Anthia Mo
March 18, 2024
DJ Aloona
April 15, 2024
Oksana Matsalak, a Ukrainian living in Germany, has always followed her entrepreneurial intuition and childhood dreams, which led her to starting a successful education business, as a well as natural cosmetics brand, Ombra. In her interview, she generously shares the key principles of building a business and breaks down the crucial components of success.
Oksana, you are a famous entrepreneur who has created two successful businesses in Germany – an educational project and a cosmetics brand. What qualities do you consider most important for a leader running his own business?
As a leader running my own businesses, I can highlight the following qualities as crucial:
1. Vision: Having a clear vision of where I want the business to go and what impact I aim to achieve.
2. Adaptability: Being able to adapt to changing circumstances and market dynamics.
3. Communication: Effectively communicating goals, expectations, and values to the team and stakeholders.
4. Empathy: Understanding the needs and concerns of team members and customers, fostering a supportive environment.
5. Resilience: Being able to bounce back from setbacks and learn from failures.
6. Innovation: Constantly seeking new ideas and approaches to stay ahead in the industry.
7. Integrity: Leading with honesty, transparency, and ethical principles.
8. Collaboration: Building strong relationships with partners, suppliers, and the community to drive mutual success.
9. Continuous Learning: Remaining open to feedback, staying curious, and constantly improving both personally and professionally.
You are not only smart, but also exquisitely beautiful. You appear on magazine covers and delight the world with your creative photo shoots. How does your hobby of being in front of the camera help you with your personal branding and how does it translate into your business? Are there any photo shoots that were particularly memorable or had an impact on you?
Thank you for the compliment. My hobby of being in front of the camera has indeed played a significant role in shaping my personal branding and influencing my businesses.
Participating in creative photoshoots allows me to showcase my personality, style, and values, which are integral to my personal brand. Through these images, I can convey authenticity, creativity, confidence, and professionalism, traits I want to associate with my brand.
As an entrepreneur, my presence and image are closely tied to the success of my business. Involvement in photoshoots helps me create compelling visual content for the marketing materials of my brands, social media, and websites. It gives the brand a distinctive character and helps create an appealing image for my clients.
There have been several photoshoots that stood out to me for their creativity. For example, my recent spring-floral shoot with a talented photographer captured the essence of my cosmetic brand’s spirit.
How do you evaluate and measure the success of your projects? What strategies do you use to overcome obstacles and failures?
The success of my projects is evaluated and measured using various metrics and strategies:
1. Key Performance Indicators (KPIs): I establish clear KPIs at the outset of each project, which may include financial targets, customer satisfaction metrics, market share growth, or brand recognition goals. Regularly tracking these KPIs allows me to assess the project’s progress and success.
2. Feedback and Reviews: I actively seek feedback from stakeholders, customers, and team members to gauge satisfaction levels and identify areas for improvement. Positive reviews and testimonials are indicators of success, while constructive criticism helps me address any shortcomings.
3. Adaptability: I believe in staying agile and adaptable in the face of obstacles and failures. If a project encounters challenges or setbacks, I am open to adjusting strategies, reallocating resources, or pivoting to alternative approaches to overcome hurdles and achieve objectives.
4. Continuous Improvement: Reflecting on past experiences, both successes and failures, is crucial for ongoing improvement. I analyze what worked well and what didn’t, extract valuable lessons, and apply them to future projects to optimize performance and outcomes.
5. Resilience and Persistence: In entrepreneurship, setbacks and failures are inevitable. I maintain a resilient mindset and remain persistent in pursuing my goals, viewing obstacles as opportunities for growth and learning rather than insurmountable barriers.
Overall, by employing a combination of strategic planning, feedback mechanisms, adaptability, continuous improvement, and resilience, I aim to ensure the success of my projects despite challenges along the way.
What do you see as the most promising trends in education and cosmetics? What innovative methods are you introducing into your business processes?
I see personalized learning and digitalization as the most promising trends in the field of education. Personalized learning adapts educational processes to the individual needs, preferences, and learning styles of each student, improving engagement and results. Digitalization, including online learning and virtual classes, expands access to education and provides flexible learning opportunities.
In the cosmetic industry, significant trends include sustainability and clean beauty. Consumers increasingly prefer products made from natural, organic ingredients and sustainable packaging, reflecting growing environmental awareness. Innovations in clean beauty involve developing products free from harmful chemical substances and using environmentally friendly production practices.
In my businesses, I implement innovative methods to align with these trends. Here are some of them:
1.Personalized Approach to Student Needs: In the education sector, I integrate a personalized approach to learning and various technologies to meet the needs of all students and enhance learning outcomes. This format offers individualized learning paths, interactive exercises, and real-time feedback, facilitating personalized learning processes.
2.Embracing Clean Beauty: In the beauty industry, I prioritize natural formulas that rely on natural, organic ingredients and avoid harmful chemicals. My efforts focus on developing skincare and cosmetic products that meet high safety, efficacy, and sustainability standards. I invest in scientific research to ensure the best results for consumers. It fully complies with EU regulations and has all the necessary certifications.
3.Digital Marketing and E-commerce: I utilize digital marketing strategies and e-commerce platforms to reach broader audiences and increase brand awareness. I use social media, collaborate with influential personalities, and target advertising to engage with customers and promote products or educational programs.
Through these trends and innovative methods, I aim to stay at the forefront of education and cosmetics, satisfying growing consumer preferences and ensuring business growth.
How do you develop corporate culture in your companies? How do you see the future of your business projects in the next five years?
Developing a strong corporate culture is essential for fostering a positive work environment, driving employee engagement, and achieving business success. In my companies, I prioritize several strategies to develop and nurture corporate culture:
1. Clear Values and Mission: I establish clear values and a compelling mission statement that aligns with the company’s goals and resonates with employees. These values serve as guiding principles for decision-making and behavior, fostering a sense of purpose and unity among team members.
2. Open Communication: I promote open communication channels, encouraging employees to share ideas, provide feedback, and voice concerns. Regular team meetings, one-on-one discussions, and anonymous suggestion boxes facilitate transparent communication and create a culture of trust and collaboration.
3.Employee Recognition and Rewards: I recognize and reward employees for their contributions and achievements, whether through monetary incentives, public praise, or opportunities for career advancement. Recognizing employee efforts boosts morale, motivation, and job satisfaction, fostering a culture of appreciation and recognition.
4. Professional Development: I invest in employee training and development programs to enhance skills, expand knowledge, and foster career growth. Offering opportunities for learning and advancement demonstrates a commitment to employee success and cultivates a culture of continuous improvement and innovation.
5. Work-Life Balance: I prioritize work-life balance by offering flexible work arrangements, wellness programs, and support services to help employees manage stress and maintain overall well-being. Promoting work-life balance fosters employee satisfaction, productivity, and retention.
Looking ahead, I envision the future of my business projects over the next five years as follows:
1. Expansion and Diversification: I plan to expand my educational project and cosmetics brand into new markets, both domestically and internationally. This expansion may involve opening new branches, launching online platforms, and exploring strategic partnerships to reach a broader audience.
2. Innovation and Product Development: I aim to continue innovating in both industries, introducing new educational programs, courses, and skincare products that address emerging needs and trends. Research and development efforts will focus on sustainability, technology integration, and customer-centric solutions.
3. Brand Building and Marketing: I will focus on brand building and marketing strategies to enhance brand awareness, loyalty, and reputation. This may include influencer collaborations, experiential marketing campaigns, and social media engagement to connect with target audiences and differentiate from competitors.
4. Corporate Social Responsibility: I remain committed to corporate social responsibility initiatives, such as community outreach programs, environmental sustainability efforts, and ethical business practices. Integrating CSR into business operations strengthens brand credibility, attracts socially conscious consumers, and fosters goodwill within communities.
Overall, I am optimistic about the future of my business projects and remain dedicated to driving growth, innovation, and positive impact in the years to come.
Talent: @o.matsalak
Photographer: @eliz_samsa
https://www.instagram.com/ombra_cosmetics?igsh=bmNob2JsYjF3dXhn