From Transnistria through KPI to her own marketing agency in Kyiv
My name is Liliia Melnichenko, and today I am an entrepreneur and the head of the «Miko» marketing agency in Kyiv. My professional journey combines the experience of migration, hands-on growth in the field, and systematic learning.
I developed not only as a marketer, but also as a strategist and manager who thinks in terms of systems and long-term impact. I was born in Bender (Moldova, Transnistria) and moved to Kyiv to attend KPI. Living in a region with unrecognized status and experiencing war there (40 days), followed later by the full-scale war in Ukraine, profoundly shaped my worldview. I realized early on how narratives are formed, how information influence works, and how easily people’s views can be manipulated when they see only one side of a story. This shaped my critical thinking, my ability to analyze context, and my capacity to make decisions strategically rather than emotionally.
I worked my way up from employee to business owner. At an advertising agency, I quickly advanced from an assistant role: after the manager left, I effectively took over her responsibilities, including media buying, working with major clients, and managing budgets. This period taught me to work with numbers, assess risks, maintain financial discipline, and take responsibility for results. Later, I worked with various types of clients and projects, which gave me a deep understanding of the market. At a certain point, however, I recognized a key gap: the problem for most businesses is not a lack of tools, but a lack of structured thinking. This realization prompted me to pursue systematic training in comprehensive digital marketing and, later, to create my own agency.
I deliberately built the business not as a «services agency,» but as a system that brings together product, financial model, sales, and marketing within a single framework. I consider management maturity in communication another key strength. I do not let tension build up because things have not been discussed and agreed upon. I brought the principle of open communication from my family relationships into business.
When working with the team and clients, I do not «read minds»: I ask direct questions, align expectations, and identify differences in perspective at an early stage. This not only helps prevent conflicts, but also builds trust and long-term partnerships. Today, I combine practical experience, strategic thinking, and the ability to adapt quickly to crisis conditions.
My management approach is based on systematic thinking, financial logic, and clear communication—these principles have become the foundation of my entrepreneurial development.
A handmade marketplace, two clients during training, and the point of no return
How did the business idea come about?
Before starting my own agency, I worked in outdoor advertising (billboards, building facades, and citylights) with large companies, including «Foxtrot» and «Nova Poshta.» Around the fourth year of my career, I joined a strong product project: at the manager’s initiative, the team was creating a handmade marketplace to promote Ukrainian artisans and present Ukraine to the world as a country of art. We entered the markets of Canada, the United States, and Europe, and became one of the leaders in Ukraine. After differences in strategic vision arose, I left the project, but took away one key lesson: I had deep marketing experience, but lacked a structured system of knowledge and management. I enrolled in comprehensive digital marketing training, planning to find a job at a large company. But while I was still studying, I acquired my first two client projects, and my income exceeded the salary I had earned as an employee. That became the point of no return. My husband suggested the name «Miko.» We did not create a special story around it—it is a short word that is easy to read in different languages.
A systematic bird’s-eye view and communication through open discussion—the two foundations of Miko
What key skills helped you launch your business?
My core competence is a systematic, or «helicopter,» view of business. I see it not as a set of marketing tools, but as an integrated chain: product → financial model → team → sales → marketing as part of the system. I can bring positioning, offers, internal processes, and financial logic together into a single structure rather than a set of disconnected activities. The second important skill is communication through open discussion. I quickly clear up misunderstandings and turn a vague «something feels wrong» into specific wording and solutions. The third is the ability to learn quickly and adapt. I continually invest in learning and consultations, and immediately put new knowledge into practice.
Team sabotage, a cash-flow gap, and halted sales—three costly lessons
What were the 3 most difficult challenges you faced in the early years?
Team sabotage after rapid growth. Three months after completing my training, I significantly raised standards and tried to scale the existing team quickly. The lesson was simple: the owner may be ready to scale, but the team may not be. Changes need to be introduced gradually, or a new team needs to be built for the new level. A cash-flow gap during scaling. When some projects stopped and income fell to zero, the fixed-salary model became risky. I switched to project-based compensation, which allowed us to respond flexibly to fluctuations in demand. No systematic sales process. When we had three large projects and a team of about 15 people, we had an illusion of stability. We did not even have a website. The lesson: sales must happen continuously—it is better to turn clients away or raise your rates than to stop generating demand.
A survey four months after the invasion and clients returning from May
What crises has your business faced, and how did you overcome them?
I came through the quarantine period relatively steadily: some clients put projects on hold, but the business model held up. The beginning of the full-scale war was a much more serious challenge. Clients’ sales dropped sharply, and chaos prevailed. Four months later, I initiated a survey to gather feedback and reconnect. Some clients returned, and I used their responses to support new sales. At the same time, I proactively restored connections: I reviewed my contacts and personally called people I had worked with before. This enabled us to restore our workload starting in May. Today, for me, the crisis is the exhaustion of the traditional «project marketing» model and a desire to move to a different level of impact. I am developing a new area—consulting and repackaging clients’ products—and building support through partner channels and our existing client base.
Partnerships and existing clients instead of the search for new ones—what brought stability and profitability
Which decisions proved most effective for the company’s growth?
Focusing on partnerships and developing our existing client base. This brought stability, referrals, and higher margins.
The illusion of stability with three clients—and the rule to always keep selling
Which of your mistakes do you now consider your most valuable experience?
The most valuable experience came from stopping sales while we had several «anchor» clients and a large team. The illusion of stability quickly turned into a workload shortfall: one client left, another revised the terms of our cooperation, and there were no new clients. Since then, my rule has remained unchanged: sales must continue at all times, even if that means turning people down often or raising your rates.
