From Athlete to Founder of an International School
Martial arts became part of my life in childhood. I started practicing at the age of six and have remained involved in sports ever since, in one way or another. In Ivano-Frankivsk, I developed my own martial arts schools, and I began coaching professionally in 2011.
I became an entrepreneur in this field not because I had dreamed of opening a sports school since childhood. On the contrary, at first I didn't want to be a coach at all. When my mentor suggested I join a children's sports club, I immediately turned him down. I couldn't imagine myself as either a coach or someone who worked with children.
But gradually, I began to see the results of my work. The children changed, grew, and developed. We ourselves began to take a different approach to what we were creating. We traveled to competitions in Kyiv with large teams, organized trips, and made our own uniforms. I saw that a sports school could be more than just a sports club, a place where future people are nurtured; we have the power to influence future generations—and that motivated me to develop this area.
We began building a different kind of offering. We targeted the upper-middle segment, renovated the premises, installed new mats, and focused on cleanliness, reception, and service. Instead of the usual approach, where a coach might yell at children and conduct classes indifferently, we had young people with higher education who were motivated to grow and lead by example. Parents noticed. They liked the environment we had created around sports. Gradually, I too became interested in developing this particular area.
In Ukraine, I had four martial arts schools—three in Ivano-Frankivsk and one in Verkhovyna. Later, I handed the business over to the local team and focused entirely on Cyprus and the development of an international school.
Three and a half years ago, I opened the International Jiu-Jitsu School here. Today, around 300 students attend the school, mostly children, but adults as well. We have students from more than 30 nationalities, and our team includes people from Ukraine, Poland, Lithuania, Germany, Greece, Jordan, and other countries.
For me, this is no longer just a sports club. It is a business in the sports and education sector, where training is only one part of what matters—the environment, the team, and the quality of the offering matter too.
A passion for the work and deep expertise
What key skills helped you launch your business?
First and foremost, a passion for the work and the deep expertise I have built up over the years. My experience has been varied—there have been successes and setbacks, and all of it has mattered.
People can tell when you truly love what you do. At our school, people often talk about the environment we have created. That matters to me.
I would also highlight my experience with international partnerships. I have three partners from different countries—Germany, Lithuania, and Italy. We work as an international team, and that has been a valuable experience for me.
A business that needs ongoing support
What were the 3 most difficult challenges you faced in the first years of operation?
The first challenge is finances. At the beginning, there is no net profit, so the business needs constant support. I often compare it to a child: you can't leave a small child alone for a day and expect them to manage. The early stages of a business are much the same.
The second challenge is the team. You need to find the right people, build a team, and get through unsuccessful hires, dismissals, and disappointments.
The third is balancing business and personal life. Your time is limited, and you need to divide it between work, family, children, and other parts of life.
Patience instead of impulsive decisions
What crises has your business faced, and how did you overcome them?
We have faced seasonality, COVID, and financial crises. In our field, there are periods when business grows rapidly and periods of decline. That is why it's important not to react impulsively to every change.
Over the years, I have come to understand the value of patience and observation. It's important to keep your ego and emotions in check, reach agreements with people, and avoid making decisions based on emotion.
It's also important to me to have a higher purpose. If you build a business only for money, you will make some decisions differently. When you understand the mission of your business, it influences how you run the company.
Mission, patience, and the ability to reach agreements
What decisions proved most effective in growing the company?
- Patience. The ability to observe and not react to everything immediately. The ability to keep your emotions in check and reach agreements.
- I also believe it's important to see a business not only as a way to make money, but as a mission. When you understand why your business exists, it influences the decisions you make.
- Another important factor is training the team. People need to keep developing, adapting, and learning how to work with what has already been built.
A partnership that taught me to be more attentive
Which of your mistakes do you now consider your most valuable experience?
My most valuable experience came from a mistake in the structure of a partnership on a new project. It came together in a rush because, after certain circumstances, we had to start over quickly.
That experience taught me to be much more attentive when it comes to partnerships. In the future, I want to set out the structure and agreements in great detail. Partnership is an art in itself, and the way it is built at the outset has a major impact on the future of a business.
