Success Stories

Alex Dalevich — Leaving a weak model behind to find a stronger project

In their own words

“I joined Yazam Ole with an idea for a 3D-printing marketplace — a platform that would connect customers with production providers. Before the programme, I thought the main challenge was to develop the idea well enough. During the programme, I began looking at it differently: through economics, demand, scalability, and the model's real constraints. I calculated several versions of the business model and made several pivots. Each new version looked more promising than the one before it, but every new round of validation brought me back to the numbers. Eventually, it became clear that the economics did not work in any realistic implementation, and continuing would consume too many resources without a convincing prospect. One of the programme's most important outcomes for me was the decision to leave the original project behind. It did not feel like a defeat. On the contrary, I understood the difference between persistence and attachment to an idea: an entrepreneur must know not only how to keep going, but also when to stop when the evidence speaks against the chosen model. My final pivot was no longer another version of the marketplace. Through the programme, I met Elena Dobrovolskaya, who was developing her own jewellery brand. We combined my experience in 3D design and digital production with her jewellery craftsmanship and created the joint project CLOUDS. I left the programme not with the idea I had brought in, but with a more valuable ability: to calculate, validate, change direction, and recognise a new opportunity beyond the original plan.”

Alexander Dalevich + Elena Dobrovolskaya — CLOUDS: 3D design × jewellery craftsmanship

Svetlana Sukhanova — From specialist to entrepreneur

In their own words

“I joined Yazam Ole with an established business and extensive professional experience. I thought I already understood a great deal. Yet it was through the programme that I first looked at my business not through the eyes of a practitioner, but through the eyes of an entrepreneur — through numbers, strategy, scalability, and resilience. The transition was not easy. At first, I felt lost when it became clear that the familiar model could no longer scale. Then came resistance, because I had to acknowledge its weaknesses honestly. Gradually, curiosity and excitement emerged, together with an understanding of where I was going and what I needed to do. Over the year, I tried to give more structure to the business and its income streams, calculated real performance figures, costs, workload, and the ceiling for growth. I saw which services were genuinely profitable and which consumed too much of my energy, identified possible points for scaling, and began moving towards a more systematic model. Another important result was that I stopped undervaluing my own experience and knowledge. My main insight was that the business should not depend solely on me. Further growth requires a team, while decisions should be based not on constant busyness, intuition, or impulse, but on calculation and strategy. I also realised that I need to consider new promotional tools, including targeted advertising. I used to see myself as a specialist who worked a great deal. Now I see myself as an entrepreneur building a system. The programme did not give me ready-made templates; it gave me an entrepreneurial way of thinking. Today, I understand much more clearly where I am, where I am going, which steps I need to take next, and whom I can turn to for help.”

Dmitry Mitilman — A year of systematic product development

In their own words

“When I applied to this programme for immigrant entrepreneurs, I expected yet another superficial training course. The reality exceeded every expectation. The programme turned out to be a comprehensive year-long course at mini-MBA level. We were introduced to the Lean Startup methodology and given a mature, systematic foundation: professional economic and marketing tools used to launch large-scale projects. Despite many years of business experience, I discovered an entirely new level of working with a product. The programme allowed me to run, analyse, and test my idea several times, refining it at every stage. The community and expert support were valuable in their own right. We worked with strong programme leaders, practising Israeli entrepreneurs, lawyers, coaches, and psychologists. They helped us understand not only business processes, but also the cultural and mental characteristics of the market. Seeing the team's level of preparation and commitment, as well as watching other participants' projects unfold, was an inspiring experience. The fact that training of this scale and value was fully funded and available free of charge is an incredible source of support for entrepreneurs building a business in a new country. My immense gratitude goes to the organisers, mentors, and the entire project team for this powerful year!”

Mikhail Katyshev — From a glass ceiling to a system for growth

In their own words

“By the time I joined Yazam Ole, I had been developing my business for seven years and had progressed from working as a massage therapist to becoming a world champion and an instructor for an international massage association. Yet alongside my professional growth, I encountered a glass ceiling: the business had stopped developing in the way I wanted. Before the programme, I had taken dozens of courses and masterclasses and sought business advice, but none of those tools helped me overcome this barrier. I came to Yazam Ole having almost given up, thinking that nothing could help me develop the business any further. I had never been so happy to discover that I was wrong. Through the programme, I met people who were equally passionate about their ideas, wanted to grow, and, most importantly, supported one another. Here I discovered a new feeling: I understood that I was not alone. It turned out that the solution to my problem was not another new technique or a single piece of advice, but structuring the business and building a system. The knowledge I gained through the programme helped me begin that work and look at my own experience differently. The support, constructive criticism, and opportunity to compare expectations with reality were valuable in their own right. That was precisely what I had been missing while trying to develop the business on my own. If I had taken this programme two years earlier, I could have saved tens of thousands of shekels on my mistakes. My immense gratitude goes to the programme leaders, Marat and Brigita, for their support and guidance.”

Elena Dobrovolskaya — From creative intuition to a resilient business

In their own words

“I joined the programme as an experienced entrepreneur. I had been developing my jewellery brand for several years and had owned a studio shop for two years. It was a difficult period: the war, and the city centre where my shop is located being closed because of roadworks. Intuition and experience helped me stay afloat, but everything felt bleak and without prospects. I felt that I lacked knowledge and new ideas. The programme gave me not only knowledge, but also a wonderful community. At our very first brainstorming session in a café, my fellow participant Alex Dalevich and I agreed to create a jewellery collection. He developed the forms and printed them on a 3D printer, while I created the jewellery component. We called the collection CLOUDS. Five months later, we presented it at European Jewelry Week. The collection continues to sell very well in the studio and online. This year we are taking part again, now with a new and more complex project. I also held brainstorming sessions with other participants. We shared experience, met in cafés, and tested hypotheses and products that emerged during the programme. One participant helped me enormously when I had to renew my studio lease in the middle of the war. During a phone call, he simply laid everything out clearly, enabling me to make the right decision myself. I enjoyed studying: the lessons were engaging and the knowledge was useful. At the same time, I was working on myself. The Feasibility & Unit Economy topic was particularly important: I genuinely rebuilt the way I thought, and by the next topic I was already thinking differently — like a true entrepreneur, not only a creative person. From the beginning of the programme, I applied and tested new knowledge and hypotheses. By the end, I understood what had been missing, what worked better, and what I should leave behind. I became bolder and stopped being afraid to move forward, while remaining as careful as I had always been. Six months after the programme, I felt genuine stability for the first time — both personally and in my business. Most importantly, I understood where to go and what to do to achieve results. I thank Marat for his knowledge and angelic patience, and Brigita for her support in every situation. I would gladly take the programme again.”