From Deloitte to AI: How Vitalii Dodonov Built a Million-Dollar Side Hustle

Vitalii Dodonov, a former Deloitte consultant and eBay employee, has shifted his focus to entrepreneurship. His latest venture, Stan, already generates tens of millions in yearly revenue. Now, he aims to build a company that will still be essential decades from now. Dodonov’s journey began with a degree in chemical engineering from the University of Alberta. While studying, he taught himself to code, a skill that later shaped his career. After university, he joined Deloitte before moving to eBay.

In his spare time, he developed Vhinny, a platform for aggregating financial data. The project showcased his ability to turn ideas into working tools. But his biggest success came with Stan, a company he co-founded.

There, he built Stanley, an AI-powered tool that crafts social media posts in a user’s natural voice. It also tracks engagement metrics to refine content. Remarkably, Dodonov developed the tool in just two weeks. Today, Stanley brings in $50,000 each month in recurring revenue. Dodonov has ruled out a return to corporate life. His current company, Stan, continues to grow, with Stanley playing a key role in its financial success. His long-term vision remains clear: creating a business that sustains global operations for the next 30 to 40 years.