About Starter WP

Building real websites for the backbone of our economy — small businesses.

 

Starter WP was founded with a simple belief: every small business deserves a professional website they truly own.

For too long, local businesses have been overcharged by agencies, locked into closed platforms, or left with insecure, outdated websites. We built Starter WP to change that.

Our Mission

To give small businesses a top-quality, professional website that they own and can grow with their business.

We build every site to be fast, secure, search-optimized, and designed to convert visitors into customers — all delivered in just one week.

Our team handles everything from design to hosting and maintenance so business owners can focus on what they do best, not on plugin updates or broken contact forms.

Why Starter WP Exists

Starter WP began in 2018 after years of seeing small businesses struggle with the same recurring problems:

  • Websites that cost too much to build and even more to maintain.

  • Platforms that lock owners out of their own content.

  • Freelancers and agencies that disappear after launch.

  • Security issues caused by neglected code and missing updates.

We realized small business owners needed a different kind of solution — a fully managed WordPress platform where they could get a custom-built site quickly, keep full ownership, and know it would stay safe and up-to-date.

That idea resonated. Within our first 30 days, we launched over 100 websites for businesses who wanted to finally stop worrying about their online presence.

Our Approach

We combine the flexibility of WordPress with the reliability of a managed hosting environment.

Every Starter WP site is handcrafted by professionals who understand what drives real business results — credibility, clarity, and conversion.

Our builds aren’t templates or page-builder clones. They’re thoughtful, fast-loading, fully optimized websites built to help small businesses stand shoulder-to-shoulder with large competitors.

We’ve been recognized as a StudioPress and WP Engine agency partner, and our hosting is powered by modern infrastructure on DigitalOcean, giving clients enterprise-grade reliability without enterprise pricing.

Backed by Real Experience

The Starter WP team is led by Drate Berry, a veteran developer and marketer who has helped funded startups, universities, nonprofits, and national brands amplify their web presence.

His work has helped clients quadruple lead generation, grow web traffic by 800%, and rapidly scale new marketing campaigns.

Drate has contributed to the WordPress ecosystem for more than 15 years — organizing WordCamps, speaking at Meetups, and serving on the official WordPress.org Training team.

That deep involvement in open-source development is built into Starter WP’s DNA: we believe the web works best when it’s open, accessible, and truly owned by the people who use it.

What We Stand For

  • Ownership: Your website is yours — always.

  • Transparency: Clear pricing, clear timelines, no surprises.

  • Reliability: Managed hosting, daily backups, and 99.99% uptime.

  • Community: Proud supporters of open-source software and the WordPress community.

  • Impact: Helping “main street” businesses compete with corporate giants — without corporate budgets.

The Starter WP Experience

We want every customer to walk away thinking, “That was the best experience I’ve ever had building a website.”

From the first call to launch day, our process is fast, friendly, and focused on what matters: giving small businesses a powerful foundation for growth.

Building real websites for real businesses.

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