Entrepreneurship is never a straight line—it’s full of zigzags, ups and downs, and lessons learned along the way. In this episode of Founders’ Forum, Marc Bernstein sits down with Tatiana Barakshina, PhD, MBA, Managing Partner at Bazis Americas LLC, to explore her remarkable journey from Russia to the U.S. and her path to co-founding a successful healthcare market research firm.

Tatiana shares how her educational journey, from earning her MBA in Illinois to completing her PhD in Chicago, shaped her passion for marketing and consumer insights. She also reflects on the challenges of building a business around client demand, the importance of finding the right team, and how her multicultural company culture drives innovation and collaboration.

Alongside Marc and returning guest Bobby Reed, Executive Producer at Loaded Pixel, Tatiana discusses resilience in entrepreneurship, the value of mentorship, and why humor and sincerity play an unexpected role in leadership and teaching.

Key Takeaways:

• Entrepreneurship is full of ups and downs—every crisis also brings opportunity.
• Building the right team is critical, especially in people-driven industries like research.
• A multicultural workplace culture fosters creativity, connection, and shared pride.
• Having a business partner or mentor provides perspective and support during challenges.
• Humor and honesty can strengthen both teaching and leadership.

About Tatiana Barakshina, PhD, MBA:

I am a founding partner at Bazis Americas, a full-service marketing research agency established in 2006. I teach Consumer Behavior and Marketing Communication courses at the University of Illinois at Chicago and Loyola University Chicago. I have four kids, a husband who works in IT, and a fluffy dog.

Connect:

Website www.bazisamericas.com
LinkedIn linkedin.com/in/tatiana-barakshina , linkedin.com/company/bazisgroup

This episode is brought to you by Bazis Americas; a global healthcare marketing research firm that places patient-centric approaches at the heart of every study. Visit bazisamericas.com to learn more.