But then… 2022 happened.
War broke out in Ukraine. Russia got hit with massive international sanctions. Logistics collapsed, payment systems stopped working, and suddenly I didn’t feel safe - not for myself, not for my business, and not for my family.
So I made the hardest call of my life - I left. I relocated SHIROKAI and family to Turkey. It made sense: Turkey is a global logistics hub with strong local manufacturing. But let me tell you - the move was brutal.
During the relocation, a truck carrying most of our production molds literally disappeared mid-transit. The rest of the stuff took months (and a small fortune) to import legally into Turkey. That, on top of endless paperwork, cultural adjustment, and - worst of all - bank/processing companies refusing to work with anyone who had a Russian passport, even if they lived elsewhere… it nearly killed the brand.
For over two years, SHIROKAI was stuck. We couldn’t accept payments properly, so we couldn't produce, we couldn’t ship efficiently, we lost money, time, and a lot of sleep.
BUT I NEVER GIVE UP