London Marketer Dmytro Makarov Shares Lessons on Avoiding Costly Startup Mistakes

In today’s crowded digital landscape, entrepreneurs face a common set of challenges when launching new brands. London-based marketing expert Dmytro Makarov has spent years studying these patterns, and he says two mistakes consistently recur: copying what others have done and scaling too quickly without testing.

Makarov, born in Kyiv, Ukraine, chose a path different from many of his peers. By his teenage years, he was already working with local brands, tech startups, and esports projects, developing his skills through trial and error rather than formal education. That early start eventually led him to London, where he now runs a marketing agency with more than 100 employees worldwide.

Copying strategies rarely work

“One of the most widespread mistakes, and this applies not only to digital marketing but to business in general, is copying other people’s strategies when entering the market,” Dmytro Makarov said.

While imitating another brand’s campaign might feel like a shortcut, he argues it does not account for how quickly platforms and audiences change. “What worked well even last quarter may already be completely irrelevant today,” he said. To Makarov, the companies that win are those that develop original approaches tailored to their specific audience. 

The risks of premature scaling

Another trap, according to Dmytro Makarov, is throwing money at campaigns before building a strong foundation. “Beginners often try to immediately ‘pour in budget’ without having data on how users behave at each stage of the funnel, which messages work, or what kind of visual presentation resonates with the target audience,” he explained.

That lack of insight can lead to wasted resources and poor results. Instead, the entrepreneur recommends a systematic approach built on testing and experimentation. “My advice is simple: in our field, those who win are the ones who think creatively, systematically, and know how to build cost-effective hypotheses for a large number of A/B tests,” he said.

The result? Inefficient spending and disappointing results. Instead, he emphasizes a disciplined, test-driven approach:

• Start small with A/B testing.
• Collect data at every stage of the funnel.
• Build cost-effective hypotheses before scaling.

According to Makarov, systematic testing and creative iteration are what separate winning campaigns from forgettable ones.

GMG: A guiding framework

Central to the entrepreneur’s philosophy is a framework he calls GMG, or Grind, Mastery, Growth. Grind represents persistence and consistency; mastery is about learning from both successes and mistakes; and growth comes from combining those lessons into adaptable strategies.

For Dmytro Makarov, GMG is not just a professional method; it is a way of life. It is a personal principle he has adhered to since first experimenting with digital marketing campaigns nearly a decade ago. He credits that mindset with helping him move from small projects in Ukraine to leading a multinational team today.

A future built on adaptability

Ultimately, Dmytro Makarov believes adaptability is the most important advantage a startup can develop. “It is not the smartest who survive, but those who test faster and respond to changes,” he said.

In his view, the digital world rewards curiosity, experimentation, and flexibility. Or as he puts it: “The digital world is not an exact science, but an environment of constant adaptation.” For startups, this means that long-term success depends not on copying what has worked for others, but on building the capacity to continually evolve and adapt.