Mariya Solodar is a Ukrainian investor, author, entrepreneur, and IT platform founder. She has inspired countless others, from her 2.7 million Instagram followers to the nearly 2 million professionals who have attended her marketing courses. She has recently relocated to the US, where she continues to grow her multiple businesses.
Mariya, you recently relocated to the US. What type of work were you engaged in before your move?
I oversaw a team of over 200 developing a project of mine– an IT platform for remote workers.
How has the ongoing war in Ukraine affected your social media following. How about your business?
It’s been a very painful experience, as I was forced to move due to the war. Because I am clear about my belief in the value of human life and the fact that I do not support war in general, over half a million people have unfollowed my Instagram. Moreover, my phone number was leaked and my information hacked.
As for the business, we stopped sales in Russia. Due to a Russian law, I’m prevented from selling my property, and I am also unable to sell my Ukrainian property due to the war.
Tell us about Peace of Mine, the charitable organization you created to help Ukrainians.
I’ve been inspired to volunteer since the war’s beginning. After having many Instagram followers reach out– people who needed help or who could provide it– I began coordinating people and even developing a Telegram chatbot to speed up the process. After relocating to the US, I created Peace of Mine, a charitable foundation dedicated to organizing and connecting people providing humanitarian assistance to Ukrainians. The foundation was the first to accept cryptocurrency donations and is inspired by the belief that people from all over the world can unite to support those in need. We have programs focusing on medical support, housing support, and educational assistance.
Tell us about your experience starting over in the US. So far from loved ones and without money, how did you manage to begin a new business?
After settling into the US, I had to learn how I was going to make an income. A partnered with a friend who owns a children’s party agency and opened a new branch of the business in the US. I cover management, operations, marketing, and live events. It’s not easy work.
I persevered by thinking: what can I do for my country and for this world? I realized that I needed to first help myself. So I sold my personal belongings to fund both the new branch of the kid’s event business and the launch of my IT platform on the US market. It took sacrifice, but it paid off.
How did you initially discover the world of online business?
I started my career working in advertising for multiple companies before beginning my own digital marketing agency by developing websites and promoting YouTube videos for clients. I was inspired by The 4-Hour Workweek by Timothy Ferriss, which taught me about the new opportunities that were appearing in the world of online business. Back then, no one thought that such businesses were possible outside of the US, especially in CIS countries, but I tried anyway.
Are there any other services that your agency is known for?
We’ve put together informational product launches for many celebrities, industry experts, major businesses, and large-scale online educational projects. We were also the first agency in the Russian market to begin creating automated sales funnels and quickly became a top innovator in the space.
What have been the most exciting moments of your career? Are there any speeches at conferences or particular clients that stand out as being particularly meaningful and inspiring?
I’ve spoken at many events focusing on digital marketing, social media management, and online business. In fact, I’ve gotten to speak for audiences that have numbered in the tens of thousands– some at the largest stadiums in Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Miami, Moscow, St. Petersburg, Tallinn, Kyiv, Minsk, and Istanbul.
As for clients, I had the unique and valuable experiences of working with Tony Robbins and Robert Kiyosaki. We assisted Tony Robbins’ event organizers— a team responsible for driving ticket sales and other key functions— by properly leveraging social media and digital marketing promotions. During the height of COVID-19, Robert Kiyosaki put on a virtual event for a Russian-speaking audience. We collaborated with his PR team and conducted the live broadcast together.
Can you tell us about your current projects?
I have the children’s party agency in Los Angeles, which puts on “turnkey” parties for 1-15 year olds. We have quite a few famous clients, but as many are under NDA, I cannot discuss them. I can say that they include blogger Like Nastya and model Irina Shayk.
I continue blogging and am creating an English Instagram marketing course. I also run a platform for remote employees that offers job searches as well as job training.
How are you looking forward to growing your business in the coming year?
I’ll be expanding the children’s party agency and adding new languages– including English and Spanish– to the IT platform for remote workers. We’re creating a new course on Instagram strategy, which will teach students to use the social media site to achieve their sales and branding goals. In particular, I’m looking forward to covering promotional techniques that are rarely used in the US– in fact, I’m writing a book about that specific topic now.
Additionally, we have an upcoming product launch that will involve collaborations with a number of US based bloggers, celebrities, and authors. Overall, we’re continuing our work, but at a greater global level. We’re thrilled about what the year ahead holds.