Travis Hoglund is speaking on Making WordPress even more AWSome at WordCamp Minneapolis.

What inspired or motivated you to give this talk at WordCamp?

I have been working with WordPress for 7 years, and wanted to share my experience using it with AWS.

How do you “create intention” in your job, career, or life?

Always have a clear focus on your goals in life. Keep a work/life balance that is healthy and it is possible to succeed in both.

If you were a WordPress Plugin, what Plugin would you be and why?

ACF (Advanced Custom Fields) – because it is, in my opinion, the most powerful plugin on the market to make WP great for clients.

If you were not doing your current job, what profession would you be in and why?

Architecture. I decided to change professions early in my education though because of the long internship required after graduation.

What professional and/or research resource(s) can’t you live without?

Stack Overflow

Aaron Rosell is speaking on Why Email Newsletters Help Bloggers Build Influence at WordCamp Minneapolis.

What inspired or motivated you to give this talk at WordCamp?

I’ve witnessed email marketing tangibly change the digital strategies of businesses great & small, and especially watched independent bloggers flourish under added readership by incorporating it. I really believe no serious blogger should forgo email marketing—with a couple quick tips, it’s a breeze. I wanted to give this talk in hopes of inspiring more bloggers to get on the email marketing train.

How do you “create intention” in your job, career, or life?

In customer support, the big thing I work toward is empathy. Just like being out in the day-to-day world, you’ll encounter all kinds of people and you’ll have no idea what state they’re in. But if you work hard to honestly imagine their experience and respond to them accordingly, it’s infinitely more fulfilling and you’ll leave behind an interaction that did actual good. Basically, if I get decent sleep and keep empathy at the forefront, I find plenty of intention and satisfaction at work.

If you were a WordPress Plugin, what Plugin would you be and why?

It would be called “Blahg.” It would tie into your Prime Now account and trawl your new blog content in real time, automatically ordering you the right headache medicine based on your topic & overall word choice.

If you were not doing your current job, what profession would you be in and why?

If I could ever sell out concert venues at 1,200-person capacities, I’d go on entire tours doing that. Otherwise, I’d probably write ad copy, go into trade work as a carpenter or electrician, or just really go off the deep end and run the *most incredible* lemur sanctuary.

What professional and/or research resource(s) can’t you live without?

There’s an app called f.lux that takes the blue light out of your computer screen as night sets in, which is a huge life-saver. Then there’s Monosnap for making super-quick, great-looking video tutorials; Work Hard Anywhere (iOS app) for finding remote working locations with solid wifi; and Evernote for keeping life well-managed.

Becky Davis is speaking on Never Launch without Training at WordCamp Minneapolis.

What inspired or motivated you to give this talk at WordCamp?

Every year I meet dozens of site owners that have no idea how to edit their own sites. This is a major pain point that we as a community can easily fix!

How do you “create intention” in your job, career, or life?

My post morning workout always end with a bit of meditation where I remind myself to be kind, be open to new possibilities, and to do good work.

If you were not doing your current job, what profession would you be in and why?

I have been many things on my long strange trip, but please don’t make me commute to an office again. Future? Semi-retired, more time for travel, movies and gardening.

What professional and/or research resource(s) can’t you live without?

Sublime text, multiple monitors and anything by Chris Coyier

Chris Edwards is speaking on Be a Google Analytics Master – Advanced Google Analytics at WordCamp Minneapolis.

What inspired or motivated you to give this talk at WordCamp?

After doing a Google Analytics panel at WordCamp Orlando, I realized many understand the basics of Google Analytics, but few know of the real power it holds. My goal is to show others how to really use it to it’s fullest.

How do you “create intention” in your job, career, or life?

To create intention, the first thing I do is identify what the goal I want to accomplish is. Once set, I create a plan of what I must do to reach that goal and start to execute. To keep from being discouraged, I tell myself that everything happens for a reason and I will get to where I want to be in not time.

If you were a WordPress Plugin, what Plugin would you be and why?

This is an interesting question. I believe I would be Akismet, so I can filter out all the garbage and spam in my life. =)

If you were not doing your current job, what profession would you be in and why?

I currently do what I absolutely love. My job is my hobby and what I do for fun. Hypothetically, if money and skills were not in the picture, I would say that I would be a beach resort owner. Why, well, you tell me who wouldn’t want to own a beach resort where everyday you wake up to a vacation!

What professional and/or research resource(s) can’t you live without?

First and foremost, Post Status Slack team. No matter what question you have, business or technical, there are 3-4 people to give you options. In addition, I mostly stick to other industry related Slack teams, ManageWP.org (WordPress news aggregator) and GrowthHackers.com for awesome marketing ideas.

Cate DeRosia is speaking on Why You Should Embrace Failure at WordCamp Minneapolis.

What inspired or motivated you to give this talk at WordCamp?

I’ve seen the impact a negative view of failure has on a life; I’ve experienced it first hand. I hope to share what I’ve learned and help others be happier, more relaxed, and more successful.

How do you “create intention” in your job, career, or life?

I try to stay focused on my goal. I look at what I want to accomplish and make sure what I’m doing contributes. If I’m relaxing or having fun, then don’t let work interfere. If I’m trying to work, make sure I’ve taken steps to limit distractions. Also, I try to look beyond the frustrating blocks that spring up in the process and remember the rewards the goal has to offer.

If you were a WordPress Plugin, what Plugin would you be and why?

I would be Post Promoter Pro. I enjoy sharing content and highlighting others achievements.

If you were not doing your current job, what profession would you be in and why?

I would be an Eventer (equestrian triathlon), a barrel racer, or whitewater rafting guide. I love the rush of all three, the speed, the thrill, and all while enjoying the outdoors. Plus, horses.

What professional and/or research resource(s) can’t you live without?

I cannot live without a thesaurus, usually www.thesaurus.com. Thesaurus has actually become a verb in our household.