From six internet clubs in Kharkiv to a cycling tour network in four European countries
I am Oleksandr Vasylyev, an entrepreneur from Kharkiv and the founder of Orange Fox. I trained as a programmer and started my entrepreneurial journey long before moving to Europe. I earned my first money as a student, cleaning basements. Later, I began working in IT. When the internet was just beginning to gain popularity, we opened an internet café, and later expanded the business to six internet clubs. After that, I developed other businesses. One of them was connected to a clothing sales platform. The business grew, but eventually closed. After the full-scale war began, I moved to Europe. At the time, I had three young children, and I had to start from scratch. Today, I live in Barcelona and am growing Orange Fox. The company operates in four European countries, and our team has more than 100 people.
From a love of sport to a business that expanded into four countries
How did you come up with the business idea?
I have always been passionate about sports and wanted to build a business in this field. After moving to Europe, we opened our first bike rental shop in Varna. Seeing that the model worked well, we decided not to stop at one city. We developed our own tour booking system, created an audio guide for cycling routes, and gradually brought this model to Barcelona. Later, we began opening new branches in other European cities.
Openness to new ideas and automation — two skills that helped scale the business
What key skills helped you launch the business?
- Openness to new ideas. I have always enjoyed trying new things, so I find it easy to launch new business lines and open branches in other cities.
- Programming. I trained as a programmer, so I can automate business processes. This skill has helped significantly with the company’s growth and scaling.
Working in Europe, costly mistakes, and the high price of scaling
What 3 most difficult challenges did you tackle in the early years?
- The first was working with a team abroad. At the beginning, we did not fully understand local labor laws, so we faced several lawsuits. This experience taught us how to hire employees properly and set up work processes in accordance with each country’s requirements.
- The second challenge was the economics of doing business in Europe. High costs for rent, salaries, and operations mean that a company has to consistently sell large volumes of services. There is no room for prolonged mistakes here—every decision directly affects the financial results.
Ironman taught me not to fear crises
What crises has your business faced, and how did you overcome them?
I can’t point to any major crisis in the business itself. I compete in Ironman events and run marathons and ultramarathons, so I’m used to strenuous challenges. Compared with the crisis you experience during a race, business problems don’t seem quite so difficult to me. When you cover 100 kilometers, it’s hard to imagine a life situation that could feel even harder.
Automation and scaling have become the foundation of Orange Fox’s growth
Which decisions proved most effective for growing the company?
- Automation. We automate and program our processes as much as possible. Without this, it would be very difficult to manage business growth.
- Rapid scaling. I don’t stop at one or two cities; I open new branches. This allows us to quickly increase turnover and get established.
Growing too quickly can hinder business development
Which of your mistakes do you now consider your most valuable learning experience?
I used to think that the faster a business grows, the better. Over time, I realized that an excessively rapid pace of growth can be just as dangerous as a slow one. I often compare business to a marathon. If you start too fast, you may simply run out of strength before reaching the finish line. The same is true in entrepreneurship: it is important to find your own pace, one that allows you to grow steadily without overloading the team or the owner.
