Today, I thought I'd share a story with you! Over five years ago, back when I was running the Minsk office of Workfusion, I got really curious about how other companies develop their leaders. So, in the summer of 2019, I set up around five meetings to learn more. The last one on my list was with Pandadoc. They invited me to their office on Kirov 8 in Minsk. Sergey Barysiuk, who would fly in from Florida now and then, was also at that meeting. Honestly, the meeting didn’t give me much for my research, but it was still nice to meet Sergey. He reached out a few more times after that, inviting me to lunch so we could get to know each other better. He turned out to be a great guy, and I enjoyed our chats. A bit later, Mikita Mikado, along with his whole family, came over to our place (we were living about 15 km outside of Minsk). I remember Mikita saying, "Let’s spend the weekend together, so you can get to know us better. No pressure." We ended up playing some football, having a barbecue, and just having a good time. Not long after that, my wife got a bouquet with a note asking her to help me make the right decision. At the time, I wasn’t even looking for a job; I was planning to take a break. Every summer, my wife and I volunteer at a youth camp where we hang out with 100+ teenagers and young adults. But during one of the events, I got an email from Pandadoc with an offer for the VP of Engineering position! Funny enough, when I opened the email, the app crashed! That was the final push I needed to make up my mind. Here’s why I decided to take the job: First, Mikita and Sergey are just awesome people—down-to-earth and genuine. Second, the way they treated me and my family was something really special. And third, well, someone had to fix that app so it wouldn’t crash at the worst possible moments! Today marks exactly five years since I started working at this amazing company. In that time, we've quadrupled in size, increased revenue sevenfold (hitting $100M ARR), and grown our user base fivefold. We made it through Covid, transitioning to remote work, and navigated the tough times during the protests in Belarus, relocating about 200 people and opening 15 new locations. Then, a year later, the war in Ukraine hit. We managed to help 100 families relocate and get settled. We continue to support Ukrainians, and our office in Ukraine is still up and running smoothly. Today, PandaDoc is a thriving company that can handle any challenge because it's built on a people-first culture. Five years ago, I made the right decision! #pandadoc
100 wouldn’t happen without your involvement, brother. Time to do more bbq… how about my place in California this time around? :-)
Awesome story Ilya. I enjoy reading it. It was great to hear The progression of your career since I knew you before you joined PandaDoc. I knew you'd make a great leader once I read you had joined as VP of Engineering. I hope our paths crossed again, and look me up if you come to the States. Best to you and your family. Phil
Congrats, Ilya Kazimirovskiy! Your journey with PandaDoc over the past five years is truly impressive. It’s evident how much hard work and passion you’ve invested, and it’s great to see all that effort paying off. Kudos also to Founders Mikita Mikado and Sergey Barysiuk for their incredible vision and support. I’m really proud of what you’ve achieved and excited to see further milestones!
Such an incredible story! It’s amazing how a casual meeting and some thoughtful gestures turned into a five-year journey with PandaDoc. The way they treated you and your family speaks volumes about the company culture, and it’s clear you’ve made a huge impact. Congrats on all the growth and success, and here’s to many more years of making a difference!
Hell yes Ilya Kazimirovskiy and you are such an important part of this journey. Still miss working with you all the times. I hope Portugal still treats you well too.
What a story Ilya. You are a natural leader. Best wishes.
I didn't know we were breaking your summer break I swear!
From unexpected app crashes to epic growth, it sounds like a rollercoaster. How’s the team celebrating this five-year milestone?
Congrats! Happy 5 year Panda-nniversary! 🐼💚
Aqara | Smart home | Distribution | Business Development Manager | IoT | Marketing Manager | MSc International Marketing Management | MSc Economics
3moOne of the best stories read in LinkedIn recently. Congratulations with 5 years in PandaDoc it os really cool. Believe that one day PandaDoc can return to Kirov street in a new status)🎉