Meet the Community: Michelle Coe
The Basics
Your Name & ClassicPress Handle: Michelle Coe | BlueSkyPhoenix
Your social media handles: Facebook & Instagram: @BlueSkyPhoenix
Twitter: @bsp_design
Your website: https://blueskyphoenix.com
Where in the world are you located?
Virginia, USA
Tell us about yourself — your occupation, hobbies, etc.
Since 2011, I’ve owned a small firm that does brand & marketing strategy and web design & development. I am most passionate about working with small and micro businesses, as well as non-profit organizations.
I serve on the board of our local Chamber of Commerce as Chair of the Micro Enterprise Council. I also serve on the ClassicPress Committee and am CP Design Team Lead/Marketing Team Co-lead. I am also a director of ClassicPress Limited.
I teach Zumba Gold classes twice a week (I love my seniors!) and during the summer months I travel regionally to show my limited edition Volkswagen GTI. When I’m not doing all of those other things or being a mom, I enjoy creating art. I’ve been an ArtSnacks Ambassador for a little over a year.
I also spend a fair amount of time on my yoga mat, which helps keep me sane enough to do all the other things.
You’ve recently been appointed as one of the three new directors of ClassicPress Ltd. How much more work is involved and what new responsibilities does this entail?
I’m already involved with ClassicPress on a daily basis, so it’s not that much more work (yet!). Each of us has made a long-term commitment to see this project succeed. Becoming a director simply formalizes what we’ve been doing all along: making decisions that we believe — based on the expressed needs of the community — are in the best interest of ClassicPress.
Other than the alarm clock, what gets you up in the morning?
I’ve always been pretty driven. I’m not a morning person, but I’m definitely a “get stuff done” kind of person, so that’s what gets me up and keeps me moving forward. Please don’t talk to me before I’ve had breakfast and a cup of coffee or tea, though.
What’s your dream job?
I’m living it right now in a lot of ways. Sometimes I get frustrated that there’s not enough hours in a day and not enough of me to go around, but I know myself and if I had actual free time, I’d probably just fill it with some new thing that interests me. I made a conscious decision to live this way, and if the day comes that I’m not happy with it anymore, I’ll just change it. That’s one of the joys of being an entrepreneur. The freedom that comes with it is absolutely priceless.
Tell us about the car in your life.
She’s a 2007 Volkswagen GTI Fahrenheit Edition; there were only 1200 of them made in the US and they’re all orange. I drive her daily but also take her to car shows. It’s been a lot of fun and I’ve connected with a great group of people as a result. Plus, it’s kinda like driving a unicorn, which is amusing. People who know what it is walk up and talk to me about it all the time.
How did you hear about ClassicPress, and what made you want to get involved?
In October 2018, the threat of the new WP Block Editor was starting to become very real and I was increasingly concerned for my clients, most of whom are micro businesses. I started looking for alternatives and found out about ClassicPress. The ClassicPress community was warm and welcoming and I loved the energy in the project, so I jumped in at the deep end and got involved right away.
How does ClassicPress fit into your overall plans for the future?
In my business, now that ClassicPress v1 is released I’m talking to each of my clients about their options and encouraging them to make the switch to ClassicPress. At some point I expect I’ll use ClassicPress exclusively for all my clients, but a strong e-commerce solution needs to be in place before I can move the last of them.
Serving the ClassicPress community as a director, committee member, and team lead is a privilege I take seriously and I am very grateful to be a part of such a great project. There are so many truly talented people at ClassicPress! I look forward to being part of ClassicPress for many, many years to come.
Done fast, done inexpensively, or done well: Which two do you choose?
I greatly enjoy finding ways to beat any Kobayashi Maru scenario, so I choose all of the above. 
Seriously though, given the choice I’d probably choose done well and done inexpensively over done fast. The truly important things in life — joy, love, forgiveness, trust, creativity — cannot be rushed, but they can be done well and they don’t have to cost a thing.
