How To Build Open Source Community With Roger Williams From Kinsta

If you spend any time in WordPress circles you’ve probably noticed Kinsta’s name surfacing whenever developers talk about stress‑free performance, stellar support, and content that actually solves problems. In this week’s LMS Cast episode, host and LifterLMS CEO Chris Badgett sits down with Roger Williams. Roger Williams is the Community & Partner Manager at Kinsta. He’s been in the WordPress community for many years. He unpacks the culture, tech stack, and relationship‑first mindset that make Kinsta stand out. Roger is an expert community builder and loves sharing his best tips with the opensource community. Here are the biggest takeaways from their conversation. 1. Obsess over useful content, not clicks. Roger’s Kinsta journey started long before he joined the team. While troubleshooting database errors at a previous job, he kept landing on Kinsta tutorials that explained why an issue happened and exactly how to fix it. That “give‑it‑all‑away” approach to knowledge still drives their marketing strategy, turning blog readers into brand advocates before they ever become customers. Ask yourself: Does our content raise the bar for the whole community, or just chase keywords? 2. Architect for scale from day one. Kinsta deploys WordPress sites in isolated Linux containers, which lets them move workloads or spin up dedicated machines in minutes. That early bet on containerization—not retrofitted later—means they can iterate fast, roll out new features safely, and protect every customer’s resources. Course creators can apply the same principle: choose infrastructure that won’t box you in when enrollment surges. 3. Feedback loops create product velocity. Inside Kinsta, team members at every level are encouraged to suggest improvements. Roger recalls submitting migration‑workflow tweaks and seeing them live in production weeks later. When your engineering, support, and community teams share a single backlog, customers notice. Consider building a lightweight process (a public roadmap, a Discord channel, a monthly call) that turns learner frustration into feature ideas. 4. Own your stack—especially your data. Roger is an unabashed open‑source evangelist. Closed SaaS course platforms may feel frictionless now, but they can lock you out of raw data exports and custom functionality later. With WordPress + LifterLMS you control both the code and the learner records, making it easier to train private AI models or migrate hosts without losing course history. Total cost of ownership beats lowest sticker price every time. 5. Treat community like a marathon, not a funnel. Kinsta’s support engineers aren’t measured on ticket speed alone; they’re empowered to dig into “out‑of‑scope” plugin conflicts so customers leave each chat with a clear next step. Roger applies the same philosophy to outreach. On LinkedIn he spends more time leaving thoughtful comments than publishing viral posts, because comments spark real conversation and social proof. For in‑person relationship building, start small: attend niche meetups before springing for the 20‑foot expo booth. 6. Leverage video where your audience already hangs out. Roger repackages his Kinsta Talks interviews as short vertical clips on LinkedIn and full‑length episodes on YouTube. The platform‑native format keeps algorithms happy while driving cross‑traffic via links in the comments (LinkedIn penalizes external URLs in the post body). If video feels daunting, begin with 60‑second insights recorded on your phone; consistency matters more than studio lighting. Whether you’re shipping your first online course or running a mature membership site, Kinsta’s story is a blueprint for blending technical excellence with genuine human connection. Listen to the full episode to hear Roger’s unfiltered thoughts on AI, the hidden costs of closed systems, and why handing out value for free is the surest way to earn lifelong customers. Here’s Where To Go Next… Get the Course Creator Starter Kit to help you (or your client) create, launch, and scale a high-value online learning website. Also visit the creators of the LMScast podcast over at LifterLMS, the world’s leading most customizable learning management system software for WordPress. Create courses, coaching programs, online schools, and more with LifterLMS. Browse more recent episodes of the LMScast podcast here or explore the entire back catalog since 2014. And be sure to subscribe to get new podcast episodes delivered to your inbox every week. 2025 WordPress LMS Buyer’s Guide Exclusive Download! Stop wasting time and money researching online course and membership site tech. Download the Buyer’s Guide Episode Transcript Chris Badgett: You’ve come to the right place if you’re looking to create, launch, and scale a high value online training program. I’m your guide, Chris Badget. I’m the co-founder of lifter LMS, the most ...