Training the Trainers First: A Two-Stage Approach
The Born Global initiative was structured around two distinct phases:
- Born Global.Trainers: A specialized program for Ukrainian export consultants, designed to equip them with the methods, skills, and confidence to become trainers themselves.
- Born Global Ukraine: The core training program for future entrepreneurs, who worked in teams to develop their global business plans.
The program’s true starting point was with the trainers themselves. The recruitment campaign, launched on October 10, 2024, exclusively targeted alumni of the earlier our program – “Train the Trainers” program. This strategic choice ensured that participants already had a strong foundation in export consulting, allowing them to dive directly into advanced trainer preparation.
On November 12, 2024, the program officially kicked off with an opening event. Twenty-one Ukrainian professionals were organized into eight teams, each tasked with developing the content for one of the training modules.
These eight modules – covering Global Mindset, Strategic Vision, Innovation, Finance, Marketing, Networking, Communication, and Risk Management – became the foundation of the Born Global curriculum. To ensure flexibility and cross-competence, every trainer had to be ready to deliver at least two of these modules during the entrepreneurial training phase.
A Co-Creation Journey with International Mentors
While developing the modules, the Ukrainian consultants also participated in the Master Trainer Program, which included a mix of structured sessions, co-creation mentoring, and independent content development.
The co-creation mentoring sessions were particularly transformative. Here, trainers presented their draft content and received direct feedback from a panel of international experts.
The international mentors of this program come from diverse backgrounds and possess extensive experience in both real business and training. The mentors include: Anu-Mall Naarits (Estonia), Roger Stent, Jaan Järv (Estonia), Steve Rawling (UK), Jean Sutton (the UK), Anne Laitinen (Finland), Martina Vazzoler (Italy), Artem Daniliants (Finland), Uwe Sponholz (Germany), and Andrew Paterson (the UK).
“This is one of the most valuable moments of the program – to receive advice from people with huge experience in business and training,” said Volodymyr Bytko, one of the Ukrainian trainers. “I definitely improved my teaching style, especially in structuring, time planning, and engaging the audience.”
Andriy Skydan admitted he had underestimated how engaging online training could be. “For me, the discovery was how interesting online sessions can be. Here, the experience of international trainers played a very important role. I significantly improved my facilitation and online delivery skills.”
Yulia Kharchenko spoke about the transformation of her own trainer mindset: “I had the chance to look at myself from the side, to challenge my biases, to remove what was unnecessary and add what was missing. Magic during a workshop either happens or doesn’t – I learned to pause and adjust when something wasn’t working.”
From Drafts to Complete Modules
By January 24, 2025, the Ukrainian teams had produced complete drafts for all eight modules, including workshop designs, video scripts, home assignments, and team-building exercises.
This hands-on process ensured that the materials were not only academically solid but also practical, engaging, and tailored to the realities of Ukrainian entrepreneurs.
As Kharchenko put it, “Seeing people grow their ideas into real businesses in wartime realities, and being able to contribute – that is true happiness.”
For many of the trainers, the process itself was just as valuable as the final product. They learned how to:
- Plan sessions that keep participants motivated in a fully online format.
- Use storytelling and case studies to make theoretical content stick.
- Facilitate group work and team-building, even with diverse and remote audiences.
- Adapt materials for different levels of prior knowledge without losing depth.
The Human Side of Training
For many trainers, the most moving part of the experience was witnessing the resilience of Ukrainian entrepreneurs.
Yulia Kharchenko reflected on the discipline of the program participants: “The fact that they did their homework so thoroughly speaks volumes about their dignity, professionalism, and ambition.”
Gurtova Olga was struck by the diversity of teams: “What impressed me most was how very different people managed to unite and form strong cores that could carry projects through to the end. I was especially inspired by IT teams and family-type businesses – their cohesion and commitment stood out.”
Andriy Skydan noted the energy of the participants themselves: “I was impressed by the level of some very innovative solutions and the teams’ determination to enter international markets. Born Global is a fascinating mix of mentoring, training, and networking.”
A Lasting Legacy: 21 New Master Trainers
At the final event in Kyiv, the sense of accomplishment was palpable. Twenty-one Ukrainian professionals had not only co-created a full training program but had also transformed themselves into confident trainers ready to deliver across the country.
As Kharchenko summarized, “Born Global is a quantum leap – a smart ecosystem of growth and development that combines international mentors, trainers, and startups.” And as Skydan put it simply, “Global support for global achievements.”
For Ukraine’s business ecosystem, this is more than a symbolic win. It represents a scalable, replicable training model that can be delivered in any region, supporting entrepreneurs, startups, and SMEs in building global strategies even under the most challenging circumstances.
As the program’s leaders emphasized, Born Global isn’t just about one cohort of entrepreneurs. It’s about building an ecosystem of knowledge and skills that will continue to multiply – from trainer to entrepreneur, from entrepreneur to market, and from Ukraine to the world..
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The Born Global Ukraine project is developed by Visionest Institute (Estonia) and implemented in cooperation with Entrepreneurship and Export Promotion Office (Ukraine) and the national project Diia.Business. The project is implemented with financial support by ESTDEV – Estonian Centre for International Development (ESTDEV).
