Vikas Singhal on Building InstaWP, Tech Roots, and Open Source Passion

Send us Fan Mail An unexpected conversation with a born entrepreneurwho had an unquenchable thirst to learn technology at a very early age. In this episode of Seriously, Bud, I had the pleasure of speaking with Vikas Singhal, the founder of InstaWP. We started off with a light-hearted discussion about a vivid dream Vikas had recently, where he found himself stuck in a tiring time loop. This unusual start to the conversation gave us a chance to ease into the discussion and explore Vikas’s background in a unique way.Vikas then took me back to his early days, sharing how his fascination with computers began in high school when his school received a few new computers. This sparked a passion that led him to teach himself programming languages like FoxPro and Visual Basic. Despite growing up in a small town in central India, where his father ran a grocery store, Vikas always knew that his true calling was in technology, not in the family business.We also delved into Vikas’s journey through higher education and his early career. After moving to Bangalore, he pursued a degree in computer engineering, bypassing the usual competitive exams by securing a spot through a donation-based system. His first job at Cisco was a dream come true, where he honed his skills in computer security. However, Vikas confessed that he regrets not starting his entrepreneurial journey sooner, as he spent over a decade in corporate roles before launching InstaWP.On the personal front, Vikas shared details about his family life. He spoke about his arranged marriage, which is common in his culture, and how his wife has been a crucial support system, allowing him to focus on his startup. They have two young sons, and while Vikas is keen on introducing them to programming, he is also ensuring they are well-rounded by encouraging their participation in sports.As we moved toward discussing InstaWP, Vikas shared his pride in the platform’s growth, with over 32,000 users and the creation of 2,000 websites daily. He discussed the recent launch of their hosting service, WP Live, which offers a seamless transition for users who want to take their sites live without the hassle of traditional hosting setups. Vikas emphasized the importance of portability and openness in their service, staying true to the spirit of open-source.We wrapped up the conversation with Vikas recommending Leslie Sim from Newsletter Glue as a future guest for the podcast. The entire discussion was a fascinating glimpse into Vikas’s life, his entrepreneurial journey, and the passion that drives him to continue innovating in the WordPress space. I’m grateful for the insights he shared and look forward to seeing where his journey takes him next.