Oleksandr Arkushyn

From ski instructor to business in Poland

My name is Oleksandr Arkushyn. My path into entrepreneurship was not shaped by the search for one big business idea. I started earning money early and moved from one type of business to another—from seasonal sales and simple retail models to distribution, a network, and imports.

At 20, I went to work at Bukovel as an instructor. In my first month, I earned enough to open a small kiosk selling beer, soft drinks, water, and cookies. In the summer, I placed ice cream freezers at markets in Lutsk. Then I saw demand for draft beer, which people ordered because it kept for 7 days. Later, I built an alcohol distribution business. At the same time, I launched other ventures whenever I saw a specific need in the market. 

That is how the story of selling and importing equipment began, too. I couldn't find beer kegs, so I asked my brother in Poland to help me find them. Now I work in Poland, developing my alcohol business and imports, and continue learning how to adapt a business model to new countries and markets.

Self-belief, discipline, and the habit of taking action

What key skills helped you launch your business? 

For me, the main skills are self-belief, discipline, and the habit of simply getting things done. I didn't sit around wondering whether it would work—I got started and took action.

When you can no longer carry the business on your own

What were the 3 most difficult challenges you solved in the first years of your business? 

The hardest thing at the start was finding a strong team. I worked 16-18 hours a day and became exhausted. But I struggled to find the right people. Sometimes it simply didn't work out, so finding and building a team became a systemic problem for me.

Debt, losses, and a change in mindset

What crises has your business faced, and how did you overcome them?

My mistake was thinking: «Whatever I take on will always work out». That was true until I was 29. But during one period, a lot went wrong: my businesses declined, I got into heavy debt, and spent several years paying it off.

The hardest thing for me was changing my mindset and not dwelling on problems. 

Don't transplant the Ukrainian model to a new country

What decision do you consider most effective for growing a company?

For me, the most effective way to grow in Europe is not to transfer the Ukrainian business model as it is, but to adapt it to each specific country. I spent a year and a half analyzing how Poles and other Europeans work, and realized that the market does not adapt to the model you are used to.

The second important decision is to change your approach to the team, taking into account the tax burden and actual costs. While in Ukraine it may be possible to build large teams of marketers, salespeople, and HR staff, in Poland this is often not economically viable. One person can cover several areas.

I also focused on creating a product with healthy margins that could support growth, rather than simply copying competitors.

Put agreements in writing, even with friends and relatives

What mistake do you now consider your greatest learning experience?

The most valuable lesson for me came from a situation where I was carrying other people along and had not set the rules from the outset. I started businesses with partners and friends. At some point, they began diverting resources to themselves, or conflicts arose.

In Lviv, I launched stores with another person, and later it turned out that he was taking money out of the business. There was an investment arrangement where the full amount was never documented, and eventually I received a court summons, where it was confirmed that I was the one at fault.

After that, I established a simple rule for myself: put everything in writing—contracts, agreements, and amounts. Do it properly from a legal standpoint, even if the person across from you is a friend, your father, or a relative.

From my first earnings making ice cream boxes to $100 000 a year

How did you earn your first $100?

At 12, I glued together ice cream boxes. I was paid one kopeck per box, and made around 2 000 boxes a day. In ten days, that came to about $100.

How did you earn your first $1 000?

I earned my first $1 000 at 16-17, working as a sales agent in Lutsk. It was seasonal work selling ice cream: I sold it to shops and bars, and also filled in for managers while they were on vacation.

How did you earn your first $10 000?

When I worked as an instructor in Bukovel.

How did you earn your first $100 000?

I earned around $100 000 a year at about 25-26. That was the stage when I had already built a distribution business.

I can share my experience scaling a business and entering new markets.

Your experience: how do you systematize a business?

For me, systematization means adapting the business model to a specific country and having the right mix of roles on the team. 

I see a difference between how people are used to working in Ukraine and how they work in Poland and Europe. Because of the tax burden and economic conditions, it is often not possible to hire large departments right away. You need to create a product with healthy margins and distribute roles so that the company does not spend all its profit on salaries and taxes before achieving the desired results.

Your experience: how to grow x2 in a year?

To grow x2, I would do the following: first, check whether the business is already effective where you operate. Next, analyze the market and adapt the model to the specific country: its mindset, purchasing power, and way of doing business. At the same time, I would review margins and team structure. You should not simply duplicate your Ukrainian headcount in another country—you need to build the necessary roles based on actual costs.