Self-employment: From First Steps to Financial Readiness
This session offered not just motivation, but practical guidance: how to begin, how to stay financially secure, and how to navigate major tax changes coming into force in 2026.
Our latest Self-Employment session brought together two powerful voices from the Ukrainian business community in the UK — Oksana Chaiun and Olesia Kulyk — to help participants understand both the creative and the financial sides of starting a business.
1. How a Small Idea Becomes a Real Business — Insights from Oksana Chaiun
Oksana Chaiun, Mentor for Ukrainian small business and Co-Founder of LightCraft Family, shared her family’s journey of turning a long-held dream into a thriving UK-based brand.
A project that began during the invasion — crafting wooden nightlights to support both their family and a struggling workshop in Zhytomyr — grew into LightCraft Family, a handcrafted brand that now inspires others across the UK. Today Oksana mentors Ukrainian entrepreneurs who are taking their first steps in self-employment.
Key insights from Oksana:
Start with what you love and what you do best
Use temporary jobs as stepping stones, not definitions of your future
Move into self-employment gradually to avoid financial stress
Mistakes are part of progress — not a reason to stop
Visibility matters: show up, speak, create, and connect
Build strong support systems — emotional, professional, and personal
Network through local events, markets, cafés, and community groups
Believe in your path even before others do
Her message was clear: a business can begin anywhere — even in difficult times — if you take one brave step.
2. Upcoming Tax Changes Every Self-Employed Person Must Know — Insights from Olesia Kulyk
The second part of the session focused on financial literacy and upcoming regulatory changes.
Olesia Kulyk, Finance Manager at Facework and a specialist with over 10 years of experience in international reporting and analytics, explained what the UK government’s Making Tax Digital for Income Tax initiative will mean for self-employed individuals starting from 6 April 2026.
Participants learned about:
Transition to digital record-keeping
Mandatory quarterly updates and what they include
Who will be affected by the new rules
Which software and digital processes need to be implemented
How to prepare early to avoid administrative or financial complications
Olesia emphasised that the transition will affect nearly all self-employed individuals, so preparing in advance is essential for a smooth shift.
This session showed once again: starting your own business is not just possible — it’s achievable with the right guidance, community, and mindset.
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