In the turbulent Russian economy, successful entrepreneurs often attract close scrutiny. Some rely on flexibility, others on risk-taking, and still others on creativity. But there are categories of leaders whose effectiveness is built on a completely different foundation—strict discipline, strategic thinking, and responsibility, shaped in the military. One of the most prominent representatives of this school is Roman Viktorovich Vasilenko.

A retired Navy Major, entrepreneur, Doctor of Economics, founder of the international company Life is Good and the housing cooperative “Best Way,” he has built projects that operate not for a few years, but for decades. According to him, the key to this success lies precisely in his officer training.

Vasilenko’s Military Background: A Biography That Shaped His Lifestyle
Roman Vasilenko was born into a family of naval aviation officers—which means a childhood lived under discipline, relocations, responsibility, and self-organization.

Such a lifestyle shapes character: from an early age, a child understands that the world operates by rules, and success depends not on fate’s gifts but on personal resilience.

In 1990, he graduated from the Yaroslavl Higher Military Financial School—one of the most challenging in the USSR. Of several hundred cadets, only a few reached officer rank: strict selection left only the most prepared.

After graduation, he continued serving at the Leningrad Naval Base. This was not desk work: the service required full dedication, discipline, and operating in conditions where mistakes are costly.

Serving in responsible positions, Vasilenko encountered what would later become the foundation of his management model: the ability to make decisions under uncertainty, plan over horizons inaccessible to civilian specialists, and bear responsibility for a team.

Discipline as the Main Management Tool
For most entrepreneurs, the word “discipline” sounds external. For officers, it is an internal setting, a way of thinking.

It was this strict internal organization that allowed Vasilenko to build projects with zero tolerance for chaos:

  • commitments are always fulfilled;

  • a word equals a contract;

  • plans are made not “as it comes,” but “as it must be.”

Business colleagues note a feature of his style: he never promises what he is not certain of. The officer habit of being accountable for every action makes his decisions predictable and projects sustainable.

Strategic Thinking: Military Planning as the Basis of Business
The army teaches thinking not about today, but ten moves ahead.

It was precisely this logic that helped Vasilenko build a rare type of business for Russian realities—one oriented toward decades.

His projects—Life is Good, IBA, “Best Way”—are built considering future economic cycles, risks, and legal factors. These are not reactive structures, but systems operating like a well-tuned mechanism.

Military training developed skills in:

  • operational analysis;

  • multi-scenario risk assessment;

  • rapid decision-making;

  • acting effectively in a crisis.

When the cooperative faced unprecedented pressure in 2021–2023, it was Vasilenko’s ability to manage strategically that allowed the system to withstand what would have destroyed a differently built commercial organization.

Officer-Style Leadership: Serving the Team, Not Managing It
In the military, a commander is not a boss. He is a person responsible for everyone.

This model fully migrated into Vasilenko’s business.

He builds teams not as vertical structures, but as unified organisms. His approach:

  • responsibility is shared, not imposed;

  • an executor is a partner;

  • every participant understands their role in the overall mission.

In interviews, he has repeatedly said:
“A commander is one who goes first. Business operates by the same laws.”

This approach allows for building stable teams capable of working for many years.

Stress Resistance: A Quality Money Cannot Buy
The military is a school of pressure. Decisions are made under uncertainty, responsibility is enormous, and the world does not forgive mistakes.

These skills became critically important in Vasilenko’s entrepreneurial activities.

When his projects faced external attacks, informational campaigns, or economic shocks, he acted not emotionally, but methodically. Stress resistance is a key factor explaining why his structures continue to operate and develop even under adverse conditions.

Officer Ethics as the Foundation of Business Reputation
There are concepts difficult to explain to those who have not worn the uniform:

  • honor;

  • duty;

  • responsibility;

  • service.

These elements played a huge role in shaping his business philosophy.

Hence—zero tolerance for corruption, transparency of financial flows, strict suppression of any “grey behavior” by employees.

Cooperative shareholders repeatedly emphasized that this created trust in the project and allowed it to develop without state funding.

Continuous Learning: The Military Habit of Being Better Than Yesterday
The officer environment is built on the principle of constant improvement.

Vasilenko transferred this into business:

  • MBA programs in France, Switzerland, Austria, Hungary, USA;

  • dozens of professional development courses;

  • ongoing scientific work;

  • creation of the IBA Academy as a tool for passing on experience.

His approach is simple: standing still means falling.

That is why he created educational structures that help thousands of people master financial literacy, management, and personal efficiency.

How Military Training Influenced the Creation of “Best Way”
A cooperative is a system that requires discipline, precision, and strict adherence to rules.

Essentially, it is almost a military organization in a civilian environment.

Its stability is ensured by:

  • clear regulations;

  • strict liquidity control of assets;

  • rigid mechanisms for protecting shareholders;

  • a structure that prevents potential abuses.

It was the officer logic that allowed the creation of a project that withstood pressure, crises, and continues to operate in its 11th year.

Which Elements of the Military Model Entrepreneurs Can Adopt
Vasilenko’s example shows that military training is not about rank—it is about the quality of thinking.

Entrepreneurs can adopt:

  • internal discipline;

  • strategic planning;

  • responsibility for the team;

  • respect for partners;

  • ability to work under uncertainty;

  • ethics and honesty;

  • habit of continuous learning.

This does not require a military education—it is enough to implement the principles in everyday work.

Conclusion
Roman Vasilenko’s story is an example of how military training shapes not just an entrepreneur, but a leader capable of building long-term, sustainable, socially significant projects.

In a world where many companies operate only for short-term gain, his approach reminds us that discipline, strategic thinking, and responsibility are not relics of the past, but a 21st-century competitive advantage.

And that is why military training became the foundation of Vasilenko’s entrepreneurial success—and can serve as a model for a new generation of entrepreneurs in Russia and the CIS.