What's Up With Brian Bourn

From updates on the latest WordCamp, opinions of business strategy, and sneak peeks into what’s coming up for Bourn Creative, to insights on running an international design company, being a dad, and playing with Legos, check out the articles below and get to know more about Brian.

Oh, and just for fun, here are a few things you may not know about Brian (as chosen by me and our kids):

  • He probably couldn’t live without his morning coffee
  • Has read the entire dictionary and encyclopedia sets cover to cover
  • TiVos more cartoons than regular shows
  • Can quote Star Wars movies WORD FOR WORD
  • Plays racquetball every week
  • Collects Star Wars Legos and Lego Trains
  • Disneyland is his favorite place to go on vacation
  • Hates to be tickled

5 Must Have WordPress Plugins We Use On Every Site

February 22, 2013 | By | 40 Comments

At Bourn Creative we have a stable of various paid and free WordPress plugins that we regularly use on our clients’ sites, depending on needed website functionality.

Out of our collection of trusted WordPress plugins, there are five must have plugins that we use on pretty much every custom WordPress site we build — and this past week I shared these five plugins in a lighting talk I gave at the Sacramento WordPress Meetup.

WordPress Plugin #1: Akismet

Akismet WordPress Spam Blocking

Why We Recommend the Akismet WordPress Plugin:

  • Created, managed, and owned by Automattic
  • Save time with simple comment spam protection
  • Low monthly fee (still free for personal bloggers)
  • Download Akismet

Learn Our 5 Must Have WordPress Plugins

Filed Under: Website Design Tips & Strategy, What's Up With Brian, WordPress Tips & Resources | Tagged With: , , , ,

Do You Suffer From Scope Creep?

July 6, 2012 | By | 6 Comments

First, I hope you enjoyed a fabulous 4th of July!

Here’s a view from one of my favorite spots to relax and occasionally work outside (below), which I’ve been doing A LOT this summer! I also love working in the cabana because we’ve got a huge table in there to spread my stuff out on.

View From My Outside Preferred Workplace

The holiday was a great break from the daily grind — just this past week, I’ve designed four new client sites, moved another into programming, and worked on revisions to three others. Plus, we’re still working on our new site. Yes, still.

It seems like we’ve been working on it forever … and we’re dealing with some serious scope creep. Scope Creep is the term we use when projects expand past the original scope of work little by little and get bigger and bigger.

Scope creep can be a time-hog and a profit killer. When this starts to happen, service providers need to communicate clearly and provide the client with a change order or amendment to the original agreement.

Read More About Scope Creep

Filed Under: Website Design Tips & Strategy, What's Up With Brian, What's Up With Jen | Tagged With: , , ,

Summer, Balance, & Irons In The Fire…

June 24, 2012 | By | Leave a Comment

It’s summer … and I don’t know about you, but we’re having so much fun!

Camping In Santa Cruz California

We just got back from a fabulous week camping near Santa Cruz at New Brighton State Beach. I have wonderful memories of camping there as a kid and it’s been years since we’ve been there, so I was so excited to go back and play at the beach, toast marshmallows, and relax!

The trip was our annual almost tech-free vacation. No computers. No work. But yes, we brought our iPhones. We rode the train to Roaring Camp, hung out on the Boardwalk, relaxed at the beach, shopped in Capitola, played Pirate mini golf, biked through Monterey, visited the aquarium, explored Fisherman’s Warf, and made s’mores every night.

Lots of people talk about achieving work/life balance

I hear some coaches and consultants talk about achieving work/life balance like it’s achieving constant harmony and perfection.

But for us it’s just not like that. I don’t think it will ever be. I see it as a balancing act. Like we’re constantly walking back and forth on a teeter-totter — our business on one end and our family on the other.

As long as I am always moving back and forth, not spending too long at either end, we’re doing just fine.

Hear What’s New and See Some Websites We Recently Completed

Filed Under: Business & Entrepreneurship, Website Design Tips & Strategy, What's Up With Brian, What's Up With Jen | Tagged With: , ,

WordCamp Las Vegas 2011: 48 Hours of Debauchery and WordPress

December 28, 2011 | By | 9 Comments

WordPress WordCamp LasVegas 2011

Recently I flew into Las Vegas for 48 hours of nothing but debauchery and open source geekery for WordCamp. (WordPress summer camp for nerds like me).

Just kidding on the debauchery; I am getting way too old for that and was in bed by 10 both nights. What a loser right? Not everyone packed it in early though, just search Twitter for #wclv and look at the time of some of those tweets.

The Hard Rock Hotel graciously gave all WordCamp attendees a fabulous room rate, which even after I upgraded to get a better view, still wound up to be less than the cost of my flight. Thanks to the Las Vegas WordCamp organizers for securing this for everyone.

This was my first WordCamp so I wasn’t quite sure what to expect. I regularly watch the content sessions from other WordCamps on http://wordpress.tv, but I was looking forward to meeting and hanging out with other WordPress fans like myself.

Read More About My WordCamp Las Vegas 2011 Experience

Filed Under: What's Up With Brian, WordPress Tips & Resources | Tagged With: , , ,

Soccer and Success. Yes, It’s Really That Simple

September 29, 2011 | By | 7 Comments

Brian Bourn and Natalie at SoccerFall in the Bourn household not only means back-to-school and a rush of new clients hoping to get new sites up and brands launched by the end of the year, it also means soccer season!

Both of my kids, Natalie and Carter are playing this year!

Brian is head coach of Natalie’s team the Pink Ferraris and Assistant Coach of Carter’s Team the Blasters.

I’m assistant coach for Natalie’s team and help out with both teams wherever I can. We love soccer season and I am happy to report that our teams are doing great, both starting off the season 2-0!

Winning takes teamwork and a lot of practice – success does too! No one can waltz out onto the field with zero practice, score a goal, and win a game.

Read More About How to Accelerate Your Success

Filed Under: Business & Entrepreneurship, What's Up With Brian | Tagged With: , , , , ,

Shaking The Business Up and Making Changes

February 20, 2010 | By | Leave a Comment

We’re shaking things up over here at Bourn Creative! With Brian stepping in as CEO and Operations Manager and the addition of two new team members, Bourn Creative isn’t just about me and my expertise anymore!

We’re updating and upgrading all of our materials and will continue to do so over the next few months as we continue to build the business not only around our clients’ needs, requests, and desires, but around our growing team’s amazing talents and expertise!

[Read more...]

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