Jake Goldman Talks Agency Mergers and Rebranding

In this episode of the WP Minute Podcast, host Eric Karkovack welcomes Jake Goldman, founder of 10up and now a Partner at Fueled, to talk about a major agency evolution. Jake shares the journey from founding 10up in 2011 to its merger with Fueled in 2023, culminating in a rebrand that sees the combined entity operating under the Fueled name. He explains the motivations behind the merger, including the desire for diversification, access to broader resources, and positioning for enterprise-level digital transformation projects.

Jake also discusses the continued investment in open-source plugins such as ElasticPress, ClassifAI, and Distributor, which reflect Fueled’s commitment to supporting the WordPress ecosystem while solving real client problems. The conversation touches on the shift toward full site editing (FSE), the agency’s custom internal toolkit, and how AI and no-code tools are transforming the web development landscape. Jake’s new role allows for a better work-life balance and a renewed focus on brand storytelling and strategic initiatives.

Key Takeaways:

• 10up merged with Fueled in 2023, with the unified brand now operating as Fueled; 10up remains as the WordPress practice within the company.
• The merger was motivated by scalability, diversification, and the need for broader digital capabilities in the enterprise market.
• Fueled’s new website was built using WordPress full site editing and custom internal tooling, completed in just 8 weeks.
• Jake is now a Partner at Fueled, focusing on strategic marketing, brand storytelling, and select client projects.
• Plugins like ElasticPress, ClassifAI, and Distributor continue to reflect the team’s open-source contributions and enterprise-focused solutions.

Important Links:

• Fueled
• Related Articles:
  Fueled Merges with 10up To Deliver Superior Customer Experiences
  Fueled for the Future: A Renewed Brand
  How Fueled Built Its New Website in 8 Weeks
• Plugins:
  ClassifAI
  Distributor
  ElasticPress
• Jake Goldman on LinkedIn