Dasha Kroshkina of StudyFree: Five Things I Learned As A Twenty-Something Founder
By: Carly Martinetti
Tags: Leadership, Entrepreneurship, Startup Lessons, Tech

Thank you so much for doing this with us! What is your “backstory”?

I was born in an ordinary family in a provincial town. My mother was a housewife, and my father worked as an engineer in a factory. There was no money, not even for English tutors. However, I always had a burning desire to leave our small town and open a world of opportunities.

I managed to get accepted into one of the leading universities in Russia, and seized every opportunity that came my way to receive education in a foreign environment. I have accumulated extensive education experience in Spain (exchange program), and obtained a master’s degree in China in a top business school. During that time, I won a CFA scholarship and a McKinsey Next Generation Women Leaders Award. I received an offer from Barclays Investment Bank, and worked in Singapore for several months in sales and trading. I also won a grant for a short-term program in the United States, at Stanford University.

Then, I made a decision to direct my professionalism, expertise and desire to build my own business. My personal experience of studying abroad with scholarships became the starting point of my business journey and the development of StudyFree.

Can you share the funniest or most interesting story that happened to you since you started your company? What lessons or takeaways did you take out of that story?

At the beginning of our startup development, we published one of the packages of our services on Instagram. One of our followers thought it was a job position and not a product offering so she replied: “Hey, can I apply to this?”. Our first thought was: “Wait, it’s not a job position but… let’s think about this”. Now, this girl has been working with us for almost 2 years, and she is one of the best team members.

This funny situation taught me that it’s essential to be open to any opportunities because sometimes what you need can come from the most unexpected places.

What do you think makes your company stand out? Can you share a story?

People always ask us how we differentiate our business from the competitors, and I believe that the main thing that distinguishes us from others is how much we care and support students all over the world. We help people get opportunities to study abroad with scholarships and grants. The main concept of the company, as well as its name, means that it’s focused on students. What’s more, our business came from our personal stories, which proves that we lived that experience many times, and that we truly mean it when we say that every person can receive the opportunity to have the life they’re dreaming about for the cost of an annual Netflix subscription.

None of us are able to achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person who you are grateful towards who helped get you to where you are? Can you share a story?

I’m lucky to say that I’m surrounded by the most talented mentors and advisors who have helped me tremendously and have supported me both morally and professionally. However, the first person who saw my potential right away was my English teacher. She opened a world of opportunities to this small girl — a girl who couldn’t even imagine that she would be where I am now. She helped me advance my language skills, and she also showed me that the dream of studying in different countries was possible.

Are you working on any exciting projects now?

I’m not working on any other project right now as I’m 100% dedicated to StudyFree — I have no desire to redirect my life, time, and energy to anything else. Moreover, any projects that we launch are going to be in line with the product roadmap and our ecosystem.

How have you used your success to bring goodness to the world?

I came from a small town where opportunities were limited, and that’s how I know about the prejudices and fears people can face. Thus, I turned my success story into the foundation of the company, and we now have the vision to help millions of students around the world to unlock international opportunities and do the same thing I did.

Do you have a favorite book that made a deep impact on your life? Can you share a story?

I think it would have to be “Atlas Shrugged” by Ayn Rand. I was born in Russia where people think that businesses are only about making money. This book proved to me that entrepreneurship is more than making money: being an entrepreneur means being a creator with a unique vision and burning desire to make an impact, making our crowded world a better place to live in.

Can you share 5 of the most difficult and most rewarding parts of being a “Twenty-Something founder.”

What are the main takeaways that you would advise a twenty year old who is looking to found a business?

Invest in yourself — otherwise you will have half the energy, and a compromised mental and emotional state. At the beginning of my business journey, I had a lot of energy and dedicated all my time and efforts to my company. This life is like marathons and sprints, so you should find the way to slow down and take care of yourself. You’re the major resource of energy and inspiration. Be open to advice and be open to help as well. We always think that it’s better not to ask for help, however, there are a lot of people who can help you (you never know everything when you start). Don’t take no for an answer, consider it as advice. When you’re twenty-something years old your job is to be bold, to take risks, and act on crazy ideas. You should be as open-minded as possible: never listen to people that tell you something is impossible, because as cliche as it might sound, everything is possible. You have all the energy, the world, flexibility, and an open mind to find alternative ways. Always remember that your intuition drives your direction.

We are very blessed that some of the biggest names in Business, VC funding, Sports, and Entertainment read this column. Is there a person in the world, or in the US whom you would love to have a private breakfast or lunch with, and why? He or she might see this. :-)

The first person that came to my mind is Sheryl Sandberg, as I admire her people oriented values that she transferred to the business environment.

I’m also inspired by Jennifer Lopez because I admire her look, attitude towards life, and work ethic. She’s a real hustler who motivates many girls all over the world through business, media, and personal perspectives. She also created a diversified business, becoming a successful singer and actress, as well as maintaining a work-life balance while being a good mother.

What is the best way our readers can follow you on social media?

I really love to share my business journey with all ups and downs through social media. So you can find me on:

Instagram: https://instagram.com/kroshkad?igshid=clzm8r856s2r

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dasha.kroshkina

Twitter: https://twitter.com/kroshkina_dasha?s=21

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/mwlite/in/daria-kroshkina