At the age of sixteen, Vera Tkachenko moved abroad to Finland, studying restaurant business. While studying, she met her friend and her future business partner, and a simple conversation about friends who were opening educational language schools led to the realization that they could build something of their own. Instead of overthinking, they acted quickly, and just like that, Vera launched her first online educational project with her partner at the age of seventeen.
Vera put a huge importance on listening to her students’ needs and challenges, which resulted in the success of her business. Vera started with a Finnish language school, and over time, the project expanded, and she is now involved in more projects, such as Chinese and Armenian language schools. As her project grew, Vera realized that working with people coming from different backgrounds and ages was the most difficult part. At the same time, the target audience turned out to be different from what she expected, with most of her students living abroad. But as she attentively listened to her students, she was able to overcome the obstacles and continue growing her projects.
Managing online schools across different countries is not easy. For instance, working with teachers in China requires navigating time differences and communication obstacles set by the blocked applications. Even with these difficulties, Vera remains positive about remote work. Having a trusted business partner and flexible systems allows the projects to operate without geographical limits.
Travel continues to influence how Vera lives and works, and having an online job allows her to be flexible. During her travels to Yerevan, Armenia, she developed a strong connection to the country and founded the ‘Arevik’ club for girls. What started as informal coffee meetings grew into a supportive community for women who had recently moved to the country and were looking for connection. With the help of regular breakfasts, meetups, and active group chat, many participants found friendships and a sense of belonging. The impact of the project became clear through the messages of gratitude she received, showing how meaningful community-building can be.
Through travel, entrepreneurship, and working with people from different backgrounds, Vera has become certain about one thing. She does not want a traditional nine-to-five job. Seeing how differently people live and build their lives expanded her sense of what is possible and encouraged her to think beyond familiar environments.
Vera shared a crucial message to our audience, which is a quote that resonates deeply with her: “The universe does not have a budget.” For her, this quote is about the idea that people often fear thinking and dreaming big, and that fear becomes the biggest obstacle. Her message is a reminder not to limit ideas before they are even given a chance.
By Anush Grigoryan
Head of Communications
