May 20, 2025 • 37 mins
Company: aStash Web Design & Marketing
Guests: Kateryna Quinn
Year Started: 2018
Employees: 1-10
From Ukraine to Colorado: Building a Family-First Agency Against All Odds
When rejection closes doors, grit builds new ones. In this episode, Kateryna Quinn, founder of aStash Web Design & Marketing, shares her inspiring journey from aspiring tennis pro in Ukraine to running a thriving digital agency in the U.S. You'll hear how she built a company rooted in resilience, family values, and relentless positivity—all while navigating immigration challenges, early financial constraints, and growing pains.
Inside this episode:
- Why rejection can be the greatest gift and how to turn it into fuel
- How Kateryna grew her agency with a family first purpose
- The real challenges behind immigration and entrepreneurship and the creative solutions she used to push through
- Why agency growth depends on a positive mindset
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:02):
Welcome to An Agency Storypodcast where we share real
stories of marketing agencyowners from around the world.
From the excitement of startingup the first big sale, passion,
doubt, fear, freedom, and theemotional rollercoaster of
growth, hear it all on An AgencyStory podcast.
(00:24):
An Agency Story podcast ishosted by Russel Dubree,
successful agency owner with aneight figure exit turned
business coach.
Enjoy the next agency story.
What if taking the stairs everysingle time was the key to
(00:44):
building the life and businessof your dreams?
Welcome to An Agency Storypodcast.
I'm your host Russel.
In this episode, you'll hear theremarkable journey of Kateryna
Quinn, founder of aStash.
From rising tennis star inUkraine to fearless agency owner
in Colorado.
Kateryna's story is amasterclass in perseverance,
risk-taking, and putting familyat the heart of business.
(01:05):
In this episode, you'll learnhow she built a thriving agency
from scratch after beingrejected from countless
marketing jobs, how she used herfirst client to launch a drop
shipping success story and howshe brought her parents to the
US through the very business-she created with them now part
of the company's team.
All doing this while raising afamily of her own and going
through the gauntlet of aprocess of getting her US
(01:27):
citizenship.
Her story is packed with grit,optimism, and undeniable proof
that you don't need perfectconditions to build something
extraordinary.
Enjoy the story.
Russel (01:38):
Welcome to the show today everyone.
I have Kateryna Quinn withaStash with us here today.
Thank you so much for being onthe show today, Kateryna.
Kateryna (01:45):
Thank you so much Russel.
It's a pleasure to be here forsure.
Russel (01:48):
It is certainly the pleasure to have you as well.
If you don't mind, start us off.
What does aStash do, who do youdo it for?
Kateryna (01:54):
aStash is a digital marketing agency, so we are
actually a full service agency.
We do everything from branding,logo designs, print materials to
website designs, customdevelopment, searching
optimization, paid ads, andpretty much everything.
Marketing is, we probably cando.
The only thing we probably don'tdo a lot, uh, actually at all is
(02:18):
app development, so that'sprobably the only area you can't
get us to do.
Everything else we, we do.
We usually work with smallbusiness owners, mostly maybe I
think one to 10 employees.
We do have, uh, larger companiesas well.
Even some with like 50, even 500employees, but those are more
(02:38):
rare.
We typically try to focus onlocal businesses and small
businesses.
Russel (02:42):
Perfect.
Wonderfully put.
I know you have a fascinatingjourney into how you even got to
where you're at today.
We're gonna get to all that.
Might as well start from thebeginning.
Tell us about young Kateryna.
Young, young Kateryna, and whatwere her hopes, dreams, goals,
aspirations, all of the above?
Kateryna (02:58):
Let's talk about that.
That was a long time ago, itseems like.
I was growing up playing tennisand I think that was the big,
big thing that I did that myparents just got me to do.
It was pretty prestige, goodsport, you know, to do in
Ukraine.
I was growing up in Ukraine,actually, that's something
important to mention.
Russel (03:18):
That is important.
Kateryna (03:19):
Playing tennis, of course you have like big dreams
and goals, you know, like go proand play on high level
competitively, make money withthat sport.
I was moving along pretty well,I think in that direction for a
while.
I was, uh, playing some highlevel, some money tournaments
when I was teenager and at somepoint, uh, we pretty much, uh,
(03:41):
run outta money.
It was hard to get sponsored.
I was playing high level, so Iwas playing actually with Alina,
who is the number, like top fivein the world for the last 10
years, you know?
Russel (03:53):
Okay.
I know nothing about tennis,but, um, I'm gonna just, I'm
just gonna take that as they'rereally good and, and, uh, you're
definitely playing at a highlevel.
Kateryna (04:00):
Yes.
She is amazing still.
She's still on the tour.
Playing tennis with her,obviously she was a little bit
higher level, she would get asponsor and it was harder like
for, for many of us because onlylike one top one, maybe two, you
know, would get sponsored andnot even fully, because like you
would get sponsor played,playing, um, to, uh, playing
(04:21):
like practicing but not actuallyplaying tournaments.
Anyways, but like, justeconomical financial situations
we have in the family was justno way out of it unfortunately,
just traveling abroad, playingtennis.
I got offered a full scholarshipto come to US to play tennis.
I was like, okay, let me jump,jump on that, you know, because
it's a good chance to get outout of Ukraine and have some
(04:43):
potential future, you know?
We all heard about AmericanDream, so always thinking about
it like that would be great to,to try that out.
Russel (04:52):
It sounds like there was no hesitation in that thought
process, like all excitement,pure adrenaline coming to the US
to play tennis.
Or was there, I mean, was therewas like, oh man, I don't know
if I wanna leave home or, um, orwas it just all hopes and
dreams?
Kateryna (05:04):
All hopes and dreams.
It's actually when, if you knowme a little bit, that's kind of
all I am.
It's all about me, I never lookback.
I try to not to be too scared,you know, to jump in something
unknown.
I commonly try to just step andlook forward in the future and
have those high hopes anddreams.
(05:26):
I was 17, of course that waslike pretty scary.
You know, I didn't know languagethat well.
I obviously like passed theexams and got, I got accepted,
but I didn't really speakfluently, I'd say so.
It was a big, uh, big step.
But it was great to take itbecause moving to US is
completely different story.
(05:46):
It's completely different life.
Everything was different.
I went to Louisiana to study,uh, well first I actually landed
in South Carolina the firstyear.
I keep forgetting about my firstyear in South Carolina.
I just landed there airport andeverybody was so friendly and so
nice and you know, likestereotypical, like Ukrainian,
(06:09):
like Russian, all EasternEuropean kind of coldblooded a
little bit.
I was like, oh my God, why iseverybody saying hi?
Why is everybody waiting, wavingfor me?
I'm like so scared.
it's a big change for sure,culturally.
Russel (06:21):
That was what I was gonna ask, like what was your
first impression when you gothere?
That's certainly one aspect ofit, and it's probably
especially, and I think they saythat's more of a thing of the,
of the South than maybe otherparts of the country or New
York.
I'm sure you would've gotten amore normal greeting if you'd
landed in New York, but, yeah, Imean, so, so you're, you're
pursuing that tennis dream andobviously coming over to the US.
(06:42):
How did the tennis career go andwhen did you decide to hang up
the racket?
Kateryna (06:47):
Honestly, kind of hanging up the racket was when I
decided to come to US.
Because, uh, coming to play,like my level was pretty high,
so I was always, of course,trying to play in college
competitively.
Do good, good for my team, youknow, do good for my school.
But it was really never a big,uh, like dream there left for me
(07:09):
to continue playing tennis.
I knew I'm gonna come to US, I'mgonna find a new path.
That's why I like, I was prettyopen to, uh, studying different
subjects in school anddefinitely try everything from
like liberal arts tonutritionist, to like all kinds
of psychology, everything.
I was pretty interested ineverything, but I think I ended
(07:30):
up with marketing, which got mereally into advertising classes
and overall business kind ofreally pushed me into that field
because I was so interested.
I was just really, you know, Inadvertising we had some big, uh,
pitch like projects to do one,we did one for like Super Bowl
commercial for likeMercedes-Benz, and it was like,
(07:52):
big, amazing thing that I was soexcited doing.
I always saw myself actually Incollege, I saw myself doing like
TV ads.
For some reason I thought that'swhat's gonna be really fun.
Russel (08:04):
All right.
We already knew tennis was notgonna be the future, and you're
getting into marketing.
Get us to the point of where youturn that into an actual
business.
Kateryna (08:14):
It took me a few years after college to actually get it
as a business.
I graduated, I was still kind oftrying to figure out how to find
a job in marketing, you know,because nobody wanted to hire
me.
It's funny, I'm, I'm, I considermyself relatively successful for
where I was coming from, youknow, and I, I feel like I
(08:35):
achieved a lot, uh, for, yeah,for just overall, how I thought
I could be more successful ishighly unlikely for my age, for
where I was coming from.
Overall I just couldn't get ajob on marketing.
I was, uh, coaching tennis for alittle bit.
I always could get a job that,because I was obviously pretty
high level so I can play withhigh, highly competitive, uh,
(08:57):
kids, you know, who wouldactually go pro and uh, yeah,
that was very in high demand.
Did that for about a year, maybeyear and a half, and I was
really getting into the webdesign.
I really liked it, so I was, Iliked designing a lot and my
parents were actually in thefield a little bit in Ukraine,
so they had their own website.
(09:19):
They had their own like kind ofthing going there.
They had like classifiedadvertisement website or
whatever.
I was like, let me get into, mymom really liked it.
She's a backend developer, soshe really liked like, coding.
I was like, maybe I like it too.
But my, my thing was the design.
Actually as a front enddeveloper, I was like, oh, that
might work out.
I was thinking potentially maybeI would do something like this
(09:43):
in the future.
I always had that, uh, heart ofentrepreneur.
My parents never been employedby anybody.
They always were self-employed.
They had their own business.
Growing up, I, I saw that theflexibility, the kind of the
money you can make, you knowwhen things go well and, and all
of the perks, like good things,you know.
(10:04):
But like, I know my parentsstill put a lot of time and
effort into me playing tennis.
They were always present.
They were always there.
I felt like that's something Icould explore potentially.
But they knew I first need tolike work somewhere in marketing
to even know what it is.
Russel (10:19):
Is that ultimately what you, just as you said, you kinda
had some struggles in, ingetting a job in marketing.
Obviously you're doing thetennis coaching and then you
said, screw trying to get a, aregular job.
I'll just start my own agency.
Kateryna (10:31):
Yeah, almost, almost.
I actually was still coachingtennis and uh, I met the, the
lady that owned like furnitureand on interior design company,
right locally.
We were in Houston back there.
She actually needed a marketingperson, so she needed somebody
to help social media and juststuff on the website that had
really small website for localand interior design design in
(10:52):
the suburbs.
I was like, oh my God, yes,please, please, hire me.
I wanna do it.
It was gorgeous.
The place was huge and it wasall high-end interiors couches
and chandeliers and it was sobeautiful.
I started with her and she wasreally easygoing.
She's actually, I'm prettyself-driven.
I actually don't need muchdirection, as you can imagine if
(11:14):
I'm running my own company, Inever needed much direction.
I could totally find a job forme to do.
Russel (11:19):
I'm gonna guess you're pretty independent and, and
yeah, not a problem for you atall.
Kateryna (11:24):
Exactly.
So I, uh, yeah, She hired me.
She didn't also, she never had amarketing person, so she also
didn't know what I'm supposed tobe doing.
But I found myself a job.
I actually created a dropshipping business for them,
which was crazy interesting.
They started selling on Amazonand we got to 300,000 in sales,
annually for their furniturecompany.
(11:45):
That was just, just Amazon salesthat they never even thought
they would need.
I worked for her for about acouple years and, um, and just
did all types of marketingthere, like social media and
websites and all in all.
After that we were actuallymoving to Denver, uh, to
Colorado with, with my husband.
I was like, okay, I can't behere anymore, but I love working
(12:06):
with you and that's actually,right before that, I think maybe
for half a year before that, Ikind of really tried to get into
maybe potentially opening my owncompany right back in Houston
still, because my parents reallyneeded help.
They really needed the money andit was actually my biggest why,
like, just why I started thiscompany to help my parents
(12:29):
because economical situation wasnot great.
They had some debt, and I waslike, we can help, uh, my
parents, since my mom actuallyhelped me with some job, and got
paid for my first employee.
I saw how it's like working out.
Oh my God, like they can getpaid, they can get out of the
debt, they can leavecomfortably.
I was like, let me try and doit.
(12:50):
I was having the job, I wastrying to practice on my own
woke up at like, four, 4:00 AMevery day try to practice
developing websites.
Then when we were moving toColorado, I'm like, okay.
I actually talked to my employeeand they still are clients.
It's crazy because we, it's beensix years, they still are
clients.
We just had the agreement withher how I'm gonna like, pretty
(13:12):
much just, uh, do a contractwork and, uh, this and this and
that, this annual like kind ofpay and we kind of agree with
all of that.
She's like, yeah, that'sperfect.
That's fine.
That's how it worked out.
Russel (13:23):
Such a common theme I feel like in, in folks in
similar situation that, uh,didn't, weren't born in the US
and they came over and there'sjust a drive to, you know, not
only to make this risk, thisendeavor that you've done worth
it, but also right, some payingsome homage to those that
created this opportunity for youI think that's such a cool part
of your story and, and I mean,just to hear the drive behind
(13:46):
that, I'm just fascinated,that's all I got to say.
Kateryna (13:48):
Honestly, it's just like my personality too.
Actually recently I startedworking with therapist, which
been so helpful in terms ofbusiness because it's actually
really pulling some stuff out ofme that I didn't know exists,
and it really helps me to getlike a direction on where I
wanna move forward with mybusiness, with what's like
(14:09):
important for me almost.
We actually just was talkingabout these core values and
what's driving me as a person.
That's what I realized becauseI'm like such a family first,
uh, person.
For me, like the love and thefamily, it's so important.
What differentiates us, ouragency from a lot of other
competitors is that approach,because we do have the family
(14:32):
first approach and that's whereI try to bring it everywhere I
go with my employees, with myclients.
I really wanna make sure wetreat all the clients like the
family.
I wanna make sure they're takencare of.
I wanna make sure we areextremely honest, always
transparent with them and we aredoing our best.
We're really trying to do ourbest all the time.
(14:53):
We don't slack around, weactually performing the best
things we can do for them to getresults.
That's been I think extremelyvaluable for all of these
clients that stay with us forsix, last six years since we're
open, or like last four to sixyears.
I think they've been noticing itand appreciating it for sure.
Russel (15:12):
I gotta ask the question.
All you're saying, you're havinga hard time getting a job outta
college and is there anycompanies you want us to send
this episode to once we launchit?
Have been like, bet you wish youwould've hired Kateryna.
I'm happy to do that if you justwant to, if you wanna put
somebody on blast or something.
Kateryna (15:26):
Probably wouldn't wanna, no, I don't think I would
want to point anybody out.
I had one company in California.
I actually knew vice presidentof marketing in that very, very
big company and I'm not gonnacall them out, but, oh my God,
when I couldn't get theinternship.
I was just trying to doanything, like just to get an
internship.
I couldn't get it.
(15:46):
I was like, this is ridiculous.
Russel (15:48):
That is their loss and everyone else that you got to
work with in, in your agency andwork for you gain otherwise.
Well, if you, if you want to, Iwill, I will gladly do that
because, uh, I would, I would'vehired you as a tennis coach and
I would've hired you as amarketer guaranteed.
Kateryna (16:05):
It's all good.
Thank you.
I'm in a pretty good place.
I can't complain.
I think that was a reason forthat, for sure.
Russel (16:11):
For sure.
Your drive has certainly beenwell placed.
I gotta get to what I think isjust a really cool part of your
story, and I'm sure it's notchronological to your endeavor,
but you're talking about yourparents and hire them into the
business.
But it gets bigger than that, asI understand it.
Tell us how that story, I don'twanna say ends, but um, has, um,
yeah, progresses, we'll use thatword.
Kateryna (16:32):
Continuous.
Russel (16:33):
Yes.
Continues.
There we go.
Kateryna (16:34):
My parents are so important to me.
They are, oh my God.
They're like, of course, with myhusband and my daughter.
I think that would nevermention, I do have a tiny little
daughter, right now she is lessthan two, but, uh, my immediate
family is just so such a bigpart in my life that when I
moved here, I knew that I, atsome point really wanna bring
(16:57):
them here.
I'm the only daughter and again,my core values, my like
priorities, my core values sostrong around my family.
I was like, there's no way I'mgonna leave my parents in their
old age by themselves.
Although they're still veryyoung.
I'm lucky with that, but I wasjust like, there's no way
they're gonna stay in Ukrainewhile I here live in the US.
(17:18):
I knew that's gonna be for surehappening.
I didn't know how and when, butI knew for sure I'm gonna find a
way to bring them here and,thanks God.
Everything worked out just thatway.
So I was able to bring myparents here just around, I
think maybe two years ago.
It is been life changing andour, our situation right now is
(17:39):
not perfect.
I think something important,something of value I wanna share
with your audience right nowthat, uh, things are not like
perfect a lot of times, but youhave to like go work hard and go
through some challenges to getwhat you want.
It's not gonna be comfortable,it's not gonna be easy.
I think that's something we needto prepare, that, that's what's
(18:01):
gonna happen.
The taking the hard way.
Taking the stairs when you couldjust take an elevator sometimes
it's a better solution for sure.
We currently live and like alltogether with my parents in our
town home.
We are lucky enough that we areactually building a custom home
for one of us of, and the otherhouse's gonna be for another
(18:23):
one.
We have big plans for likefuture living situations, but
right now, for last coupleyears, it's been pretty tight in
our living situation.
Again, it, it is fine becauseI'm so glad they're here and
this is the best gift that Icould have gotten to bring them
here.
Keep them close, make sure they,they're taken care of and they
(18:43):
comfortable.
I think everything I canattribute to this agency to be
able to do this because throughall these years I've been able
to, I, I'm taking care of myparents and I continue to take
care of them, so they actuallyable to move in the later in
life still trying to learnEnglish.
Still going through a lot ofchallenges, but they're able to
(19:06):
do it and afford it, you know,because of the agencies, which
is great.
Russel (19:10):
Wow.
Alright, that is an amazingstory.
Thank you for sharing that.
I'm just hooked to every detailof it and I'm sure there's even
a lot more that you weren't ableto get to.
I wanna go back to something yousaid that I just, I just love
how you, how you put this.
A lot of folks that I work with,I, say something similar of
like, look, if we want somethingbigger, better, more different
(19:31):
than what we have today, we haveto solve a hard thing to get
there.
There's just no way around it.
You can pick the hard thing youwanna solve, but as you put it,
you gotta take the stairs.
What was your first stairs whenit came to the agency itself
that you had to take, if youwill?
Kateryna (19:44):
Oh, so many
Russel (19:46):
stairs.
A lot of stairs.
Kateryna (19:47):
There was so many stairs.
Probably just the first fewyears been constant stairs.
It's been like just constantlate nights working until two
ams and no weekends and don'treally have too much fun.
With my parents, I was stilllike on my own here in US.
They were really helping withlike backend and obviously with
(20:08):
development and SEO, but I stillhad to do so much on my own.
All the sales, finding clients,uh, like just running the whole
business, you know, all thefinancial and legal stuff.
It was just a lot.
And plus like you always have todeal with other things in life,
right?
It is like still trying tofigure out how to help my
(20:29):
parents even more.
Still trying to find a commonlanguage.
We're still trying to getmarried like I did and have a
life here, you know?
And immigration.
Obviously immigration's been abig, big, big part of the stairs
because it took me 10 years toget my citizenship, which is a,
a long process.
It's always you doing something,you are always applying or doing
(20:51):
the documents, redoingdocuments, working with lawyers,
you're constantly in thatprocess.
It's a little bit stressfulsometimes, you know?
I guess long nights is firstcouple years, and then after
that the like, the bigger, thebreakthrough that we had is when
we, I started hiring morepeople, obviously.
(21:11):
I think the team's been like,just so essential to growth.
There is really no way you, youcan do it alone ever.
Although I was prettycomfortable to be like on my own
for, for that 2020,'21, I wasalready set up at my process a
little bit better and I wasstill making like more money
(21:32):
when I was working on my ownwith my parents versus like just
inviting the team in at moreexpenses, more pressure.
And you are like, even morestress, you know, because you
need to find those clients to beable to support the team, have
enough job, have a cash flow,and it is constant.
It's just constant craziness.
(21:53):
But it's all good.
It's working out and the yeah,with the team, you just growing
and growing and growing.
Russel (21:58):
I think that's, I mean, yeah, to your point, always
stairs.
I dunno, can you encapsulatejust quickly, I mean right, how
that process, just going throughum, the immigration process.
What are we talking, hundreds ofhours?
More?
What does that take in the end,do you think?
Kateryna (22:11):
Oh my God.
It's more than hundred.
I don't know how many hundred,but, uh, many hundreds.
Russel (22:18):
Really?
Okay.
Kateryna (22:19):
It's gotta be like 500 plus I think for sure, at least.
Plus, like I, I got lucky, sohow I had no money for a long
time, right?
I came from like super poor,economical, like just country
and uh, also just pretty poorfamily.
We had money when my parents'business were running, uh, was
(22:40):
running pretty well.
They actually had a computerclub, which is crazy.
They opened one very early on.
It was like 1994.
It was, uh, yeah, I got my firstcomputer when I was four years
old, something to mention.
But, uh, anyways, when theystarted closing the business, of
course, because everybody hadcomputers, that's when the
situation really just stoppedbeing really good.
(23:00):
It was just with the, theeverything, the, what is it?
House, uh, crisis, 2008.
I think there was a big, big,uh, crisis everywhere in US and
in the whole world actuallymarket, uh, housing market.
That was impacting us a littlebit.
And overall, I just really neverhad a lot of money.
Trying to figure out how to dostuff with no money, especially
(23:24):
like immigration.
I was like not comfortable doingit on my own.
I feel like I could, but I waslike, maybe if I find the
lawyers it's gonna be better.
But I didn't have money, so Iwas actually able to, with the
agency, I actually got a dealwith a lawyer that would help me
for free while I just do freemarketing for him.
(23:44):
We did a lot of print ads.
We did his website.
We actually still working withhim, not for free anymore, but
he's been fully engaged in allour immigration processes, with
mine last six years and uh, andmy parents.
He's just so helpful.
It is been extremely importantin my life, finding those kind
(24:04):
of, uh, ways, finding the wayswhen you don't have resources,
you don't have kind of money,you don't have, like, you don't
know how to do something, youfind a way out of it through
the, like forest, you know, somewide new roads.
Russel (24:20):
It's such a, right, especially when you don't have
it, it's such a preciousresource.
It's always a precious resource,even it should be when we have a
lot of it.
Work smarter, not harder, evenwhen you're in the process of
taking the stairs.
Thank you for sharing thatjourney.
I'm sure it's a journey a lot offolks don't even really
understand or know what itactually takes to become a
citizen.
Thank you for shedding light onthat.
(24:41):
Another question, I mean.
Obviously driven, ambitious, so,so many great words there.
Positivity is another one.
You just seem like a neverending positive person.
I'm curious, two parts.
Do you view that as a strength,uh, in, what you're doing and I
gotta, what, what gets you down?
I mean, I'm just curious at thispoint.
Kateryna (25:00):
Oh, yes, I am.
Uh, I'm extremely positiveperson.
Actually, I think my husbandhates it because he is like, he
calls himself realist, but Idon't know.
I am always seeing like thelight at the end of the tunnel.
It's very rare when I do getdown, I get down from probably
(25:23):
one thing is losing.
It happens often.
I lose to some extent.
Some small ones, I don't careenough, but something that I
really work hard for and I careabout and it doesn't work out,
that's like rejection almost,you know?
Oh, it's like hits me.
I'll actually share with you, Ijust had a big loss, like last
week I think I had to travel fora big contract.
(25:46):
It was like$200,000 contract.
I was like, it's a big contract,it's gonna be great.
And we were like neck and neckwith that agency.
But we did like make like onemistake and end up not chosen.
That hit me pretty hard.
I'm like, oh my God, I'm gonnakill up.
Nothing works out.
This is so sad.
It's only last for a little bitthough, but because I like, I
(26:06):
get down and then maybe likejust like struggle a bit with
the confidence and positivityfor like a week.
But then I blame myself a lot inthose situations, but then it
comes back to seeing thepositive, positive things and
everything.
I flip my mindset a little bitin terms of rejection is for the
better.
(26:26):
Because I didn't get that I cando this and this and this, and
that's what I was planning to doanyways if I like, didn't know
that this was a contract comingright?
I usually try to, I, I believethat in my life everything
that's been happening is beingextremely for better.
Extremely for better, seriously,like I actually didn't tell you
(26:49):
I lost my first, uh, scholarshipafter first year in my school.
So I went to South Carolina andthen I transferred to Louisiana.
I lost the scholarship, uh,after the first year.
It was heartbreaking for me.
I actually came home for thefew, few, uh, weeks, couple
weeks.
I was gonna come back for summerand I was like literally
(27:10):
standing in the train, like nextto the train, crying for my mom.
I didn't wanna come back.
That was actually one momentwhen I didn't wanna come back.
I was so scared because I feltlike I was a failure.
I felt like I lost myscholarship.
I actually didn't entirely knowthat I lost it because I was so
scared and I was so like notcomfortable with the people.
(27:32):
Actually, I never connected withmy coach and my team and they
never even told me anything.
I kind of knew I'm probablygonna lose it and of course, I
did.
But that was huge push for me interms of like changing my
personality completely in, interms of like start, stop being
scared and shut down andactually pushing through and
trying to figure out a way,because I did, I figured out a
(27:53):
way how to find a new school forfull scholarship in like two
months, which was verydifficult, you know, and going
through the challenges like thisin my life and my experience,
what I see is that everythingworks out for the better because
my school in Louisiana was thedream come true.
It was absolutely the best placeon the earth for me.
The more like failures like thisI have, the more I learn from it
(28:18):
and the, the better outcomebecomes, the better situation I
get in the future, the betterliving situation, better for my
family.
I learned from it and I'm like,okay, I, I don't have anything
to be negative about because Ihave a great life.
I achieve a lot of things and Ionly see better and it coming
(28:38):
better and better, you know, inthe future if I continue doing
what I'm doing.
Russel (28:42):
Wonderful part of your story and, you know, it just
goes to the notion.
I think there's a reason behind,right?
You'll hear people talk aboutdoing a gratitude journal or
just right, just taking the timeto appreciate what we have, not
lament at what we don't have ordidn't do or didn't get.
And yes, we, we're gonna havethose pain points, but how
important it is in this veryhard thing we're doing of
(29:03):
entrepreneurship and life um,to, to, yeah, just appreciate
and, and look at the positive,look at the bright side, look at
the future.
Otherwise we're gonna get beatdown real fast.
Kateryna (29:13):
Yeah and something to mention actually here, I believe
that, uh, I, I don't know.
I know a lot of people may saythat a lot of people don't
believe in that, but I dobelieve a lot that whatever we
think is does come true.
I, I'm really a big, uh, like Ido believe in that so much that
I tend to just have likepositive thinking always.
(29:35):
If I start being negative alittle bit in my head, I'm like,
oh, no, that, that's it.
That's enough.
I have, yeah, again, havinggratitude.
Being very happy abouteverything around me.
But I know that sometimes itfeels like, I know I work very
hard, but sometimes for me itfeels like things just fall down
from the sky to, to my lap.
It's crazy because I actuallythink of this energy and this
(29:57):
positivity, sometimes thingsjust work out.
Russel (30:00):
It's almost just the notion when something falls
outta the sky, are you lookingat the ground wishing what you
had?
Or are you looking at the sky,seeing what's ahead?
I think for some folks thingsare falling outta the sky but
they're looking in the groundand I get it right?
Sometimes just we, we're in abad spot and things get us down.
But all, all I say that to justfor folks is, is to find ways.
You mentioned therapy and otherthings to get us in a positive
(30:24):
mindset because our, we're so,our brain is so powerful.
If we put it towards a task ofsomething and what we focus on
is what we'll get eventually.
We just gotta stay positive.
If we take away nothing fromthis episode today, that's what
we're going with.
I want to hear like the sevenpart series of your story, um,
but we don't probably haveenough time for that today, so
I'll get to, I'd love justhearing you talk about the
(30:47):
future, what you're trying toachieve.
What is the big goal with all ofthis in the long run?
Kateryna (30:50):
I've been a little bit more open-minded to try new
things recently because I thinkthe world changing quite a lot
now.
I feel like we're getting intosomething big and new pretty
soon and actually gonna call it,I actually think AI is gonna be
pretty, uh, life changing for alot of us in next, maybe five,
10 years, almost like internetwas at some point, you know?
(31:15):
We're trying to just use that alot more trying to see how we
can automate some processes, howit can be helpful for the
agency, how we can, uh, maybecreate something new that
doesn't exist.
I'm an inventor, it's been mybig dream.
I was doing like my vision boardin terms of like my 25 year
(31:35):
goals.
I do see myself and like my corevalue, invention, adventure,
figuring out how I'm gonnacreate something that maybe is
not there yet, that's gonnapotentially impact a lot of
people like, millions of peopleif we can.
Again, there's positivity inhigh dreams, but I do see the
company growing and maybe goinginto a little bit more of AI,
(31:58):
maybe some SaaS, maybe somethingthat's gonna just, uh, just
gonna impact a lot more peoplethat we are able to impact right
now.
Russel (32:06):
Amazing.
I'm just sitting here justsaying it's not if, it's just
when.
There isn't a right timetablefor this, but I'll be sitting
with my popcorn waiting for whenall those things you shared
happens.
Thank you for sharing that.
All right.
Last question for you, Kateryna.
Are entrepreneurs born or arethey made?
Kateryna (32:23):
Oh yes.
It's so hard.
I dunno.
I honestly dunno because I feellike a lot of me was born this
way.
I totally agree that they haveto be made but I also see that
you can, you need to have somekind of personality for this
because a lot of times you mightnot just, uh, it's not, might
(32:44):
not just be exactly for you.
You better need to change thepersonality you have, if you
want to do it, whether you needto.
That's when you work hard andyou, you are making yourself to
be an, an entrepreneur.
But for me, I know it's beenlike the way I was growing up,
the way I, I had the somethingin me that just not that scared,
(33:05):
you know, willing to take risks,willing to, to do this, you
know, being open with people anduh, maybe communicating even,
although I'm such an introvert,you will never guess this.
Russel (33:16):
You are not an, oh no, everyone's sitting home right
now saying you are a liar.
We've believed everything you'vesaid up to this point.
Kateryna (33:23):
Oh my.
I'm telling you, I almost waslike half, for half a day
nervous before this podcast.
I'm not talking right now.
I was like, oh my God.
I'm sorry.
Russel (33:32):
Oh, I'm sorry about that.
Kateryna (33:33):
No, it's all fine.
It's all fine.
Honestly, like I open up andwhen I'm in the situation I'm
really comfortable.
But, uh, the talking andengaging and like, I actually
tried to do some publicspeaking, but oh my God, it's so
hard for me.
That's something that I have towork through and learn and push,
change my personality a littlebit to go in that direction.
(33:54):
But I know some people are bornjust to be entrepreneurs and
they have even more qualitiesthan I have to be successful at
it.
It's a tough one.
Unfortunately, I will tell youthat if you want something, you
go for it and you're gonna be,you are gonna be able to do it
if you just want it.
It doesn't matter what you areborn with.
But, uh, if you're born withsomething that's gonna be
(34:15):
helpful in being CEO, beingentrepreneur, it's always gonna
be helpful for you not to fightthrough, not to fight your
personality and who you areborn.
Russel (34:25):
Great cap on it.
Whether you're born or made, ifyou want it, you'll get it.
I love that.
I think that encapsulates yourentire story.
If people wanna know more aboutaStash, where can they go?
Kateryna (34:35):
The website's pretty simple, although it's not for
some people.
astash.com is the A S T A S H.com.
You can find me actually my nameKateryna Quinn.
Also very not simple, but maybethe last name's gonna be
simpler.
Quinn, Q-U-I-N-N.
You can just find me all oversocial media, Instagram,
LinkedIn.
I'm trying to do more of mypersonal brand, you know, so I'm
(34:57):
trying to actually be moreengaged and doing more
interesting stuff on there.
Just make sure you follow me andyeah, just reach out if you ever
need any marketing or any AIrelated stuff because I'm very
involved in that right now too.
Russel (35:11):
Alright.
Or a tennis tip?
Kateryna (35:13):
Oh, tennis tip.
Always ready for that.
I actually didn't pick up theracket for like four years,
which is crazy.
I think that was too much forme.
Russel (35:20):
Why does the ball always go over the fence when I hit it?
No, I don't remember the lasttime I played, uh, tennis.
Wonderful story, uh, Kateryna.
I really appreciate you takingthe time to, to go through all
the struggles and where it, whatit's taken you to get you and
your family and love just howyou speak to positivity and the
values you shared.
Again, just really appreciateyou taking the time to share
your story today.
Kateryna (35:40):
Thank you so much, Russel.
It's been a pleasure.
We hope you've enjoyed thisepisode of An Agency Story
podcast where we share realstories of marketing agency
owners from around the world.
Are you interested in being aguest on the show?
Send an email topodcast@performancefaction.com.
(36:02):
An Agency Story is brought toyou by Performance Faction.
Performance Faction offersservices to help agency owners
grow their business to 5 milliondollars and more in revenue.
To learn more, visitperformancefaction.com.
We had a moment when, um, my staff member actually, he
(36:25):
was, uh, working part-time andhe was like helping with
customer service and he, uh, theother part-time job for him was,
uh, selling insurance.
He was actually sellinginsurance and he called our
client.
It was all good, and he's like,talk to our client.
It was all perfect.
Then at some point, like fewhours later that day, he called
him again and he is talking tohim like trying to sell
(36:48):
insurance and the client's like,hey, what's up dude?
You got a wrong number here.
It was so hilarious.
He was like, really apologized.
I'm like, it's fine.
Things happen.
Don't worry about it.
Client's super like nice andfunny too.
He is like all took it all well,but it was just the crazy funny
(37:09):
situation.
When you work with contractors,make sure, make sure you guys
all on the same page and thingslike this.
Maybe it is only happened onceso it doesn't happen often, but
it's, it's just a funny storyfor sure.
Russel (37:21):
So was he intentionally calling this client to sell them
insurance?
Or he accidentally?
Kateryna (37:25):
No, of course not.
Russel (37:28):
Oh, okay.
Okay.
That's what I thought.
I was just like, he's like, hey,I talked to this guy.
I'll try to go sell himinsurance now or something.
Kateryna (37:34):
No.
He just dialed the wrong numberbecause it was like the same
code, area code, so he, hesomehow messed up, called the
wrong, the same number.
I'm like, this is just horrible.
I was so nervous.
I actually don't like, I'm notcomfortable with these
situations, so it was all good.
All of our clients are so fun.
Actually, we don't have much ofthis, kind of, these situations
(37:57):
happen.
Russel (37:58):
Good.
Good deal.
Welcome to An Agency Storypodcast where we share real
stories of marketing agencyowners from around the world.
From the excitement of startingup the first big sale, passion,
doubt, fear, freedom, and theemotional rollercoaster of
growth, hear it all on An AgencyStory podcast.
(00:24):
An Agency Story podcast ishosted by Russel Dubree,
successful agency owner with aneight figure exit turned
business coach.
Enjoy the next agency story.
What if taking the stairs everysingle time was the key to
(00:44):
building the life and businessof your dreams?
Welcome to An Agency Storypodcast.
I'm your host Russel.
In this episode, you'll hear theremarkable journey of Kateryna
Quinn, founder of aStash.
From rising tennis star inUkraine to fearless agency owner
in Colorado.
Kateryna's story is amasterclass in perseverance,
risk-taking, and putting familyat the heart of business.
(01:05):
In this episode, you'll learnhow she built a thriving agency
from scratch after beingrejected from countless
marketing jobs, how she used herfirst client to launch a drop
shipping success story and howshe brought her parents to the
US through the very business-she created with them now part
of the company's team.
All doing this while raising afamily of her own and going
through the gauntlet of aprocess of getting her US
(01:27):
citizenship.
Her story is packed with grit,optimism, and undeniable proof
that you don't need perfectconditions to build something
extraordinary.
Enjoy the story.
Russel (01:38):
Welcome to the show today everyone.
I have Kateryna Quinn withaStash with us here today.
Thank you so much for being onthe show today, Kateryna.
Kateryna (01:45):
Thank you so much Russel.
It's a pleasure to be here forsure.
Russel (01:48):
It is certainly the pleasure to have you as well.
If you don't mind, start us off.
What does aStash do, who do youdo it for?
Kateryna (01:54):
aStash is a digital marketing agency, so we are
actually a full service agency.
We do everything from branding,logo designs, print materials to
website designs, customdevelopment, searching
optimization, paid ads, andpretty much everything.
Marketing is, we probably cando.
The only thing we probably don'tdo a lot, uh, actually at all is
(02:18):
app development, so that'sprobably the only area you can't
get us to do.
Everything else we, we do.
We usually work with smallbusiness owners, mostly maybe I
think one to 10 employees.
We do have, uh, larger companiesas well.
Even some with like 50, even 500employees, but those are more
(02:38):
rare.
We typically try to focus onlocal businesses and small
businesses.
Russel (02:42):
Perfect.
Wonderfully put.
I know you have a fascinatingjourney into how you even got to
where you're at today.
We're gonna get to all that.
Might as well start from thebeginning.
Tell us about young Kateryna.
Young, young Kateryna, and whatwere her hopes, dreams, goals,
aspirations, all of the above?
Kateryna (02:58):
Let's talk about that.
That was a long time ago, itseems like.
I was growing up playing tennisand I think that was the big,
big thing that I did that myparents just got me to do.
It was pretty prestige, goodsport, you know, to do in
Ukraine.
I was growing up in Ukraine,actually, that's something
important to mention.
Russel (03:18):
That is important.
Kateryna (03:19):
Playing tennis, of course you have like big dreams
and goals, you know, like go proand play on high level
competitively, make money withthat sport.
I was moving along pretty well,I think in that direction for a
while.
I was, uh, playing some highlevel, some money tournaments
when I was teenager and at somepoint, uh, we pretty much, uh,
(03:41):
run outta money.
It was hard to get sponsored.
I was playing high level, so Iwas playing actually with Alina,
who is the number, like top fivein the world for the last 10
years, you know?
Russel (03:53):
Okay.
I know nothing about tennis,but, um, I'm gonna just, I'm
just gonna take that as they'rereally good and, and, uh, you're
definitely playing at a highlevel.
Kateryna (04:00):
Yes.
She is amazing still.
She's still on the tour.
Playing tennis with her,obviously she was a little bit
higher level, she would get asponsor and it was harder like
for, for many of us because onlylike one top one, maybe two, you
know, would get sponsored andnot even fully, because like you
would get sponsor played,playing, um, to, uh, playing
(04:21):
like practicing but not actuallyplaying tournaments.
Anyways, but like, justeconomical financial situations
we have in the family was justno way out of it unfortunately,
just traveling abroad, playingtennis.
I got offered a full scholarshipto come to US to play tennis.
I was like, okay, let me jump,jump on that, you know, because
it's a good chance to get outout of Ukraine and have some
(04:43):
potential future, you know?
We all heard about AmericanDream, so always thinking about
it like that would be great to,to try that out.
Russel (04:52):
It sounds like there was no hesitation in that thought
process, like all excitement,pure adrenaline coming to the US
to play tennis.
Or was there, I mean, was therewas like, oh man, I don't know
if I wanna leave home or, um, orwas it just all hopes and
dreams?
Kateryna (05:04):
All hopes and dreams.
It's actually when, if you knowme a little bit, that's kind of
all I am.
It's all about me, I never lookback.
I try to not to be too scared,you know, to jump in something
unknown.
I commonly try to just step andlook forward in the future and
have those high hopes anddreams.
(05:26):
I was 17, of course that waslike pretty scary.
You know, I didn't know languagethat well.
I obviously like passed theexams and got, I got accepted,
but I didn't really speakfluently, I'd say so.
It was a big, uh, big step.
But it was great to take itbecause moving to US is
completely different story.
(05:46):
It's completely different life.
Everything was different.
I went to Louisiana to study,uh, well first I actually landed
in South Carolina the firstyear.
I keep forgetting about my firstyear in South Carolina.
I just landed there airport andeverybody was so friendly and so
nice and you know, likestereotypical, like Ukrainian,
(06:09):
like Russian, all EasternEuropean kind of coldblooded a
little bit.
I was like, oh my God, why iseverybody saying hi?
Why is everybody waiting, wavingfor me?
I'm like so scared.
it's a big change for sure,culturally.
Russel (06:21):
That was what I was gonna ask, like what was your
first impression when you gothere?
That's certainly one aspect ofit, and it's probably
especially, and I think they saythat's more of a thing of the,
of the South than maybe otherparts of the country or New
York.
I'm sure you would've gotten amore normal greeting if you'd
landed in New York, but, yeah, Imean, so, so you're, you're
pursuing that tennis dream andobviously coming over to the US.
(06:42):
How did the tennis career go andwhen did you decide to hang up
the racket?
Kateryna (06:47):
Honestly, kind of hanging up the racket was when I
decided to come to US.
Because, uh, coming to play,like my level was pretty high,
so I was always, of course,trying to play in college
competitively.
Do good, good for my team, youknow, do good for my school.
But it was really never a big,uh, like dream there left for me
(07:09):
to continue playing tennis.
I knew I'm gonna come to US, I'mgonna find a new path.
That's why I like, I was prettyopen to, uh, studying different
subjects in school anddefinitely try everything from
like liberal arts tonutritionist, to like all kinds
of psychology, everything.
I was pretty interested ineverything, but I think I ended
(07:30):
up with marketing, which got mereally into advertising classes
and overall business kind ofreally pushed me into that field
because I was so interested.
I was just really, you know, Inadvertising we had some big, uh,
pitch like projects to do one,we did one for like Super Bowl
commercial for likeMercedes-Benz, and it was like,
(07:52):
big, amazing thing that I was soexcited doing.
I always saw myself actually Incollege, I saw myself doing like
TV ads.
For some reason I thought that'swhat's gonna be really fun.
Russel (08:04):
All right.
We already knew tennis was notgonna be the future, and you're
getting into marketing.
Get us to the point of where youturn that into an actual
business.
Kateryna (08:14):
It took me a few years after college to actually get it
as a business.
I graduated, I was still kind oftrying to figure out how to find
a job in marketing, you know,because nobody wanted to hire
me.
It's funny, I'm, I'm, I considermyself relatively successful for
where I was coming from, youknow, and I, I feel like I
(08:35):
achieved a lot, uh, for, yeah,for just overall, how I thought
I could be more successful ishighly unlikely for my age, for
where I was coming from.
Overall I just couldn't get ajob on marketing.
I was, uh, coaching tennis for alittle bit.
I always could get a job that,because I was obviously pretty
high level so I can play withhigh, highly competitive, uh,
(08:57):
kids, you know, who wouldactually go pro and uh, yeah,
that was very in high demand.
Did that for about a year, maybeyear and a half, and I was
really getting into the webdesign.
I really liked it, so I was, Iliked designing a lot and my
parents were actually in thefield a little bit in Ukraine,
so they had their own website.
(09:19):
They had their own like kind ofthing going there.
They had like classifiedadvertisement website or
whatever.
I was like, let me get into, mymom really liked it.
She's a backend developer, soshe really liked like, coding.
I was like, maybe I like it too.
But my, my thing was the design.
Actually as a front enddeveloper, I was like, oh, that
might work out.
I was thinking potentially maybeI would do something like this
(09:43):
in the future.
I always had that, uh, heart ofentrepreneur.
My parents never been employedby anybody.
They always were self-employed.
They had their own business.
Growing up, I, I saw that theflexibility, the kind of the
money you can make, you knowwhen things go well and, and all
of the perks, like good things,you know.
(10:04):
But like, I know my parentsstill put a lot of time and
effort into me playing tennis.
They were always present.
They were always there.
I felt like that's something Icould explore potentially.
But they knew I first need tolike work somewhere in marketing
to even know what it is.
Russel (10:19):
Is that ultimately what you, just as you said, you kinda
had some struggles in, ingetting a job in marketing.
Obviously you're doing thetennis coaching and then you
said, screw trying to get a, aregular job.
I'll just start my own agency.
Kateryna (10:31):
Yeah, almost, almost.
I actually was still coachingtennis and uh, I met the, the
lady that owned like furnitureand on interior design company,
right locally.
We were in Houston back there.
She actually needed a marketingperson, so she needed somebody
to help social media and juststuff on the website that had
really small website for localand interior design design in
(10:52):
the suburbs.
I was like, oh my God, yes,please, please, hire me.
I wanna do it.
It was gorgeous.
The place was huge and it wasall high-end interiors couches
and chandeliers and it was sobeautiful.
I started with her and she wasreally easygoing.
She's actually, I'm prettyself-driven.
I actually don't need muchdirection, as you can imagine if
(11:14):
I'm running my own company, Inever needed much direction.
I could totally find a job forme to do.
Russel (11:19):
I'm gonna guess you're pretty independent and, and
yeah, not a problem for you atall.
Kateryna (11:24):
Exactly.
So I, uh, yeah, She hired me.
She didn't also, she never had amarketing person, so she also
didn't know what I'm supposed tobe doing.
But I found myself a job.
I actually created a dropshipping business for them,
which was crazy interesting.
They started selling on Amazonand we got to 300,000 in sales,
annually for their furniturecompany.
(11:45):
That was just, just Amazon salesthat they never even thought
they would need.
I worked for her for about acouple years and, um, and just
did all types of marketingthere, like social media and
websites and all in all.
After that we were actuallymoving to Denver, uh, to
Colorado with, with my husband.
I was like, okay, I can't behere anymore, but I love working
(12:06):
with you and that's actually,right before that, I think maybe
for half a year before that, Ikind of really tried to get into
maybe potentially opening my owncompany right back in Houston
still, because my parents reallyneeded help.
They really needed the money andit was actually my biggest why,
like, just why I started thiscompany to help my parents
(12:29):
because economical situation wasnot great.
They had some debt, and I waslike, we can help, uh, my
parents, since my mom actuallyhelped me with some job, and got
paid for my first employee.
I saw how it's like working out.
Oh my God, like they can getpaid, they can get out of the
debt, they can leavecomfortably.
I was like, let me try and doit.
(12:50):
I was having the job, I wastrying to practice on my own
woke up at like, four, 4:00 AMevery day try to practice
developing websites.
Then when we were moving toColorado, I'm like, okay.
I actually talked to my employeeand they still are clients.
It's crazy because we, it's beensix years, they still are
clients.
We just had the agreement withher how I'm gonna like, pretty
(13:12):
much just, uh, do a contractwork and, uh, this and this and
that, this annual like kind ofpay and we kind of agree with
all of that.
She's like, yeah, that'sperfect.
That's fine.
That's how it worked out.
Russel (13:23):
Such a common theme I feel like in, in folks in
similar situation that, uh,didn't, weren't born in the US
and they came over and there'sjust a drive to, you know, not
only to make this risk, thisendeavor that you've done worth
it, but also right, some payingsome homage to those that
created this opportunity for youI think that's such a cool part
of your story and, and I mean,just to hear the drive behind
(13:46):
that, I'm just fascinated,that's all I got to say.
Kateryna (13:48):
Honestly, it's just like my personality too.
Actually recently I startedworking with therapist, which
been so helpful in terms ofbusiness because it's actually
really pulling some stuff out ofme that I didn't know exists,
and it really helps me to getlike a direction on where I
wanna move forward with mybusiness, with what's like
(14:09):
important for me almost.
We actually just was talkingabout these core values and
what's driving me as a person.
That's what I realized becauseI'm like such a family first,
uh, person.
For me, like the love and thefamily, it's so important.
What differentiates us, ouragency from a lot of other
competitors is that approach,because we do have the family
(14:32):
first approach and that's whereI try to bring it everywhere I
go with my employees, with myclients.
I really wanna make sure wetreat all the clients like the
family.
I wanna make sure they're takencare of.
I wanna make sure we areextremely honest, always
transparent with them and we aredoing our best.
We're really trying to do ourbest all the time.
(14:53):
We don't slack around, weactually performing the best
things we can do for them to getresults.
That's been I think extremelyvaluable for all of these
clients that stay with us forsix, last six years since we're
open, or like last four to sixyears.
I think they've been noticing itand appreciating it for sure.
Russel (15:12):
I gotta ask the question.
All you're saying, you're havinga hard time getting a job outta
college and is there anycompanies you want us to send
this episode to once we launchit?
Have been like, bet you wish youwould've hired Kateryna.
I'm happy to do that if you justwant to, if you wanna put
somebody on blast or something.
Kateryna (15:26):
Probably wouldn't wanna, no, I don't think I would
want to point anybody out.
I had one company in California.
I actually knew vice presidentof marketing in that very, very
big company and I'm not gonnacall them out, but, oh my God,
when I couldn't get theinternship.
I was just trying to doanything, like just to get an
internship.
I couldn't get it.
(15:46):
I was like, this is ridiculous.
Russel (15:48):
That is their loss and everyone else that you got to
work with in, in your agency andwork for you gain otherwise.
Well, if you, if you want to, Iwill, I will gladly do that
because, uh, I would, I would'vehired you as a tennis coach and
I would've hired you as amarketer guaranteed.
Kateryna (16:05):
It's all good.
Thank you.
I'm in a pretty good place.
I can't complain.
I think that was a reason forthat, for sure.
Russel (16:11):
For sure.
Your drive has certainly beenwell placed.
I gotta get to what I think isjust a really cool part of your
story, and I'm sure it's notchronological to your endeavor,
but you're talking about yourparents and hire them into the
business.
But it gets bigger than that, asI understand it.
Tell us how that story, I don'twanna say ends, but um, has, um,
yeah, progresses, we'll use thatword.
Kateryna (16:32):
Continuous.
Russel (16:33):
Yes.
Continues.
There we go.
Kateryna (16:34):
My parents are so important to me.
They are, oh my God.
They're like, of course, with myhusband and my daughter.
I think that would nevermention, I do have a tiny little
daughter, right now she is lessthan two, but, uh, my immediate
family is just so such a bigpart in my life that when I
moved here, I knew that I, atsome point really wanna bring
(16:57):
them here.
I'm the only daughter and again,my core values, my like
priorities, my core values sostrong around my family.
I was like, there's no way I'mgonna leave my parents in their
old age by themselves.
Although they're still veryyoung.
I'm lucky with that, but I wasjust like, there's no way
they're gonna stay in Ukrainewhile I here live in the US.
(17:18):
I knew that's gonna be for surehappening.
I didn't know how and when, butI knew for sure I'm gonna find a
way to bring them here and,thanks God.
Everything worked out just thatway.
So I was able to bring myparents here just around, I
think maybe two years ago.
It is been life changing andour, our situation right now is
(17:39):
not perfect.
I think something important,something of value I wanna share
with your audience right nowthat, uh, things are not like
perfect a lot of times, but youhave to like go work hard and go
through some challenges to getwhat you want.
It's not gonna be comfortable,it's not gonna be easy.
I think that's something we needto prepare, that, that's what's
(18:01):
gonna happen.
The taking the hard way.
Taking the stairs when you couldjust take an elevator sometimes
it's a better solution for sure.
We currently live and like alltogether with my parents in our
town home.
We are lucky enough that we areactually building a custom home
for one of us of, and the otherhouse's gonna be for another
(18:23):
one.
We have big plans for likefuture living situations, but
right now, for last coupleyears, it's been pretty tight in
our living situation.
Again, it, it is fine becauseI'm so glad they're here and
this is the best gift that Icould have gotten to bring them
here.
Keep them close, make sure they,they're taken care of and they
(18:43):
comfortable.
I think everything I canattribute to this agency to be
able to do this because throughall these years I've been able
to, I, I'm taking care of myparents and I continue to take
care of them, so they actuallyable to move in the later in
life still trying to learnEnglish.
Still going through a lot ofchallenges, but they're able to
(19:06):
do it and afford it, you know,because of the agencies, which
is great.
Russel (19:10):
Wow.
Alright, that is an amazingstory.
Thank you for sharing that.
I'm just hooked to every detailof it and I'm sure there's even
a lot more that you weren't ableto get to.
I wanna go back to something yousaid that I just, I just love
how you, how you put this.
A lot of folks that I work with,I, say something similar of
like, look, if we want somethingbigger, better, more different
(19:31):
than what we have today, we haveto solve a hard thing to get
there.
There's just no way around it.
You can pick the hard thing youwanna solve, but as you put it,
you gotta take the stairs.
What was your first stairs whenit came to the agency itself
that you had to take, if youwill?
Kateryna (19:44):
Oh, so many
Russel (19:46):
stairs.
A lot of stairs.
Kateryna (19:47):
There was so many stairs.
Probably just the first fewyears been constant stairs.
It's been like just constantlate nights working until two
ams and no weekends and don'treally have too much fun.
With my parents, I was stilllike on my own here in US.
They were really helping withlike backend and obviously with
(20:08):
development and SEO, but I stillhad to do so much on my own.
All the sales, finding clients,uh, like just running the whole
business, you know, all thefinancial and legal stuff.
It was just a lot.
And plus like you always have todeal with other things in life,
right?
It is like still trying tofigure out how to help my
(20:29):
parents even more.
Still trying to find a commonlanguage.
We're still trying to getmarried like I did and have a
life here, you know?
And immigration.
Obviously immigration's been abig, big, big part of the stairs
because it took me 10 years toget my citizenship, which is a,
a long process.
It's always you doing something,you are always applying or doing
(20:51):
the documents, redoingdocuments, working with lawyers,
you're constantly in thatprocess.
It's a little bit stressfulsometimes, you know?
I guess long nights is firstcouple years, and then after
that the like, the bigger, thebreakthrough that we had is when
we, I started hiring morepeople, obviously.
(21:11):
I think the team's been like,just so essential to growth.
There is really no way you, youcan do it alone ever.
Although I was prettycomfortable to be like on my own
for, for that 2020,'21, I wasalready set up at my process a
little bit better and I wasstill making like more money
(21:32):
when I was working on my ownwith my parents versus like just
inviting the team in at moreexpenses, more pressure.
And you are like, even morestress, you know, because you
need to find those clients to beable to support the team, have
enough job, have a cash flow,and it is constant.
It's just constant craziness.
(21:53):
But it's all good.
It's working out and the yeah,with the team, you just growing
and growing and growing.
Russel (21:58):
I think that's, I mean, yeah, to your point, always
stairs.
I dunno, can you encapsulatejust quickly, I mean right, how
that process, just going throughum, the immigration process.
What are we talking, hundreds ofhours?
More?
What does that take in the end,do you think?
Kateryna (22:11):
Oh my God.
It's more than hundred.
I don't know how many hundred,but, uh, many hundreds.
Russel (22:18):
Really?
Okay.
Kateryna (22:19):
It's gotta be like 500 plus I think for sure, at least.
Plus, like I, I got lucky, sohow I had no money for a long
time, right?
I came from like super poor,economical, like just country
and uh, also just pretty poorfamily.
We had money when my parents'business were running, uh, was
(22:40):
running pretty well.
They actually had a computerclub, which is crazy.
They opened one very early on.
It was like 1994.
It was, uh, yeah, I got my firstcomputer when I was four years
old, something to mention.
But, uh, anyways, when theystarted closing the business, of
course, because everybody hadcomputers, that's when the
situation really just stoppedbeing really good.
(23:00):
It was just with the, theeverything, the, what is it?
House, uh, crisis, 2008.
I think there was a big, big,uh, crisis everywhere in US and
in the whole world actuallymarket, uh, housing market.
That was impacting us a littlebit.
And overall, I just really neverhad a lot of money.
Trying to figure out how to dostuff with no money, especially
(23:24):
like immigration.
I was like not comfortable doingit on my own.
I feel like I could, but I waslike, maybe if I find the
lawyers it's gonna be better.
But I didn't have money, so Iwas actually able to, with the
agency, I actually got a dealwith a lawyer that would help me
for free while I just do freemarketing for him.
(23:44):
We did a lot of print ads.
We did his website.
We actually still working withhim, not for free anymore, but
he's been fully engaged in allour immigration processes, with
mine last six years and uh, andmy parents.
He's just so helpful.
It is been extremely importantin my life, finding those kind
(24:04):
of, uh, ways, finding the wayswhen you don't have resources,
you don't have kind of money,you don't have, like, you don't
know how to do something, youfind a way out of it through
the, like forest, you know, somewide new roads.
Russel (24:20):
It's such a, right, especially when you don't have
it, it's such a preciousresource.
It's always a precious resource,even it should be when we have a
lot of it.
Work smarter, not harder, evenwhen you're in the process of
taking the stairs.
Thank you for sharing thatjourney.
I'm sure it's a journey a lot offolks don't even really
understand or know what itactually takes to become a
citizen.
Thank you for shedding light onthat.
(24:41):
Another question, I mean.
Obviously driven, ambitious, so,so many great words there.
Positivity is another one.
You just seem like a neverending positive person.
I'm curious, two parts.
Do you view that as a strength,uh, in, what you're doing and I
gotta, what, what gets you down?
I mean, I'm just curious at thispoint.
Kateryna (25:00):
Oh, yes, I am.
Uh, I'm extremely positiveperson.
Actually, I think my husbandhates it because he is like, he
calls himself realist, but Idon't know.
I am always seeing like thelight at the end of the tunnel.
It's very rare when I do getdown, I get down from probably
(25:23):
one thing is losing.
It happens often.
I lose to some extent.
Some small ones, I don't careenough, but something that I
really work hard for and I careabout and it doesn't work out,
that's like rejection almost,you know?
Oh, it's like hits me.
I'll actually share with you, Ijust had a big loss, like last
week I think I had to travel fora big contract.
(25:46):
It was like$200,000 contract.
I was like, it's a big contract,it's gonna be great.
And we were like neck and neckwith that agency.
But we did like make like onemistake and end up not chosen.
That hit me pretty hard.
I'm like, oh my God, I'm gonnakill up.
Nothing works out.
This is so sad.
It's only last for a little bitthough, but because I like, I
(26:06):
get down and then maybe likejust like struggle a bit with
the confidence and positivityfor like a week.
But then I blame myself a lot inthose situations, but then it
comes back to seeing thepositive, positive things and
everything.
I flip my mindset a little bitin terms of rejection is for the
better.
(26:26):
Because I didn't get that I cando this and this and this, and
that's what I was planning to doanyways if I like, didn't know
that this was a contract comingright?
I usually try to, I, I believethat in my life everything
that's been happening is beingextremely for better.
Extremely for better, seriously,like I actually didn't tell you
(26:49):
I lost my first, uh, scholarshipafter first year in my school.
So I went to South Carolina andthen I transferred to Louisiana.
I lost the scholarship, uh,after the first year.
It was heartbreaking for me.
I actually came home for thefew, few, uh, weeks, couple
weeks.
I was gonna come back for summerand I was like literally
(27:10):
standing in the train, like nextto the train, crying for my mom.
I didn't wanna come back.
That was actually one momentwhen I didn't wanna come back.
I was so scared because I feltlike I was a failure.
I felt like I lost myscholarship.
I actually didn't entirely knowthat I lost it because I was so
scared and I was so like notcomfortable with the people.
(27:32):
Actually, I never connected withmy coach and my team and they
never even told me anything.
I kind of knew I'm probablygonna lose it and of course, I
did.
But that was huge push for me interms of like changing my
personality completely in, interms of like start, stop being
scared and shut down andactually pushing through and
trying to figure out a way,because I did, I figured out a
(27:53):
way how to find a new school forfull scholarship in like two
months, which was verydifficult, you know, and going
through the challenges like thisin my life and my experience,
what I see is that everythingworks out for the better because
my school in Louisiana was thedream come true.
It was absolutely the best placeon the earth for me.
The more like failures like thisI have, the more I learn from it
(28:18):
and the, the better outcomebecomes, the better situation I
get in the future, the betterliving situation, better for my
family.
I learned from it and I'm like,okay, I, I don't have anything
to be negative about because Ihave a great life.
I achieve a lot of things and Ionly see better and it coming
(28:38):
better and better, you know, inthe future if I continue doing
what I'm doing.
Russel (28:42):
Wonderful part of your story and, you know, it just
goes to the notion.
I think there's a reason behind,right?
You'll hear people talk aboutdoing a gratitude journal or
just right, just taking the timeto appreciate what we have, not
lament at what we don't have ordidn't do or didn't get.
And yes, we, we're gonna havethose pain points, but how
important it is in this veryhard thing we're doing of
(29:03):
entrepreneurship and life um,to, to, yeah, just appreciate
and, and look at the positive,look at the bright side, look at
the future.
Otherwise we're gonna get beatdown real fast.
Kateryna (29:13):
Yeah and something to mention actually here, I believe
that, uh, I, I don't know.
I know a lot of people may saythat a lot of people don't
believe in that, but I dobelieve a lot that whatever we
think is does come true.
I, I'm really a big, uh, like Ido believe in that so much that
I tend to just have likepositive thinking always.
(29:35):
If I start being negative alittle bit in my head, I'm like,
oh, no, that, that's it.
That's enough.
I have, yeah, again, havinggratitude.
Being very happy abouteverything around me.
But I know that sometimes itfeels like, I know I work very
hard, but sometimes for me itfeels like things just fall down
from the sky to, to my lap.
It's crazy because I actuallythink of this energy and this
(29:57):
positivity, sometimes thingsjust work out.
Russel (30:00):
It's almost just the notion when something falls
outta the sky, are you lookingat the ground wishing what you
had?
Or are you looking at the sky,seeing what's ahead?
I think for some folks thingsare falling outta the sky but
they're looking in the groundand I get it right?
Sometimes just we, we're in abad spot and things get us down.
But all, all I say that to justfor folks is, is to find ways.
You mentioned therapy and otherthings to get us in a positive
(30:24):
mindset because our, we're so,our brain is so powerful.
If we put it towards a task ofsomething and what we focus on
is what we'll get eventually.
We just gotta stay positive.
If we take away nothing fromthis episode today, that's what
we're going with.
I want to hear like the sevenpart series of your story, um,
but we don't probably haveenough time for that today, so
I'll get to, I'd love justhearing you talk about the
(30:47):
future, what you're trying toachieve.
What is the big goal with all ofthis in the long run?
Kateryna (30:50):
I've been a little bit more open-minded to try new
things recently because I thinkthe world changing quite a lot
now.
I feel like we're getting intosomething big and new pretty
soon and actually gonna call it,I actually think AI is gonna be
pretty, uh, life changing for alot of us in next, maybe five,
10 years, almost like internetwas at some point, you know?
(31:15):
We're trying to just use that alot more trying to see how we
can automate some processes, howit can be helpful for the
agency, how we can, uh, maybecreate something new that
doesn't exist.
I'm an inventor, it's been mybig dream.
I was doing like my vision boardin terms of like my 25 year
(31:35):
goals.
I do see myself and like my corevalue, invention, adventure,
figuring out how I'm gonnacreate something that maybe is
not there yet, that's gonnapotentially impact a lot of
people like, millions of peopleif we can.
Again, there's positivity inhigh dreams, but I do see the
company growing and maybe goinginto a little bit more of AI,
(31:58):
maybe some SaaS, maybe somethingthat's gonna just, uh, just
gonna impact a lot more peoplethat we are able to impact right
now.
Russel (32:06):
Amazing.
I'm just sitting here justsaying it's not if, it's just
when.
There isn't a right timetablefor this, but I'll be sitting
with my popcorn waiting for whenall those things you shared
happens.
Thank you for sharing that.
All right.
Last question for you, Kateryna.
Are entrepreneurs born or arethey made?
Kateryna (32:23):
Oh yes.
It's so hard.
I dunno.
I honestly dunno because I feellike a lot of me was born this
way.
I totally agree that they haveto be made but I also see that
you can, you need to have somekind of personality for this
because a lot of times you mightnot just, uh, it's not, might
(32:44):
not just be exactly for you.
You better need to change thepersonality you have, if you
want to do it, whether you needto.
That's when you work hard andyou, you are making yourself to
be an, an entrepreneur.
But for me, I know it's beenlike the way I was growing up,
the way I, I had the somethingin me that just not that scared,
(33:05):
you know, willing to take risks,willing to, to do this, you
know, being open with people anduh, maybe communicating even,
although I'm such an introvert,you will never guess this.
Russel (33:16):
You are not an, oh no, everyone's sitting home right
now saying you are a liar.
We've believed everything you'vesaid up to this point.
Kateryna (33:23):
Oh my.
I'm telling you, I almost waslike half, for half a day
nervous before this podcast.
I'm not talking right now.
I was like, oh my God.
I'm sorry.
Russel (33:32):
Oh, I'm sorry about that.
Kateryna (33:33):
No, it's all fine.
It's all fine.
Honestly, like I open up andwhen I'm in the situation I'm
really comfortable.
But, uh, the talking andengaging and like, I actually
tried to do some publicspeaking, but oh my God, it's so
hard for me.
That's something that I have towork through and learn and push,
change my personality a littlebit to go in that direction.
(33:54):
But I know some people are bornjust to be entrepreneurs and
they have even more qualitiesthan I have to be successful at
it.
It's a tough one.
Unfortunately, I will tell youthat if you want something, you
go for it and you're gonna be,you are gonna be able to do it
if you just want it.
It doesn't matter what you areborn with.
But, uh, if you're born withsomething that's gonna be
(34:15):
helpful in being CEO, beingentrepreneur, it's always gonna
be helpful for you not to fightthrough, not to fight your
personality and who you areborn.
Russel (34:25):
Great cap on it.
Whether you're born or made, ifyou want it, you'll get it.
I love that.
I think that encapsulates yourentire story.
If people wanna know more aboutaStash, where can they go?
Kateryna (34:35):
The website's pretty simple, although it's not for
some people.
astash.com is the A S T A S H.com.
You can find me actually my nameKateryna Quinn.
Also very not simple, but maybethe last name's gonna be
simpler.
Quinn, Q-U-I-N-N.
You can just find me all oversocial media, Instagram,
LinkedIn.
I'm trying to do more of mypersonal brand, you know, so I'm
(34:57):
trying to actually be moreengaged and doing more
interesting stuff on there.
Just make sure you follow me andyeah, just reach out if you ever
need any marketing or any AIrelated stuff because I'm very
involved in that right now too.
Russel (35:11):
Alright.
Or a tennis tip?
Kateryna (35:13):
Oh, tennis tip.
Always ready for that.
I actually didn't pick up theracket for like four years,
which is crazy.
I think that was too much forme.
Russel (35:20):
Why does the ball always go over the fence when I hit it?
No, I don't remember the lasttime I played, uh, tennis.
Wonderful story, uh, Kateryna.
I really appreciate you takingthe time to, to go through all
the struggles and where it, whatit's taken you to get you and
your family and love just howyou speak to positivity and the
values you shared.
Again, just really appreciateyou taking the time to share
your story today.
Kateryna (35:40):
Thank you so much, Russel.
It's been a pleasure.
We hope you've enjoyed thisepisode of An Agency Story
podcast where we share realstories of marketing agency
owners from around the world.
Are you interested in being aguest on the show?
Send an email topodcast@performancefaction.com.
(36:02):
An Agency Story is brought toyou by Performance Faction.
Performance Faction offersservices to help agency owners
grow their business to 5 milliondollars and more in revenue.
To learn more, visitperformancefaction.com.
We had a moment when, um, my staff member actually, he
(36:25):
was, uh, working part-time andhe was like helping with
customer service and he, uh, theother part-time job for him was,
uh, selling insurance.
He was actually sellinginsurance and he called our
client.
It was all good, and he's like,talk to our client.
It was all perfect.
Then at some point, like fewhours later that day, he called
him again and he is talking tohim like trying to sell
(36:48):
insurance and the client's like,hey, what's up dude?
You got a wrong number here.
It was so hilarious.
He was like, really apologized.
I'm like, it's fine.
Things happen.
Don't worry about it.
Client's super like nice andfunny too.
He is like all took it all well,but it was just the crazy funny
(37:09):
situation.
When you work with contractors,make sure, make sure you guys
all on the same page and thingslike this.
Maybe it is only happened onceso it doesn't happen often, but
it's, it's just a funny storyfor sure.
Russel (37:21):
So was he intentionally calling this client to sell them
insurance?
Or he accidentally?
Kateryna (37:25):
No, of course not.
Russel (37:28):
Oh, okay.
Okay.
That's what I thought.
I was just like, he's like, hey,I talked to this guy.
I'll try to go sell himinsurance now or something.
Kateryna (37:34):
No.
He just dialed the wrong numberbecause it was like the same
code, area code, so he, hesomehow messed up, called the
wrong, the same number.
I'm like, this is just horrible.
I was so nervous.
I actually don't like, I'm notcomfortable with these
situations, so it was all good.
All of our clients are so fun.
Actually, we don't have much ofthis, kind of, these situations
(37:57):
happen.
Russel (37:58):
Good.
Good deal.
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