I’m Alexander Storozhuk, founder of PRNEWS.IO and Medialister. I’ve spent the past 20 years building digital platforms that simplify how businesses communicate with the media. My entrepreneurial journey started back in 2005 while I was still a university student. I had little experience but a strong desire to create something useful—and that drive led to the development of a content marketplace that now helps brands gain visibility across thousands of media outlets worldwide.
Company: PRNEWS.IO
We are thrilled to have you join us today, welcome to ValiantCEO Magazine’s exclusive interview! Let’s start off with a little introduction. Tell our readers a bit about yourself and your company.
Alexander Storozhuk: I’m Alexander Storozhuk, founder of PRNEWS.IO and Medialister. I’ve spent the past 20 years building digital platforms that simplify how businesses communicate with the media. My entrepreneurial journey started back in 2005 while I was still a university student. I had little experience but a strong desire to create something useful—and that drive led to the development of a content marketplace that now helps brands gain visibility across thousands of media outlets worldwide.
PRNEWS.IO is a platform that enables predictable media placements for businesses without the need for traditional PR retainers. Medialister, my newest venture, builds on that same vision, offering a streamlined editorial advertising marketplace where brands can buy native placements in trusted media with full transparency.
What inspired you to start your business, and what were the biggest challenges you faced in the early stages?
Alexander Storozhuk: I was inspired by necessity, curiosity, and a desire to be independent. I launched my first internet project during my second year at university with no money, no team, and no roadmap. But that naïveté was a blessing—I didn’t know what wasn’t possible, so I just built and iterated.
A lack of experience was the biggest early challenge. I didn’t have formal training or mentors to fall back on. Every step required learning through trial and error. But I quickly learned that if you wait for the perfect plan or funding, you may never start. One of the first lessons I share with new entrepreneurs is: Don’t be afraid to get started—even before you feel fully ready.
At what point did you realize your startup was gaining traction, and what key strategies helped you scale successfully?
Alexander Storozhuk: I knew we were onto something when media outlets started approaching us—not the other way around—and clients began to recommend our platform to others without us asking. That kind of organic momentum is hard to fake.
The key strategy that fueled our growth was focusing on execution over perfection. We launched before we had the perfect product. The revenue we earned from those early imperfect sales funded future improvements. Another game-changer was embracing content as our core growth engine. We created hundreds of articles that educated businesses on media placement strategies, and that content became a magnet for inbound leads.
Also, building the right team was crucial. I knew where my own skill gaps were—like spoken English—and I deliberately hired professionals who complemented my weaknesses.
How did you approach funding and financial management during the scaling phase? Did you bootstrap, raise capital, or take another approach?
Alexander Storozhuk: I’m a big believer in bootstrapping—and in staying within the limits of your own wallet. We built PRNEWS.IO without raising capital, using early revenue to fund the next phase. That financial discipline kept us focused and lean.
For me, bootstrapping wasn’t just a choice—it was a philosophy. I wanted to validate that the business could sell before I invested heavily in building infrastructure. That’s why one of my guiding principles is to sell before you make. If no one is willing to buy your idea, then it doesn’t matter how polished the product is.
Now with Medialister, we’re taking a slightly different approach—we’re preparing to raise funds via Fairmint to attract value-aligned investors and expand globally. But the bootstrapping mindset still guides every decision.
What role did company culture and team building play in your growth, and how did you ensure alignment as you expanded?
Alexander Storozhuk: Culture has been everything. As we scaled, I realized that happy employees create better businesses. I always say that tending to your team is like tending to a garden—if you neglect it, nothing will grow. I focus on three things: paying fair wages, hiring the right people, and encouraging work-life balance.
We also place a huge emphasis on continual learning. I believe the best way to scale a company is to scale people’s skills—my own included. I push myself and my team to evolve constantly. And when things go wrong—and they do—we don’t hide the problems. We write them down, analyze them, and treat them as learning opportunities.
That kind of culture fosters trust and alignment. Everyone is encouraged to speak up, share ideas, and challenge the status quo.
Looking back, what is one critical lesson you learned about scaling that you wish you knew earlier?
Alexander Storozhuk: Discontent is fuel. That’s something I wish I understood earlier. In the early days, I thought being unhappy with some part of the business meant I was failing. But over time, I realized that dissatisfaction is what drives innovation. If everything feels “perfect,” you’re probably not pushing hard enough.
Another lesson: Done is better than perfect. Perfectionism can kill momentum. You learn more by shipping, failing fast, and iterating than you do by endlessly polishing an idea in isolation.
If I had internalized these truths earlier, I would have moved faster, trusted my instincts more, and worried less about outside validation. Now, I embrace imperfection, lean into challenges, and always ask myself: What can I improve today?
