Mikalai Kudlasevich: Making Marketing Accessible for SMBs Through MarketOwl AI

What inspired you to start MarketOwl?

The inspiration for MarketOwl came from my years working as a marketing director. I repeatedly encountered a glaring issue: small and medium-sized businesses simply couldn’t afford quality marketing services. Many agencies turned them away, leaving these businesses to fend for themselves.

The statistics are telling — 20% of small businesses fail within the first two years, often due to a lack of effective promotion. With around 20 million SMBs in the U.S. struggling to afford marketing, I saw a gap that needed to be filled. These businesses faced three key challenges: limited budgets, insufficient time, and a lack of marketing expertise.

MarketOwl was my response to this problem — a platform that uses AI to provide affordable, effective marketing solutions tailored to SMBs. By automating key processes, we give these businesses a fighting chance to succeed in an increasingly competitive market.

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Could you tell us more about the team behind MarketOwl? Do you have co-founders?

The startup consists of three full-time members, including two co-founders. One co-founder is responsible for business, marketing, and operations, while the other is the CTO who developed the product. Additionally, there are around ten part-time workers contributing to various marketing tasks such as SEO, advertising, PR, and sales.

How does MarketOwl stand out from other marketing solutions?

What sets MarketOwl apart is our vision of completely replacing traditional marketing with autonomous AI marketers. Our AI-driven marketing team can operate independently in 95% of cases, handling lead generation, brand recognition, and more.

We start with an in-depth analysis of each client’s product, audience, and needs. This allows us to craft a tailored strategy targeting three distinct audience segments, with 25 specific parameters for each. For small businesses and startups, this level of precision can make all the difference.

Our multi-channel approach ensures high-quality leads at a fraction of the cost, making us a valuable partner for SMBs aiming to scale.

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What challenges are you currently addressing with your technology?

We’re tackling several pressing challenges in the marketing space:

• Automating lead generation and social media management: These are critical yet time-consuming tasks, especially for SMBs. Our AI tools streamline these processes, boosting efficiency and engagement.

• Building an all-encompassing AI marketing department: We aim to create a unified solution that integrates online and offline channels, providing SMBs with a comprehensive marketing strategy.

• Developing multiple AI marketers: Each of our AI systems is designed to address specific needs, from lead generation to customer retention. Together, they create a synergistic ecosystem that drives growth for our clients.

Have you launched any startups before MarketOwl, what lessons did you take from those experiences? 

I’m a first-time entrepreneur with significant experience in the niche, having worked in it for 11 years. The co-founder has approximately 30 years of experience in development, having built web applications for major banks. I also have a consulting business that is still operational. The startup addresses a common pain point: many small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) and freelancers often lack sufficient marketing budgets to hire specialized marketers.

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What’s your long-term vision for MarketOwl?

Our vision is to become the go-to marketing solution for SMBs worldwide. We’re constantly innovating, adding new AI tools that enhance our product offerings and meet diverse market needs.

As the adoption of AI in marketing continues to grow, we aim to lead the charge, providing businesses with the tools they need to thrive. Our goal is to make MarketOwl synonymous with affordable, effective marketing—an essential partner for SMBs navigating the challenges of growth.

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Do you plan to raise funding for MarketOwl? What will your strategy be for engaging investors?

The startup has already closed an angel round and aims to grow to secure a substantial pre-seed round. The investor engagement strategy involves two main approaches: maintaining relationships with known investors through monthly updates on progress and conducting outreach to potential investors who are not yet familiar with the company. The founder has had success with investor outreach in previous cases, indicating a positive response rate and soft commitments from initial contacts.

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What advice would you give to founders just starting out?

For B2B founders, the key is to start selling as early as possible — even before you have a finished product. Your first priority should be validating your idea and ensuring there’s demand for your solution.

One way to do this is through platforms like MarketOwl, where you can test your concept, generate leads, and gather market feedback. This approach not only saves time and resources but also allows you to pivot quickly if necessary.

Remember, not every product needs to be a groundbreaking success. It’s okay to start with something that sustains you while you work toward bigger goals.