‘It Took Me Six Months To Register As Individual Entrepreneur In Minsk, But Here It Took Half An Hour’

A Belarusian pensioner went to Poland and became the owner of her own salon.

Emigration for Alena Panyakova began in 2022. The woman made the decision to leave after several arrests at protests in Minsk in 2020 resulting in health problems. While Alena was in the hospital, her daughter sold the apartment, took care of getting visas, and then together they left for Poland. So the 58-year-old Belarusian woman began a new life, in which she had to start all over again, writes MOST.

In Belarus, Alena worked in public catering for almost 20 years, and then, together with her daughter, opened a podiatry salon in Minsk (a podiatrist is a specialist who provides care, diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of a patient’s feet — edit.). Until 2020, the business was developing well, but post-election events in Belarus made their own adjustments.

— I knew practically nothing about Poland and, moreover, had never been there. But I had to urgently leave Belarus, as I could be imprisoned for my active position. While I was in the hospital, my daughter sold my apartment and got a visa. Almost immediately after discharge, we left the country. We took a minimum of things with us,” says Alena.

On the third day of emigration, Alena bought a one-room apartment in Białystok: the proceeds from the sale of the apartment in Minsk were not enough, but the woman managed to borrow what was missing from her friends.

Registered as an individual entrepreneur in half an hour

When the housing issue was resolved, Alena and her daughter began to think about their own business — the same salon as they had in Belarus.

— We had experience, and we hoped that it would be useful in the Polish city. We were advised to have a good room in one of the residential areas of the city. We didn’t think long and took it. The question remained with equipment and getting registered as an individual entrepreneur.

Alena says that it was not difficult — with the help of an accountant, she registered as an individual entrepreneur in half an hour. The woman recalls that starting a business was much easier than in Minsk.

— In Minsk, I also did everything regarding registration by myself — it took six months though. They literally tortured me! The fireman came — your pipe is in the wrong place. We relocated it. Then — the porch is wrong. I was already tired, and told my daughter: “Let’s give a bribe, I can’t take it anymore”... She said “no.”

They managed to build up a client base in Bialystok in a month: word of mouth worked. In the area where the salon operates, many elderly people live — they often have problems with their feet. The first random clients told neighbors and acquaintances about the new salon. So Alena has not yet invested in advertising or a website.

In addition, clients are grateful that Alena can solve the problem urgently. One day, at the request of a client, she opened the salon at 12 at night: a small child had a severely abscessed finger, which caused great pain.

“We live nearby. I came running and opened it,” says Alena.