Hi, I’m Mike.

We live in a world where almost everything gets measured by money. Revenue matters – I’m not naive about that. But it’s not what makes us good humans. And it’s not what gets me out of bed in the morning.

What does? Contributing to something meaningful – alongside people who genuinely care about what they’re building. Not just the revenue. The mission behind it.

How I got here

I didn’t plan to end up in operations. Nobody does.

During Covid I was figuring out my next chapter – experimenting, exploring, failing in useful ways.

I ran a tiny online shoe shop for people with rare large feet. I know that world firsthand – I wear a US17 – it’s a real pain to find a high quality, comfortable, and affordable pair of shoes. I handled every order, every customer message, every inventory headache myself. And I loved it.

I was also running Value Creators – a small online meetup for early-stage entrepreneurs. Networking first, then education, then guest experts. Nothing fancy. Just people trying to build something real, showing up biweekly to figure it out together.

That’s where everything changed.

A former colleague attended one of my meetups. She was running an early-stage GreenTech startup and struggling to find good developers. I helped her find one. Then she came back with more questions. Then more. And somewhere in those conversations she said – come help us properly.

I joined the team. They considered me for the Head of Ops & Delivery. What I actually did was wear every hat that needed wearing – delivery manager, business analyst, coach, mentor, ops partner. And for the first time in my career, everything I’d ever learned clicked into place at once.

That’s when I understood what I actually do. I don’t fix just processes. I help founders see what’s actually in the way – and then fix it with them, from the inside, together with the team.

Ignite Ops exists because of that moment.

Where I come from

I was born in Moscow, spent two decades in The Netherlands where I built my career in tech, and now live near Batumi, Republic of Georgia. The Dutch years shaped how I work: practical, pragmatic, direct, and deeply collaborative. Want some cheese? 🧀

For most of my career I moved instinctively – from web developer roles in digital agencies into business roles at global nonprofits, professional services, and digital product companies.

What gradually emerged was a deeper curiosity: not just about what we were building, but why. How to make teams deliver on their commitments. How to make the work genuinely satisfying – for clients, for teammates, and for myself.

In mid 2018, as I turned 40, I hit a wall – burnout, a search for meaning, and the feeling that something needed to fundamentally change.

So I did something nobody expected. I took a temp job as a dishwasher at a local beach restaurant. Washed 9000 plates a month. Studied Scrum in the early mornings. Finally got certified. Somewhere between the plates, mentoring young waiters, and memorizing the flashcards something started to click – not fully clear yet.

By mid 2019 I got clear on my life purpose: connect, support, and engage people so together we grow and experience what seemed challenging or nearly impossible.

Later that year I joined an ICF-accredited coach training program. Everything since has been an expression of that.

Beyond the work

At times I support the StayWithPets – a community-run 350 dogs & cats non-governmental shelter in Batumi. It’s where my ops background and my love for animals quietly collide.

I also do holistic coaching on the side – helping professionals over 30 navigate career & identity transitions with purpose. You can find more at thecareertwist.com.

When I’m not working or volunteering, I do beach walking, photography, painting, drawing — anything that slows me down and makes me pay attention to what’s actually in front of me.

I work fully remotely across CDT to CET timezones.

If any of this resonates – let’s talk.