Back in 2011, Chris Cree had the idea of launching a stock theme store. I denied his request the first two times he brought it up, but on attempt three I was bought in. For the next four months Chris and I worked with our team to launch a Genesis based theme store.
We started with four themes and eventually made our way up to well over thirty themes. In doing so, we became the largest source of Genesis child themes outside of StudioPress. I was proud of that claim because I knew the entire company had worked hard to get there.
The Birth of My Baby
The store officially launched in 2012 and since that day, the theme store has been my baby. Or the individual themes I should say.
We gave life to each theme with as much love and care as we could manage. I named themes after all the people I loved and cared for in my current and past life. From the Grandmother who raised me and my children to my WordPress BFF Carrie Dils, the themes were personal and their names reflected this emotional tie for me.
The theme store was very successful for many years and it became a good chunk of our revenue. I eagerly would talk about it at WordCamps and on podcasts, because I really wanted others to learn from my experience in launching a profitable product offering for WordPress.
The Growth of Our Company
As Web Savvy grew and our custom development work matured, our clients trended towards more mid-market and enterprise level companies. When this happened, the theme store took a back seat and new themes just couldn’t be produced. We simply didn’t have the staff available to support these larger builds and still produce new stock themes.
And then last summer, Chris Cree followed his heart and moved overseas to launch his bible school. While I was absolutely thrilled for Chris, I knew this would be a blow to the theme store and our ability to maintain it. His departure meant less resources to support the store.
Since the store was so dear to me, I knew I needed to figure out how to bring new life to it. I wanted Chris’ vision to live on and I wanted all my babies to continue to flourish and find their way to websites around the world. I was at a crossroads and I didn’t know what to do.
I needed to make sure the company had a solid long-term strategy, but I also needed to protect our loyal theme customers. Five years of sales meant we had a lot of existing buyers who needed ongoing support.
Finding New Life Through Friendship
In the last year I had the opportunity to spend quality time with Jon Brown and his lovely wife Elena. Karim Marucchi, a close friend to us both, suggested that we should get to know each other better. He was right and Jon and I we’re instant friends. We have very similar views on business, friendships, and ethics. I liked him right away and I knew I wanted to spend more personal and professional time with him.
And we grew closer, we started chatting about my struggles with the theme store and his long-term business goals. Before I knew it, he wanted to acquire the theme store and I wanted to give it to him.
I knew, in my heart, that he would not only keep all by babies alive, he would nurture them and bring the store back to the day when we were “the” place for Genesis child themes. This thrilled me on so many levels.
As Cory Miller often states, “If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.”
Investing in the Future of Web Savvy, 9seeds, & Our Loyal Theme Customers
Our company and our work has always been very personal to me. I’ve taken pride in what we’ve built and I put my heart and soul into doing good for our customers. Knowing I had an amazing solution with Jon was truly a win for all parties involved. I would see our store survive and grow, Jon would be able to move into products, and our existing customers would continue to have great support and new products to use.
With this move I’m investing in the future of Web Savvy Marketing and 9seeds. Our team is able to focus on those larger builds and my SEO consulting, while 9seeds takes the theme store to the next level.
This transition is already in the works and theme customers will find the 9seeds team in our support forum answering questions. We’ll be transitioning everything from WSM to 9seeds over the next month. Existing customers will receive future notification from the 9seeds team in the coming weeks.
In the meantime, Jon and his staff already have new themes in development. I’ll be hovering – like a helicopter parent does – helping with these new launches and with the transition as a whole.
Thank You!
On a final note, I would like to thank all of our theme customers for your loyalty, love, and support these last five years. I have been beyond blessed by the generosity of your comments and praise.
I’ve enjoyed serving you and helping you create thousands of websites and blogs. I’ve enjoyed meeting you at WordCamps, taking selfies together, and learning more about you and your work.
The store brought me further into the WordPress community and it’s a very special place.
Congratulations Rebecca, John, and Elana! I’m thrilled to see the Web Savvy themes move to such a good home. I know the best is yet to come for both Web Savvy and 9seeds!
I agree. Jon and 9seeds is a perfect fit.
He’ll protect the existing license holders, provide great support, AND release new themes for sale.
All good stuff!
Hope all is well with you Chris. You saw me and our Classroom Inspirations website through some tough times. You are missed! But I do wish you all the best life has to offer. Take care, Jennifer
Rebecca & Jon,
Congratulations to you both! The theme customers will have a great home and I can’t wait to see some of the new products that Jon is working on.
Me too! I think the holders of our Developer Pro Pack license will be pleased to see all the goodness Jon and 9seeds will be rolling out.
Woooow! Congratulations to all involved here. This is a great move for sure!
A savvy move, I might add.
Oh Alex you know I always strive for savvy. =)
Congratulations to Web-Savvy and 9Seeds. Nice to know that Jessica and Caroline have found a good home.
You’re in good hands Sheryl. I appreciate all your support and kindness since the store opened.
What will happen to customers who paid for lifetime access?
Mike the 9seeds team fully intends on supporting the existing licenses that were sold. I would not have allowed the acquisition to go through without that in place.
Congratulations! I’ve been a happy WSM theme supporter for years, and I look forward to getting to know 9seeds. Best to all involved!
I do too Lucy!
Rebecca, congrats! Sounds like God knew exactly what needed to happen and put everything in motion for it to take place. I am a developer pro license holder, as you know, so I am looking forward to seeing what awesome things come from this in the future.
God is good!
Glennette Goodbread, Owner
Premium Web Design and Hosting
Yep I do believe life unfolds with purpose at times.
The store has been something I’ve been stressing about since Chris Cree told me he was ready to start the bible school overseas. That was well over a year ago.
I knew if I didn’t rush things, the right solution would present itself. And I believe it did.
Thanks so much for your kind words. Having the support and confidence of our existing customers is important to me and I know to Jon Brown as well.
Awesome news for all involved. Congrats everyone! Definitely and win win solutuion.
A win times four. WSM + 9seeds + our customers + Chris Cree. =)
Sounds like this move will allow you to better focus your resources on newer areas of the business. Smart move! Best wishes to all involved!
I realized I really really enjoy educating people in SEO, so I’ll be spending more time on http://www.diyseocourses.com and my new http://www.seobits.fm podcast.
You can take the girl away from SEO, but you can’t take SEO out of the girl!
Thanks for the update! It’s always good to move forward! I continue to look to the future and all Web Savvy and 9seeds have to offer! Cheers.
Thanks for your support Adrienne!
Congrats, Rebecca! You built a wonderful store filled with amazing themes that have stood the test of time. Looking forward to seeing what the 9seeds team does with it next!
Thanks Rach! You were a large part of four of those amazing themes and I’m very thankful for that.
I’m not a customer and don’t even know how I got here ? (though I am a WordPress aficionado). I just want to say how absolutely inspired I am by this really beautiful post. Thank you Rebecca; congratulations and all the continuing best. ?
Thanks so much for visiting and commenting Jule.
While I’m sad that new themes will no longer receive the “Rebecca Gill Touch,” I’m pleased to read that you will follow your passion AND continue to “helicopter” the theme store.
I’m looking forward to seeing what “touch” the 9seeds team creates. I suspect it won’t be that far off from what WSM has been producing to date.
Fernando theme should be the Donovan theme. ? Best coaching theme ever… Thank you Rebecca for your vision and helping me to get mine out there, https://donovandock.com
I’m glad you like it and it is helping. I use this same theme for my rebeccagill.com website. Sadly I cannot take credit for all of it. The base theme was designed by Chris Lema. =)
“If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.”
This statement is very true. And I think you have chosen the right path. Good luck.
Hi
Did this actually happen, I don’t see anything on the 9seeds website about this and the theme store page on the 9seeds website draws a 404 error.
I have liked the wsm theme store for ages and that why we upgraded this last year to a developers licence as we loved your themes. So whats happening with it now.
Thanks
Cathal
The transition is almost complete.
The 9seeds team hope to have the store and forum moved over next week. They will also be releasing a new theme soon as well.