Dmitriy Makarov on Why Creativity and Testing Outpace Copying in Marketing
As the founder of a global marketing agency with over 100 employees, Dmitriy Makarov believes the difference between failure and success often lies in avoiding just a handful of avoidable errors.For him, two of the most damaging habits are copying others’ strategies and rushing to scale before proper testing. “One of the most widespread mistakes, and this applies not only to digital marketing but to business in general, is copying other people’s strategies when entering the market,” he said. Too many startups, he argues, mimic what worked elsewhere, forgetting how quickly platforms, algorithms and audiences evolve. “What worked well even last quarter may already be completely irrelevant today,” he added.
An Early Start
Born in Kyiv in 2001, Makarov began his career unusually early, turning to marketing consultancy during his teenage years. He moved to London later, bringing with him a philosophy he calls GMG: Grind, Mastery, Growth. It has shaped both his personal and professional journey. Between 2015 and 2017, he worked with local brands and esports projects, gaining hands-on experience that proved more valuable than traditional study.
The Risks of Scaling Too Quickly
Now, as he leads a worldwide agency, Dmitriy Makarov often reflects on the mistakes he has seen sink promising ventures. Chief among them is the tendency to throw money into campaigns without reliable data. “Beginners often try to immediately ‘pour in budget’ without having data on how users behave at each stage of the funnel, which messages work, or what kind of visual presentation resonates with the target audience,” he explained. Without those insights, scaling is little more than guesswork, and an expensive one at that.
Why Testing Beats Guesswork
Instead, Makarov stresses discipline, creativity and adaptability. “My advice is simple: in our field, those who win are the ones who think creatively, systematically, and know how to build cost-effective hypotheses for a large number of A/B tests,” he said. For him, survival belongs not to the biggest or even the smartest, but to those who can change direction quickly. “It is not the smartest who survive, but those who test faster and respond to changes.”
GMG: Grind. Mastery. Growth.
Central to Dmitriy Makarov’s outlook is the GMG principle. The grind is the consistent effort, the mastery is the willingness to learn from mistakes as well as successes, and the growth is what follows when lessons are applied effectively. In his words, success is not about duplicating someone else’s formula but finding your own. “The digital world is not an exact science, but an environment of constant adaptation,” he said.
Lessons for Today’s Startups
For startups, the entrepreneur’s message is clear: creativity and agility trump imitation. By leaning on structured testing and remaining open to change, businesses can navigate the volatile digital landscape far more effectively. As Dmitriy Makarov puts it, curiosity and relentless experimentation are the true foundations of progress.
With digital marketing evolving at a relentless pace, his advice carries weight for both beginners and established firms alike. In an industry built on change, standing still (or copying the past) is rarely a winning strategy.
