**Genesis Community Live Cast: September 2021 Shapers Recap**
**David Vogelpohl:**
Hello, everyone! Welcome to the Genesis Community Live Cast. Today, we’re bringing you the September 2021 Shapers Recap episode, titled *New Mobile Style Tools for Genesis Blocks and More.*
For those who don’t know me, I’m David Vogelpohl. I’ve been part of the Genesis community for over eight years, and I love working with the Shapers to help improve Genesis together.
Joining me for this special recap episode is a very special guest—someone well-known in the StudioPress community. He was one of the founders of Genesis, if not *the* founder. Please welcome Brian Gardner!
**Brian Gardner:**
Thanks for having me, David. I’m excited for today’s discussion. For those unfamiliar with my background, I’ve been using Genesis since before it was even called Genesis. While Nathan Rice did most of the development, a lot of the ideology behind it was mine, so we co-created it. I’ve been part of Genesis for a long time—long before it was “cool.”
**David Vogelpohl:**
That’s awesome! We’ve been on podcasts together before, but there’s been a big change recently. As of September 20, you’ve taken on a new role. Tell us about it!
**Brian Gardner:**
Yes! I recently accepted a full-time position that was too good to pass up. It aligns perfectly with my passion for design, WordPress, and building community. And, as it turns out, I’m now working at the same place as you—WP Engine!
**David Vogelpohl:**
That’s fantastic! So, does this mean I’ll see you at the virtual water cooler?
**Brian Gardner:**
Absolutely! I officially started at WP Engine on September 20, and I couldn’t be happier.
**David Vogelpohl:**
We’re thrilled to have you back in the WP Engine and Genesis family. Everyone was excited to hear the news, and we can’t wait to see what you’ll be working on.
Now, let’s jump into the Shapers recap!
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### **Shapers Meeting Recap**
The first question we ask at every meeting is: *Show an emoji if you were able to attend!*
We had Madison Sadler from WP Engine’s engineering team and Nahuai Badiola from AwesomePress respond with a waving hand emoji. Sally Gatch (rhymes with “sketch”) responded with a simple hand emoji—though it almost looked like a “talk to the hand” moment!
**Brian Gardner:**
Yeah, Sally’s great, so I won’t read too much into that.
**David Vogelpohl:**
She’s also on the West Coast, so this meeting happens early for her. I wouldn’t blame her for being a bit grumpy!
—
### **New Mobile Style Tools in Genesis Blocks**
We provided a pre-release version of Genesis Blocks 1.3.0, which includes new mobile style options. There’s a blog post on the StudioPress site with more details. We asked the Shapers if they had a chance to test it before the meeting.
It turns out that very few had tested it, except for Nahuai, who suggested extending the mobile style controls to Genesis Blocks itself.
**Brian Gardner:**
I did test it a little. Responsive design is more important than ever, given the prevalence of mobile devices. When developing features like this, there’s always a balance between what should be built into Genesis Blocks and what WordPress itself might eventually introduce. But if customers are asking for it, we have to provide it.
**David Vogelpohl:**
Absolutely! For those unfamiliar, this feature is available in Genesis Blocks 1.3.0 and allows users to control mobile styles directly within the block settings—no CSS required. This makes it much easier for both developers and non-coders to create responsive designs.
—
### **Essential Plugins for WordPress Sites**
We asked the Shapers: *What plugins are critical for every WordPress site you build?*
Some responses included:
– **Gutenberg Plugin** (for testing new block features)
– **Yoast SEO**
– **Redirection Plugins** (which surprised me at first, but makes sense for redesigns)
– **EditorsKit**
– **Anti-Spam Bee**
– **Gravity Forms & Contact Form 7**
– **Advanced Custom Fields (ACF)**
– **WP Rocket** (for performance optimization)
– **Restrict Content Pro (RCP)**
**Brian Gardner:**
It’s interesting to see patterns—most developers have go-to plugins for forms, caching, and optimization. But end users often install
