Building a startup in a highly competitive niche is challenging, but we beat the odds.

For 5 years now, together with co-founder Anatolii Kasianov, we've been developing Holywater, a tech company, reshaping entertainment by building synergy between creators and AI. In 2024, we launched My Drama, a short-form series app that quickly became #1 among European and American players in its niche. We grew 3.5x in one year, reaching 10 million views on the most popular shows. And yes, I'm still sane, not on any drugs, and not working 24/7.

How many mistakes did I make during that time? Dozens! Yet, I have a superpower to turn pain into a competitive advantage. I know it's part of my journey as an owner, and I don't take mistakes as a total failure, but as new information that needs to be processed.

Here are four principles that help me transform inner obstacles into business breakthroughs.

Related: 9 Strategies to Turn Adversity Into an Advantage

An entrepreneur's life is full of painful moments. Money for salaries is running out, but fundraising still is not working. It took tens of thousands of dollars to develop a feature, but it doesn't perform as expected. Key team members suddenly resign during the most intensive period. Certainly, with so much stress, it's not surprising that 50% of........

© Entrepreneur