How SVETI Grew From a Podcast Into a PR Agency That Helps Experts Shine

We often tell our clients: keep a compelling story ready.Journalists are always looking for stories worth telling. Just recently, a journalist from USA TODAY Network launched a call for features on inspiring women entrepreneurs.

Here’s what a strong story could look like:
‍Title: From Real Estate to Reinvention: How Ekaterina Baranova Built SVETI Across 3 Countries
‍Tagline: CIS-born. Tel Aviv-grounded. LA-based. One woman’s journey from burnout to brand strategist helping others shine.
‍Hook: What happens when a mother walks away from her business and starts again with nothing but a voice, a camera, and a mission?

When people ask how SVETI started, they often expect a business plan or a forecast. What they rarely expect is a personal story of burnout, reinvention, and a woman choosing to start again. First in the CIS. Then in Tel Aviv. And finally in Los Angeles.

My name is Ekaterina Baranova. I’m a brand strategist and the founder of SVETI, a global communications agency born from a deep shift in my own life.

I once ran a successful commercial real estate business. I had the income, the team, the status. But inside, I was losing myself. After becoming a mother, I made a decision that surprised many. I sold the business and left everything behind.

I had degrees in marketing and sales, including an MBA and Executive MBA, but I had never worked in media. Still, I sensed that the way I saw people, the way I helped them express their truth, could become something more.

That’s how SVETI began. From the Russian word meaning "shine."

It began in the CIS as a personal project. Then in Tel Aviv, it took form as a podcast and YouTube channel. I interviewed women and founders who weren’t chasing hype but doing meaningful work. From there, it grew quickly. Our audience expanded across the CIS and Israel.

In 2025, we were invited to support the U.S. market launch of an IT business from the CIS. That marked our official U.S. entry. Today, SVETI operates globally, with a presence in Los Angeles.

We’ve helped entrepreneurs, women leaders, and IT startups grow into public voices. Some of them started with fewer than 500 subscribers.

We recorded one interview that reached over 400,000 organic views.

In just 2 months:
- YouTube grew from 500 to 13,000
- Instagram: from 1,700 to 14,000She didn’t buy ads.
She shared her truth. Now she’s a guest on major podcasts, featured in wellness media, and collaborates with aligned brands.

She started with 390 followers. We filmed 20 Reels. Three of them went viral. One reached 8 million views. Her account jumped to 39,000 in a week. Today she has over 200,000, launched a course, and has been featured on radio and TV.

What started as a passion project became a recognized PR agency. In 2024, Ekaterina Baranova was nominated for the Forbes Women Mercury Awards. We didn’t win. But we gained clarity, new partners, and deeper impact.

By 2025, we led the U.S. market debut of a cloud tech startup based in LA: Intelssoft. In just 8 weeks, we reshaped the brand story and launched them at TechEx North America.

Today, SVETI offers:
- Brand positioning and media strategy
- Founder visibility and personal brand growth
- Video content and creative storytelling
- PR, go-to-market narratives, and media placement

And most of all, we offer clarity, belief, and depth.

We work globally with entrepreneurs, leaders, and women from the CIS, Israel, and the U.S., helping them move from hidden experts to trusted, visible voices.

We always advise our clients to keep their best stories ready, because good media loves a good story. But if you’re not ready to handle your personal brand alone, we’re here for you.

At SVETI, we do this professionally, strategically, and with soul.