Have you ever wanted to start your own business but held back because of limited funds, lack of industry experience, or outside voices saying it can’t be done? A lot of people do too. But you probably haven’t had to launch during a war. Meet Alexandr Korshykov, who faced all these barriers and more. In 2022, with just $100 in hand, he launched DreamX, a UX/UI design company. One month later, war broke out in his home country of Ukraine.
“When I first started developing DreamX, there were many people who held me back,” Alexandr shares. “They didn’t believe in my idea and doubted that DreamX could grow and become successful.”
Alexandr’s path from sales manager to business owner wasn’t direct or easy. He went through 100 job interviews to learn the IT industry, spotted a market shift as designers moved to new tools, and built unique payment models to stand out in a crowded field. His story shows that you don’t need perfect conditions to start – sometimes all it takes is spotting an opportunity, using what you have, and having the courage to begin.
Despite these doubts and the outbreak of war, his company now employs 25 people and serves clients worldwide after just three years in business.
Learning the Industry from the Inside Out
Before starting DreamX, Alexandr worked in sales as a business development manager and later as head of sales. But he always wanted more.
“I always knew I didn’t want to work for someone else. I wanted to start my own business in the IT field and see the results of my work,” he says.
Instead of taking a traditional path into tech, Alexandr chose an unusual strategy. He went through 100 job interviews with IT companies over three months.
“Each interview taught me more about how the industry worked, what companies were looking for, and which skills were most important for success.”
This hands-on research gave him insights no book could provide. After collecting these lessons, he felt ready to launch his company.
Spotting Market Trends and Finding the First Client
Alexandr didn’t conduct formal market research before starting. Instead, he watched industry shifts closely.
“The demand for design became obvious to me when Figma began to rapidly gain popularity. It was a real revolution in the field of UI/UX design,” he explains.
He noticed designers moving from Photoshop to Figma and saw it as a sign that the market was changing. This observation helped him time his entry into the market.
His first client was a financier from Greece who needed design for financial reports. Alexandr found him on a freelance platform in early March 2022.
“I think that first client gave me the push to move forward,” he says. “At the beginning of our collaboration, he decided to pay the full cost of our services upfront, and that was very motivating.”
With that money, Alexandr hired a designer and promised to pay her for a month, even if there was no work. Fortunately, more projects followed, and they worked with that first client for a full year.
Building Through War and Uncertainty
Just one month after launching DreamX, Alexandr faced an unexpected challenge: full-scale war in Ukraine.
“The biggest challenge and fear in the first month after the war began was the uncertainty. You didn’t know what would happen in a week. At that moment, I already had a team I was responsible for.”
Despite this massive obstacle, Alexandr stayed committed to his team.
“I understood that people depended on me, so I paid everyone’s salary even when we weren’t actually working.”
The team adapted quickly to the new reality. They restructured processes, changed client communication, and focused on team stability. Alexandr developed a crisis plan that helped them navigate the difficult times.
“It was a moment when decisions had to be made not based on clear plans but on principles and values. And that helped us endure.”
This focus on people first paid off. The company shifted to clients outside Ukraine, working with businesses and startups globally.
Doubt was another challenge Alexandr faced. Many people told him the market was too crowded.
“When I wanted to launch a business, I went to the CEO of one of the UX/UI design agencies and asked him some questions. He said it was a very competitive sphere and that it was better for me to sell backpacks instead of launching a UX/UI design business.”
Today, DreamX has grown larger than that agency.
Creating a Business Model That Stands Out
In a competitive field, Alexandr knew his company needed to offer something different. DreamX developed two key features:
- A milestone-based payment model where clients only pay for completed work
- A money-back guarantee if clients aren’t satisfied
“In my opinion, a milestone-based payment model is the most convenient option for both us and our clients. It allows the client to see intermediate results, evaluate them immediately, and make adjustments as needed.”
This approach creates transparency and builds trust with clients. It also helps distribute the workload more effectively within the team.
“We receive feedback early on, adapt quickly, and ultimately save time and effort. In the end, this model fosters greater trust between us and our clients.”
The model is especially helpful for startups with limited budgets. By breaking payments into smaller milestones, startups can better manage their finances while still getting quality results.
DreamX offers UX/UI design, website and app development, branding, UX audits, and pitch deck design. They work across industries from healthcare and crypto to SaaS and AI.
Learning from Past Mistakes
DreamX wasn’t Alexandr’s first business. In 2020, he launched a similar company called 2SA that ultimately closed down.
“What went wrong with my first company? Firstly, I didn’t think about ‘long-term’ money. The lack of proper planning and financial analysis made it impossible for the business to grow.”
He also lacked a financial cushion and didn’t save money coming into the company. These lessons shaped how he runs DreamX.
“If I could go back, the first thing I would advise myself is to plan finances in more detail. At the beginning, I was focused on business development, finding clients, and building a team, but I didn’t pay enough attention to long-term financial planning.”
In the first year of DreamX, Alexandr set clear goals based on these lessons:
“In the first year of operation, my main goal was to assemble a strong team and start building the foundation of operational processes. Without a reliable team and well-structured internal mechanisms, any business is doomed to chaos.”
He also tested various ideas to find what worked best for DreamX:
“It was crucial to understand which work model best suited DreamX, which client acquisition methods were the most effective, and which services we could provide at the highest level.”
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Your Business Begins With One Step
Alexandr’s story shows that you don’t need a huge investment or perfect conditions to build a successful business. Starting with just $100, he created a company that now employs 25 people and serves clients worldwide. The path wasn’t easy—he faced war in his country and doubts from others—but he kept moving forward.
His early days were intense and focused:
“In the early days of DreamX, my daily schedule was packed. Maybe a bit chaotic, but at the same time, incredibly focused. I was almost entirely immersed in research. Analyzing competitors, their strategies, business models, strengths, and weaknesses.”
When starting with limited funds, Alexandr focused on what matters most:
“When I launched DreamX with a minimal budget, my main priority was to find clients without significant financial investments.”
He identified three key resources:
- Sales channels: Finding what works best for your specific business
- Client acquisition: Building trust through communication, not just advertising
- Lead quality: Focusing on high-quality leads rather than wasting resources
“Lead generation always requires an investment, whether financial (ads, some paid tools) or time-based (outreach, networking). It was crucial to determine which leads were high-quality.”
As the business grew, his pricing strategy evolved:
“In the early stages, I set very low prices for our services because we needed to attract our first clients, build a portfolio, and gain real case studies.”
Over time, as their expertise grew and processes became more efficient, he gradually increased prices to reflect their improved quality and experience.
The practical lessons from Alexandr’s story are clear: research your industry thoroughly (even through job interviews if needed), watch for market shifts like Alexandr did with Figma’s rise, start with what you have, surround yourself with supportive people, and plan your finances for the long term. Most importantly, take action instead of getting stuck in doubt. As Alexandr puts it: “Instead of spending time wondering what could go wrong, I tried, tested, made mistakes, corrected them, and kept moving forward.”
Remember that every successful business starts with a single step. Your first client, like Alexandr’s Greek financier, might be the one who gives you momentum to build something lasting.
For more information about DreamX and their services, visit www.dreamxweb.com.
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