From NASA Tech to EU Shelves: How Ukrainian innovative food producer snEco entered the European Retail Market

Hiring employees abroad is one of the biggest operational challenges in international expansion, and most companies get it wrong from day one.

In this episode, executive search expert Andriy Strekhaliuk shares a full international hiring strategy.

Andriy is the founder of Astra Plus and brings 14+ years of experience in global recruitment, including senior roles at DuPont EMEA and Mondelez International across 11 countries.

What you'll learn:

• The #1 mistake companies make when hiring in a foreign country
• How to build your employer value proposition when no one knows your brand
• EOR (Employer of Record) vs. freelancer vs. legal entity, which model to use
• The €45,000 legal trap when misclassifying foreign employees
• How to benchmark international salaries (Mercer, Hays, Glassdoor, local boards)
• How to localise, not just translate, your job descriptions
• 90-day onboarding goals and exit strategy planning

Chapters:

00:00 Intro. The cost of a wrong international hire

00:57 Andriy's background: Executive search, DuPont, Mondelez, & Astra+

04:13 Mistake #1: Copying your domestic hiring playbook abroad

05:57 Sales psychology: Treating recruitment as a partnership value proposition

07:31 The Brand-Zero Strategy: Attracting talent when no one knows your company

12:44 Step-by-step roadmap: Internal capacity vs. hiring agencies

18:13 Legal entities vs. Employer of Record (EOR) vs. Freelancers

19:49 The compliance reality: The €45,000 independent contractor risk

20:47 Beyond the offer: Onboarding, cultural adaptation, & 30-60-90 day metrics

24:24 Digital footprint: Localizing JDs and maintaining marketing consistency

26:19 Salary benchmarking: Navigating generic data vs. real-time verification (Mercer, Hays, Glassdoor)

About the guest: Andriy Strekhaliuk is founder and CEO of Astra+ (astraplus.io), an executive search agency specialising in senior and international roles. He is a visiting lecturer at UCU Business School and brings 14+ years of experience in global talent acquisition across technology, FMCG, and industrial sectors.

LinkedIn profiles:

Host, Dmytro Shvets: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dshvets/

Guest, Andriy Strekhaliuk: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andriystrekhaliuk/

About Start Global Insights: The podcast for companies looking to expand internationally. Every episode features local experts and global sales leaders sharing actionable insights on market entry, B2B global sales and international business culture.

Don't forget to subscribe for more global business insights.

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Feedback: We value your thoughts. Please leave us a review on Apple podcasts, Spotify or email us at podcast@start-global.biz

While Part 1 of this series explored the cultural identity of Ukraine, this concluding episode moves directly into the meeting room.

The episode is a practical guide for any international leader ready to close deals and manage successful partnerships in the Ukrainian market.

Host Dmytro Shvets continues his conversation with cross-cultural expert Maryna Starodubska to share practical tips for negotiating in Ukraine. This episode explains how to turn cultural differences into a clear business advantage.

In this episode, we dive into:

00:03:53 - How Ukrainians view written obligations as a mix of fixed rules and flexible frameworks.

00:08:45 - Navigating low-trust environments and the practical steps to build a "trust account."

00:11:38 - Understanding the sequence of deal-making and why the legal agreement follows the personal connection.

00:11:51 - Why decision-makers agree on big-picture principles before managers handle the granular details.

00:14:20 - Managing emotional expression and blunt feedback at the negotiation table.

00:21:09 - How to navigate competitive negotiation styles and frame proposals effectively.

00:26:26 - Why the contract is often seen as a minimum baseline.

00:30:51 - The cultural reasons behind the lack of positive feedback, the fear of "jinxing" success, and the importance of flexible planning.

00:34:49 - Practical advice on decision-maker status, language etiquette, and avoiding regional stereotypes.

Whether you are looking to sell to the Ukrainian market, invest or find a reliable local partner, this episode provides the insights necessary to build resilient and productive business relationships.

About the Guest: Maryna Starodubska is a cross-cultural interaction consultant and adjunct professor at Kyiv-Mohyla Business School. She has over 20 years of experience in employee relations, culture, reputation management, and crisis communication. She is the author of Understanding Ukrainians: Cross-Cultural Dimensions.

LinkedIn profiles:

Host, Dmytro Shvets: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dshvets/

Guest, Maryna Starodubska: https://www.linkedin.com/in/starodubska/

Listen to Start Global Insights on all major platforms and YouTube. Don't forget to subscribe for more global business insights.

Spotify: https://rebrand.ly/SGISpotifyRSS

Apple podcasts: https://rebrand.ly/SGIAppleRSS

YouTube: https://rebrand.ly/SGIYTRSS

Feedback: We value your thoughts. Please leave us a review on Apple podcasts, Spotify or email us at podcast@start-global.biz

As global interest in Ukraine reaches an all-time high, international businesses are looking beyond the headlines to understand the real identity of the nation.

In this first episode of a special two-part mini-series, Dmytro Shvets explores the "frontier culture" of Ukraine with cross-cultural expert Maryna Starodubska. Designed for global businesses looking to navigate the Ukrainian market, this episode moves past the headlines to reveal the core identity of the people you will be doing business with

Key insights from this episode include:

• The Power of Status: Why sending mid-level managers to meet Ukrainian founders often leads to a "total collapse" of negotiations.
• The Trust Gap: Navigating a society with low institutional trust where personal loyalty is the only currency that matters.
• The Frontier Mindset: Understanding why Ukrainians prioritize acting over planning and "needs-based" entrepreneurship over long-term strategy.
• Relationships First, Contracts Second: Why a signed agreement in Ukraine is the culmination of trust, not the beginning of it.
• Managing Uncertainty: Practical advice on breaking long-term strategies into visible, measurable stages.

Whether you are an investor, a consultant, or a business owner looking to enter the Ukrainian market, this episode provides the essential cultural foundation needed to build resilient and productive partnerships.

Coming Soon: Stay tuned for Part 2, where we dive deeper into the specific tactics of How to Negotiate with Ukrainian Business People.

About the Guest:

Maryna Starodubska is a cross-cultural interaction consultant and adjunct professor at Kyiv-Mohyla Business School. She is the author of Understanding Ukrainians: Cross-Cultural Dimensions and specializes  in employees relations, cross-cultural interaction, reputation management and crisis communications.

LinkedIn profiles:

Host, Dmytro Shvets https://www.linkedin.com/in/dshvets/

Guest: Maryna Starodubska, Cross-Cultural Interaction Consultant, Kyiv Mohyla Business School Adjunct Professor. https://www.linkedin.com/in/starodubska/

Listen to Start Global Insights on all major platforms and YouTube. Don't forget to subscribe for more global business insights.

Spotify: https://rebrand.ly/SGISpotifyRSS

Apple podcasts: https://rebrand.ly/SGIAppleRSS

YouTube: https://rebrand.ly/SGIYTRSS

In your browser: https://rebrand.ly/SGISGRSS

Feedback: We value your thoughts. Please leave us a review on Apple podcasts, Spotify or email us at podcast@start-global.biz

Australia is often perceived as a remote market, but for international businesses, it represents one of the most affluent and high-growth opportunities in the world.

In this episode of Start Global Insights, host Dmytro Shvets interviews Marcus Alexander, Managing Partner of Codu Group, to reveal how international brands can break into the Australian market.

What You Will Learn:

Timestamps:

03:30 – Overview of the Australian DIY market.

08:00 – 3 Strategies for entering the Australian market.

10:45 – The "Art of the Cold Call" and the element of surprise.

15:00 – Perception of European vs. Chinese quality.

19:40 – Private label vs. own brand entry.

23:50 – Using annual reports to read a retailer's strategy.

26:00 – Navigating Australian business culture.

30:45 – Using Australia as a bridge to New Zealand.

LinkedIn profiles:

Host, Dmytro Shvets https://www.linkedin.com/in/dshvets/

Guest, Marcus Alexander https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcus-alexander-aa560224/

Listen to Start Global Insights on all major platforms and YouTube. Don't forget to subscribe for more global business insights.

Spotify: https://rebrand.ly/SGISpotifyRSS

Apple podcasts: https://rebrand.ly/SGIAppleRSS

YouTube: https://rebrand.ly/SGIYTRSS

In your browser: https://rebrand.ly/SGISGRSS

Feedback: We value your thoughts. Please leave us a review on Apple podcasts, Spotify or email us at podcast@start-global.biz

Develop your international expansion strategy with Start Global, your guide to foreign markets. Visit us at https://www.start-global.biz/