The full-scale war became a devastating blow for most Ukrainian entrepreneurs. However, some companies managed not only to survive, but also to discover new opportunities for growth. Entrepreneur Volodymyr Khurtin shared how, after a complete business shutdown, his company unexpectedly experienced a sharp increase in demand.
Volodymyr describes the first weeks after the outbreak of the full-scale war as some of the most difficult in his life. Logistics came to a halt, suppliers stopped operating, and the business was effectively “frozen.”
“It felt as if someone had simply pressed pause. Orders stopped coming in, products could not be shipped, and logistics were completely paralyzed. We had no idea when it would end or how the market would function moving forward,” he recalls.
For about a month and a half, the company was unable to operate normally. The biggest challenge was dealing with suppliers.
“Many suppliers simply stopped working. Some shut down, some left the country, and others couldn’t ship anything. You sit there in complete uncertainty because you can’t even plan the next few days properly,” the entrepreneur says.
However, his experience during the COVID-19 pandemic helped him stay calm.
“COVID taught me not to make sudden moves. Back then, there was also a moment when everyone thought it was the end. But eventually, life started returning to normal. So after the war began, I understood that the most important thing was simply to get through that period,” Volodymyr explains.
When the company resumed operations in Kyiv, the situation turned out to be completely different from what they had expected.
“We were very surprised because demand started growing almost immediately. Many stores were closed, customers had run out of stock, and some competitors had disappeared from the market. People were happy to buy any products we were able to offer,” he says.
According to the entrepreneur, this was the moment when the company began adapting rapidly to the new reality.
“In times of crisis, you start thinking faster. You look for new supply routes, new partners, and new solutions. Sometimes things that would take months in peacetime can be solved in just a few days during a crisis,” Volodymyr says.
Today, the company continues to develop its own brand, operates throughout Ukraine, and keeps growing despite the difficult circumstances.
“The war has changed business dramatically, but it has also shown how strong and flexible Ukrainian entrepreneurs are. Many people have learned to survive in conditions that once seemed impossible,” he concludes.