Sergii Shakalov, CEO of KNESS, shared his expertise with entrepreneurs on business resilience in time of war

KNESS became a platform for an open microphone event during the visit of the Vinnytsia chapter of the Board business community. Sergii Shakalov, CEO of KNESS and mentor of the Board community, shared his expertise with entrepreneurs regarding the topic “Business Resilience in Time of War”.

The event was divided into two thematic blocks: how businesses can prepare for energy challenges and what tools are needed for business development. 

Which points aroused the greatest interest? Key thoughts from the talk:

Regarding challenges in energy supply

• The situation with the energy infrastructure is very dynamic, and it is impossible to predict with what capacity we will “step into winter”. However, if everyone takes care of their businesses, their homes, and the homes of their close ones, the problem with electricity supply will be solved. We should clearly be aware that energy sustainability is now everyone’s responsibility.
• It is essential to provide oneself with backup power sources. These can be gas-piston generators, diesel generators, etc. There are also a lot of energy-efficient business models based on renewable energy sources on the market today. A solar power plant in combination with an energy storage unit (ESS) can serve as own local generation source.
• There is a legislative mechanism that allows Ukrainian companies to consume imported electricity. However, the share of imported electricity in consumption must be at least 80%. Such enterprises will not be subject to scheduled outages, but the possibility of emergency curtailments will remain.
• In the current situation, it is important to take energy-saving, energy-efficient measures, comply with restrictions, level the consumption schedule and, if possible, shift production from peak consumption hours to other hours.

On the role of corporate finance in business development

• Mitigating investment risks in business development is the main objective of corporate finance.  A corporate finance expert can offer a business financing structure (a balanced loan portfolio) that will be as efficient as possible in terms of the financial resources use, their cost, and suitability for your type of business. 
• Another “superpower” of a corporate finance officer is to identify reliable partner banks and speak the same language with them. But it’s important that your business model is bankable first and foremost. That is, it should be thought through and calculated to the smallest detail so that it is “clear” and attractive to financial institutions.

KNESS co-owners regularly share their experience with entrepreneurs of the Board community. Always happy to meet new people and have interesting conversations about energy and business. We thank Feliks Volkov for moderating the event and the active audience for their valuable questions.