Dmitriy Makarov, an entrepreneur based in London and originally from Kyiv, has carved out a unique path in the global marketing industry. He found an agency that employs over 100 people and has managed campaigns for brands including Intel, Domino’s, Hugo, BMW, NIVEA and Durex. His success is closely tied to the GMG principle he created – Grind. Mastery. Growth. – which combines relentless work ethic with a deep focus on long-term progress.
“Grind is the continuous work on yourself, your skills and your business,” Makarov says. “From my first freelance projects to running my own agency, every step was fueled by persistence.”
From esports to international reach
Makarov’s career began with self-taught lessons in marketing and esports. Over time, he built expertise in influencer strategy, media buying, content production and performance analytics. His agency has now delivered more than 524 campaigns, reaching audiences of over 2.6 billion online.
But for Dmitriy Makarov, numbers alone do not define success. “I do not believe in numbers for the sake of numbers; my focus is on efficiency, engagement and playing the long game,” he says. This philosophy has helped him grow from early freelance projects to running a company trusted by major international clients.
Biohacking as a management strategy
What sets Dmitriy Makarov apart is his commitment to biohacking, not just as a personal practice but as a tool for leadership. He believes that maintaining peak physical and mental condition is essential for both himself and his team. His approach includes sleep discipline, carefully structured nutrition, moderate physical activity and digital detox periods. He also experiments with intermittent fasting and supplements, but always with professional oversight.
“Supplements are not magic pills,” he explains. “They are only an addition to a healthy lifestyle, and even a ‘safe’ supplement can have side effects or be unnecessary.”
Daily routines such as cold showers, red-light therapy and meditation have become part of his lifestyle. He has also introduced group meditation and breathing sessions into his company’s culture. As he puts it, “It is not about fashion trends, it is about consciously managing both individual and team states.”
The role of technology in wellbeing
Makarov integrates technology into this vision as well, encouraging his team to use wearable devices to track recovery, stress and sleep. For him, three measurements stand out: heart rate variability, sleep quality and strain levels.
“HRV offers insight into stress adaptation and recovery quality. Sleep quality and phase balance are especially essential when life runs at high speed. And monitoring strain levels helps balance work, training and rest,” says Makarov.
He emphasises that tracking is not about perfection, but sustainability. “It is not about obsessive monitoring, but about learning how your body responds so you can sustain performance over time,” he explains.
The enduring strength of GMG
The GMG philosophy is the thread running through Makarov’s career and personal discipline. Grind represents the determination to push forward, Mastery highlights his focus on developing true expertise, and Growth reflects not just expansion of business but also self-development and team evolution.
Dmitriy Makarov has demonstrated how this framework can take an individual from self-taught beginnings to leading a global agency. With GMG guiding his approach, he continues to show how innovation, health and resilience can redefine what modern leadership looks like.
