Grants during the war. Anna Zenn about entrepreneurship, craft production and the role of women in business
It helps microbusiness to get grants, enter the market for entrepreneurs on online platforms (Amazon, Etsy), develop microexport. Ms. Anna, who are you in the profession and what did you do before the establishment of your own company? I received an economic education, and now I get a second higher education - I study at the correspondence department at the Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv at the Faculty of Philosophy. She started working 11 years ago at kabanchik.
ua (a well -known service for finding specialists for household and business tasks - ed. ): She joined the team as a communications manager and increased with them to the operating director. Subsequently, she decided to try his efforts in her business and founded her own company. We created a mobile application for studying spoken English, engaged in other products, and then started working with startups.
Why did you choose the direction of microbusiness help? First of all, it is the impact of work experience in kabanchik. ua. I understood how important financial support for microbusinesses, markets, investments, in particular, from abroad. Unfortunately, the realities in Ukraine are such that it is difficult to survive without investment by micro -entrepreneurs, sometimes it is impossible. My path in this case began with the history of help.
Before the pandemic, in the early 2020, we had the opportunity to organize a delegation from Ukraine to a large conference to Silicon Valley. We took 15 companies to this event, and all these startups were able to attract investments. It was very important to them, because the financing of some of these startups was very limited. Financial support, market assistance, investment, in particular, from abroad, but immediately a pandemic began.
There was no feeling that this story was over without having time to start? Of course, it was a period when everyone tried to understand what to do next. We also thought that we can offer in times of uncertainty and considerable restrictions. And for a while, they still organized an interesting event. It was a big video course that we told in detail about microbusiness opportunities, in particular how companies can use different international playgrounds for sale.
How many employees do you have? In the "Basic team" we are seven. But under different projects we attract different experts and, accordingly, different number of people. For example, we are now working on a project that involves about 30 specialists. What is the project? Last week, we launched a new initiative - a project to support Ukrainian entrepreneurs. The main goal is to help our manufacturers sell handmade goods abroad.
We will choose 500 companies that will be able to study on real cases, work with mentors, make market analysis, experiment with advertising campaigns. In two months, they will be able to create a popular Etsy shop. Each of these 500 companies will receive $ 1000 for the purchase of materials, attracting specialists, creating a collection, first marketing research. Do you have partners or is this independent project? It is difficult to work in our realities.
Therefore, we always cooperate with large organizations. The initiative is currently implemented with the USAID Competitive Economy of Ukraine, in partnership with UkrPoshta and the Office of Entrepreneurship and Export Development, with Etsy support.
The main purpose of the new project is to help Ukrainian manufacturers sell handmade goods abroad What interesting projects did you realize during the war? In 2022, we launched a Made in UA Support Project to support the brands left in Ukraine and continued to work. It was able to participate in Ukrainian manufacturers who work officially in Ukraine and create jobs in the city or village.
100 winners of this competition received $ 1,000 for production development, evacuation of the team to another city and other important investments. 11 manufacturers received promotional codes for free international delivery of 5 to 30 thousand hryvnias from Ukrposhta, and 10 manufacturers-personalized tips on E-Commerce trends in their niche from action. It was a very large project that collected more than 3400 applications.
So we were able not only to help 100 manufacturers, but also to collect detailed statistics, which is needed by micro -entrepreneurs, what help they need. And yet - to get acquainted with hundreds of personal stories, I read them all. What did you write about? Have any stories remembered? People wrote why they have to pass, what challenges arise. For many, these $ 1,000 were not just financial support, but a way to save their business.
One woman who made a knit decor for the home wrote that after she applied, she realized that she did not pull this business more and need to be closed. But when she learned that she entered the hundred winners and got $ 1,000, she decided to try to save her business, it was really big money for her. And it turned out. Projects for the support of microbusiness help entrepreneurs not so much financially as mentally.
People feel worrying, understand that they are needed, that they care about them in general from these letters I realize that people help people not even as financially as mentally. They feel worrying, understand that they are needed, that they take care of them. This is very important always, especially in difficult times. How do you choose the winners? Can such letters move you so much that a person will receive a grant? No, there is a completely different selection algorithm.
Initially, applications are processed, sorted and ranked by a special program. We have a technology that allows you to analyze all indicators and criteria for each application. At the same time, more or less uniform distribution between regions and industries is important. Then there is a manual check that the applications meet our tasks. After that, each of the jury members chooses "100 manufacturers, these answers are erected, and on the basis of this we receive the winners.
What does microbusiness be except for money need today? Judging by our statistics, the main need is still funding. Even small grants are often critical for many. In the second place - entering new markets, because to a full -scale invasion the vast majority worked exclusively in the Ukrainian market. There is also a large request for equipment and materials, but it can be considered a continuation of the topic of financing.
And finally, many micro -entrepreneurs need expansion of teams, new qualified specialists. For what purposes do businesses most often need and what are the most common? There is no such gradation here, entrepreneurs can work in both technological and any real sector. Separate programs for specific industries often appear. In general, from what we see in the information field today, we can conclude that there are many opportunities for different entrepreneurs.
For example, a business that creates and sells it itself can now be included in the program. These can be both "solo producers" and a company where several people work. There are projects that are designed for more "adult" companies, and there are those who only offer people to turn a hobby to work - like "try their business".
What is the role of the state in the development of microbusiness? The Ministry of Economy Initiatives are often used by micro -entrepreneurs? Recently, the Ministry of Economy of Ukraine and the Kyiv School of Economics have presented a practical guide for entrepreneurs "Financial Instruments for Business of Ukraine".
This guide really presents the maximum sample: detailed the possibilities of attracting grants and investments, tells you how to access funding, where to go and how to submit projects, practical tips are provided. In general, many companies use state grants, but it is mostly small and medium -sized businesses. Microbusiness has fewer opportunities because it is often unofficial: micro -entrepreneurs are delayed with this moment. Of course, we are also only for the legal form of work.
But we have the opportunity to register first for participation in the program and then legalize for two weeks.
Women now play an important role in the economy, because after a full -scale war, men have become more restrictions and fewer opportunities in your opinion after a full volume of military tasks in your opinion? Has something here changed after the start of a full -scale war? Women are now playing an important role in the economy, because after a full -scale war, men have become more restrictions and less opportunities due to a large -scale war. So today women in business are moving power.
It is they who, because of greater mobility, often go abroad to represent businesses and delegations, to look for investments. Today, women have taken up a lot. Prior to a full -scale war, we saw the statistics that about 60% of Ukrainian companies were founded by women. I think this percentage has increased in the last two years. We will have the opportunity to trace the data in the project we implement now.
Ukrainian businesses abroad are in high demand, because they offer a high level of quality, creativity and ideas What do you think about the potential of microbusiness in Ukraine? How do you see the development of your craft after the war? I am very optimistic, although my optimism is based not so much on specific data as on faith. Today, many Ukrainian businesses are presented abroad, and they are in high demand there.
After all, our brands can offer a high level of quality, creativity and ideas. We have many talents, something to offer. However, often people work at a hobby level, because it is very difficult to take the first step to go from your usual work to entrepreneurship. But our potential is very high. As for the plans of my company, we will work even more. Ukrainian business needed helping the invasion, needs it now and will need it after winning.