Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Tatiana Gramatikova-Bonneau. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Hi Tatiana, thanks for joining us today. How did you come up with the idea for your business?

I was running an IT agency, focusing on building websites and software, mainly for the UK market. I’ve always wanted to be a journalist, a writer so naturally as things developed started edging towards the marketing and branding side, which felt like it allows more creativity. Many of my clients for websites and software felt that if they have a great website people will just come, it is clearly not enough.

During that period I didn’t see domain names as more than a technical detail. I’ll be honest, I’ve given some bad advice even, because I myself didn’t know any better. So when I discovered domain names as brand assets, the power they have to transform brands, accelerate growth and recognition, I really got fascinated with them. I quickly realized I was not the only one giving bad advice and not knowing much about domain names and so MarkUpgrade.com and SmartBranding.com were born.

We try to solve two problems. One is that many domain owners don’t present well their assets, hoping people will just somehow miraculously get the knowledge they need to understand and appreciate a good domain and its role in business. The other is the education of business owners on the transformative power of the right domain name for their brands.

What keeps me excited and motivated is seeing how businesses flourish when you match a good idea with the perfect domain for it.

Tatiana, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I’m an entrepreneurs, runner, wife, mother of four, not sure in what order:). I’ve lived in Ukraine, Bulgaria, England, Spain and France and most recently moved to Kyiv with my family as I felt it is important to support the local economy, business scene and community during the war.

The small team at MarkUpgrade is international and remote so we continue our work and mission – to help business owners make better choices with their brands online and avoid the risks that come with compromise domain names.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

Growing up in Eastern Europe and starting out in business was challenging. There was a certain look on people’s faces during my first business meetings of “oh the little blonde Eastern girl is probably here to take notes”. I was nervous about my accent, about my age, about my background but quickly learnt to use it to my advantage and even have fun with it. People get a lot more relaxed when they underestimate you, they feel comfortable sharing things they wouldn’t with someone they fear is stronger, better, smarter than them. And then when it was time to ask the right questions and do the job well I knew I can do it, I can get the right team, execute on time, cover any issues, suggest creative solutions and earn respect and a good reputation. So that was a very challenging but equally fulfilling experience in my early years as an entrepreneur.

I’ve dealt with a lot of adversity on the personal front too and have developed an ability to be very organized and productive during crisis periods. In a way when you’ve dealt with hardship in your personal life, it makes you realize business is business and you can manage just about everything, you have to make sure you don’t forget yourself, your loved ones, your emotional and physical health…if you put those as priority, nothing can stop you on the business front.

Any advice for managing a team?

We have a small team that I am really proud of. We work remotely but I try to meet with everyone at least once a year during my travels, and we talk online all the time. I feel there needs to be certain level of professionalism and I expect people to be proactive, but I don’t micromanage. I don’t believe you can fully separate your personal life from work, so I try to keep a pulse on how my team members are, not just as professionals but as humans. I love seeing them grow and develop new skills, getting more confident, and that always has an affect on their lives and relationships outside of work. My advice would be to be open when hiring, try to see what people are passionate about and help them grow and develop, even if it sometimes mean changing roles or even moving on and leaving your team. Listen to people on your team, don’t be afraid to let go and share responsibilities, and allow people to experiment, don’t shy from being vulnerable and even plain wrong and owning it – that’s how you learn and grow as a team.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.markupgrade.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shuvafluffie/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tatiana-shuvalova-bonneau/