Valeriy Volodymyrovych Golyk received the title of “Entrepreneur of the Year 2024” in the “Master of Financial Strategy” category by the Ukrainian Business Award. This award was a recognition of his effective management, strategic thinking, and ability to scale his business even in difficult wartime conditions.

Valery’s career path began in 2011, when he founded his first business — the “Enot Service” service station. It was a small project for friends, aimed at quality service, not profit. In 2016, Valery opened the Amster Damster restaurant, inspired by his personal love for the Netherlands. Although he had no experience in the restaurant business at the time, the establishment is still operating to this day. There were also failures in his entrepreneurial experience — the Foodzilla delivery service did not meet expectations and was closed.

Today, Valery is the founder of the Sport Plaza sports club, co-founder of the “National” club and the Amster Damster restaurant, as well as a member of the Kliwla Family Office investment committee. In each of these businesses, he is responsible for key areas: finance, process organization, strategic planning, communication with funds, and the implementation of innovations.

After the full-scale invasion in 2022, all of Valery’s businesses not only survived, but also continued to develop. Sports clubs were expanded, new services were added — boxing training, yoga, special subscriptions for the military. A unique summer training ground was created in the center of Kyiv, and the National club is located underground, so it functions as a shelter for clients during an alarm. Autonomous power sources have been installed in both sports clubs.

The team was preserved — the clubs have five trainers, four of whom have been with Valery for many years. The company has a loyalty policy towards staff: the main % of the training cost is received by the trainer, not the club. This allows you to retain professionals and provide a high level of service.

Valery pays special attention to the safety of clients and the development of social initiatives. The clubs offer a permanent 50% discount for military personnel, and over 60% for students. In addition, Valery, as a financial expert, provides advice to athletes on investments.

In the future, Valery plans to expand his business, open new formats of establishments, integrating Ukrainian traditions with modern gastronomy, and develop the direction of sports rehabilitation for the military. The focus also remains on attracting investments in projects to rebuild the economy of Ukraine.

The Ukrainian Business Award is a confirmation not only of Valery Holyk’s business intuition, but also of his ability to build a sustainable business that withstands challenges and becomes a support for the team, clients, and society as a whole.