Olga Kokhan on From Pinching Pennies to Building Purpose: How I Learned to Run a Business That Works

People often see a polished version of my life – the founder of a growing tech company. What they don’t see is the determined girl who once pinched pennies so hard they screamed. My journey hasn’t been glamorous, but it’s been real – and I think that’s where the lessons are.

Where It All Began

I was born in 1991, the same year Ukraine became independent. The early years were tough. My parents and I lived in a 30-square-meter flat, and sometimes we couldn’t even afford toilet paper. But I remember being happy – because when we had cottage cheese and sour cream at the same time, that felt like luxury.

I started working at 17 while studying engineering at university – sometimes holding two or three jobs at once. I cleaned houses, worked in food service, and even took 16-hour shifts during a summer work program in the US. I came home with savings, experiences, and one clear belief: hard work can move mountains.

Losing and Starting Over

After graduation, I landed a job in construction – my dream on paper, but in reality, it was a daily two-hour commute, early mornings, and many tears in the office bathroom. Still, I kept showing up, until 2014, when war broke out in Ukraine and I lost my job along with hundreds of others.

For six months, I searched for something new. Nothing came. Then, one day in 2015, I stumbled upon freelancing websites and started taking small online tasks – classifying swimsuits by size and color. My friends laughed; I didn’t care. It was honest work and it paid.

Over time, those small tasks grew into real projects. I realized I loved helping businesses grow through careful, detailed work. So, I built a small team. That team became a company – Tinkogroup, which now supports AI and data operations for clients around the world.

My Biggest Lesson: Efficiency Over Chaos

Running a business taught me that success isn’t about doing more – it’s about doing better. We’ve been a fully remote company since 2016, long before remote work was trendy. We don’t have daily meetings. We communicate clearly, trust our people, and value one well-written email over five unnecessary calls.

This approach didn’t just make us efficient; it built loyalty. Our clients know we respect their time as much as our own. Our team knows that focus and flexibility can coexist. That mindset – attention to detail, reliability, and transparency – became our secret to consistent quality and happy clients.

What I Tell Other Women in Business

If I had to name one thing that helped me grow, it’s this: I never waited for perfect conditions. When the economy was unstable, when I lost jobs, when no one understood what “data annotation” even meant – I kept going. The key isn’t luck; it’s persistence mixed with curiosity and courage to try again.

And while building a company brings plenty of pressure, I’ve also learned to lead with ease. My personal mantra is: “I can achieve more with ease.” It reminds me that clarity and calm often outperform intensity and chaos.

The Power of Paying It Forward

Now, I mentor younger entrepreneurs who are at the stage where I once was – full of ambition but unsure where to start. Helping them brings meaning to my own journey, and it often teaches me to follow my own advice again. Mentorship, I’ve learned, is a mirror.

So, here’s my question to you: What would happen if you stopped chasing perfection and started building from exactly where you are?

By Olga Kokhan

Author Bio

Olga Kokhan is the Founder and CEO of Tinkogroup, an international data operations company she launched in 2015 without external funding. Under her leadership, the company has supported over 250 clients worldwide in data annotation, processing, and research – all with a fully remote team. Olga is a Ukrainian-born entrepreneur, wife, mother, and mentor who believes success grows from clarity, consistency, and human connection.
www.tinkogroup.com