This June, I went to my very first WordCamp as the founder & CEO of BerryPress – and… it was a lot. In the best possible way.
I arrived in Kraków with an open mind and no set agenda – just real curiosity about what this community looks like in real life. But how did it all start?
My WordPress Journey
I’ve been using WordPress for over 12 years, starting back in high school with a small blog I built called “Touring Czerwionka” – and believe it or not, it’s still live: touringczerwionka.wordpress.com. I’m not even ashamed of how it looks! That first post was published on November 16, 2012, so I’m coming up on 13 years with WordPress.
I started working in a web agency on plugin development back in March 2018. Technically, it was my job – but it never really felt like one. I got to do what I loved, learn constantly, and collaborate with people who inspired me.
That’s also where I met my now-business partner, Jonathan Hall, currently CTO of BerryPress. Together, we launched BerryPress – continuing the development of plugins he originally created under his earlier brand, Potent Plugins, and building entirely new ones along the way.
Fast-forward to today:
- Over 4,700 active free plugin installations
- Over 4,500 commits this past year
- Countless hours spent shaping our direction and products
We’re growing fast – and with that comes challenges: scaling, planning, hiring. That’s when the idea hit us: Where can we meet people who are just as passionate about WordPress as we are?
WordCamp Kraków? Let’s go.
No big prep. No social media presence (we created it on the spot!). Updating a long-forgotten LinkedIn profile on the fly, creating social media accounts last minute, and heading straight into the WordPress community with curiosity and zero expectations. Within a few hours, I knew: this won’t be my last WordCamp.
Sessions that stuck with me
I didn’t attend every session (there were three tracks running!), but here are a few that really stayed with me:
- Fixing and Optimizing Websites with AI (by Arnas Donauskas)
– Practical, grounded, and focused on real use cases. Smart AI that checks your site’s core, plugins, .htaccess, and permissions. This is the kind of AI I want to see in our space. - Big, Yet Still Fast (by Karol Sawka)
– On scaling big websites without killing performance. Clear, phased guidance – not a magic fix, but the kind of real-world strategy devs need. - “Real Issues Developers Face” (by Maciej Kuchnik)
– A great story of how DNS issues broke checkout – a 3-hour trouble shooting process packed into a 20-minute talk. I loved how relatable and raw it felt. Logs are the key! - Delegating Without Burning Out Your VA (by Agnieszka Kowalska)
– A must-hear for founders. It gave me a serious push to start documenting processes and learning to let go (a bit!).
Soon available on WordCamp.tv – so if you missed them live, you’ll be able to catch up soon!
I also joined Contributor Day. It reminded me that WordPress isn’t just a platform. It’s a people-powered ecosystem built on time, care, and community. Yes, it has challenges – not everything gets fixed fast, and many teams are short on contributors. But it also has space for everyone – even if you’re not technical, there’s a place for you.
https://make.wordpress.org
The People Behind It All
What made WordCamp Kraków truly special wasn’t just the talks. It was the hallway conversations. The quiet chats over coffee. The first dart game I ever played (and won! 🎯). It was the sense that people genuinely want to connect – and that kindness still exists in tech. And then… there was one moment I’ll never forget.
I spent over an hour talking with Robert Windisch (CIO at Syde and longtime contributor). We spoke about business, networking, community – and I walked away feeling supported, inspired, and more confident than ever in what we’re building. Today, I proudly call myself the CEO of BerryPress (thanks Robert!).
Huge Thanks to the Organizers
This event was put together by a small team of 11 core organizers and 30+ volunteers – and it showed. From the warm welcome to the great venue, bilingual content, clever agenda, and fun quiz – it was really well done.
275 attendees. 3 tracks. 2 languages. A whole lot of heart.That’s what real community looks like. Special thanks to Sebastian Miśniakiewicz, the lead organizer, for pulling it all together so thoughtfully. You can really tell how much care and heart went into making this event happen.
What’s Next?
This wasn’t just a conference. It was a reminder of why we do what we do – building tools that make WordPress smarter, safer, and more scalable. It also reminded us how critical accessibility, security, and people are.
Here’s where you’ll find us next:
- WordCamp US – August 27–29, 2025 (Portland, Oregon)
- WordCamp Gdynia – September 26–28, 2025
- WordCamp Europe 2026 – back in Kraków! 🇵🇱
If you’ve never been to a WordCamp – let the next one be your first. You don’t need to be a speaker, a sponsor, or an expert. Just come. You’ll learn a lot – but more importantly, you’ll meet the people behind the platform. And they’re amazing!
To everyone we met: thank you! To those we didn’t: see you soon! Maybe at the dartboard. 😉
– Anna