Interview with Myroslav Lyaskovets: on the principles, challenges of arbitration and love of motorcycles

Myroslav Lyaskovets is an experienced arbitrator and lecturer who told us about his path in the traffic world, the differences between working for hire and for yourself, as well as his attitude to competition and teaching others. Let’s move on to the guest’s answers.

Why did you decide to work for yourself instead of hiring?

My career in traffic started in 2017 when I worked as a targetologist for a company. I worked for a year and a half, but realized that our goals did not coincide, so I decided to go into business on my own. I don’t like to agree with anyone, so I don’t even start partnerships. It’s more pleasant for me to control the process and be responsible for the results myself, without the need to coordinate every step.

Among all the arbitration companies you have visited or advised, where would you have worked if it were not for your own courses and team?

To be honest, all the companies I have worked for or consulted for are great. But with Trident, Traffic One, and Space Profit Team, I feel a special connection. These are companies with a really cool atmosphere, and if it weren’t for my own projects, I would have chosen one of them.

You are now a top speaker at conferences. Did you have imposter syndrome at the very beginning of your lecturing career?

To be honest, I didn’t know what imposter syndrome was until I started looking for information about it. And now I realize that it still exists, although it’s not as pronounced. Maybe it’s good or bad, but I plan to discuss it with a psychologist.

Who is your idol?

I don’t have a specific idol. I’ve never been a person who wants to follow someone. I prefer to take an example from different people depending on the situation.

Why did you decide to teach others?

It all started when I gave my first presentation about Facebook at a conference in 2018. After the speech, about 30 people came up to me, and most of them asked if I had any training. Then I spoke a few more times at different events, and again I received these requests. Then I realized that I needed to launch my own courses. After a few months of preparing the methodology, I announced my first training stream, which gathered 20 people. And so it goes on for 15 streams already.

Given the quality of your courses, do you feel like you’re raising competitors?

No, not at all. I believe that we are, first of all, colleagues. Real competitors do not hang out together at conferences and do not smoke hookah from the same mouthpiece. And yes, we help people enter this market, and teams get new buyers and affiliates get traffic. There are so many offers, geo, ads, and traffic sources on the market that competition is more a matter of luck.

What’s better for you: a week of traffic or one whole day of training people?

Definitely training people. What I like most is when people who knew nothing yesterday can already communicate with you in the same language today, discussing common topics. It is incredibly motivating and energizing. Driving traffic has long been a monotonous job, but learning is always about new emotions and new opportunities.

Whose events are the best for you and which ones are you looking forward to?

The best events for me are those from AffHub, SEMPRO, SPT, and Not Arbitrage. I always look forward to them. They really create an atmosphere that you want to feel.

Is there an example in arbitration for you?

My role models are my close colleagues whom I often meet at conferences. They inspire me and serve as an example for many situations, both in life and in professional life. They are people with whom it is interesting to work and discuss important issues.

Have you ever encountered a scam and how serious was it?

Yes, I once got scammed for 6000 UAH through call centers. But since then, I’ve become very careful and have not had any serious problems in recent years. In work, as in life, it is always important to keep a cool head and not give in to emotions. I hope it will continue to be so.

Myroslav, you work in a very dynamic field. What three principles do you highlight that are equally important in work and life?

I have three key principles: honesty and transparency, directness, and perfectionism.

I always admit my mistakes. If there is a “hole” somewhere, I say so directly, show all the figures and hide nothing. I believe that this should always be the case.

Directness for me is when you can say everything straight to the point, without “detours” or adjustments. It works both in life and in work.

And perfectionism is my weakness and strength at the same time. I want everything to be perfect, even in the little things that don’t really make a difference.

Is there any part of arbitration that you don’t like?

– There is, and it’s definitely not creatives or strategies. The most annoying thing is preparing for launches: creating accounts, setting up proxies. Although assistants do this, sometimes I have to intervene myself. I also don’t like to compile all kinds of reports. And a separate point is the recovery of physical condition after conferences. This is a real challenge for the body.

Your career is really impressive. But does it interfere with friendships, especially with other media people in arbitration?

– Not at all. We rarely discuss work-related issues with our friends because everyone understands that work is one thing and friendship is another. Nobody pokes their nose into other people’s business, and if we do discuss something, it’s without details. If someone needs help or advice, I am always ready to support them. It’s all based on mutual trust and respect.

We know that you are a big fan of motorcycles. Is it possible to buy your loyalty for a good bike?

– Oh, motorcycles are my great love. And yes, I’ve already had some interesting offers, but I’m not selling out yet. Now I’m focusing only on my own projects, and they are more important to me than any bike.

Which countries are on your list of top destinations to visit? Are you thinking about moving?

– No, not about moving. So far, I’m not drawn anywhere, even with all the difficulties that exist in Ukraine.
America is definitely on the list of countries to travel to – I’m curious about how everything works there, plus I have a lot of friends there. England attracts me with its architecture, business culture, cars, and lifestyle. And the third place is a country with jungle, rain and ocean. I haven’t decided which one yet, but it is definitely in my dreams.

Thank you for an interesting conversation, Myroslav!