Q&A: The Laws of the Jungle in Show Business with Mykhailo Yasynskyi
Mykhailo Yasynskyi — a leading Ukrainian producer, media expert and CEO of Secret Service X Group. He has many years of experience in show business, successfully managing top-tier artists, strategic marketing and building personal brands. Yasynskyi is also a respected analyst of the entertainment industry who actively shapes the current trends and standards of the Ukrainian media space.
Summary of the online meeting from 16.07.2026
Do connections really solve everything?
Connections and networking are very important in any field, but today it is not just contacts that matter, but their quality.
In the past, the key links were with those who made decisions at radio or television. Today, contacts with people who can teach you and strengthen your knowledge, skills and creative result are becoming more important.
In other words, networking has not disappeared; it has simply changed form. Connections do not solve everything on their own, but without them it is hard to move forward. It is less about "if you have connections, you have success" and more about the fact that the right environment helps a person grow faster, learn, and reach a new level.
What sets apart artists who fill stadiums?
Mykhailo jokingly said that the place of birth also matters, but the main things are:
- ambition;
- inner fire;
- the ability to build a team and a community around yourself;
- readiness to act hard and deliver results.
He stressed that success in show business is often linked not only to talent, but also to the ability to survive, adapt, stay silent when needed, and take unpleasant but necessary steps. Success in show business is also about the ability to keep moving toward a goal despite obstacles.
Can you become a successful artist without a big budget?
Yes, you can — but only if you have a strong foundation:
- talent;
- discipline;
- inner motivation;
- the ability to work in the studio;
- a unique voice or delivery;
- an understanding of the music business;
- a willingness to learn from people who have already built something.
A large budget does not guarantee success. If an artist lacks talent, the drive to succeed and inner motivation, the budget alone will not solve anything. By contrast, a person with fewer resources but the right approach has every chance to make a strong product and grow gradually.
Why are there so many harsh rules in show business?
Mykhailo directly called the industry “the jungle”. In his view, this is an environment where there is:
- competition;
- cynicism;
- competition for resources;
- unpleasant deals;
- a risk of losing reputation or money.
He emphasized that this is neither good nor bad — it is simply the reality of big business, especially where big money is circulating, which is not yet the case in the Ukrainian music industry.
That is, the harsh rules in show business arise not by chance, but because ambitions, money, power and the struggle for a place in the sun intersect here.
How much does corruption affect the Ukrainian show business?
corruption has had a very strong impact on and continues to affect Ukrainian show business. According to him, historically a significant part of the industry was built on corrupt money and oligarchic flows, and this directly affected what content made it onto radio and television, what budgets videos and shows received, and how the production industry developed.
At the same time, Mykhailo noted that it also had a reverse effect: large budgets sometimes raised the level of equipment, studios, directing, ballet, makeup and the entire show production. In other words, corruption in this area not only caused harm, but paradoxically also provided resources for the development of certain professional fields.
Why is the copyright issue still painful?
Mykhailo explained that the problem of paying copyright royalties in Ukraine is not only a matter of culture, but also of:
- corrupt schemes in the past;
- a weak system for collecting funds;
- low market solvency;
- the lack of a strong state mechanism.
He believes that without a clear state policy, a specialized law on the music industry and strong institutions, the situation will change very slowly.
They also separately discussed how difficult it is to collect royalties from concerts, cafés, bars and restaurants. The problem is that business often does not see this as a mandatory payment, and the organizations that collect the money do not always have enough power to effectively compel payment.
He gave examples of collections from concerts, cafés, bars and restaurants: business often does not view these payments as mandatory, as well as the situation with a market that is already operating on the edge of profitability, while the organizations collecting the funds, in turn, do not always have enough tools to force the market to actually pay.
Where is the line between creativity and business?
Mykhailo stressed: business is also creativity, but with a different focus.
The creative process does not disappear when business thinking appears. It is just that creativity starts to generate money.
He emphasized that it is useful for an artist to understand how the market works, but it is not necessary for them to be a full-fledged entrepreneur themselves.
There are different formats:
- an artist under contract;
- an artist with a manager and a lawyer;
- an artist-owner of a brand;
- an artist as part of a project or musical.
Not everyone needs to be a businessperson, but it is useful for everyone to understand the basic logic of the processes. That is, the boundary is not where money begins, but where a person stops merely creating and starts making a product that can be sold, scaled and protected.
Which criteria matter more than vocals?
Vocals are just a tool. The most important thing:
- discipline;
- self-organization;
- motivation;
- readiness to work on yourself.
He emphasized that many successful people had not only talent, but also a very strong inner structure. Whereas lazy and irresponsible people rarely become truly successful.
Does hype work now for recognition and success?
Mykhailo said that hate is hype’s sister, and media attention depends on the archetype the artist works with.
The conclusion is simple: if people do not see you, they will not see the value of your work either.
So sometimes attention to yourself is not manipulation, but a necessary part of strategy.
How should a young artist build their path today?
Mykhailo advises a young artist to start not with chaotic actions, but with an understanding of oneself and the market. First, you need to answer three questions: who you are as an artist, who you are working for, and in which genre you are building your story.
Then choose a strategy for your format. There is no single universal path in show business: pop music, jazz, an English-language product, or a niche project live by different rules. That is why it is important not to copy someone else’s path, but to build your own for your audience and capabilities.
Another piece of advice is not to wait for ideal conditions. If an artist wants to move forward, they must either invest in themselves or develop music as a project in parallel while keeping another job. The main thing is to keep learning, testing, analyzing audience reactions, and being ready to change course.
So, a young artist today needs not only songs, but also strategic thinking, discipline, and the ability to adapt to market realities.
How do you research an audience?
Mykhailo advises researching an audience not in one way, but through several tools at once. His favorite format is focus groups: when different segments of people are brought together, a moderator asks questions, and then reactions, opinions, and comments on materials or ideas are analyzed.
He also advises looking more broadly and not relying only on the opinion of your immediate circle or even professionals. For this, you can use:
- sociological research;
- surveys;
- analysis of social media;
- observing audience reactions.
Mykhailo separately emphasized that social media do not provide a fully objective picture, because everything there depends heavily on algorithms. That is why it is important not to guess, but to study society, its habits, and ways of consuming music.
His position: the audience should be studied, not guessed.
Do artists have a chance to be themselves?
Yes, but not always in a pure form.
Mykhailo explained that many artists have to choose between:
- their own sound;
- market compromises;
- finding an audience;
- the need to earn money here and now.
Sometimes an artist works in parallel with another job, develops music as their own project, and only later decides whether to enter the music business fully. That is normal – music can be a creative outlet or a hobby, which over time may grow into something bigger.
The role of the state and the EU
In the discussion with Mariyana Voronina, (CEO of the BEST MUSIC label), the question was whether one should wait for European support or act now. Mariyana insisted that the rules need to be implemented here and now, rather than shifting responsibility to future integration with the EU.
Mykhailo replied that the Ukrainian market still does not have enough resources or maturity for rapid self-regulation without external systemic support.
He stressed that after the war ends, the borders open, and possible political changes take place, Ukraine’s music landscape will change very quickly. That is why it is important already now to learn to navigate the global processes of the world industry and not rely only on the current market model.
Why is it important to read and learn?
Separately, Mykhailo emphasized books, especially about:
- the music business;
- marketing;
- management;
- investments;
- building industries.
He believes that the Ukrainian market is still only taking shape, so knowledge of Western models helps to orient oneself faster.
Mykhailo spoke about his product The Artist’s Playbook — a selection of smart reads and book theses adapted to Ukrainian realities, so that artists, producers, and managers can better understand the industry more quickly.
It will be especially useful for those who do not have time to read large books in depth, but want to quickly understand how the industry works.
The main value of The Artist’s Playbook — lies in the rapid adaptation of Western knowledge to the Ukrainian market. Mykhailo stressed that many good books are written about Western industries, but not everything in them can be transferred directly to Ukraine. That is why he compiled precisely those conclusions that help understand the local context.
Conclusion
The main idea of the meeting is that show business is not a romantic fairy tale, but a complex system where not only talent wins, but also discipline, adaptability, strategy, and an understanding of reality.
Mykhailo Yasynskyi advises artists:
- build networking with purpose
- learn to think in a project-based and business-oriented way
- not to wait for ideal conditions
- understand your market and your audience
- keep developing, because the industry changes very quickly
His main message: if you want to survive and grow in the music industry, you need not only to create, but also to think like someone who is building their own system.
