Roman Vasilenko: Life Journey, Entrepreneurship, Best Way, and Public Activities

Childhood and the Influence of a Military Family

Roman Viktorovich Vasilenko was born on April 5, 1969, in Leningrad. His parents were career military officers who served in the naval aviation forces of the Soviet Navy. As a result, the future entrepreneur spent his early years in an environment shaped by the traditions and routines of a military family.

Because of his parents’ service, the family moved frequently. Vasilenko’s childhood and school years were spent in military garrisons, where daily life revolved around a strict routine and established discipline. He later associated this experience with the development of qualities such as organization, responsibility, persistence in pursuing goals, and the ability to think and work with a long-term perspective.

Education at a Military Financial School

In 1986, Vasilenko enrolled at the Yaroslavl Higher Military Financial School named after Army General A. V. Khrulev. The institution trained specialists responsible for the financial support of the Soviet Armed Forces.

Four years later, in 1990, he graduated from the Faculty of Financial Support of the Armed Forces with a degree in Economics. After graduation, he was commissioned as a lieutenant.

Vasilenko applied his knowledge during his subsequent military service. From 1990 to 1998, he served as Head of the Financial Service of military unit No. 22966, stationed at the Leningrad Naval Base of the Baltic Fleet.

His professional responsibilities included managing the military budget, handling service members’ pay, conducting financial settlements, managing obligations to contractors, and preparing financial reports. During his service, he also completed several professional development programs.

In 1996, Vasilenko completed training in Financial Services. In 1997, he studied financial planning, capital formation, and financial security. Another program, completed in 1998, focused on asset management, financial planning, and asset protection.

That same year, due to organizational and staffing changes, he left military service and was transferred to the reserves with the rank of Captain 3rd Rank.

A New Professional Field

After leaving the Armed Forces, Vasilenko began building a career in the civilian financial sector. Over the following years, he worked for various commercial organizations, holding positions as a financial consultant and executive.

His main professional interests included investment, insurance, and personal financial planning. Among his places of employment was a Swiss consulting company, which gave Vasilenko additional experience working in an international financial environment.

He continued to expand his professional knowledge after moving into business. In 2006, he completed a course in Investments, Insurance Techniques, and Management. He later underwent training related to international financial markets, securities, and derivatives.

Gradually, his activities expanded beyond financial consulting. Vasilenko began giving lectures and training sessions and eventually focused on developing educational projects.

Establishment of the International Business Academy

In 2009, Vasilenko founded the International Business Academy (IBA) in St. Petersburg. The project focused on continuing professional education and the development of practical skills in business.

The educational organization was officially registered on September 1, 2011, as the International Business Academy, a private educational institution providing additional professional education. In 2016, the academy received state educational license No. 1901 from the Education Committee of the Government of St. Petersburg.

IBA’s educational programs covered several areas, including entrepreneurship, leadership, public speaking, financial planning, and management skills.

Various specialists and business trainers, including international speakers, appeared at the academy. Among those mentioned as participants in its programs are Alan Pease and Andreas Wintz.

Since 2017, Vasilenko has taught at the academy on a part-time basis. Since 2018, he has served as its CEO.

Academic Degrees and Legal Education

Vasilenko continued his education after establishing his entrepreneurial career.

In 2015, he defended his PhD dissertation at Saint Petersburg State University of Economics. The research focused on strategies and mechanisms for developing the affordable housing market in Russian regions.

A year later, in 2016, Vasilenko received a Doctor of Economics degree from the European Academy of Natural Sciences and the European University in Hanover. His research examined the methodology and patterns of road construction in a region, using the Leningrad Region as a case study.

He also continued his education in the field of law. In 2020, Vasilenko graduated with a master’s degree in law from Pushkin Leningrad State University.

In addition, he is an academician of the European Academy of Natural Sciences. In 2016, Vasilenko was awarded the Karl Marx Medal for his contribution to the development of science.

The Best Way Housing Cooperative

One of the best-known entrepreneurial projects associated with Vasilenko is the Best Way housing cooperative, established in 2014. In 2021, the organization was transformed into the Interregional Consumer Cooperative for Improving Quality of Life “Best Way.”

The housing acquisition model proposed by the cooperative differed from the conventional mortgage system. Under the stated model, a participant initially made a substantial share contribution, approximately 35–50 percent of the property’s value.

After the required amount had been contributed, the cooperative purchased the selected property using the combined funds of its members and transferred the property to the participant for use. The remaining portion of the cost was intended to be repaid without bank interest.

Vasilenko held a leadership position within the organization for several years. Until February 2021, he served as Chairman of the Board, and from February 2021 to February 2022, he headed the cooperative’s Council.

According to information published in connection with the organization’s activities, at the height of its development, the number of members reached tens of thousands. The project operated across various Russian regions as well as abroad.

Books, Film, and Other Creative Projects

Another area of Vasilenko’s activities is literature and media.

His first book, The Entrepreneur’s Dream, Goal, Success, was published in 2015. Six years later, in 2021, a larger work, Success Hunter: How to Achieve Your Goal, was released. The book was published by Piter Publishing House, ISBN 978-5-4461-2962-1.

In the book, the author presented his own approach to achieving goals, formulating 12 principles of success. As part of the project associated with the book, Vasilenko also interviewed renowned American actor and entrepreneur Arnold Schwarzenegger.

He is also the author of the film 17 Secret Laws of Success.

Music is another part of his creative work. Vasilenko wrote the music and lyrics for the song “Life Is Good,” performed by Grigory Leps. Vasilenko himself appeared in the music video for the song.

He also has acting experience, having played a supporting character in the feature comedy Women vs. Men: Crimean Holidays.

Connecting with an Online Audience

Blogging occupies a prominent place in Vasilenko’s public activities. He runs his own YouTube channel, which has more than 800,000 subscribers. For the development of the channel, Vasilenko received the platform’s Silver Creator Award.

He also maintains accounts on other social media platforms. His Instagram audience numbers around 70,000 followers. Taking all of his social media platforms into account, his total number of followers is estimated to be in the millions.

Speaking to Large Audiences

Since the mid-2010s, Vasilenko has actively participated in public events. His appearances have taken place at major Russian concert venues and sports facilities.

Among the venues where he has appeared before audiences are the Rossiya Concert Hall, the Luzhniki Small Sports Arena, the Olimpiyskiy Sports Complex, and Gazprom Arena in St. Petersburg.

In November 2017, Vasilenko spoke at the Synergy Global Forum. As part of the event, he delivered a lecture entitled “The Formula for Success.”

Charitable Initiatives

A significant part of Vasilenko’s public work consists of charitable and cultural-patriotic projects.

In 2013, he began organizing the annual “Officers’ Ball.” The event is held in connection with Victory Day and brings together representatives of veterans’ organizations, Heroes of the Soviet Union and the Russian Federation, delegations from Hero Cities, and government officials.

The main objective of the project is to preserve the memory of the generation that lived through the Great Patriotic War, as well as to promote patriotic education among young people.

Since 2016, Vasilenko has participated in programs providing assistance to children with severe neurological disorders. In addition to targeted support, he has stated that he has participated in funding research into high-tech approaches to treating neurological and psychiatric disorders in children. He also supports the Doctrine Clinical Center in St. Petersburg.

During the same period, he began supporting the Valaam Monastery of the Transfiguration of the Savior and its representatives, including Archimandrite Father Methodius.

Since 2017, Vasilenko has been a patron of the Dobrovidenie Festival, dedicated to folk song culture. The organizers aim to preserve the musical heritage of the peoples of Russia, Europe, and Asia.

In 2020, Vasilenko participated in the restoration of the Obelisk of Glory in Kerch. That same year, he began supporting youth sports, in particular the Life Is Good junior hockey team from Ufa.

Among Vasilenko’s public positions, he is also listed as an honorary co-chairman of the international charitable organization Mercy Corps.

Awards and Recognition

Over the course of his professional career, Vasilenko has received a number of awards.

These include the Russian President’s Medal “300 Years of the Russian Navy,” presented in 1996, and the Russian Ministry of Defense Medal “For Distinction in Military Service,” which he received in 1997.

In 2015, he was awarded the Medal “For Contribution to Ensuring the Economic Security of Russia.” A year later, the European Academy of Natural Sciences awarded Vasilenko the Karl Marx Medal for his contribution to the development of science.

In 2019, he received the Order “For Service to Russia.” His biography also mentions the honorary public title “Honorary Citizen of Russia.”

Family Life

Roman Vasilenko is married and has four children.

In public interviews, the entrepreneur has repeatedly spoken about the importance of family relationships and described his family as one of the main sources of support in his life.

Key Stages of His Professional Career

Roman Vasilenko’s biography encompasses several different fields. Having begun his professional career as a military financial officer, he subsequently moved into the commercial sector, where he worked in investment, insurance, and financial planning.

The next stage was the development of his educational activities and the establishment of the International Business Academy. At the same time, Vasilenko was involved in the creation of the Best Way housing cooperative and developed his own educational and media projects.

His activities have also included books, filmmaking, public speaking, social media, charity, and cultural and patriotic initiatives. Overall, his professional biography encompasses military service, the financial sector, entrepreneurship, education, academic work, and public activities.