From an office above a pizzeria to 200 people in 12 years
Today, I am a co-owner and Chief Operating Officer of S-PRO, a company working in Software Development and IT Consulting. Over 12 years, we have grown from a small team to 200 people.
Interestingly, my path in business did not begin in IT at all. I have a degree in English translation, and at the start, my strength was not technical expertise but the ability to organize processes, structure work, and, perhaps surprisingly, speak English. It was English that opened the door to our first international clients in many ways. Over time, a systematic approach became the foundation of my role in the company and allowed me to build a system that can truly scale.
We founded the company when I was 22 years old. My partner was working as a developer at the time, and at some point we simply decided: why not try to build something of our own? It was not a "million-dollar idea" or a moment of inspiration—it was more a straightforward desire to test ourselves in real business and see what would come of it.
We started in Zaporizhzhia, which immediately presented us with a serious challenge: how to build a global business without obvious geographical advantages. In practice, we had to figure out and learn many things from scratch—from sales to communicating with international clients. But that, perhaps, is what shaped our approach to work and helped us establish a presence in the global market.
A translator opened the door to the global IT market from Zaporizhzhia
How did the business idea come about?
The business idea emerged in conversations with my partner, who was working as a developer at the time. We were both 22, and we started a company.
At first, it looked more like a classic startup than a carefully thought-out business strategy. We rented an office in a building above a pizzeria. That was also when our tradition of celebrating birthdays with pizza began. Over time, it became clear that the company was growing—clients came on board, the team began to expand, and the business started to develop in a more systematic way.
Now, 12 years later, it is a stable company with an international presence, but it all started in a small room above a pizzeria.
English, trust, and a systematic approach without a technical education
What key skills helped you launch the business?
When it comes to skills, what helped me at the start was not so much a technical background as the fundamentals that any business needs to function.
First, English. It effectively made it possible to work with international clients and build international communications.
Second, the ability to negotiate and build relationships. This is critically important in the early stages, because so much depends on trust.
And third, organization and a systematic approach: the ability to structure processes, stay focused, and see things through to results. Plus discipline—without it, chaos sets in very quickly in business.
Accounts receivable, the team, and selling into global markets from a regional city
What were the 3 toughest challenges you overcame in the early years?
In the early years, there were several challenges that could genuinely have "broken" the business if we had not addressed them in time.
The first was accounts receivable and cash-flow gaps. At the start, you do not always pay enough attention to this, but you quickly realize that if you do not manage finances systematically, the situation can get out of control in just a few months.
The second challenge was building the team. It is not enough simply to find talented people; it is important that they share your values and way of thinking. And it is just as important to put them in roles where they can reach their full potential.
The third was sales and entering the global market from Zaporizhzhia. We literally had to learn from scratch how to work with international clients, build trust remotely, and sell without being physically present. It was a difficult but very important stage.
Rapid growth, COVID, and the full-scale war: team, numbers, and strategy
What crises has your business faced, and how did you overcome them?
Business constantly faces crises and challenges. In a way, that is even a normal process—perhaps it is a sign that the company is growing. Every crisis we overcome adds experience and makes the business stronger.
For example, during our first five years, we grew very quickly—almost doubling each year. That, too, was a challenge in its own right. At one point, the team started growing so fast that it was no longer possible to manage everything on our own.
That was when we had to build a strong management team—people who could take on key functions and responsibilities within the company. It was an important transition from "hands-on management" to a more systematic organization.
The next major crisis for our business was the COVID-19 pandemic. At the very beginning, we had no idea what to do next: some clients paused their cooperation, our performance indicators began to decline, our offices closed because of the lockdown, and there was a great deal of uncertainty overall.
But the situation began to change fairly quickly, and after the initial shock, we were able to adapt—in time, the situation even turned into growth.
At the time, I formulated a fairly clear approach to dealing with crises. It consists of three things.
First, assess the situation as honestly as possible. Understand without illusions where you stand, the company’s actual financial position, and the risks involved.
Second, rely on the team. In times of crisis, it becomes especially clear who you can count on. And it is precisely thanks to people who are ready to take on more responsibility that a company can move forward.
And third, have a clear strategy and the discipline to implement it. In a crisis, it is important not just to act, but to do so systematically and consistently.
The full-scale invasion was a separate challenge and, without exaggeration, the most difficult one. It affected not only the business but everyone in the company.
In the first days, our focus was not on business performance, but on the team’s safety: where everyone was, who needed help, and how to provide basic stability. Only after that did we gradually return to operations.
This period made us rethink our approach to business resilience, risk distribution, and the role of the team even further. We had to rebuild many things literally "on the fly."
In practice, this meant taking very specific steps: mobilizing resources, controlling expenses, optimizing processes, redistributing teams, and focusing on areas that could deliver results first in the short term and later in the long term.
All of this became a very valuable experience for me. I gained a clear understanding that in any crisis, it is important not to panic, but to rely on three things: the team, the numbers, and the strategy.
A physical office in Zurich and the move from hands-on management to a system
Which decisions proved most effective in growing the company?
One of our strongest drivers of growth has been the principle of "being where the client is."
For example, a physical presence is critically important in the Swiss market: a local office, sales, and management close to the client. This makes it possible to understand the context better, respond to requests faster, and generally be "inside" the market rather than outside it.
When a company operates directly in Zurich, many operational and even everyday matters become much easier to resolve. And this directly opens up new opportunities for the business.
The second turning point was moving from hands-on management to a more structured model. At a certain stage, we realized that scaling further "by hand" was simply impossible.
Departments, functional managers, and separate teams in marketing, sales, and finance were introduced. That was when the company began to operate as a system rather than a collection of processes dependent on a few people.
In terms of numbers, it is still relatively easy to grow to 50–60 people. But beyond that, each next step requires a completely different level of management, process transparency, and accountability at every level.
500 thousand dollars lost to accounts receivable—and a lifelong lesson in systematic management
Which of your mistakes do you now consider your most valuable experience?
Perhaps the costliest and, at the same time, most valuable lesson for me was failing to manage accounts receivable, which resulted in a loss of about 500 thousand dollars.
The main mistake was that we believed for too long that we could save the relationship and kept putting off the decision to end it. At some point, you realize that the situation is not going to change, but you still try to give it one more chance—and that is what ends up costing the most.
This experience fundamentally changed my approach to finances and working with clients.
First, money needs to be tracked as carefully as possible—no "roughly" and no postponed decisions.
Second, accounts receivable need to be managed systematically—every week and every month, not just when an issue arises.
And third, it is important to stay level-headed when working with clients. Do not assume that everyone acts solely with good intentions. Clear processes, rules, and financial risk controls are essential.
The irony is that this happened about a month before the pandemic began—in effect, it was a perfect storm of risks.
