As part of the Unite for Trade program, a Business Club meeting in the Mastermind format was held in Korosten, bringing together local entrepreneurs and stakeholders to collaboratively address real business challenges.
The event took place at the premises of the NGO “Zakhyst Derzhavy,” which generously provided the venue free of charge — an example of local institutional support contributing to the development of the entrepreneurial ecosystem.
The meeting was structured as an interactive working session centered on real business cases brought by the participants. Through facilitated discussion, experience sharing, and peer-to-peer problem solving, participants explored practical solutions to their current challenges.
Key Business Challenges Across Sectors
The meeting brought together representatives from diverse sectors, including retail, healthcare, marketing, manufacturing, creative industries, local government, and services.
Participants and their requests:
Angelina Novikova — seamless underwear store “Titi” (Korosten, Instagram, online platform “Shafa”). Request: increase sales.
Lesya Chernysh — LLC “Prolisok +” (medical center, Malyn). Request: search for doctors (physiotherapists, rehabilitation specialists) in conditions of staff shortage.
Oleksandr Biloshitsky — FOP (renting premises), NGO “Association “Council of Managers” of enterprises and organizations of the city of Korosten”. Request: unification of small and medium-sized businesses into a community and motivation for cooperation.
Yulia Damanska — marketing agency “Lumaprox”. Request: decision-making by entrepreneurs regarding the formation of a marketing function (hiring, selection criteria).
Lyudmila Galitska — FOP (sewing workwear, B2B, toll system). Request: search for clients and negotiations Kateryna Vatsyk — Korosten City Council (economic department). Request: formation of a business community and current formats of interaction with entrepreneurs.
Vysotsky Serhiy — Dance studio FORMA. Request: increasing the efficiency of the administrator’s work.
Despite the diversity of industries, discussions revealed common structural challenges faced by SMEs — particularly around sales growth, human resources, and collaboration.
High Engagement and Measurable Results
The session was marked by a high level of engagement from all attendees. Feedback collected after the event showed exceptionally strong satisfaction levels among the participants:
- Event organization — 5/5
- Format usefulness — 5/5
- Moderation quality — 5/5
Tangible Networking Outcomes
Beyond knowledge exchange, the meeting delivered concrete networking results:
- 2 participants have already agreed on collaboration
- 2 identified potential partnership opportunities
- 1 participant exchanged contacts for future interaction
Participant Feedback and Areas for Growth
Qualitative feedback highlighted the strong demand for such formats, with participants emphasizing the practical value of discussions and expressing interest in регулярність зустрічей:
“We need more events like this.”
“Please come again.”
At the same time, several opportunities for improvement were identified:
- Expanding outreach to engage a broader pool of entrepreneurs
- Sharing participant contact lists after the event (with consent)
- Testing alternative days and times to optimize attendance
Conclusion: A Scalable Model for SME Support
The Korosten meeting reaffirmed the effectiveness of the Mastermind format as a practical tool for supporting small and medium-sized businesses.
The format demonstrates potential for scaling — particularly through increased outreach and regularity of meetings — contributing to the development of a more connected and resilient local business community.