How did you hear about The WMarketplace?

During the Webinar "Supporting Ukrainian Women Entrepreneurs through Trade”

What is something you know now that you wish you knew when you started your business?

When I started Anzy Home I did not have any experience in business. I am excited to develop as an entrepreneur together with my brand's development. I have taken several different types of training, focused on business, marketing, financing, etc. I still know that I don’t have enough knowledge in specific areas of business. But if I had known everything I know now, when I started, I think the brand would have developed so much faster.

Why did you decide to join The WMarketplace?

Because we are targeted on the US market, having the most demand from US-based customers. Also our positioning and values are aligned with the ones of the WMarketplace.

What has been the most challenging thing about getting your business up and running?

The most challenging is the lack of time. I am a mother of 2 daughters, 4.5 and 2 years old. So throughout my entrepreneurial journey I have been trying to balance between motherhood and running my business. Another challenge emerged when the war in Ukraine started. We had to flee from our home city, and relocate the manufacturing to another location. Since 2022, I have been running the business remotely, as my younger daughter was 4 months old in February 2022, and the older one was 2.5 years old, and for safety reasons my family decided to move to the West of Ukraine. I have so much gratitude for the team who manages to keep operations on site during this difficult time. I am getting used to remote work, with my key responsibility now being strategic development and fundraising for business. But I really miss the manufacturing very much: the processes, the girls, and I'm very happy when I manage to visit them.

What has been the most exciting or rewarding part of owning your own business?

The most exciting thing is achieving new goals all the time. The most rewarding thing is to get positive feedback from the customers (regarding the quality of the products) and from our team, especially the women artisans working with us, who are able to work doing what they love most.

Can you identify a moment in your business that was pivotal in your success? Have you had an “AHA!” moment(s)?

I think that the pivotal moment was the development and introduction of the Baby Moses baskets and the newborn product line. It gave us very fast growth in foreign markets. Also the development of a brand identity was pivotal to initiate real growth.

How long have you been in business and has your business changed since you started it?

Formally, I started the business in 2019. Informally, I started to sell what my mom made in 2016, but until 2019 I did not have an office or administrative staff, and did everything by myself with the help of family members.

Do you have a mentor, formal or informal? What role have they played for you?

We had mentorship experience in 2 programs in Ukraine that we participated in. They weren’t particularly successful as they weren’t committed enough to our business. I was recently asked to be a mentor for other Ukrainian women entrepreneurs who want to start exporting their products. I just need to find the time!

What communities have been important for you as you grew/developed your business?

I am a member of a women entrepreneurs community in Ukraine, an exporting businesses community, and an Etsy sellers of Ukraine community. All chats and groups of these communities usually are very mutually helpful, to find answers to questions, or get some recommendations.

Do you have items, photos or mementos on your desk that inspire you each day? What are they?

Unfortunately after the war in Ukraine started, I had to leave my home, and never went back. During the last almost 2 years I haven’t had a consistent place to live and we are often having to move with my family. My laptop screen saver and phone screen photo are the only ones I can use all the time for inspiration. They both feature a photo of me with my daughters at the photo shoot decorated with Anzy Home's doll Moses baskets - so the combination of the 2 most important parts of my life: motherhood and business.

Do you have any advice for other women who are getting started in business?

To learn all the time. To pay attention to other inspirational and successful businesses. Never be afraid to take a step forward.

If a journalist were to write a headline about you/your business, what would it be?

“Ukrainian women's business erases borders and wins the hearts of conscious consumers around the world.”

Are there any apps or business services that you just can’t live without that you would like to give a shout-out to?

Shopify, CRM systems, Google

Is there a non-profit or other social/mission-oriented business that your business supports? Can you tell us about this?

We are a social-oriented business, with a mission to support Ukrainian women of different ages and social positions by creating meaningful and fairly-paid jobs. Also I am one of the founders of the NGO "TradewithUA" whose mission is to unite Ukrainian craft manufacturers to start or expand the export of their products.

Thank you, Anna for sharing your advice and journey with the WMarketplace!