The CEO of $1.2 billion learning platform Preply says it all started with his online search for an English tutor

Kirill Bigai, co-founder and CEO of language-learning platform Preply, began the company's journey with a personal quest for an English tutor. In 2012, Bigai, then 26, co-founded Preply with Dmytro Voloshyn, a PhD student in machine learning and AI. The pair decided to forgo salaries to focus on building a sustainable business, operating from their hometown of Kyiv, Ukraine.

For their first year, they worked 60 hours per week, adapting side-hustles to make ends meet. Bigai, an implementation consultant, while Voloshyn pursued his PhD and worked as a software developer for AB InBev. Their journey required sacrifices, but they were driven by a foundational issue they understood intimately - learning English.

Their initial inspiration came from a 2000s-era Skype tutor they encountered in their search for a more accessible language learning solution. This problem led them to develop Preply, a platform connecting language tutors and learners across 180 countries and 90 languages. The founders registered the first 100 tutors through Google Forms and launched payment and messaging services, initially focusing on English.

As demand grew, Preply expanded its offerings, allowing users to learn Spanish, French, and other languages. In 2016, Preply secured $1.3 million in seed funding, transforming their product and expanding their service to include non-language subjects like math, computer science, and chess. Today, Preply employs 800 people and connects millions of language learners worldwide.

The company's success was built on years of sacrifice, a willingness to live frugally, and an unwavering commitment to solving a deeply personal problem.