New job opportunities or starting your own business: options for veterans from YOUNG BUSINESS CLUB.

"In November 2023, we established a charitable foundation for the club, one of the goals of which is to support veterans and military personnel, — says YBC founder Andrey Ostapchuk, — We see that on the front lines, people are acquiring new skills and setting new goals. Most veterans do not return to their previous jobs and are changing their professions. The club's greatest resource is the social capital of entrepreneurs: over 1000 businesspeople with experience in more than 40 niches. Therefore, we offer employment opportunities to our members, club partners, and business mentoring for veterans and military personnel."

Marketplace Editor and Tea House Founder

More than two dozen veterans have found new jobs, including a UAV assembler, a cybersecurity specialist, a security manager, and even a deputy school director. For instance, 32-year-old Viktor Korchev from Odessa, who returned from service with an injury, wanted to find remote work. He served as a sapper and senior operator of a platoon, participating in battles near Bakhmut.

"Before my service, I worked at a factory as a machine operator, and now I've decided to retrain, — Viktor shares. — I was advised to contact Young Business Club by VeteranHub. After that, I had an interview with a recruiter, received help with my resume, and just a few days later, I got a new job. I've been working as an editor on a marketplace for over a month now, where I can choose my workload independently."

There are examples of veterans who have already launched and are managing their own businesses. One active military member opened a car rental fleet with the help of a friend, while another started a bakery with his wife. A notable example is Sergey Stepanenko, who joined the Territorial Defense Forces in the early weeks of the full-scale invasion and later served in the Defense Forces. During his service, he was a driver, a sapper, but spent the most time as a machine gunner in a sniper platoon. The Kyiv resident participated in the liberation of Kherson and then defended Bakhmut and Volchansk. Sergey left the Armed Forces with honors, receiving the Golden Cross for Courage of the 2nd class.

Initially, the 38-year-old family man wanted to help his wife open a coworking space for beauty industry professionals, at which point YBC member Yegor Rozhkov provided him with mentoring consultations. However, after trying it out, Sergey decided to tackle a more familiar task — opening a food establishment. At the age of 22, he launched a sushi restaurant with a friend, and later worked for a long time as a manager of a brewery chain.

"During the war, I had the call sign 'Chinese' because I loved drinking quality tea. I promised my combat comrades that when I returned to civilian life, I would open a tea house, and I did just that, — the veteran recounts, — It's not a classic establishment, but a tea house that also serves delicious food. Six months after opening, the venue's sales increased sevenfold, and now we can only accommodate guests on weekends by prior reservation due to the high demand."

Serving and Growing a Business

Entrepreneurs are also assisting club members who are defending our country. There are several dozen entrepreneurs among the ranks of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Kyiv resident Dmitry Mashinets, who has been in the auto business since February 2022, serves in special operations forces, while Kharkiv resident Taras Shevchenko is currently the commander of a separate military unit.

YBC participant Yevheniy Rakita from Poltava manages to combine service in the Armed Forces of Ukraine with running a business. In his youth, he graduated from the Poltava Military Institute with honors, then served in the Armed Forces for five years, achieving the rank of captain before venturing into business. Yevheniy is the founder of a corrugated cardboard manufacturing company and a partner of a major postal operator.

For the first few months, the entrepreneur actively volunteered and, even before becoming a soldier, was in the hottest spots. In the spring of 2022, he joined the 18th Army Aviation Brigade, which supports infantry on the front lines. Initially, Yevheniy held the position of head of the onboard communication unit, then transitioned to the role of head of the communications group. Currently, the soldier collaborates with media, volunteers, and advocates for the brigade's interests with the authorities. Yevheniy recalls how, in the first six months, when the brigade's supply was still being established, other club members helped procure essential equipment. Now, the military not only fulfills his duties in the Armed Forces but also manages his business remotely. During this time, the entrepreneur has doubled the turnover and expanded production.

A Million for Restoring Lviv Homes

Young Business Club continues to expand worldwide. Over the past eight years, the business community has grown to 11 branches across seven countries. All branches regularly organize fundraisers and auctions to support our defenders. For example, in just six months, members of the Lviv club raised 3 million hryvnias, which were used to purchase a pickup truck, a cargo van, charging stations, and information-gathering equipment for the 74th separate reconnaissance battalion. In August, entrepreneurs donated 740,000 hryvnias to the Ukrainian Development Fund from an auction for the purchase of drones as part of the "Victory Birds" project.

In addition to assisting the Defense Forces and veterans, YBC members are involved in other initiatives. 100,000 hryvnias were allocated for the "Gift a Child an Opportunity" project — aimed at supporting children from families of fallen servicemen and orphans. Perhaps the most ambitious initiative is participation in the Lviv City Council project #TakeCareOfTheHouse, launched after the shelling on September 4, which damaged 189 houses due to the blast wave. 42 member companies of the club raised over a million hryvnias, for which they received gratitude from Mayor Andriy Sadovyi.

"The Young Business Club community clearly demonstrates that unity provides a powerful synergy. Entrepreneurs, despite the challenges of war, continue to work, support each other and the economy, create jobs, and assist those defending the country against the enemy," — summarizes Andrey Ostapchuk.