CASES STUDIES
Experience built in real businesses.
Good marketing decisions come from understanding how businesses actually operate. Svetlana’s background includes leading marketing across international, consumer-facing and technology businesses, working with teams, budgets and growth challenges at different stages.
Business types and industries
Consumer digital products and services. Travel and hospitality-related businesses. Financial services and fintech. Technology and SaaS. B2B services and enterprise technology. International businesses operating across multiple markets.
Areas of experience
Customer acquisition and performance marketing. Marketing strategy and planning. Brand and positioning. Go-to-market and market expansion. Budgeting and measurement. Team building and leadership. Agency and partner management. Improving how marketing works across departments.
01 FROM NICHE PASSION TO RETAIL BUSINESS
Gaming hardware retail, e-commerce & distribution | Latvia | 2004–2010
I co-founded a specialist gaming hardware business, building an importer and distributor alongside an online store and physical retail. I sourced brands and negotiated supplier relationships, and helped introduce gaming and modding names such as Razer and SteelSeries to the Latvian market.
We later acquired an existing computer retailer, expanding to five physical shops in total. At its peak, the online store handled up to 4000 orders per month, from accessories to custom-built PCs. I was involved in marketing, sales, distribution, supplier relationships, and the decisions that come with running a business. The 2008 financial crisis was a sharp lesson in how quickly external conditions can change.
What it taught me: Marketing works best when you understand the whole business, not just the advertising campaigns.
02 SCALING A US SUBSCRIPTION BUSINESS
Consumer subscription platform | United States | 2010–2013
I led marketing, frontend, and retention work with a team of six, developing acquisition and conversion across search, social, SMS, and affiliates. As the business scaled, monthly marketing spend grew from approximately $40,000 to $150,000.
Monthly revenue increased from approximately $80,000 to $500,000, a 6.25× increase. Revenue relative to marketing spend improved from roughly 2.0× to 3.33×, and the business reached profitability after about 18 months. These ratios describe revenue-to-marketing-spend efficiency, not profit-based marketing ROI.
I also developed the concept and business plan for a children’s casting platform that the company implemented. Both platforms work nowadays.
What it taught me: Sustainable growth depends on retention, unit economics, and execution as much as acquisition.
03 LAUNCHING FINTECH ACROSS 3 MARKETS
Consumer lending | Russia, Moldova & Romania | 2014–2021
I joined at the bday one and built the marketing function from the ground up, helping launch lending products in three markets. My remit covered brand, websites, acquisition, CRM, analytics, funnels, and collaboration on product and customer operations. I built and led a team of 13, including remote people.
Each market required a different approach. Moldova relied more heavily on offline ads, broad-reach channels and local presence; Russia demanded affiliate marketing approach and creative channel choices; Romania called for a more conventional digital acquisition mix. Rather than export one formula, we adapted the strategy to local consumer behaviour and market conditions.
What it taught me: International growth is not translation. It is rebuilding the go-to-market logic for each market.
04 BUILDING A PREMIUM AVIATION B2B CHANNEL
Baltic Bees Jet Team | Fractional CMO | Since May 2026
I work with Baltic Bees Jet Team on the development of its B2B growth strategy, including positioning and account-based marketing for premium event agencies, corporate and HR buyers, and luxury brands.
The work includes segment prioritisation, messaging, outreach strategy, and the commercial foundations needed to approach high-value partners systematically. Campaign execution is in preparation, so I do not present projected outcomes as achieved results.
What it demonstrates: Senior marketing leadership can be valuable before a company is ready to hire a full-time CMO.
05 BUILDING MARKETING FOR AN AI B2B SaaS
AI / intelligent document processing | International B2B markets | Since 2023
I rebuilt marketing for an enterprise AI software company, covering brand, demand generation, content, website and frontend, analytics, and go-to-market strategy. The business evolved through several positioning shifts, from broad automation to vertical use cases, AI agents, and sales-focused applications.
In the first year, marketing generated approximately 600 MQLs, including interest from a global enterprises, alongside around 450 partner leads. I also helped position the product within a broader SAP-related offering. Revenue figures are under NDA.
What it taught me: In an emerging category, positioning is a continuous process of learning, not a one-time exercise.
06 TURNING AN EMERGING MARKETING TEAM INTO FUNCTION
Enterprise technology consultancy | International B2B markets | Since 2023
I joined when marketing was still a collection of isolated activities handled by two people. I built a team of ten, with clearer ownership across demand generation, content, design, and digital execution, supported by reporting, processes, and regular leadership coordination.
The work included positioning, service packaging, analytics, events, and lead generation. The company developed an independent marketing-sourced pipeline of approximately 20 enterprise leads per year, rather than relying only on vendor referrals. The resulting team and operating model were designed to run without constant CMO involvement; a completed post-departure handover has not yet been claimed.
What it demonstrates: Build & Handover is about creating an operating system, not making one person indispensable.