I sat down with entrepreneur Vasyl Khmelnytsky to hear his thoughts on the future of Ukraine, opportunities for young people, and why corruption doesn’t prevent people from starting business in Ukraine.
A very interesting interview from a man who’s behind the $200,000,000 UNIT.City innovation project.
never complain about life start to walk
about the head right now it’s my my
reason my main idea okay a lot of the
wealthy people here they don’t have a
great reputation
you could go to London get some
apartments and live your life but you’re
choosing to stay here to build the
ecosystem in this country it’s if I go
to London you know Monica I become yes I
like my country why are you doing this I
would like to explain my vision no I
deeply understand I can be successful if
people be successful right you need to
analyse special special approach where
people can earn more and more money and
after if people become rich start to buy
flat for me my father maybe medical from
my father better maybe in my my friend
manufacturer fools and in a unit or a
nice person approach where people can be
rich so you would like to create
environments with the same in San
Francisco yeah because San Francisco in
Silicon Valley
Oh area have environment support new
technology new generation new startup is
very interesting yeah because I feel
like there’s there’s two very strong
mentalities in this country from the
outside there’s that I can’t do anything
because of corruption the country the
roads are terrible and there’s no future
right and there’s no there’s some truth
to that there’s a lot of corruption and
the roads aren’t that good and that I
meet people like you who see the
opportunity here perhaps in Ukraine and
in that space there’s a huge opportunity
here for example I have a friend from
San Francisco he moved his operation
here went from four people to 50 people
in a year
mm-hmm doing amazingly well and he’s
found the young people here if you give
if you give them the environment where
they can come up where they make
Commission where they make good money
and they can be in a place where they’re
not just getting shouted at or beat down
that there’s a lot of potential with
this workforce I would like to explain
you because I lived in San Antonio
okay usually we we didn’t have we didn’t
have business education with
entrepreneur education we hated all
people who organized business and have
fortune so with that said Ukraine has a
big image problem in the world
unfortunately unfortunately the world
sees war bad politics bad economics this
is the news that gets xpanel was this
problem but I don’t what that would like
to ask old about the political and the
government I would like to see about the
future and maybe improve situation let’s
get into some practicality some how to’s
what advice would you give what’s a
first step
say your Ukrainian you’re 21 years old
you might have a chance to get to
America or Europe mm-hmm or you might
start your life here what steps should
they take saying they don’t have much
money they don’t have many resources how
do they start because look if their
mom’s telling them corruption dad’s
telling corruption they’re living out in
fish Navy and they are not surrounded by
this environment you’re creating how do
they start all young people yeah need to
strive be tomorrow
very rich because you need to have step
by step because if if you will be 60 60
years you need to be reached now you you
need to take a new project and and fail
and say make decision and new project
you need to takes time sixth time a lot
of young people wanting
instantly all people search YouTube and
have helped project tomorrow please give
me money tomorrow a millionaire banana
so for many of the younger Ukrainian
people you’re saying the opportunities
are there if they want it bad enough a
hole in Ukraine yeah huge opportunity
usually people who live poor live poor
and became more successful because we
don’t have opportunity to nobody helped
you and usually right now if I have
speech in studio at all it’s
unfortunately we we’re poor okay good
opportunity start so good start because
you don’t have choice you need to hard
work I’m sure you build more successful
than my child if you create you man if
you poor man very good you can very
quickly very quickly it’s not tomorrow
morning maybe in five years and then
years it’s weekly so it’s a mentality is
mentality that’s my opinion if you are
American people and have experience
because you understand in America you
cannot to have big profit it might be
little but if you have experience and a
little money and good relationship is
partner it’s this country for you this
country because you can implement this
knowledge in Ukraine reality you can
very quickly very quickly in five years
maybe seven you a you will very rich
well yes because we we don’t have
knowledge it’s very big problem we don’t
have experience I would like to take
American people go to crime we have a
lot of opportunity we can help because
it’s
important not this big money week back
experience you need to have knowledge
from American people I think is good
country for example you first step you
come here and for real situation and
speak with the real businessman is good
for pen yeah I second your your comment
about American should come here they
should come here because once you get
over the news that you’ve seen or
whatever this place is highly impressive
and that’s why I stayed
what would you say to your people the
people of Ukraine mm-hmm something short
can be anything about life philosophy
about business about the country what
would you like to say first of all I
believe Ukraine is nearest future might
be a 5-10 years he’ll be great country
maybe improve situation improve economic
you need to a little white and not wet
you need to start work and look for new
business your opportunity your partner
and and finish complain about life you
need to keep up with the time no demand
you need to create new future and
immediately implement knowledge and go
to go further
Thank You Vasily I created thank you for
your support Ukraine nation Oakland
people grant business but it’s very
important because people need to
understand in real life inside country
is more but them channel show – exactly
and what you’re doing here it’s obvious
you’re an optimist optimistic person and
you’re a forward thinker so what you’re
doing is quite impressive so
congratulations and yeah thanks so much
thank thank you