The WordPress community will soon welcome the successor to a much-loved business-focused conference with PressConf, a new U.S.-based event organized by Raquel Manriquez.
Scheduled for April 23-26, 2025, in Tempe, Arizona, PressConf is designed to channel the energy and impact of PressNomics, the celebrated conference previously hosted by Pagely founders Joshua and Sally Strebel. Held six times before its final run in 2019, PressNomics became a must-attend event for WordPress business insiders, and was known for fostering connections and sparking unfiltered dialogue.
With PressNomics now in the past — its brand and IP acquired by GoDaddy along with Pagely in 2021 — Manriquez said she saw an opportunity to fill the gap. Alongside her role as Community Manager at Elegant Themes, she recently launched her events business, Wonderland Curious, and is now set on creating a fresh space where WordPress professionals can openly discuss business, network meaningfully, and share insights candidly.
“There’s been a perfect storm — the community outcry for this kind of event and my life finally opening up, my kids graduating. I’ve been wanting to organize this event for years, and now is the perfect time.”
PressConf will feature a welcome reception, two days of talks, an evening party, and a VIP retreat day for those who want to stay longer and network (and, potentially, play golf or join other activities).
Manriquez isn’t a newcomer to PressNomics. In 2013, the Strebels tapped her to assist with the event while Sally, nine months pregnant, needed support. Manriquez shadowed Sally closely, stepping in as needed—a role that gave her firsthand insight into the dedication required to create a meaningful conference.
Joshua shared his support for Manriquez’s endeavor in a statement to the WordPress business community on Post Status Slack on Sunday, expressing both pride and encouragement.
“PressNomics has a special place in Sally’s and my heart as we poured a lot of ourselves into it. The goal was to make everyone feel welcome and create a space for dialogue and connection between those who actually made WordPress successful,” he said.
“Raquel approached Sally several months back about her idea to bring a new event to the community, one in a similar spirit to what was PressNomics. Sally advised Raquel that we had to decline any involvement due to our legal/contractual obligations from the sale. We also felt it was best to leave the legacy of what was PressNomics where it is. There is room for something new.
“Rather than try to duplicate PN, Sally encouraged her to take a look at the needs of the community as they exist today. Then create a new event to serve and address them while putting her own fresh spin into the space.
“We hope PressConf is a success and becomes a staple for the WP community going forward. We wish Raquel and her team of organizers well. Maybe we’ll even see you there.”
In January 2015, Post Status founder Brian Krogsgard shared his experience of PressNomics 3, writing, “My primary takeaway is this: PressNomics enabled the most in-depth and actionable business discussions and relationship building I’ve experienced yet in the WordPress world. And that’s on top of some of the highest quality presentations I’ve ever seen at a WordPress conference.”
Manriquez, a veteran WordCamp Phoenix organizer, said she wants PressConf to echo the intimate, high-quality environment of PressNomics. Returning to Tempe’s Mission Palms, a familiar venue for PressNomics alumni, PressConf will feature a single-track setup to foster a “room where it happens” experience — no recordings, no streaming, just raw, in-person storytelling, insights, and conversations.
Manriquez made it clear that she doesn’t want attendees booking other rooms for business meetings during their stay in Tempe. If they do, she says, they’re going to miss out.
“This is an event for the hallway trackers,” Manriquez said. “You’ve got to be in the room where it happens, that’s my mantra.
“It will be a space for inspiring storytelling from CEOs and agency owners. We want people to be vulnerable. We want feather-ruffling. We want people to get uncomfortable, because sometimes you need to hear raw truths to get results.”
The organizing team is even planning “structured playdates” to help people connect.
In building her team, Manriquez has handpicked a lean group of trusted collaborators, including Carol Augh (RadiateU), Brian Richards (WP Sessions), Nathan B. Weller (LucidData), and Matt Medeiros (The WP Minute). Together, they’re intentionally shaping a speaker lineup that highlights the diversity and expertise of the WordPress community, including well-known veterans and emerging voices. Sessions will focus on real-world stories and challenges with more detail than a typical WordCamp talk, bypassing standard how-tos to dive into the dynamics shaping WordPress businesses.
Looking ahead, Manriquez said she plans to make PressConf an annual event and is interested in expanding her business overseas, with early talks in place to bring similar WordPress-focused business events to Europe. “I’m open to planning a European business event for WordPress,” she said. “This is also part of the new consulting business I’ve started with Wonderland Curious. WordPress is where my roots are, but my work and events aren’t limited to it.”
With recent tensions in the WordPress ecosystem, Manriquez sees PressConf as a neutral ground for open and respectful dialogue. “I want WordPress to win,” she said. “This event is about kindness, dignity, and doing what’s right. This is about community. Nothing but love.”
Capped at 300 attendees, PressConf will be an intimate gathering. Many alumni from past PressNomics events have already purchased early bird tickets, Manriquez said. With strong interest so far, Manriquez said she was excited for PressConf to fill a gap the community has felt since the last PressNomics and the pandemic.
For details and tickets, visit PressConf.events.
