Andrii Ostapchuk, founder of Young Business Club, shares his thoughts and experiences on how to support and grow businesses in unpredictable conditions of a wartime conflict. His advice revolves around the entrepreneur’s role as the architect of their own business, the necessity of continuous self-improvement, and the importance of building an effective team during challenging times. Exclusive for Pro Ukraine.
Andriy, what challenges is Ukrainian business facing when entering foreign markets?
It’s not just a problem; it’s the root cause of most issues and potential business closures – the lack of analysis. Often, we rely on intuition, and only later realize whether things are moving or not. That doesn’t work here. Unlike in Ukraine, there might be no demand for a particular product or service in a new market. An entrepreneur invests resources, organizes legal and accounting processes, assembles a team for delegation in other directions – and the company ends up not making a profit.
One of the most valuable insights is to analyze the volumes of the new market, find out if there’s a culture of consuming a specific service or product. There are various resources for this, including Statista. It saves time, money, and the team.
Another thing I recommend paying attention to is that the company’s main marketer can only be its owner. That’s my personal philosophy. We can hire lawyers, financiers, HR managers and delegate operational work in their directions. But marketing needs to be personally controlled. It doesn’t mean the owner does everything themselves. It means they gather subcontractors according to their values, philosophy, and vision. They personally provide specifications, and they also oversee the work of marketers. I’m convinced that the main thing now is to know how to attract attention and sell the product. You can manufacture anything in the same China, but solving the issues of promotion and sales is the main task. I often see businesses entering new markets with old marketing mechanics. Where does it lead? Even in their own country, people suffer from this lack of attention, closing down, thinking it’s not the main focus.
The strength of a brand lies in its high recognition. Ukraine has accomplished this task over the past year; everyone knows us now. What has this war brought to Ukrainian businesses?
The undeniable bonus is that the world has finally discovered Ukraine, primarily thanks to the bravery and unreal professionalism of Ukrainian defenders. Their courage showcased what Ukrainians are made of and compelled the world to take notice of our country. However, in business, the popularity of your homeland is not the main thing. You are defined by expertise, activity, and your personal reputation.
Let’s be honest – the war took more than it gave. Not to mention the businesses that were destroyed or blocked, I must admit that partners have become more cautious about working with companies whose headquarters and teams are in Ukraine. Subcontractors prioritize markets, and that’s just the reality. Being a businessman in a war-torn country is undoubtedly an extremely challenging task.
At the same time, the war has brought the understanding that nothing should be postponed. Scaling into other markets, diversifying markets needs to happen right now. This applies to both businessmen and investors.
It’s especially relevant now to unite within the Ukrainian community abroad. Can you tell us, did the Young Business Club see an increase in participants since the beginning of the war?
After February 24, branches in seven cities were added to our club network. We are now in touch with Ukrainian entrepreneurs from Lisbon, Warsaw, Berlin, Barcelona, Bali, Toronto, and Wroclaw. In total, the Young Business Club already has 16 branches, confidently moving towards the planned hundred.
Our national idea has become stronger. Ukrainians abroad want to communicate with fellow Ukrainians because there’s a concept of a mental barrier. The Club allows joining a community of people with similar experiences and mindset, being together with like-minded individuals – it adds confidence.
But the most valuable thing is to talk to that Ukrainian who has been living in a particular country for many years, has built a successful business, and can share practical experience, recommend trusted specialists. The Club is hundreds of people, each of whom has built a successful business. Getting to know each other is an opportunity to exchange experiences, attract investments, and find a reliable business partner. People understand that things won’t be the same as before, so they are trying to rebuild their lives.
I know that joining the Young Business Club comes with quite strict conditions. Have you eased them for Ukrainian businessmen who moved abroad and are facing difficulties there?
It’s all relative. Business owners who are members of YBC, on the contrary, say that the conditions are quite lenient. So, to answer briefly – no, we haven’t eased them. Let me explain why. The club brings together people, each of whom has results. They come to talk to other entrepreneurs who have also built businesses. To hear not just in theory but in practice how an organized system operates, producing goods and genuinely delivering value. Currently, YBC has 700 entrepreneurs with an annual turnover of up to $1 million, 400 with a turnover of up to $50 million, and 18 businessmen with a turnover of $50 million and above. Three distinct clusters: you build a business, grow – move on to the next stage.
The period of charitable support has long ended, and now it’s crucial for Ukrainians to support each other. How do Young Business Club participants support each other?
Young Business Club is essentially a community of people with similar values, interests, and priorities. We communicate, spend time together – both at informative seminars and informally.
In the Club, there’s a Peer-to-Peer (P2P) format – a gathering of 12 entrepreneurs united by a specific philosophy. There’s no competition, no business pairs; there are people with approximately the same mindset. Once a month, they meet, share information not discussed elsewhere. It takes several years to build such deep trust in such a group. The greatest support comes precisely from these meetings. The reason is simple: the more trust, the more openness and willingness to help each other at different levels. The Club organizes this format as a primary means of mutual support among its participants. War is a marathon, and the more resilient emerge victorious.
Many Club members defend Ukraine in the ranks of the Armed Forces, and fellow club members actively support their units. How else? They are not just community members but our friends who, in a critical time for the country, chose armed resistance to the enemy. We are proud and want to be as helpful as possible.
Every month, we also hold auctions in various cities worldwide where YBC hosts major events. All the money collected from these auctions is donated to the Armed Forces of Ukraine. For example, we recently celebrated the anniversary of the Club’s branch in Warsaw and raised over 30 thousand euros there. Such auctions have become an integral part of the major events attended by many YBC participants. We will continue doing this as long as necessary.
Yes, we have launched an app called Young Business Match. Could you tell me more about it? Is it similar to LinkedIn? What makes your app unique?
We are building the first Ukrainian social network for entrepreneurs – for business networking, professional communication, and company development. We are currently in the MVP stage, but in less than two months, thanks to Young Business Match, over 7500 connections have already been made. This indicates that people have found mutual interest in each other.
Imagine walking into a room where there are thousands of entrepreneurs, as is often the case at conferences. How do you understand who suits your goals the most? Depending on whom you are looking for – an investor, a partner, a mentor, a contractor, or a top manager for your team? Who among these people is from which business sphere, what hobbies and values they have? We created a networking technology for entrepreneurs that works by analyzing a person’s business field, age, how they spend their free time, and where they live. This helps us match entrepreneurs with people who are likely to be the most valuable connections.
With each passing year, we have less time. Young Business Match’s task is to save time by connecting people with the highest likelihood of valuable intersections in their interests. We entered a market where the only alternative is LinkedIn, created back in 2003. We have faith, desire, and our initial actions already show that we are on the right path to building a great Ukrainian story.
And finally, a piece of advice for our readers. Three skills for an entrepreneur from Ukraine on how to sustain a business during times of war.
Most importantly, be always at the helm. In the current climate of uncertainty and turbulence, business owners need to reassume the position of CEO. The business owner is the architect. It’s about reinforcing the foundation where necessary, changing walls in some areas, conducting internal renovations, and sometimes realizing that it’s more rational to build everything anew from scratch. Therefore, it’s essential to be deeply immersed in the processes and feel your company.
Next, I would advise regularly learning and integrating new knowledge into your business. I myself have dedicated the last two years to deepening my expertise in IT. Every business is a replica of its owner. If the owner isn’t evolving, the company also degrades.
And finally, about those without whom any business is impossible: the team. Shape it, seek the best specialists. Choose those who aren’t intimidated but, on the contrary, are energized by solving complex tasks, those who share your values and priorities. When aiming for significant goals, we need people who will be by our side on this journey.
