About Us

Who We Are

At the helm of c5extras is JB, a web development veteran with 26 years of experience under his belt. But we're more than just a team with impressive credentials. We're problem solvers, dreamers, and, most importantly, humans who genuinely care about your success.

When you reach out to us, you're not getting an AI chatbot or a faceless support ticket system. You're connecting with real people who understand the challenges you face because we've faced them too. In a world increasingly dominated by automation, we believe in the power of the personal touch. It's not just about fixing issues; it's about building relationships and helping you grow your business.

Why We Love Concrete CMS

Our love affair with Concrete CMS isn't just a fleeting romance. It's a deep-seated appreciation for a content management system that strikes the perfect balance between simplicity and power.

JB didn't choose Concrete CMS on a whim. He meticulously tested over 25 open-source CMS options before settling on Concrete. The criteria? It had to be intuitive enough for non-technical clients to use comfortably, yet scalable enough for developers to stretch its capabilities. Concrete CMS ticked all the boxes.

What really sets Concrete apart is its front-end editing capabilities. In a world where such features are now commonplace, it's easy to forget that Concrete was a pioneer in this space. It pushed the envelope, putting rich content management within reach for users of all skill levels.

For developers like us, Concrete is a dream come true. Built with the latest programming languages and techniques, it allows us to add powerful custom functionality easily and cost-effectively. This means we can bring your wildest web dreams to life without breaking the bank.

Our Journey

The c5extras story began in July 2010, only 2 years after Concrete was released as open source, but our roots in web development go back much further. JB has been crafting commercial websites since 1998 – a time when the internet was still finding its feet. We've seen trends come and go, but our commitment to quality and innovation has remained constant.

In 2005, JB founded a successful Australian web design and online marketing agency. After a successful exit in late 2012, he didn't rest on his laurels but instead focused on building several other businesses. All of these ventures relied on Concrete CMS for their web presence, further cementing our belief in the platform's capabilities.

2012 was also the year JB met the PortlandLabs team in Portland, putting faces to the names behind Concrete CMS. It was a moment that reinforced our connection to the Concrete community.

The journey hasn't always been smooth sailing. In mid-2014, Concrete made a significant architectural change from version 5.6 to 7, which wasn't backward compatible. This meant recreating dozens of add-ons and themes from scratch – a daunting task that forced us to refocus on our most popular products: Mega Menu and YouTube Channel.

Despite the challenges, we continued to innovate. In 2020, born out of JB's firsthand experience with the pain of updating content across a large website, we released the "Find and Replace" add-on. It's this real-world problem-solving approach that drives our development process.

After weathering the storm of the pandemic, we're reenergized and investing more resources into c5extras. JB has poured nine months into a complete revamp of Mega Menu, distilling years of web development and online marketing experience into a tool that caters to both non-technical site editors and CSS designers alike. With Mega Menu, you can now do things in Concrete that were previously impossible.

This rebirth has also been expressed in the 2024 rebranding of c5extras and overhauling our website.

What's Next

The future looks bright for c5extras and the Concrete CMS ecosystem. We have several new add-ons and themes in our development pipeline, each designed to push the boundaries of what's possible with Concrete CMS.

But our vision goes beyond just creating great software. We're committed to supporting and championing the cause of open-source software. We believe that by working together, sharing knowledge, and constantly innovating, we can create a web that's more accessible, more powerful, and more beneficial for everyone.

As we look to the future, we're excited about the possibilities. But one thing will never change: our commitment to you, our users. Whether you're a solo entrepreneur, a small business owner, or part of a large organization, we're here to help you succeed.

Thank you for being part of our journey.

Here's to many more years of building amazing things together with Concrete CMS!