A few years ago, Ilya Kostenko and Valeria Barbenytska left for the US without a plan, with their first product in boxes they kept at home. Their previous business project was profitable but unstable – as they say, "more like a casino". Today, their nail beauty company has an annual turnover of over $2 million, 70% of its products are Ukrainian-made, and over $1 million is returned to the Ukrainian economy every year.

LIGA.net spoke with a Ukrainian couple to find out how they managed to build a business with millions in turnover, support the Ukrainian economy – and why instead of donations they chose a stable business based on trust in a Made in Ukraine product.

Photo provided by Ilya Kostenko and Valeria Barbenitskaya (Photo by Kate Omelchenko)

From Amazon to $1000 to start: how it all began

When Ilya Kostenko and Valeria Barbenytska came to the US, they already had experience in business. But this was a different business – dropshipping on Amazon, very profitable, but incredibly stressful. Ilya compares it to futures or the lottery:

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Ukrainian businessentrepreneurshipbusiness in the USAEmigrationSuccess story