Today we’d like to introduce you to Iryna Gunsallus.
Hi Iryna, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
My name is Iryna, and I am the founder and owner of Ideal Solutions Admin Services and Ledgify LLC. I moved to Maryland in 2011 and launched my first business here in 2023.
Growing up in Bila Tserkva, Ukraine, I developed a passion for foreign languages and cultures early on. Through hard work in school and the constant support of my parents, I earned admission to Kyiv National Taras Shevchenko University—one of Ukraine’s top institutions—to study German and English Linguistics.
In the summer of 2010, after my third year of college, I participated in a Work & Travel program in the United States alongside a close high school friend. That trip was life-changing; I knew almost immediately that I wanted to return to the U.S. to pursue my education. On the flight back home at the end of that summer, it was just a dream, and for a 20-year-old girl from a middle-class Ukrainian family that dream seemed far-fetched. Yet I knew in my heart I would find a way. I was young, fearless, and determined to make it happen.
And I did. A year later, after graduating from Kyiv University, I secured a student visa and boarded a flight to New York to attend a language school in Manhattan. Two years after that, I was accepted into the business program at the University of Maryland, graduating with a Master’s degree in May 2016.
Maryland quickly became my new home. I built my career in marketing and advertising at APG Media, where I also met my husband, Frank. But in February 2022—just over a year after we were married—full-scale war broke out in Ukraine. Heartbroken and shocked, we packed our bags and traveled to Poland to reunite with my parents and my sister after they fled their homes.
The next four months in Poland were a mix of deep sorrow and extraordinary grace. We faced immense worry over my country, my people, and my mother’s serious illness as we navigated an unfamiliar healthcare system during a humanitarian crisis. At the same time, we experienced immense generosity. Friends and strangers alike sent funds from the United States, locals offered aid on the ground in Poland, and provided support inside Ukraine. My husband and I felt deeply privileged to help deliver relief to families who needed it most.
After returning to the U.S. later in 2022, we remained committed to supporting people in Ukraine. By the grace of God, we managed to secure the medical care my mother urgently needed, and on New Year’s Day in 2023, our first child, a baby girl, was born.
Transformed and inspired by these defining experiences, I decided to take control of my professional future and launched my marketing and administrative business later that year.
Today, as the war in Ukraine continues, I am raising my two children, scaling my businesses, supporting my husband in his campaign for County Council, and continuing to stand by my mother as she fights for her health here in the States. My immediate goal is to scale my companies past $250,000 in annual revenue—and that is only the beginning. Through dedication, hard work, and genuine passion, I know it is possible.
But above all, I know that peace will return to Ukraine, and one day I will travel there with my children to show them where my story began.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It has definitely not been a completely smooth road; I’ve faced my share of obstacles along the way. When I first moved to the U.S., my biggest hurdles were adapting to a new culture, mastering the language, and navigating the American academic system when I began graduate school at the University of Maryland. I had to push myself relentlessly, but I wasn’t alone. I’m endlessly grateful to my late friend, Mike Wanda, who reviewed my papers and guided me through those early challenges. He supported so many international students passing through the Eastern Shore, and his generosity is still felt across the globe.
Another great mentor of mine was Ron Mitchell, a retired Johns Hopkins economics professor who owned a restaurant where I worked while in college. Ron saw potential in me before many others did. He actively championed my education and shared insights that still guide me today, twelve years later.
Nowadays, my greatest challenge is balancing a demanding career with raising young children. Before motherhood, my entire focus was school, working multiple jobs, and climbing the professional ladder. Having children completely reshaped my perspective on life. Watching them grow has shown me that true success means staying grounded, cherishing family time, and maintaining a healthy work-life balance.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
Ideal Solutions Admin Services was founded on a simple belief: small businesses deserve support built for the way they actually work. After years of working with small and medium-sized businesses, we saw firsthand that their needs don’t look anything like a large corporation’s. A cookie-cutter approach doesn’t serve them. What does is a partner who takes time to understand their business, earns their trust, and stays invested in their long-term success.
That’s the foundation of everything we do. We love connecting with business owners, learning about their goals, and building relationships that go beyond a single project. Whether it’s website design, social media management, digital media, or day-to-day administrative support, we handle the work that pulls owners away from what they do best.
What makes Ideal Solutions different is simple: our clients come first, every plan is personalized to the business behind it, and we believe success should serve our community, not just a bottom line.
Are there any important lessons you’ve learned that you can share with us?
Some of the most important lessons I’ve learned, in my opinion, are
– to always work hard and create opportunities, instead of waiting for an opportunity to come to you;
– be resilient and not let temporary defeats or opinions of others crush your spirit and kill your aspirations;
– never stop leaning, keep an open mind and focus on your long-term goal, instead of prioritizing monetary rewards and quick gains.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://idealsolutionsadmin.com
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/idealsolutionsadmin
