From a career in recruitment to my own international agency
I am Tetiana Bykova, founder of Bykova Recruitment Agency. We recruit personnel around the world, focusing mainly on C-level, technical, marketing, and finance positions.
I have been in recruitment for over 10 years. Before starting my own business, I worked at various companies—both outsourcing and product companies. Alongside that, I ran recruitment courses and took on individual staffing requests from clients. For the last two years before starting the business, I was constantly thinking about launching my own agency. But the companies I worked for offered good financial terms and opportunities for career growth, so each time I chose employment.
The turning point was the war and the crisis at the company where I was working at the time. Hiring stopped and the workload became minimal, although the company continued to pay salaries. During this period, foreign clients began approaching me with requests for recruitment services. Over time, I brought on my first recruiter. As the number of clients grew, I hired a second, and then the team grew to five people.
For me, the war was the moment I realized that life should not be put on hold. Everything changes so quickly that there is no point in waiting for the right moment. If you want to make something happen, you just have to do it.
Communication, networking, and the drive to grow
What key skills helped you launch your business?
First and foremost, communication and networking. I am a very sociable, outgoing person. I organize conferences, attend events in iGaming, Fintech, and IT, follow the market, and try to attend events that interest me.
I am also very goal-oriented. I have always wanted more; I wanted to grow and move into a leadership role. At some point, I realized that the best way to make this happen – was to create my own business, find people to join the team, and manage its development myself.
Competitors, personal branding, and a steady flow of clients
What were the 3 most difficult challenges you tackled in the first years?
The first challenge was taking on competitors who had already been working in the international market for decades and had strong positions.
The second was building a personal brand. I believe that without one, it is difficult to develop a business that is meant to grow and generate more revenue.
The third was building a stable flow of clients. This requires developing your network, building relationships, getting referrals, and running a referral program so that people want to recommend us as an agency.
Instead of a crisis, a constant search for clients
What crises has your business faced, and how did you overcome them?
There has not been a major crisis in the business so far. On the contrary, we are currently seeing growth in the number of clients, in the business, and in long-term contracts.
At the beginning, there was a period when we needed to build momentum and do everything possible to bring in more clients. At the same time, we had to outcompete others by offering services more cheaply, better, and faster.
Now the main task is different: to keep a steady flow of new clients and vacancies. In recruitment, you fill some positions, and the client says: «Thank you, we don't need anything else», so you have to look for the next request.
Referral programs, conferences, and visibility
Which decision has been most effective for your company's growth?
One of the most effective decisions was launching a referral program. We encourage people to recommend us as an agency. Organizing charitable conferences for Ukrainians also helped a lot. It gave us the opportunity to be part of a professional community, meet people, and build our own visibility.
Another area is media presence. I have been running Instagram for four years, launched a YouTube channel, and am active on LinkedIn, TikTok, and Threads. I also use targeted advertising. I try to maintain a presence across different channels to speed up growth and stay top of mind.
The most valuable mistake: not launching the agency sooner
Which mistake do you now consider your greatest learning experience?
My main mistake was not launching the agency sooner.
I thought about it for two years and didn't dare to take the plunge. If I had done it earlier, I might have achieved greater scale by now—in terms of both revenue and other indicators.
