December 4, 2025, Narva. W3N Conference. The first time I stepped onto a big stage under the Sparkly HR name — and honestly, the knee was shaking a bit too.
The jury was tough — and the story went off track
The jury heard me out and then pushed back. Hard. And yes, I drifted off track a little — the first big outing with a new name, a new product and a new positioning rarely goes in a straight line.
That's okay. Feedback you get on stage is the most honest feedback a startup can get. Better to go off track on a Narva stage than in an investor meeting.
Narva surprised me — technical perfectionism
The conference itself was very well organised. What actually left a deep impression was the technical perfectionism — how things were run, how transitions worked, how stage tech, lights and sound all clicked precisely into place.
It's a shame that this kind of talent sits concentrated only in Narva. I'd love to see more of this organisational standard elsewhere.
Small crowd — but the right people
It was also a pity that the hall had fewer people than the event deserved. Because folks had travelled in from all over the world — specifically around Web3 and crypto. The conversations were genuinely interesting and the room was full of people I wouldn't have crossed paths with anywhere else.
In that sense W3N delivered value that a typical Estonian startup conference simply doesn't.
When the opportunity comes, take it
We got space on stage. And when an opportunity is offered and I qualify, I always take it. Even when the knee shakes. Even when the story drifts. You only grow on stage by getting on it.
Grateful to the organisers. Fully planning to be back next year — if the dates line up.
#venn #narva #sparklyhr #web3 #startup