From swimsuits and dancing to a boutique agency with an airport-style system
I am Konstantsiia Kondratieva, an entrepreneur and founder of the boutique marketing agency STARBRAND. I have worked in marketing for over 10 years and have experience in leadership roles.
My first job came when I was 18. Since childhood, I had trained professionally in ballroom dancing, and later began teaching children in my hometown of Luhansk. That was when I first learned to take responsibility for other people and earned my own money.
Later, my professional path continued in business and marketing. I worked as an HR director, executive director, and marketing director. I gained experience in the information business and took part in major launches, including one worth a million dollars.
In 2016, I was living in the USA. Knitted swimsuits were very popular in America at the time, and I brought the idea to Ukraine. That was how my first business came about—a brand of knitted swimsuits, dresses, and clothing for beautiful getaways.
In 2018, I went to Singapore for Tony Robbins' seminar «Unleash the Power Within». The event radically changed my mindset, my attitude toward my own worth, and my understanding of how important it is to reach your potential.
Also in 2018, I won a title at the prestigious Mrs.Ukraine Internationalʼ18 pageant. In 2019, I received the title «TOP 100 Women of Kyiv Region».
Another important chapter was living and studying in India. I have practiced yoga for about 15 years, and in India I trained to become a yoga teacher. That experience introduced me to meditation and spiritual practices from a different perspective.
A turning point was the public stress test of my positioning by Andrii Fedoriv at the BRANDFATHER club. He completely dismantled the original concept. It hurt—and it was the most useful thing that happened to the agency: I rethought everything and built the brand again from scratch. The result was a top-1 ranking in the club for four weeks in a row.
Today, I am growing STARBRAND and take full responsibility for my life and financial results. To me, that is entrepreneurship: not waiting for a salary, help, or some sign, but building the life you want yourself.
Management, marketing, and multitasking — skills gained over ten years of practice
What key skills helped you launch your business?
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Management. I worked in leadership roles for many years: as an HR director, executive director, and marketing director. This experience taught me how to manage people and build effective workflows.
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Marketing. I have been in marketing for over 10 years. During that time, I have worked with various businesses and major launches, gaining extensive hands-on experience and an understanding of how to work with different products.
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Multitasking. In my first business, I had to do everything: handle finances, production, and promotion, and even deliver swimsuits to bloggers myself. This experience taught me to understand different business processes.
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Continuous learning. I do a lot of learning and draw on the experience of people with strong expertise in their fields. For me, this is a way to master new areas faster and apply what I learn in practice.
AI, intense competition, and war — three challenges for a marketing agency
What 3 most difficult challenges did you face in the first years?
First, the emergence of artificial intelligence. This is a new challenge for the marketing business, because some processes can now be automated and delegated to AI. So it is important to understand which tasks it can handle and to integrate these tools into our work effectively. Second, intense competition in marketing. This field has always been popular, and competition remains high. That is why it is important for me to have a clear understanding of our format and what sets STARBRAND apart from other agencies. Third, building an agency during wartime, when the market and clients' budgets change every month. This has taught me to build flexibility into every strategy.
90% of clients come through referrals — and no more than five projects at a time
Which decisions proved most effective for growing the company?
First, deliver results for clients. About 90% of my clients come through referrals. When someone is happy with the work, they bring in others. Second, quality networking. I deliberately choose strong business communities where I can demonstrate my expertise, meet entrepreneurs, and find new clients. Third, the boutique agency model. I decided not to spread myself too thin or take on a large number of projects. STARBRAND takes on up to five clients so we can maintain quality and work closely with each business.
Discounting to get a case study — a mistake that devalues your work
What mistake do you now consider your most valuable experience?
At the beginning, I often gave in to clients on the cost of my work, especially when it was a small business or a startup with an interesting product. I might agree to a lower price because I saw the potential for a partnership or the opportunity to create a strong case study. Over time, I realized that these concessions are not appreciated. You spend your time, resources, and your team's knowledge, while devaluing your own work. So now I stand firm on my pricing and do not agree to discounts just because I am afraid of losing a client.
