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Oleg Panchenko is a serial entrepreneur with a keen eye for innovative solutions in the tech industry. He started his first business in grade school when he sold used microchips pried out of trashed electronics at a literal marketplace. It worked, and at eleven years old, an entrepreneur was born.
“It encouraged me,” Oleg said. “ Within three months or so, I was buying and selling, buying and selling. My income was much higher than my mom made in a month. So I thought that I should do this.”
During his college years, he moved on to selling used cell phones in the marketplace. Flush with success, Panchenko and his friends opened a shop. They also sold items at a festival and were successful there, too. But such enterprises don’t always last, and Panchenko moved on.
“I took my share and quit and learned how bigger business looks inside. And it’s true that I loved to make money as an entrepreneur,” Oleg says. “At some point, my friend invited me to his home. He was a developer and had to finish a project. I watched him, asked questions and was excited about the outcome of his code. It sparked a huge interest, and I started practicing on my own. That’s when I learned to code.”
He created a platform to connect people who want to cruise on yachts with charter companies and skippers. Then COVID-19 shut down all travel, and since the platform was not released, it was shut down. Oleg rolled with those punches and created a web-based restaurant delivery service in Ukraine. Innovators always see the latest idea coming down the road before anyone else does.
After other entrepreneurial adventures, Panchenko realized he had a knack for developing and selling unique websites and companies. He recently debuted FreySoft at several shows and conferences, and the responses are good.
“I am on my way to making it as a startup, but we’re bootstrapped,” Oleg says. “Basically, it’s invested all from my own pocket. But we have very good feedback from our early bird clients.”
Oleg Panchenko is the founder and owner of three notable companies, FreySoft, FreyStaff, and MakeDeal, operating out of Kyiv, Ukraine, Warsaw, Poland, and a new, soon-to-be office in London. FreySoft, a custom software development and consulting company, is known for its expertise in various programming languages and technologies, serving a global clientele with tailored IT solutions. Beside it is FreyStaff, a recruiting and staff-augmentation service.
On the other hand, his other project, MakeDeal, is a cutting-edge recruitment automation tool designed to streamline routine tasks for sources and recruiters with templates and other productivity tools, making the recruitment process efficient and effective.
He discovered many things on his journey. Panchenko has learned to trust himself and his talents. But even more importantly, he has learned to trust the people he hires to work with him, those who are a large part of making his businesses successful.
“I put a lot of effort into FreySoft as I’m an engineer first of all, and I love to design and create solutions,” Oleg says. “FreyStaff is a pure business project that was born because of market needs, considering current global economy situations. MakeDeal is yet another platform for recruitment but provides a unique solution for the hiring process of companies that just started their recruitment journey or desperately need to win more and close roles with the right candidates.”
Panchenko is quick to support and invest in employees who try to learn and grow. It’s better for everyone when you train motivated employees in what you need rather than constantly looking elsewhere for the skills needed for your business. He understands that it’s important to encourage self-development, because leaders rely on their teams.
“It’s better to change the person’s role in a team than replace them. Especially for organizations like mine that are growing. It’s about always looking to find roles for different kinds of personalities. Even if somebody is in the wrong position, educate them on what they need.”
Oleg Panchenko has a knack for identifying market needs and delivering solutions that also set new trends in the industry. His ventures reflect his commitment to bringing innovative, client-centric solutions to the market. Oleg is an active member of the tech community and shares his insights on the latest trends in software development and recruitment technology.
