Darren: On this episode of The Engaging Marketeer, I’m joined by Maiia Zlotnikova. She’s originally from Ukraine and is now a student here in the UK — in Chester — where she’s also working in marketing and as a copywriter for clients.
Maiia, what made you want to leave Ukraine and come to the UK — or is that a silly question?
Maiia: I decided to leave Ukraine when the war started, but I couldn’t at the time because I’d just begun my university degree there. I was studying international relations at one of the best universities in Ukraine. But after a year, I realized… it wasn’t for me.
I didn’t see myself as a diplomat or someone working with politicians. I was always passionate about health and fitness, so sports science felt like a more natural path.
Also, I always wanted to live in England. I went to a British school in Ukraine — all my teachers were British. I felt like I belonged to this culture before I ever arrived.
Darren: How old were you when the war started?
Maiia: I was 16.
Darren: What was that like — being a teenager when war broke out?
Maiia: It was incredibly difficult.
My whole life crumbled
Before the war, I was a figure skater — training twice a day. That was my life. I lived in Kyiv.
I remember the morning it started. I woke up around 5 AM to someone pounding on doors and shouting, “It’s started!” I didn’t understand. I checked my phone. No news. Turned on the radio. Nothing.
I thought maybe she’d had a nightmare. I asked my dad, and he just said, “Go back to sleep.” But the moment I shut his door, a massive shockwave hit the house. A painting fell from the wall. A missile had landed about 4 kilometers away.
It felt like being at a rock concert — right next to the speakers. The sound shook my chest.
Darren: Terrifying.
Maiia: Yeah. We stayed home for three days, but Russian troops got too close. So we fled to the Carpathian Mountains. We were lucky — we had a small cottage in the middle of nowhere. Most people weren’t as lucky.
Darren: How long were you there?
Maiia: About two months. Then after three months…
We returned to Kyiv — even though it wasn’t safe
Darren: And your dad — he’s an entrepreneur?
Maiia: Yes. His business is in the war zone. He went back even earlier than we did. On his drive home, he saw tanks, abandoned cars… some with people still in them.
Darren: That’s impossible to imagine — somewhere hosting a Champions League final just a few years ago is now a war zone.
Maiia: It felt surreal. Like something you only see in films.
Darren: Did that drive your interest in politics and diplomacy?
Maiia: Partly. I used to be really insecure, had low self-worth. I thought if I became a diplomat, I’d prove I was worth something. But I was never interested in being a politician.
Darren: So you were going to university while your country was at war?
Maiia: Yes. Some mornings we’d have air raid sirens right as classes started. We’d have to run to bomb shelters. If the alert lasted long, the rest of the day would be cancelled. Some saw it as “fun,” but I hated it.
I didn’t enjoy university, didn’t feel connected. I’d skip class, go to the gym instead. I didn’t feel like I was doing anything meaningful.
Darren: Were there many international students?
Maiia: At the university I was at in Lviv, not many. There were international students studying medicine, but at a different university. My peers were mostly Ukrainian — and like me, didn’t really know what they were doing there.
Darren: What do you think of Ukraine’s President, Zelenskyy?
Maiia: I respect him deeply. He’s doing everything he can to keep people safe and lead through a war. I don’t think it’s fair to judge someone in his position, especially from afar.
Darren: He was a comedian before, wasn’t he?
Maiia: Yes — and that’s why he’s so good at communication. It helps him connect with people, even in times of crisis.
Darren: Some critics — particularly in the US — think too much aid is going to Ukraine. Any thoughts?
Maiia: I’m not an expert, but I know this: if it weren’t for the people on the front lines, I wouldn’t be here. They saved my life.
Darren: Men can’t leave Ukraine at the moment, right?
Maiia: Correct. Men aged 18 to 60 generally can’t leave, unless they’re athletes, getting medical treatment abroad, or have special permissions.
Darren: So — you decided to move to the UK. Why here?
Maiia: The people. The history. I grew up around British culture. But mostly, I needed to escape my environment and become independent.
When I was 17, I pitched the idea to my dad. He wasn’t keen at first, but I convinced him. I didn’t even have the right education — I’d been expelled from my British school for misbehaving.
Darren: What did you do?
Maiia: I just didn’t follow rules. I’d get up, leave class whenever I wanted. Got expelled again for failing maths three times in a row. But it wasn’t anything serious.
Darren: When you got to the UK, you landed in… Luton?
Maiia: Yes. Two days in Luton. That was enough! But even that felt better than where I came from. I hated my old environment. I was lonely, disconnected. I knew I needed to build a new life.
Darren: You put a lot of pressure on yourself — not wanting to be the only “unsuccessful” person in your family — even while escaping war.
Maiia: If I point fingers at the war or university, I give away my power. But if everything is my responsibility, I can change it.
Darren: So how do you like Chester?
Maiia: I love it. It’s small, cozy, friendly. The people are kind. University is well-organized… though, to be honest, it’s not for me. I think most degrees could be done in two years instead of four.
Darren: What do you want to do?
Maiia: Entrepreneurship. Marketing. Copywriting.
I chose copywriting because it had a low barrier to entry. I had $4,000 in savings and needed a way to build a business. It’s about selling with words — and that skill applies to everything.
Darren: English isn’t your first language — how did you get so good?
Maiia: I grew up in an English-speaking school. At first, I only knew “hello” and “goodbye.” But I caught up in a year, and even won a poetry competition in English the next year.
Darren: How did you learn copywriting?
Maiia: At first, I hand-copied legendary ads from Gary Halbert. Then I hired a mentor — a six-figure copywriter from Canada. I worked 12 hours a day for a month. Wrote every day. Ate in front of my computer.
Then I found another mentor — she’s 22, making $30K a month. She helped me with client acquisition and business strategy.
Darren: And now?
Maiia: I’ve landed two high-ticket clients through the Skool platform. One runs a tech business, the other an online wrestling academy. Totally different niches.
Darren: And you’re delivering results?
Maiia: Yes. I take time to learn about the audience, what they care about. I use humor, tell stories, and make it engaging.
Darren: What’s your advice for others wanting to write good ads or emails?
Maiia: Use the A-to-B Bridge. A is where your audience is now, B is where they want to be. Your product is the bridge.
Don’t sell features. Sell transformation
Use simple language — if a 10-year-old can’t understand your call-to-action, don’t publish it.
Darren: What’s your ultimate goal?
Maiia: To build a business like Alex Hormozi’s acquisition.com. Help other businesses grow — but with attention and care. I don’t want to be an agency. I want to build real businesses.
Darren: You’ll absolutely do it. You belong in business networks. You’re doing more than most people ever will.
So if people want to work with you, how can they find you?
Maiia: The best way is through my Skool platform. Right now, it’s called Skool Ads Copybook — but the name might change.
Darren: We’ll put the links below. Maiia, thank you so much for joining me.
Maiia: Thank you, Darren. It was an honor.
Connect with Maiia:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/maiia-zlotnikova-199a69323/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@maiiazlotnikova
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/maiia.zltn/
Skool: https://www.skool.com/@maiia-zlotnikova-4972
About your host:
Darren has worked within digital marketing since the last century, and was the first in-house web designer for video games retailer GAME in the UK, known as Electronics Boutique in the States. After co-founding his own agency, Engage Web, in 2009, Darren has worked with clients around the world, including Australia, Canada and the USA.
iTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/engaging-marketeer/id1612454837
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/darrenjamieson/
Engaging Marketeer: https://engagingmarketeer.com
Engage Web: https://www.engageweb.co.uk
