Shliakhov Viktor Serhiiovych

Business with my brother, despite the myth — and moving from Donetsk as a catalyst for growth

Today, I am an entrepreneur and co-founder of two companies, Vilex Group and Asava Group, which specialize in the production and sale of children’s toys.

Before becoming an entrepreneur, I worked as an employee for a long time in a variety of fields. This experience shaped my systematic thinking, attention to detail, and ability to work with structure. After several years, I realized it was time to fulfill my dream and start my own business — one where I would be fully responsible for decisions and results.

My brother and I launched all our businesses together. In our case, we have sidestepped the myth that you cannot do business with relatives. We often disagree and have different perspectives, but we never leave issues unresolved. This was not a perfectly calculated project on paper — rather, it was a deliberate step into the unknown, grounded in discipline and a systematic approach. At the beginning, many processes were built intuitively. However, through practical experience and mistakes, I arrived at a key management conclusion: without clear financial accounting and structure, a business loses control. That is how I came to focus on a systematic approach — tracking customers, analyzing work, and monitoring margins and expenses.

A forced move was a defining stage in my professional development. The business began in Donetsk, but circumstances forced us to leave the city and essentially rebuild our operations from scratch. Moving to Kyiv was both a serious challenge and a catalyst for growth. In the capital, I saw different standards of competition, a different scale of opportunity, and a deeper logic to doing business. This stage significantly strengthened my strategic vision and management maturity.

From employment to running my own business: a deliberate step into the unknown

How did you come up with the business idea?

I worked as an employee for a long time, and although I earned quite good money, I spent several years nurturing the idea of starting my own business. At a certain point, my brother and I decided to join forces and launch a business together. It was a deliberate decision to move from employment to entrepreneurship.

A systematic approach, discipline, and the willingness to move forward without having the full picture

What key skills helped you launch your business?

The foundation was a systematic approach, discipline, and a willingness to move forward into uncertainty. It was important not to be afraid to make decisions without having the full picture and to take responsibility for the results.

Donetsk, numbers instead of intuition, and the full-scale invasion

What were the 3 most difficult challenges you faced in the early years?

The first major challenge came when it became impossible to continue doing business in Donetsk, and we were forced to move to Kyiv and essentially restart our operations.

The second was introducing systems and financial accounting — learning to view the business through numbers rather than intuition.

The third challenge was the start of the full-scale invasion, which required a complete overhaul of an established operating system.

Accepting reality and adapting: how we got through the worst of the crisis

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

The most acute crisis was the start of the full-scale invasion. The key was accepting reality and adapting quickly: changing our approach, reviewing processes, and bringing order to our accounting and management. Some decisions had to be “bought with time” — getting through the first difficult stage and then restoring stability under the new conditions.

Kyiv opened up a different scale, while turning down “any customer” improved profitability

Which decisions proved most effective in growing the company?

The decision to move to the capital gave us the biggest boost in growth. Despite having an established environment, customer base, and well-functioning processes in our previous city, the capital opened access to a different scale and higher management standards.

The second strategic decision was to change our approach to customers and the work we took on. I abandoned the principle that “our customer is anyone who calls,” organized our customer base, and stopped taking on every task just for the payment. Analysis and structure proved more important than simply staying busy.

Years without accounting: the most costly mistake at the start

Which of your mistakes do you now consider your most valuable learning experience?

The most valuable mistake was starting out without systematic financial accounting. In the early years, the business ran on intuition: money was left over, but we had no clear understanding of return on investment, actual profit, how much money could safely be withdrawn, or the profitability of individual areas. Today, I understand that implementing systematic accounting from day one would have saved us years and accelerated sound management decisions.

From seasonal jobs to a million in assets

How did you earn your first $100?

I earned my first 100 dollars as an employee, probably while I was a student, working seasonal jobs. It was not a distinct landmark event, but it was my first experience earning money on my own.

How did you earn your first $1 000?

I received my first thousand dollars as a salary for work I did as an employee. It was the result of consistent work, not a one-off project.

How did you earn your first $10 000?

I earned my first 10 000 dollars in business. At that point, we did not yet have systematic accounting, so it was difficult to assess profitability accurately, but I was already getting a sense of the financial results.

How did you earn your first $100 000?

The first 100 000 dollars came from the business operating consistently. It was not a sudden breakthrough or a one-off deal, but a gradual accumulation of revenue and profit.

How did you earn your first $1 000 000?

An entrepreneur's first million is rarely sitting in an account. It is usually held in assets—companies, business stakes, investments. That was the case for me, too.

A financial model with a risk factor of 1,5 — from day one

My hands-on experience is about moving from managing by “gut feeling” to managing based on numbers. This means implementing financial accounting, structuring expenses and revenue, and analyzing the customer base and workload. I have seen how keeping busy for the sake of it can take the place of profitability, and how systematization restores control and manageability to a business.

A spreadsheet, risks, and margin from day one

Your experience: how do you systematize a business?

I start with a basic financial model and regular accounting. At the outset, I map out the model in a spreadsheet and calculate potential losses and risks, multiplying the risks by a factor of at least 1,5. If the model remains profitable even under this scenario, I launch the project.

From day one, I record all expenses, even if there is no profit yet. The cost structure must include taxes, rent for premises, a store, or an online platform, platform fees, including those charged by marketplaces, the cost of goods, the selling price, and the margin. This gives a realistic understanding of the financial result.

Market size, customer profile, and sources of exponential growth

Your experience: how do you grow x2 in a year?

To achieve twofold growth in a year, I first assess the market size and whether the goal is realistic. It is important to understand whether there is sufficient demand in the chosen niche. Next, I clearly define the customer and their potential value to the business.

If the company is already operating, I analyze competitors and sources of growth: either increasing market share or expanding the product or services to deliver exponential growth. At the same time, in mature niches, even growth of 5–10 percent can be a good result.