Volodymyr Nakonechnyi, 39 years

I am Volodymyr Nakonechnyi, founder and head of YES Center LLC (YES Center), an entrepreneur in the field of international education.

I was born and live in Kyiv; I am a husband and father. My journey began with student leadership at NTUU KPI, where I headed the faculty student council. That was where I first experienced how teams work, the responsibility for results, and how important it is to build a system around people. Trips to Canada and the United States, studying abroad, and taking part in the Work and Travel USA program opened up the world of international education to me. I saw the opportunities universities abroad offer and realized that Ukrainian students should have access to quality education abroad, regardless of borders or their starting circumstances.

I entered business through hands-on experience. After several years of working with the United States, I began expanding our operations—from seasonal programs to a full range of educational solutions.

Today, YES Center helps students and adults through every step of the process:

• career guidance and career choice
• choosing a country and university for their studies
• applying to a university abroad
• obtaining a scholarship to study
• obtaining a student visa • arranging accommodation.

Over 14 years, my team and I have grown into an international education business operating in 35 countries: the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, countries across Europe, Japan, South Korea, Australia, and New Zealand. Crises in the international education market taught us to adapt. When visa rules changed, we diversified the countries we worked with. When travel became inaccessible, we launched online education and alternative educational programs.

I hold three principles close:

• honesty in partnerships
• speed in testing hypotheses
• focus on what matters most.

These principles helped me go from earning my first money at school to building an international education business that helps students get into universities around the world. Today, I am working on systematizing the business, developing the team, and scaling the company.

How did the business idea come about?

The business idea came about while working with students in the Work and Travel USA program. I was a student leader and actively involved in the program. After four years of working with the United States and obtaining accreditation from the U.S. Department of State and the Embassy, I saw that the opportunities in international education were much broader.

In addition to seasonal programs, there are:

• language courses abroad
• secondary education abroad
• higher education abroad
• professional programs for adults.

That was when our services, which initially focused on the United States, began expanding gradually to other countries. This is how the YES Center model took shape: educational consulting for studying abroad.

What key skills helped you launch the business?

Several skills laid the foundation for launching a business in international education. Communication and relationship-building: in this field, it is important to know how to work with students, parents, and universities abroad. Optimism and courage: education is a business shaped by constant change—from visa rules to geopolitics. A desire to create exciting projects: I have always been motivated by the idea that Ukrainians should have access to modern international education.

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

• The first challenge was earning clients’ trust. When you are just starting a business in study abroad, clients have to believe in you, even if competitors have been in the market for a long time.
• The second challenge was multitasking. We had to attract clients, create new educational products, organize training programs, and improve our service—all at the same time.
• The third challenge was staying focused on what matters most. Over time, I realized that business growth is possible only when you concentrate on the key areas.

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

Product diversification played a major role. It helped soften the blow when crises arose around the world and in the country—for example, when some countries restricted visa issuance to Ukrainians or students were no longer allowed to travel abroad at all.

Which decisions proved most effective in growing the company?

Improving quality through feedback and in-depth interviews, establishing a clear business structure, and delegating.

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

When the Work and Travel USA program stopped operating, it was a disaster for many competitors and led to companies closing. We did not give up; as the same team, we shifted to new educational programs. When the U.S. visa crisis arose, we began adding other countries. When not everyone could travel abroad, we started developing online programs and opportunities in Ukraine.