In this episode of WP Legends, we caught up with Mike Demopoulos, Partnerships Lead at hosting.com and a well-known advocate for open source and community-driven technology. From managing enterprise hosting infrastructure to building authentic relationships across WordPress and Joomla communities, Mike shared insights that go far beyond web hosting touching on connection, innovation, and authenticity.
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The Continued Demand for Windows Hosting
While Linux dominates the web hosting landscape, Mike pointed out that Windows hosting still has a strong demand especially among agencies running specialized application stacks.
“There are still agencies building web apps with very specific requirements,” he explains. “Sometimes they want the site on the public internet but only accessible to a small IP range like internal employee portals. Our sysadmins recently used A360 to block unwanted IPs before Apache even loads. It’s amazing how tailored these setups can be.”
It’s a reminder that hosting isn’t one-size-fits-all and that flexibility still matters in 2025.
Behind the Scenes: How hosting.com Supports Agencies
Mike’s role at hosting.com is deeply tied to agencies managing partnerships, solving escalations, and ensuring teams get the right support at scale.
“For managed WordPress hosting powered by Rocket.net, agencies get a dedicated 24/7 engineering team,” Mike shares. “For other products, we have a VIP team spread across all time zones, handling high-priority tickets from top-tier agencies.”
While Mike stays closely involved, he credits his engineering team for the real magic: “I’m available for escalations and relationship management, but our engineers are the true heroes who fix things fast and right.”
Understanding Enterprise CDN and Why It Matters
Ever since hosting.com’s acquisition of Rocket.net, the term Enterprise CDN has been everywhere and Mike breaks down exactly what that means.
“A CDN (Content Delivery Network) ensures faster load times by caching static files like images and CSS across multiple data centers worldwide,” he explains. “Enterprise CDN, in our case, means Cloudflare Enterprise the same tier used by Fortune 100 companies.”
While many agencies use the free version of Cloudflare, hosting.com’s integration gives every customer access to the paid Enterprise version offering superior speed, global edge security, and reliability that’s normally out of reach for small to mid-sized businesses.
“It’s a huge advantage,” says Mike. “Whether you’re running a WooCommerce store with 100 or 50,000 products, you get the same performance and protection.”
The Power of WordCamps, CloudFest, and In-Person Events
A big part of Mike’s work (and joy) comes from attending and speaking at events like WordCamps, CloudFest, and Joomla Days.
He believes the value of these events goes far beyond business deals.
“Don’t go to an event expecting to get clients or a job. Go to make a friend,” he advises. “One genuine relationship can lead to countless opportunities down the road.”
Mike recalls meeting lifelong friends at events including the memorable dinner at WordCamp Portland, where he connected with new peers who are now collaborators.
“Smaller events are often even better,” he adds. “At a 100-person conference, you make deeper connections. You actually remember the people you meet.”
The Hard Rock Café Connection
Mike’s love for Hard Rock Café is legendary among his peers and it has an unexpected backstory.
“Did you know Hard Rock Café is owned by the Florida Seminole Indian Tribe?” he laughs. “It’s not even American in origin it started in London! I just love the brand’s history and its motto: Love All, Serve All.”
From collecting Hard Rock pins around the world to hosting afterparties and community events there, the brand’s spirit of inclusion resonates with Mike’s own community-first values.
Upcoming Events and Global Travel
Mike’s travel calendar is packed from WordCamp Costa Rica to CloudFest Miami, and a special agency event in Chicago this December.
He’s also planning to attend WordCamp Asia 2026 in Mumbai, marking another major stop in his growing list of international community contributions.
“There are definitely seasons for events,” he explains. “February to April and late August to November are the busiest then things calm down for the holidays.”
Staying Motivated in a Fast-Moving Industry
In an era of AI tools and automation, Mike remains grounded in his passion for open source innovation.
“WordPress is a tool, but open source is the real movement,” he says. “I love testing new tools I’m always on Product Hunt trying things. Most don’t stick, but every now and then you find something amazing.”
He also hosts the mindset he once shared on his podcast Tools Are Tools:
“Tools are tools just don’t be one.”
Favorite Plugins and Recommendations
Mike didn’t hesitate when asked about his favorite plugin:
“Akeeba Backup hands down. I’ve used it on over 10,000 sites, and it’s never failed me. It’s incredibly reliable.”
He also praised WP Rocket and JCH Optimize, two plugins he frequently uses for performance optimization, while emphasizing that modern servers and good hosting architecture can now handle much of the heavy lifting.
Dream WordCamps and Final Thoughts
When asked about future events, Mike shared a few wishes:
“I’d love to see WordCamp Tokyo, and I hope Alaska and Hawaii bring back their WordCamps soon. There’s amazing local talent there that deserves the spotlight.”
From hosting innovation to authentic networking, Mike Demopoulos embodies what it means to lead with curiosity, empathy, and community spirit all while keeping the web open and accessible for everyone.
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