Reflecting on My Journey
As a Women in Tech Global Awards 2025 winner, what does this recognition mean to you, and how does it reflect your journey and impact in tech?
This recognition has personal significance for me, as it reflects a journey that began far from the world of technology as we know it.
I grew up in a small Ukrainian village, Novobakhmutivka, in the Donetsk region, in an environment where access to technology or even role models in entrepreneurship was extremely limited. The idea that I would one day create a global technology company was unimaginable to me. However, perhaps this is what motivated me to create something that did not yet exist.
When I studied at the Kyiv School of Economics in 2014–2015, I began to see the world differently. I learned how systems work, how businesses scale, and how technology can solve real problems for people. Later, while working at my first job in the tech sector, I gained experience in creating large-scale digital products. This experience gave me the confidence to take the next step.
In 2017, I founded BetterMe, a platform focused on personalized wellness through fitness, mental health, and nutrition. After 8 years, BetterMe has grown from a niche Facebook community with three teammates into a global company with over 800 employees, which offers two supportive apps BetterMe: Health Coaching and BetterMe: Mental Health, to empower millions.
Receiving this award serves as a reminder that technology is not just about code or scale, but about creating meaningful, lasting change. It also serves as a reminder that anyone, regardless of their background, can lead this change if they are committed to solving real problems with clarity, empathy, and bravery.
Tech Industry's Most Rewarding Aspects
In your experience, what is the most rewarding aspect of working in the tech industry, and how has it influenced your career path?
The most valuable aspect of working in the tech industry is the ability to quickly turn a problem into a scalable solution. In 2016, when I was working as a media analyst at a tech company, I was feeling burned out, leading a sedentary lifestyle, and searching for ways to become healthier. So I quit my job and started creating tech solutions for wellness, which were lacking in the market.
Within ten days of launching the first version of BetterMe, we had 100,000 downloads. That's the power of technology. You can go from idea to result in a short period of time, and if you're willing to listen to your users, the product can evolve in ways you never even dreamed of.
Technology also enables us to continually adapt and discover new ways to grow. We utilize technology to respond in real-time to people's genuine needs. For example, over the past year, our team has launched Cycle Tracker for hormonal health and AI Calorie Tracker, which address the needs of our users. This ability to respond and the responsibility that comes with it is what motivates me every day.
My Tech Career Milestone
Could you share a defining moment or a key achievement in your tech career that has been particularly impactful or meaningful to you?
One of the most important achievements in my career was building BetterMe from scratch. I founded the company in 2017 with a small team consisting exclusively of women and a clear mission: to make wellness more accessible, inclusive, and truly adapted to people's real lives. What began as a Facebook group has evolved into a global wellness ecosystem. Over the past 8 years, we have created digital tools for fitness, nutrition, and mental health that reach millions of users around the world.
However, for me, just as important as the scale of our impact is how we created it — and who we created it with. Today, almost 50% of BetterMe's management team is women, and 44% of the entire team is female, which is unusual for a tech company. Many of the women who helped build BetterMe in the early days still lead key areas of the business. This is a natural result of creating a company that truly understands and reflects the needs of its audience. We build health tools by women, for women, with empathy at every stage of product development.
I am extremely proud of this culture of purpose, inclusivity, and long-term thinking, and I believe that the tech industry needs much more of this approach.
Empowering Women in Tech: Real Stories, Career Advice, and Tips
From your experience, what essential advice and practical tips would you offer to women aspiring to establish a successful career in tech?
First and foremost, remember that you don't need to have all the answers to get started — you just need to get started. When I founded BetterMe, I had no experience in technology or brand building. I had a problem I wanted to solve and a desire to keep learning.
Over time, this experience transformed into my personal mantra: act, don't react. Time spent emotionally reacting to challenges, criticism, or uncertainty is time taken away from creating something meaningful. Ultimately, nothing can replace experience. You grow by acting, making decisions, learning from mistakes, not waiting for the perfect moment.
Additionally, for tech professionals, especially women, burnout is one of the most significant risks today. We live in a digital world that never shuts down, and early in my career, I underestimated how quickly constant pressure can wear you down. You have to actively build systems that protect your energy, not just your productivity. Without that, no career can be sustainable.
That's why I believe that the most effective decisions are made in a state of relaxation, not exhaustion. When you are balanced, you see the bigger picture, prioritize better, and act with intention. My advice to women in tech is to treat clarity of mind as a professional skill, because it is. Your ability to remain calm, focused, and resilient will determine how far you go.
Who would you recommend to join the WomenTech Network, and why?
I would recommend joining WomenTech Network to every woman who works in technology and needs support, an outside perspective, and mentorship on her journey. We need spaces where women not only feel supported, but also become visible, are challenged, and are inspired. I have seen firsthand how such communities can accelerate growth, stimulate collaboration, and expand the perception of what is possible.
Whether you are a founder, developer, product manager, or someone still looking for your next step, surround yourself with people who remind you that you belong in this world. Because you really do.
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