Vitalii Pikul, 43 years

Business field:: Manufacturing and sales of interior doors
Company:: Syndicate doors and Sevi-Trade
Business size:: YBC Wise
Marital status:: Married
Looking for in YBC:: I am in the club for its strong community: engaging conversations, hands-on group work, including in the P2P format, and high-quality speakers who are genuinely interesting to listen to. I value connecting with people who are experts in their fields—the opportunity to observe how they operate, analyze what works for them, and adapt those approaches in my own business. I am also open to partnerships and new clients, since almost every business will need doors as a product sooner or later.

Section 1: About me. Dossier.

Company

Syndicate doors and Sevi-Trade

Business size

YBC Wise

Marital status

Married

Movies

"Knockin' on Heaven's Door"
"Billions"
"Fast & Furious"

Books

"Rich Dad Poor Dad," Robert Kiyosaki;
"Principles," Ray Dalio

Songs

"People Like Ships" - Skryabin

Hobbies

Travel

City

Kyiv

3 events that changed my life

Starting my own business became the starting point of my professional journey and shaped my future direction, sense of responsibility, and mindset as an entrepreneur.

The full-scale war in 2022 had a significant impact on both my personal priorities and my approach to running a business, forcing me to adapt quickly to a new reality and make decisions amid uncertainty.

Getting married and the birth of my child changed my values, strengthening my sense of responsibility and long-term outlook in both life and business.

2 people who influenced my life

My wife—as my closest partner and support, who stands by me in key decisions and difficult times.

My mother—as the person who shaped my fundamental principles, attitude toward work, and sense of responsibility.

1 decision that changed my life

«The decision to start my own business in 2009, which shaped my professional path, mindset, and subsequent development as an entrepreneur.»

Vitalii Pikul

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Section 2. About the business. Dossier.

Company name

Syndicate doors and Sevi-Trade

Business field

Manufacturing and sales of interior doors

Years in business

In business for 17 years. The company has been operating since 2009, and its own manufacturing facility was launched in 2023.

Status

Member

Team size

Approximately 180 employees.

Has a partner

Countries of operation

Ukraine; United States; Lithuania; Latvia; Moldova

Section 3: Biography.

From selling doors to our own manufacturing and international markets

Today, I am an entrepreneur systematically developing a business in the door industry—from sales to our own manufacturing and expansion into international markets.

My professional journey began with an inner drive to influence processes: not simply to work within an existing system, but to shape strategy, set the direction for development, and establish the rules of the game in the field I work in. In 2009, I made a pivotal decision to start my own business.

I started by selling doors and gradually moved on to scaling the business: opening new branches, expanding the product range, and strengthening our market position. In 2023, we took a strategic step and launched our own manufacturing operation, allowing us to significantly increase control over the product and respond flexibly to market needs on our own terms. Early on, I quickly realized that energy and motivation alone were not enough for sustainable growth. The key challenge was the need to develop management maturity. The greatest difficulties arose in areas that often remain blind spots for entrepreneurs: building business processes, hiring a team, and communicating effectively.

Over time, it became clear that business growth is not the result of one grand idea, but of a series of practical management decisions that gradually strengthen and improve how the company operates.

Building a business according to my own principles and making decisions independently

How did the business idea come about?

The business idea came from an inner need to have a direct influence on the company’s processes, strategy, and development. It was important to me to build a business according to my own principles, make key decisions independently, and work in a field that genuinely interests and motivates me over the long term.

Combining my own skills with the expertise of others

What key skills helped you launch the business?

Communication skills, a results-oriented approach, a desire for continuous development, and openness to new experiences laid the foundation for starting and growing the business. I would also highlight the ability to build partnerships—the capacity to combine my own skills with the expertise of others, strengthening the business and creating shared results.

Hiring, assigning roles, and establishing a management structure without formal training

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

At the outset, I faced challenges typical for an entrepreneur without formal management training. First, I lacked sufficient knowledge of business and business processes. I also found it difficult to hire staff and assign roles effectively, as well as to establish effective communication within the team and build a management structure.

We came to the office—part of the wall was missing, and so was the money

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

One of the most severe crises was the theft of our funds: intruders broke into the office through the neighboring wooden’ wall, broke open the safe, and left us with part of the wall missing and no money. It was all the working capital we had at the time. This experience made it clear that security is an ongoing process, not a formality, and that we need to be much more responsible when choosing premises and storing our finances. Another set of crises involved management challenges related’ to scaling: opening new branches, growing the team, and increasingly complex communication. These are natural difficulties for a business that outgrows a small team and begins to operate as a fully fledged system.

Our own manufacturing operation and a partner whose expertise influenced the speed of growth

Which decisions proved most effective for the company’s growth?

The decisions that had the greatest impact on the company’s growth involved scaling—opening new branches and expanding the product range. Launching our own manufacturing operation was another milestone in our development. A deep understanding of the market, actively seeking customers, building agreements, and partnering on the manufacturing side were all key, with our partner’s expertise directly influencing the speed and quality of our growth.

I scaled without planning—and had to rethink everything

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

The most valuable experience came from trying to scale the business without sufficient planning and preparation, which later forced me to rethink my approach to growth and management.

Firecrackers through an acquaintance—and the profit turned into experience

How did you earn your first $100?

I earned my first money, less than 100 dollars, while still at school, selling firecrackers through an acquaintance. We did not sell all the goods and used some ourselves, so the actual profit turned into experience rather than money.

How did you earn your first $1 000?

I started earning my first substantial income, around 1 000 dollars, when I got a job at a distribution company selling paint.

Sales department head—and that’s where the idea for my own business was born

How did you earn your first $10 000?

I earned my first 10 000 dollars in my own business. Another important milestone was working for a building materials company as head of sales—that was when the idea for my future business really took shape.

How did you earn your first $100 000?

I earned my first 100 000 dollars in my own business through sales, before launching production.

How did you earn your first $1 000 000?

I also earned my first million dollars in my own business, focusing on sales.

Section 4: How can I be useful? Experience I can share.

From trading to manufacturing without losing control

My practical experience is most useful when a business faces challenges as it grows. This includes building an organizational structure, managing people, scaling through branches and product range, and moving from trading to manufacturing without losing control.

I can also share an approach to viewing a company as an integrated mechanism with clear roles, responsibilities, and a measurable end product for each function.

Section 5: Club value

What am I looking for in the club?

I am in the club for its strong community: engaging conversations, hands-on group work, including in the P2P format, and high-quality speakers who are genuinely interesting to listen to. I value connecting with people who are experts in their fields—the opportunity to observe how they operate, analyze what works for them, and adapt those approaches in my own business. I am also open to partnerships and new clients, since almost every business will need doors as a product sooner or later.

What have I received from the club?

Connections