer for them to use your product for free to gather feedback.

September 2013 Confidential

Path guide points – Post-Revenue (1)

Ø The fastest path to growth is exceeding the expectations of the customers you have worked so hard to attract.

Ø Invest in customer service. Be relentless in asking for and acting on customer satisfaction feedback!

Ø Measure customer retention with as much vigor and care as you do new customers. Customer retention = GROWTH!

September 2013 Confidential

Path guide points – Post-Revenue (2)

Ø Ask your early customers to participate in case studies and quotes that prove how your product/service has tangibly benefited them.

Ø Measure customer profitability to build your true cost to serve and evolve your pricing model.

Ø Plan for success now. What will your organization need to look like to support the # of customers at $1M in revenue? At $2M? Beyond?

Built to Last

When it’s right for the customer, right for the company, and you’re proud of your decision, you’ve done the right thing.

When we are learning from our mistakes, we are doing the right thing.

We empower each other to do the right thing. This means we: trust each other, transparently share results, forgive honest mistakes, act ethically, demand excellence from ourselves, and remain accountable to each other.

DO THE RIGHT THING

WP Engine = INVESTMENT We amaze customers with our service, expertise, and transparency.

We are grateful for our role in our customers’ lives, providing peace of mind, and increasing their business and reputation. We will not let them down.

We turn customers into advocates, earning it with every action.

CUSTOMER INSPIRED

We are challenged by the most interesting and meaningful work of our careers and inspired by engaged passionate people.

We celebrate successes and nourish personal growth and leadership.

We support and develop each other, while not forgetting to laugh.

WHERE THE BEST GET BETTER

We choose long-term investment over short-term gain.

We build for growth and profitability, because financial health sustains us and ensures we’re in control of our destiny.

We build lasting relationships with customers, employees, and our communities by making what’s important to them important to us.

BUILT TO LAST

We aspire to earn a leadership position in the WordPress Community through original contribution, sharing expertise, and active participation.

We empower our team to lead and participate in meaningful programs in their own communities.

We support and engage with our local communities, changing lives, growing, and thriving together.

ASPIRING TO LEADCOMMITTED TO GIVE BACK

THANK YOU!