I sketched machines as a child — and became CEO of an engineering firm
Today, I am the owner and CEO of the engineering design firm «GEOMETRY-S», which provides end-to-end engineering design services for commercial, industrial, and administrative facilities. We work in the business-to-business segment and build long-term partnerships with architectural, construction, and development companies. What I especially value is that most clients become our long-term partners after completing their first project with us.
My professional journey began with an engineering education and work as a design engineer. Over time, I realized that opportunities for further growth in employment were limited, so I decided to establish my own design firm. At the outset, I handled practically every function myself: I worked on designs, coordinated the work of external specialists, managed projects, and communicated with clients. Today, day-to-day operations are largely managed by the head of the department, while I focus primarily on the company’s development strategy, building management systems, and scaling the business.
Entrepreneurship has never been a romanticized story of freedom or quick success for me. Above all, it means responsibility, discipline, and continuous growth. I realized this especially clearly after my son was born, when I was 19 years old. That was when I gained a clear understanding of the need to work consistently, take responsibility for the results of my decisions, and build a stable future for my family.
In recent years, one of my key strategic priorities has been developing the company in the North American market. I am drawn not only to its larger scale and greater purchasing power, but also to its different business standards, approaches to work, and opportunities for professional growth. That is why I am now focused on building a systematic path into the international market, so that the company’s development is supported not only by referrals and reputation, but also by predictable, scalable client acquisition channels.
An idea that grew out of childhood sketches
How did the business idea come about?
The business idea grew out of my interest in creating and building things. As a child, I loved designing and modeling, and I drew plans and machines. That is why I consciously chose engineering, gained professional experience, and eventually concluded that starting my own firm would be the next stage of growth for me—one that was out of reach in employment.
Three skills that became the foundation
What key skills helped you launch your business?
Three practical skills became the foundation of my growth.
First, an engineer’s systems thinking — the ability to break complex facilities down into individual systems, components, standards, and areas of responsibility.
Second, process management: setting tasks, planning time budgets, monitoring quality, and analyzing the causes of delays.
Third, working with a team: recruiting and developing specialists, setting requirements for documentation, modeling, and work standards, and being ready to make difficult management decisions when a system stops working effectively.
Building a reputation without a portfolio, recruiting students, and entering the U.S. market
What were the 3 most difficult challenges you overcame in the early years?
The first challenge was attracting clients and building a reputation. In the design field, trust is a key factor, and without a portfolio or referrals, it is very difficult to win your first major projects.
The second challenge was finding talent. Good engineers are not easy to find, and it is even harder to find people who share the company’s values and are ready to work within a system of clear standards. That is why it is often more effective to bring in students and develop specialists within the company.
The third challenge, which is especially relevant today, is entering the North American market. The rules, client expectations, and approaches to sales are different. My task is to build a systematic process for attracting new clients instead of relying on occasional deals.
A cash-flow gap and frozen projects: how we weathered two blows
What crises has your business faced, and how did you overcome them?
One of the most painful crises came when the company did not receive a significant portion of the payment for work already completed. This led to a serious cash-flow gap. We gradually resolved the problem using credit and our own funds. Our top priority was to keep the team together and meet our obligations to employees on time.
Another major test was the start of the full-scale war. Some projects were halted, some funds became inaccessible, and a large project was frozen almost immediately. During that period, we had to work without being able to choose our projects. At the same time, this experience convinced me once and for all of the need to diversify markets and work in different countries.
New software in 2015 opened up international markets
Which decisions proved most effective in growing the company?
The decisions that had the greatest impact were those aimed at developing the company as a system.
The first was adopting more professional software in 2015. It was a challenging process: not all employees supported the changes, and we had to part ways with some team members. However, this step opened access to new markets and allowed us to expand our range of services, including for international clients.
The second important decision was to fully digitize our processes. We began managing projects systematically, monitoring time budgets, analyzing profitability, building a knowledge base, and implementing work standards. Today, I am actively exploring AI agents and integrations through n8n to further automate business processes.
A delayed decision always comes at a high cost
What mistake do you now consider your most valuable learning experience?
The most valuable lesson was realizing that delayed decisions almost always come at a high cost. In the past, I put up with problematic situations for too long, postponing replacing a manager, letting an employee go, or conducting a detailed analysis of complex issues, hoping they would resolve themselves.
Experience has shown that procrastination leads to a loss of time, money, and team resources. Today, we are much more thorough in selecting people and openly warn candidates about the high standards and demanding nature of the work.
