Breakdown - A Gravity Forms Podcast

Gravity Forms
  • 5.0 (2)
  • TECHNOLOGY
  • UPDATED BIWEEKLY

Discover new WordPress opportunities through stories told using Gravity Forms. WordPress developers and agency owners rely on Gravity Forms to solve complex problems for their clients. Breakdown explores their stories to extract the most useful lessons for our listeners. Join podcast host Matt Medeiros with special guest appearances from the team behind Gravity Forms to stay up to date on the next opportunity for Gravity Forms + WordPress. Whether it's a new Gravity Forms add-on or a new way to use our e-commerce features, Breakdown is the WordPress podcast you want to be subscribed to.

  1. 12/16/2025

    Build Affiliate & Incentive Programs with Gravity Forms

    Matt sits down with returning guest Alex Standiford to talk about a big milestone for Siren Affiliates: it now supports Gravity Forms. If you’ve ever written off “affiliate plugins” as just referral links and payout percentages, this conversation will reshape how you think about partnership programs in WordPress. Alex explains why Siren is really an incentive program builder, not just “get a link, earn 10%.” The episode gets into practical, real-world use cases like lead-based programs for agencies, revenue share models tied to performance over time, and even vendor payouts routed through Gravity Forms product fields. They also get into the reality of running a product business alongside consulting, how AI is helping Alex move faster without magically eliminating the need for long-term maintenance, and why WordCamps can feel a little awkward when you build marketing-adjacent tools in a community that values authenticity. By the end, you’ll have a bunch of “wait, I could do that?” ideas, especially if you run an agency, a course business, or any WordPress product that depends on partnerships. Takeaways Siren is positioned as an incentive program builder for collaborators (affiliates, partners, vendors, sales teams), not just a traditional affiliate plugin. Gravity Forms support unlocks smarter workflows like routing applicants into programs, tracking lead activity, and automating CRM and email list follow-up once someone is approved. You can track actions over time and do distributions (revenue share style payouts) without requiring a direct on-site transaction for every tracked event. Gravity Forms product fields can be used to attribute value to specific collaborators, which opens up vendor and booking-style scenarios, not just referrals. A strong affiliate program looks more like a product with onboarding, education, and touch points, and “10 great partners” often beats “1,200 random signups.” Important links https://sirenaffiliates.com/ https://gravityforms.com/ https://gravityflow.io/

    29 min

  2. 11/04/2025

    From Accountant to Agency Owner: Building a Profitable WordPress Business

    Not every WordPress agency owner starts with a computer science degree. Laurie Barron's journey from accountant to agency co-founder proves that sometimes the most unexpected backgrounds create the strongest businesses. With degrees in accounting, computer information systems, and human-computer interaction, Laurie brings a unique perspective to web development: one that values both the numbers and the user experience. In this episode, Laurie shares how she built not one, but two successful companies: Pursu Agency (with co-founder Betsy) and Simply Styled Sites. After 15 years in WordPress, she's learned that the real value isn't just in building websites. It's in the strategy, automation, and business systems that make those websites work harder for clients. She discusses why AI and page builders haven't replaced the need for expert developers, how to scope projects profitably, and why knowing your "zone of genius" is critical to sustainable growth. For Gravity Forms users, this conversation is packed with practical ideas. Laurie reveals how she's transformed Gravity Forms from a simple contact form plugin into a complete business automation tool. From content gathering systems that feed into ChatGPT, to support ticketing workflows connected via Zapier, to survey fields that help clients make data-driven decisions. In This Episode Why Laurie's accounting background became an asset when running a WordPress agencyHow she met her business partner through an agency contracting gigWhy AI and page builders aren't replacing agencies, and why this fear sounds familiarWhy knowing your core competency protects your profitabilityHow to structure paid discovery periods for larger projects ($10K+ discovery phases)Using Gravity Forms + Gravity Connect + ChatGPT to automate content creationTurning consulting expertise into self-service products clients can purchase Connect with Laurie Barron Pursu Agency: pursu.agencySimply Styled Sites: simplystyledsites.comResources Mentioned Gravity Forms - The form plugin Laurie has used for 15 years and calls essential to her work - gravityforms.comGravity Wiz - Add-ons and code snippets that extend Gravity Forms functionality - gravitywiz.comGravity Connect - Tool that connects Gravity Forms with ChatGPT for AI-powered form workflows - gravityforms.com/gravity-connectZapier - Automation platform Laurie uses to connect Gravity Forms to other business tools - zapier.comAsana - Project management system she connects to forms for support ticketing - asana.comWooCommerce - E-commerce platform (though Laurie explains why she's selective about these projects) - woocommerce.comStandout Moments "I feel like knowing how to use Gravity Forms and becoming an expert at it, I can do anything. But I also think I could do anything anyways, so Gravity Forms just helps." - Laurie Barron "This happened when page builders came out. Everybody said 'anybody can do it.' But there's always gonna be people that don't want to do it. And there's the education piece: do people know how to do it properly?" - Laurie Barron "You can create a website in minutes with AI, but it's gonna look like everybody else's. It's not gonna stand out from the competition. It might not reflect your voice. What you don't get is the strategy behind it." - Laurie Barron

    26 min

  3. 10/20/2025

    This Plugin Connects Gravity Forms to any API

    In this episode of Breakdown, Matt Medeiros sits down with Dave Smith, CEO of Gravity Wiz, to talk about a product that has a lot of WordPress builders buzzing: API Alchemist. If you’ve ever wanted Gravity Forms to talk directly to other apps and data sources, this is your new best friend. Dave walks us through how API Alchemist lets you send form data to any REST API and bring the response back into your entries. Pair it with Populate Anything and you can even pull data into the form before submission for smart validation and slick UX. We also touch on GP Bookings, Gravity Wiz’s flexible booking platform for appointments and rentals that works beautifully with Gravity Forms and, via Product Configurator, with WooCommerce. Dave shares how AI is accelerating development behind the scenes while still requiring human review, and why the “WordPress-as-a-platform” mindset gives agencies and site owners a durable edge. Curious how this all plays out in real life? Think VIN lookups that auto-fill make and model, higher-ed networks standardizing data across hundreds of sites, or internal tools that read a PDF, extract data, and feed it straight back into Gravity Forms. If you care about owning your data, building faster, and keeping clients out of SaaS lock-in, this one’s worth a listen. Takeaways API Alchemist = go-anywhere connections. Send Gravity Forms submissions to any REST API, receive a response, and update the entry post-submission. It’s a powerful DIY way to integrate without waiting on a purpose-built add-on. Add Populate Anything for live magic. Use remote data in real time on the form. Validate inputs, build chained selects like year → make → model, and improve UX by showing results before submit. Bookings that fit your business. GP Bookings covers appointments, services, and even rentals. It’s designed as a platform that gets you 80–90% there, with room to tailor the last mile. WooCommerce compatibility. Tie Gravity Forms into Woo with Product Configurator so bookings and other advanced form flows can become real products. When to use a dedicated connector. API Alchemist is excellent for flexibility, but large files or high-complexity use cases (e.g., Google Sheets at scale) still benefit from specialized connections that handle edge cases and efficiency. Important links https://gravityforms.com/ https://gravityflow.io/ https://gravitywiz.com/ WP API Explorer (mentioned by Matt): https://wpapiexplorer.com/ National Highway Traffic Safety Administration API: https://vpic.nhtsa.dot.gov/api/

    39 min
  4. Introducing Crew Collective, a podcast from Rocketgenius

    09/18/2025

    Introducing Crew Collective, a podcast from Rocketgenius

    Coming October 14, 2025- Crew Collective, a podcast from Rocketgenius  Crew Collective is a podcast dedicated to the art of storytelling. Hosted by Stuart Barefoot, each episode will explore the stories that help shape us—books, movies, songs, video games—nothing is off limits. We’ll talk to creators of all stripes about their process, their craft, and the worlds they build.

    2 min

  5. 08/25/2025

    Blake Helps You Upload Big Files to Gravity Forms

    On this episode of Breakdown, I’m joined by Blake Whittle, founder of ClikIt and new owner of Infinite Uploads. Blake has been running a successful WordPress agency for years, but he’s now steering his business toward the world of WordPress products. We cover his journey from launching websites as a college freshman, to managing 200+ client sites, to acquiring Infinite Uploads and rolling out new plugins that make WordPress media management easier. Blake shares his long-term vision of moving fully into software and explains why the Gravity Forms ecosystem is a key part of that future. He also opens up about the challenges of agency life versus product life, how AI is shaping opportunities for developers and site owners, and why he thinks WordPress still offers huge potential for the next generation of builders. If you’ve ever thought about transitioning from client services into products—or you just want to know how to handle big file uploads through Gravity Forms—you won’t want to miss this conversation. Takeaways Transitioning from agency to products: Blake explains why he’s aiming to sunset his agency within 10 years and focus entirely on WordPress plugins. Infinite Uploads expansion: After acquiring Infinite Uploads, Blake launched new plugins including Big File Form Uploads, which now integrates directly with Gravity Forms. Solving real-world problems: Big File Form Uploads makes it possible for users to bypass hosting upload limits, chunk large files, and accept multi-gigabyte uploads through Gravity Forms. AI’s dual role: A potential threat to agencies through AI site builders, but a growth opportunity for plugin developers as it brings more beginners into WordPress. WordPress remains wide open: From blogs to SaaS, Blake still sees WordPress as one of the best platforms for young developers to start building with. Important links Gravity Forms Gravity Flow ClikIt Infinite Uploads https://wordpress.org/plugins/tuxedo-big-file-uploads/

    33 min

  6. 07/14/2025

    He Built His Own Gravity Forms Chatbot

    In this episode of Breakdown, Matt is joined by Sam Texas—a serial founder, Django developer, and self-described "vibe coder"—who’s found his way back to WordPress through the doors of AI automation and Gravity Forms. Sam shares how a casual client call with Trooper Dev led him down a rabbit hole of connecting Gravity Forms to an MCP (Modular Command Protocol) server and Claude AI, enabling non-technical sales teams to spin up customized forms in minutes without touching the WordPress admin. It’s a real-world example of AI empowering teams to build faster, smarter workflows—and Gravity Forms being the foundation that makes it possible. Matt and Sam explore the strengths of WordPress as an application platform, how AI will reshape plugin discovery and form creation, and why open standards like REST APIs and MCPs might signal the next era of low-code/no-code development. Along the way, they talk about the surprising value of WordPress authentication, owning your own content in the age of LLM scraping, and how vibe coding is changing the shape of small software projects. If you’re building modern workflows on WordPress, or just wondering what it means to mix AI with forms, plugins, and automation—you’ll want to hear this one. Takeaways AI + Gravity Forms unlocks new workflows: By integrating Gravity Forms with an MCP server and Claude AI, Sam was able to prototype a no-code form creation tool that shifts power from developers to sales teams. Gravity Forms is more than forms: Sam describes it as the "soup-to-nuts" process layer in a workflow—doing much of what services like Zapier or Make try to stitch together. WordPress can win in the AI age with open architecture: REST APIs, authentication, and extensibility make it an ideal frontend for enterprise CMS systems or data pipelines. Open web control matters again: In a world of AI scraping, owning your content, managing access, and understanding the cost of closed platforms (like Webflow) is becoming increasingly important. MCP (Modular Command Protocol) is promising—but early: It may bring much-needed standardization to REST APIs, but it's still experimental and lacks built-in security, so proceed with caution. Important links https://gravityforms.com/ https://gravityflow.io/ https://wpapiexplorer.com — Matt’s tool for inspecting and testing WordPress and Gravity Forms REST APIs https://trooper.dev — WordPress maintenance and dev agency where Sam is consulting https://x.com/HeySamTexas — Follow Sam on Twitter/X

    30 min

  7. 06/16/2025

    Can WordPress Outlast the AI Rush?

    In this episode of Breakdown, Matt Medeiros welcomes back Cole Fraser from Gravity Wiz to give us the latest updates from their camp—and there’s a lot to catch up on. Cole breaks down how Gravity Wiz is evolving from a plugin company into a full product ecosystem, with updates that will have Gravity Forms customers rethinking how they build and manage forms. One of the biggest changes? The launch of Spellbook, a new centralized plugin interface that consolidates the management of all Gravity Wiz products right inside the WordPress dashboard. It’s a cleaner, more powerful way to handle plugin discovery, licensing, and updates—plus it opens the door for more free offerings. Cole and Matt also dive into how AI is actually being used today in the WordPress and forms space. Spoiler: it’s still early days. While everyone’s rushing to ship AI features, many end users are just starting to explore the possibilities. The conversation gets philosophical, touching on form-building, data ownership, and how open source tools like WordPress and Gravity Forms may offer a more stable future as AI ecosystems start to get fragmented and commercialized. It’s a must-listen for anyone building with Gravity Forms—or wondering how the AI wave is truly reshaping workflows. Takeaways Spellbook is here: A new unified plugin management hub for all Gravity Wiz products, improving plugin discovery, licensing, and free plugin access. Gravity Wiz is expanding strategically: The team now offers three major product suites—Gravity Perks, Gravity Connect, and Gravity Shop—with more sophisticated tools on the way like GP Bookings. Real-world AI use is still basic: Most AI use cases with Gravity Forms revolve around data processing after form submission, not full-blown automation or form generation (yet). Email remains critical: Gravity Wiz launched new integrations with Drip and MailPoet, plus an email validator tool to ensure clean data and workflows. Open source is the long game: Cole and Matt agree—owning your data and building on stable, transparent platforms like WordPress and Gravity Forms matters more than ever in the age of API limitations and AI volatility. Important links 🌐 Gravity Forms 🔁 Gravity Flow 🧙 Gravity Wiz ✉️ Gravity SMTP

    31 min

  8. 06/03/2025

    How Liam Dempsey Powers Agency Projects with Gravity Forms

    On this episode of Breakdown, Matt Medeiros sits down with Liam Dempsey, founder of LBDesign, a boutique digital agency based outside Philadelphia. Liam walks us through the ethos of his client work, how his team approaches website builds for nonprofits and socially responsible businesses, and where Gravity Forms fits into his workflow. From building reliable donation forms to simplifying newsletter signups and contact pages, Liam emphasizes how Gravity Forms provides flexibility and trust for both him and his clients. He also shares practical insights on building long-term relationships with clients and why clear communication is key to delivering results that last. Whether you're an agency owner, freelancer, or a marketer working with WordPress, this episode offers a grounded perspective on client services and smart form strategies. Takeaways Use forms to inspire confidence: Liam highlights how building dependable, intuitive forms helps clients feel more in control of their websites. Gravity Forms = trust + flexibility: From recurring donations to conditional logic, Liam relies on Gravity Forms to handle complex workflows without needing custom code. Build relationships, not just websites: Clear communication, transparency, and a focus on client needs are central to LBDesign’s process. Nonprofits need robust tools: Many of Liam’s clients are nonprofits, and he shares how Gravity Forms enables them to reach their goals without breaking the budget. Important links https://gravityforms.com/https://gravityflow.io/https://twitter.com/LiamDempseyLiam’s personal site: https://liamdempsey.com/Liam’s personal site: https://liamdempsey.com/Liam’s agency https://lbdesign.tv/Liam’s podcast https://startlocal.co/

    29 min
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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
2 Ratings

About

Discover new WordPress opportunities through stories told using Gravity Forms. WordPress developers and agency owners rely on Gravity Forms to solve complex problems for their clients. Breakdown explores their stories to extract the most useful lessons for our listeners. Join podcast host Matt Medeiros with special guest appearances from the team behind Gravity Forms to stay up to date on the next opportunity for Gravity Forms + WordPress. Whether it's a new Gravity Forms add-on or a new way to use our e-commerce features, Breakdown is the WordPress podcast you want to be subscribed to.

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