In this episode of WP Legends, we sit down with Tom Willmot, co-founder and CEO of Human Made, one of the most recognized WordPress agencies in the world. From starting as a self-taught developer to leading large-scale projects like migrating News UK to WordPress, Tom shares his journey of scaling WordPress for the enterprise, building products, and shaping the future of the ecosystem.
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From Hobby Projects to Human Made
Tom’s WordPress journey began in the mid-2000s when he started building small websites for friends and family. What started as a hobby soon became a career path, and by 2010 Tom co-founded Human Made with his brother Joe. The agency quickly grew into a leader in enterprise WordPress development, trusted by global brands and publishers.
The News UK Migration
One of Human Made’s most defining projects came in 2014 when they migrated The Sun, part of News UK, to WordPress. At the time of its launch, it was one of the highest-traffic WordPress sites in the world. This project showcased WordPress’s ability to handle massive scale and performance demands. Today, the entire News UK network runs on WordPress, a milestone that cemented Human Made’s reputation for enterprise solutions.
Building Products Alongside Services
Beyond agency work, Tom and his team also invested in product development. Human Made has contributed significantly to the WordPress ecosystem through tools and platforms that address scaling, editorial workflows, and enterprise needs. This dual focus on services and products allowed the company to diversify and create long-term value.
Philosophy: Enterprise-Grade WordPress
Tom believes that WordPress, when built and optimized properly, is fully capable of competing with proprietary enterprise CMS platforms. By focusing on scalability, security, and editorial experience, Human Made has demonstrated how open-source solutions can meet the needs of the world’s largest publishers.
The Future of WordPress in Enterprise
Looking ahead, Tom sees continued growth for WordPress in the enterprise market, especially as organizations seek flexibility and cost-efficiency without being locked into closed systems. With the rise of headless and API-driven architectures, he believes WordPress has the potential to remain a central hub for content across platforms.
Lessons & The Road Ahead
From his early days experimenting with websites to leading enterprise-level projects, Tom’s journey highlights the importance of community, open-source collaboration, and building for the long term. As Human Made continues to evolve, Tom remains focused on pushing the boundaries of what WordPress can achieve for the largest and most demanding clients.
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