Plugin Security Will Sink WordPress

June 25, 2026

The biggest “black eye” in WordPress will be its downfall if things don't change.

Let's get the obvious out of the way: I'm not a developer. So, if you're looking for technical solutions in this post, then my apologies in advance.

Okay, cool, we're on the same page.

I've been out of the WordPress product space for coming up on five years. There are parts of it that I miss, but one thing that I don't miss is the security issues caused by plugins. No plugin is immune to them, either. When I ran LearnDash, we had some security scares. It sucks for everyone.

The good news, for years, is that plugin providers have always handled these issues with reasonable speed and minimal negative outcomes. Not all, but most. The community was really proactive about staying on top of such things.

I'm not sure if this is as feasible in the AI era of today.

WordPress 7.0 Highlights New Dangers

Roger Montti from Search Engine Journal wrote a thought-provoking article (and inspiration for this post) related to WordPress 7.0's AI API keys and the rush it will cause for attacks on vulnerable sites. I agree with the threats outlined. It's a very real possibility.

At this point it looks like the WordPress space is just treating it as “business as usual”. It's this approach that will ultimately lead to WordPress losing even more market share.

AI is fundamentally changing the speed, scale, and sophistication of attacks against WordPress sites. Instead of automated scripts, AI can adapt, optimize, and move forward with attacks in ways that we haven't seen before. By way of example, Patchstack (cited from the SEJ article) suggested that exploitation from high-impact WordPress vulnerabilities is just five hours now.

WordPress already suffers from the “insecure site” reputation. If things continue as they are, it'll only get worse. A lot worse.

What Should We Do?

Remember how I said I'm not a developer? Okay, this is where that matters. I'm not good at providing technical paths forward, but I'm pretty good at recognizing business threats and opportunities.

This threat has always existed in WordPress, sure, but not like this. It's going to get worse if nothing is done to improve it. What I want to know is what is being done currently? Because from my perspective, it looks like the issue still gets punted to hosts and plugin devs.

I'd love to see real leadership in this area. Not just information sharing or “best practices”, but actual think tanks resulting in coded solutions that drastically help mitigate this increasingly embarrassing issue. We could start by assessing the criteria for being listed on the repo. Could we implement AI security hardening to monitor and verify the code of any plugin submitted and hosted there?

Yeah, I get it, that's likely not feasible given how expensive it would be, but these are the types of conversations that I'd like to see happening. Maybe they are already, and if so, great! WordPress can't drag its feet here.

Learning from Others

Say what you want about Emdash, but at least they are attempting to tackle the issue because they know how real it is. Their way forward isn't really the “WordPress way”, I get that. Though I think we do WordPress a disservice by just flippantly dismissing their technical approach and moving on with our heads in the sand.

Something I found interesting was reading the comments on their social media when they came after WordPress. The sentiments were largely the same, and leading the way was the growing downside of the plugin ecosystem. What is often cited as WordPress' greatest strength is being seen as its most glaring weakness.

The Inflection Point

The WordPress project is at an inflection point. Over the next year, it is critical that it move deep into AI adoption and enablement, and that includes bolstering things from a security standpoint.

For me, I won't host another WordPress site in the traditional sense. Why? Because I'm not trying to be a security pro with my simple websites. No time for that nonsense. I like the static options like SimplyStatic Studio (I transitioned a website to it and love it). Aside from that though, I actually see more benefit in just using something like Loveable and hosting everything there for the added AI features.

Progress is Being Made

The good news is that WordPress is making strides with AI. It's not yet widely known or advertised, but things like Jamie mentioned below are precisely what the project needs.

Let's hope that things keep going in this direction, and that more emphasis on security starts to emerge. To date, it's not very user friendly, at least not compared to tools like Loveable. I anticipate that this will change over time.

Cautiously Optimistic

Overall, I'm optimistic about WordPress evolving in the ways that matter. The community voices are loud and clear. It's up to Matt to set the priorities. Hopefully, he's not too distracted with his WPEngine lawsuit to do what is right (and needed) for WordPress as a whole.

I'll revisit this in a year to see where things have landed. By that time, I think there will be some clear market signals one way or another.

#WordPress

No Time for Anything Else

June 16, 2026

Diaper, eat, sleep - repeat!

Since becoming a dad, I've had no time for anything other than baby stuff. You know, the usual diapers, feeding, napping cycle. It's weird, because while it does get draining, in a weird way I also enjoy not having time for extracurricular stuff. It keeps life small.

Everything is intentional right now. Tiring, but intentional. We are trying to make sure our daughter has everything she needs to grow strong and healthy. The first couple of weeks are a little stressful as we try to make sure that she regains her birthweight. That actually taught us something as new parents.

Trusting Our Instincts

At our first pediatrician appointment a few days after birth, the doctor was concerned at our daughter's weight loss (which was at 8.4%). She wanted us to take up an aggressive feeding schedule supplemented by formula.

Typically, 10% is where it's a serious concern, so we were still within the acceptable range. Still, this brought upon undue stress. We spoke with some other medical professionals, including our midwife, who were less concerned.

In the end, we avoided formula and augmented our feeding schedule accordingly to turn things around. And turn around they did as our little one met and then exceeded her birthweight.

Staying the Course

We still have to maintain the regular 2-3 hour feeding schedule so that she eats roughly eight times per day. There are also more doctor appointments in our future.

Becoming a dad is a shift that I'm still getting used to. I'm learning that newborns require a lot of constant attention and effort. The interactions are one-dimensional at this point, which is to be expected. I look forward to the days when she starts to smile at us intentionally. Something tells me that'll be the best.

#personal

I'm a Dad

June 8, 2026

Entering a new era of life.

Recently, Lorena and I welcomed our beautiful daughter to the world.

I'm not even sure how to put my feelings into words. “Happy” doesn't even begin to describe what I'm feeling. I'm overwhelmed by joy and gratitude, with a sprinkle of nervousness as well. I'm so in love with this baby girl. She is everything.

I'm a dad. I never thought I'd get to say that. It feels so good.

#personal

One Year Later

May 21, 2026

Reflecting on the past year of my entrepreneurial sabbatical.

Last year around this time, I decided to walk away from coaching. I informed my clients, completed my final sessions, and then closed up shop for good. The truth is that I enjoyed coaching, but I was just done. And not just from coaching itself, but from all things entrepreneurial. For the first time in my life, it was time for an entrepreneurial sabbatical.

I didn't know what to expect, but I certainly wasn't expecting it to be so challenging. Especially in the beginning. But it makes sense as I have been in the entrepreneurial mindset for decades. It wasn't something I could just “shut off” overnight.

As time went on, I started to settle into the slower pace of life. I focused on quality time with my wife and family and really integrating myself into where we live. I have started to appreciate the smaller moments. The simple things. Stuff that I would otherwise have ignored if I were working on my own project. I even had the opportunity to be a guest lecturer at my alma mater which I really enjoyed!

Where Things Stand

I'm getting the itch again, but I'm not ready to scratch it just yet. Life has a way of shifting priorities and right now I'm locked into some personal journeys. But that will change at some point. Because while I've stepped away from pursuing entrepreneurial projects, it hasn't stopped me from thinking.

So, I don't know exactly when, but I can tell that I am closer to the end than the beginning of this much-needed sabbatical. When it does end, I'll have a renewed sense of energy and clarity. That was the point of the sabbatical in the first place, and it seems to have worked.

#entrepreneurship

I Gave a Guest Lecture

April 22, 2026

Actually, I gave two.

A couple of weeks ago, I had the opportunity to guest lecture at the college I went to for undergrad. It was actually the second time I had the privilege, and this time it was on my favorite subject: marketing & advertising.

I get so energized when talking about this kind of stuff. I guess there is no better way to describe it other than just plain old fun for me.

Admittedly, something is kind of lost when you're having the class virtually on Google Meet, but I think I managed well nonetheless. Even got some laughs out of the notoriously difficult-to-entertain Gen Z.

In the future, maybe when I'm in my 50s, I could see myself teaching in higher education to pass on the insights and skills that have helped me in my life.

But not yet. I still have things I want to do!

#personal

WordPress Plugins are in Trouble

April 13, 2026

Some WordPress plugin businesses won't survive this.

If you spend any time on social media, you'll see that revenue is coming down for WordPress plugin businesses, and who knows where they'll bottom out. Honestly, some of them are screwed, and it's not looking good for others.

For as long as I can remember, the defensible position for most plugins has always been:

Feature gating
Add-ons
Support

There are others to consider, but these have always been the main reasons why you'd renew a license. Today, Claude (or pretty much any AI offering) sorta makes them less critical.

For example, consider a plugin that revokes access to certain settings unless you have a valid license code. Or, one that shows a constant license nag on your dashboard. Well, now you can just whip up Claude and tell it to remove the code that does this and you're done. You don't have to be a developer, it just takes a couple of seconds.

For add-ons, it does sort of depend on the scope. Those that add simple integrations are no longer a necessary buy. Why pay extra to connect to Mailchimp when AI can just whip up a mini-plugin for you? Pretty much any connector add-on is a quick fix. Okay, it's perhaps a tad longer if you're not a developer through trial and error. But if you have a client and you're a dev, you can save your client money by just having AI build out the connection really quick.

There will always be a need for support, but less so now when you can just ask AI for help to troubleshoot something. This is especially true for plugins that are more of a utility. Now, on the other side of this is that many plugin companies are using AI to help them give better support. Of the three, this one is the area that is still a strong motivator to renew a license, plugin depending.

Now What?

You know, I don't have a definitive solution for this one. I don't think anyone does as the market sands are still shifting. AI has really challenged the status quo of tech.

For me, here are the areas I'd be thinking about if running a WordPress plugin business:

Community

AI can't recreate it. This is a wedge. This is why someone will want to renew. Many plugins have big communities but they are an afterthought. Some even consider them a burden. It's time to make it a top priority. For example, I would start evaluating the utility of adding a Slack or Discord offering. Or, potentially investing more heavily into a FB group if it already exists.

SaaS Certain Features

Look for the areas that create the most support and try to find a way to make those a SaaS to improve user experience, dependability and to reduce headaches for both you and your customers. If you're hung up on keeping that part of the code open source, you can still do so if you want (though it's not necessary).

Invest in New Marketing

Blogging is still worth it, on some level, but if that's all you do then time to move into new areas. Connection matters, and for the moment, YouTube is how you do that. I'd invest heavily into YouTube to bring about the human element in an AI world (this goes back to my first point on community).

WordPress Isn't Going Anywhere

This is not the “death” of the platform by any means. New avenues are going to open up, and that means for WordPress plugins as well. This is just a market shift, and there will be some growing pains along the way. For some, this means the end of their business. That's the nature of the free market.

#WordPress

Thinking About What's Next

March 4, 2026

I'm taking my time to figure out what is next for me, and when.

When I sold LearnDash, I agreed to a non-compete agreement, which is pretty standard for any business sale. Mine was a bit longer than normal, but I didn't mind (and still don't). If anything, it has forced me to take a giant step back and to get in tune with what it is that motivates me.

But it wasn't always so easy. Immediately after the sale, I took up various projects because I was so used to the “go-go-go” frame of mind of an entrepreneur. I had no practice at slowing down.

But the non-compete forced me to eventually slow down.

I slotted into coaching for a bit, but it's not something that I ever planned on doing forever. Don't get me wrong, it was enjoyable.

The problem, however, was that it lacked something very central to what I like to call my “flow state”. That feeling where what I am doing doesn't feel like work. Coaching lacks a competitive and creative outlet that I crave.

I Thrive When Competing

Ever since I was five years old, I have loved to compete.

I played every sport as a child, and eventually took to soccer, where I continued playing through college. I competed at a high level, and I loved every bit of it. The trials and tribulations. Winning. Hard work. I found that these qualities transfered very naturally into entrepreneurship.

In 2013, I launched LearnDash and created the entire WordPress LMS segment. That same year, I gave up playing soccer (forced due to a neck injury) and put every ounce of my energy into “winning” in my market, as it was quickly flooded with other players.

The wins weren't always fast or easy. Some required the long game. Years and years. But I don't give up. Ever. I will never be outworked or outlasted. It's my superpower as an entrepreneur.

I don't get intimidated, but energized. If a competitor does something good, I can't wait to clap back ten-fold.

But I've softened as I've aged.

At 28, I was a different person. I viewed business in black & white, but with more experience and perspective, I've softened my approach to competition.

It's still “us versus them” (it is always in business), but I wouldn't villainize my competitors like I did in the past.

This perspective, one that comes with the passing of time, is an asset. Because let's be honest: always being ready to “fight” is stressful. I was constantly on edge, and it impacted my health. It, in part, led to my increased drinking.

If I were doing it all over again, my view would be more refined. Still up for the challenge, but seeing it more as a game rather than “life or death”.

I Crave Creativity

Competition for competition’s sake is well-and-good, but it isn't the only thing that I need. I need creativity. I've said it before, but entrepreneurship is my art.

I thoroughly enjoy the building blocks of a business:

Creating email marketing campaigns
Brainstorming ways to position a brand
Product enhancements to gain an edge
Long-term product strategies
Creating solutions that customers love

These activities are like my drug. I get high from doing them, and then high again seeing the impact that they can have on my business. Tying it to competition, these activities take on more meaning. I'm more motivated and the end result is more refined.

When I do these things, I'm in my flow state. I'm vibrating on a different level, and it just feels right.

So What's Next for Me?

I'm still gaining clarity on the two areas above. My current sabbatical has been extremely helpful so far in creating the mental space I need at this point in my life.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that I'm not rushing anything. In fact, I can't anyway with my non-compete in place. This matters, because I don't have interest in just any niche. I love the e-learning space. I've worked in it since 19 years old. In many ways, it's all I know.

#entrepreneurship

2025 in Review

January 2, 2026

Another year, but not like those of the past. This one was focused on my present, and future.

Admittedly, I sometimes feel a weird pressure when it comes to these “year end” posts. On one hand, I don't want to write just a few paragraphs, otherwise my life seems pretty boring, right? On the other hand, I don't want it to feel like a forced homework assignment.

But, in the end, I do like reflecting on some of the bigger things that have happened in the year. So with that, here are some highlights from my year.

Professional Break

At the beginning of the year, I had a very active coaching practice. There were many parts that I enjoyed, mostly, the people. It was also fun to think creatively and help them with some big wins.

Some of my achievements from coaching include doubling the revenue of several clients in just one year, coaching a client to $20K in a single day with a simple tactic, and helping another to a 7-figure buyout.

But in the end, I sort of burnt myself out from coaching, and I wanted to focus on my personal health and well-being without the pressures that come with a service-oriented business. So, I closed up shop to take an entrepreneurial sabbatical.

Adjusting to My New Reality

On the surface, not doing anything seems like it would be easy. However, it's quite the opposite. Initially, I struggled with the idle time. It took a little while for me to finally quiet and control my mind and to not feel a constant sense of urgency.

Today, I enjoy this new pace of life. I'm focusing on my health with sustainable exercise and physical therapy for nagging injuries.

One of the things I've started to do is post regularly on LinkedIn. I've enjoyed that, as it has given me a chance to explore my original entrepreneurial passion: elearning.

I get sometimes asked if I'm planning a “return” to that space. I don't know if I'm honest, but I'm open to it. And to clarify, it would be in elearning, not WordPress.

Personal Side of Things

The beginning of 2025 was front-loaded with trips, but even after those were over, we still managed to stay busy with visits from family during the second half of the year. In addition to coming and going, there were other little noteworthy events in my personal life as well.

I started the year by mostly abandoning my Twitter account. Twitter was a big part of my past, but I decided it best to move on. I've pivoted mostly to LinkedIn for business and Mastodon for occasional personal posts.
In February, I turned 40. I'm so grateful that I have made it this far, as many aren't so lucky.
We finally sold our home after 10 long (and stressful) months.
We moved to a new area and into our new home. It took a year, but we finally finished all the initial design projects.
We took a trip to Sedona which turned out to be quite enlightening. I reflect upon this trip often.
Shortly after Sedona, we went to Mexico for a week. It was nice, but unfortunately we came back with a awful bout of COVID (our first time getting it).
We celebrated four years of marriage.
I made the adult decision to end my time with BJJ after constantly battling injuries. That was harder than I thought. I never could get going with it, if I'm honest.
We went to Hawaii for two-weeks. It was absolutely incredible. We embraced nature and each other. It was probably the best vacation we have taken as a couple. We plan to make a return.
I wrote the most important blog post I've ever written regarding the relationship between alcohol and entrepreneurship.
I was a guest lecturer at my alma mater.
Over the summer and fall, we hosted a lot of family. My sister-in-law and her boyfriend came for a summer trip, my parents and in-laws each came twice, and Lorena's entire family came for the holidays.

Overall, there were plenty of laughs and intimate memories that I cherished the past year. Of course, I enjoy the big events, but I really appreciate the life that happens in small moments, because that is where life is lived the most.

2026 Will Be Life Changing

I'm not big on making predictions, and I've sort of gotten away from making formal resolutions, but I know that this year will be a monumental year for us.

I was bad at documenting everything from this year, especially in the second half of the year. I took a step back from everything and focused inward.

But that will change a bit in 2026, I'm sure of it!

#personal

Overdue Spanish Update

December 13, 2025

Almost six years since starting my Spanish journey, here's where I'm at today.

It occurred to me today that it has been a long time since my last post regarding my journey in Spanish, something that I used to post updates on pretty regularly in the past.

My journey in Spanish started in February 2020 when I hired a tutor from iTalki to take me from zero to, well, fluency (or so I hoped). Four days a week I was having lessons, and outside those lessons, I'd self-study by reading stories for language learners.

I've had my ups and downs, especially in the beginning. I'd study and practice for hours, then attempt to have a small conversation with someone at the store when visiting Mexico, and not understand a word. It was demoralizing. But even when I felt at my lowest, I kept going, and things started to turn around.

The Language Started to Slow Down

As time went on, I'd say that I reached a new milestone in my language learning journey about every six months, and the language started to slow down for me. That's not to say I understood every word someone said, but I understood enough to know what we were talking about.

I'd work my way through conversations with my tutor and family. It felt awkward at times, and there were many times I faked understanding, but the consistency started to pay off.

Roughly three years in, and I had reached a point where I could participate rather naturally in a dinner conversation. Not perfect, but I wasn't trying to be perfect. I was trying to understand, and to be understood.

How I Learn Today

Today things are different. I don't have three or four classes per week with a tutor going through exercises and vocabulary. I'm fluent, and that stuff bores me to no end (plus, it would be minimal gains at this point).

Instead, I have two sessions per week with a native speaker, and we just chat for an hour about whatever. The news, vacations, life, family, culture, history, or whatever else we feel like at the moment. He's a pretty solid guy, I really enjoy our conversations.

Between those sessions, I read books in Spanish for entertainment. This is where I push my language abilities because I'm always coming across new vocab or ways of saying things. Also, it exposes me to cultural differences. A book written by an author from Spain will often use different words compared to an author from Mexico, for example.

I have a vocab list, but honestly I don't review it very much. It contains words that come up during my one-on-one conversations. Sometimes I'll zip through them, but I could be better at this.

Last, I speak Spanish with my wife and her family fairly often, seeing as they are from Mexico. I still get opportunities to learn new expressions and ways of saying things through these conversations.

My Status and Goals

Currently, I'd say that I'm averaging a High B2 level in Spanish. Interestingly, this is around the same place I think I was at two years ago. The difference today though is that some topics I'm definitely at a C1 level, whereas others maybe I dip a bit if I'm not as familiar with the vocab, but still very much fluent.

In regard to listening comprehension and reading, I'm at a C1 level for sure. I don't have many issues when talking with folks, at least when it comes to vocab and subject (sometimes their accent may throw me off as I get accustomed to it). I read books in Spanish now for fun that are written for native speakers.

So on one hand, I think I'm pretty darn good at this point, but on the other, I feel like I could be a little more refined (speaking), especially after six years. My improvements are very tiny at this point, but so is my effort. I don't push myself consistently in the ways necessary to reach higher levels.

As of right now, I'm pretty okay with that. I can communicate just fine 97% of the time. I don't get tripped up often, and if I do, it is usually due to an individual accent rather than lack of vocab or grammar knowledge.

In the end, I feel so grateful to be at the place that I am with Spanish. It has opened up a world to me that I would have never known without it.

#personal

Sifting Through Emotions

November 18, 2025

Just an unstructured and unfiltered inner-monologue.

I get up around the same time most days, usually around 6:30AM. There's something I like about coming down to the kitchen to make a cup of coffee while the world is just starting to wake up. Time feels slower. It's not noisy, but peaceful. These simple things have become a favorite part of my routine. The sound of the coffee machine, the taste of that first sip, clearing out my inbox.

As the sun begins to slowly light up the day, so does my mind with my emotions. I've battled emotional highs and lows for a good portion of my adult life, but fortunately I've had distractions that have helped along the way. Sometimes they were work related, or other times it would be alcohol. Perhaps it was a move to a new town, or planning trips. The distractions are a part of life. Arguably, the distractions are life.

Lately, though, those things have been gone. I don't drink anymore (and haven't for some time), and since going on my entrepreneurial sabbatical, I've found that I have fewer mental outlets. There's no work to plan around, no current trips being planned, or any of the usual life events.

I find that I need to take a moment to close my eyes and take stock of what is actually happening. The moment I'm living is often not justifying the emotions I'm feeling. The moment is far more mundane. It's safe. It's not “future land” where unfounded negative emotions arise. Such is the danger of an idle mind. But I would contend that we need to let our minds go idle. I've learned more about myself in the past few months of inactivity than all the years I spent being busy.

I am doing things like yoga, quieting my mind, and just closing my eyes and taking deep breaths. Furthermore, I'm focusing on being grateful and curious, but also opening myself to receive. What, exactly? I don't know, but just an overall disposition of reception.

I've learned that I am quite capable of love. More than anything, I love my wife. Obviously, I've always known this, but now that I've stripped away all the unnecessary bullshit, I can see with intense clarity the blessing she is in my life. I love our relationship and how it grows and matures as our marriage grows.

I also feel loved, and that's just as important. I never took stock of how it feels to be loved by someone else until I got rid of the noise in my life. To experience love is to experience a level of peace.

#personal