“Kazakhstani specialists can compete in the U.S.”: Marketing strategist Enlik Tlepova on working for an American beauty brand

Kazakh entrepreneur and marketing strategist Enlik Tlepova, originally from Taldykorgan, spoke about her professional journey, entrepreneurship, and relocation with her family to the United States. Enlik grew up, studied, and got married in Almaty. She holds a bachelor’s degree from AlmaU and a master’s degree from KBTU. In 2019–2020, she began her entrepreneurial career and, together with her husband, launched the Jumsaq bedding brand. Enlik included in the Forbes “30 Under 30” list and currently works as a Senior Growth specialist for a beauty brand in the United States.

In an interview to El.kz correspondent Enlik Tlepova spoke about her journey from working in marketing in Kazakhstan to joining an American company.

Looking back at your journey from working in marketing in Kazakhstan to an American company and establishing your own agency, what was the biggest turning point for you?

- I would say that the first major turning point, particularly over the past five years, was the decision to launch a business, followed by the decision to sell the business and, more broadly, the idea of moving to the United States. We initially came to the U.S. for six months to see whether we were making the right decision and to make sure it was the right choice for us. We then proceeded with the formal documentation and immigration process.

Which aspects of the Kazakh mentality, character, and upbringing help you build your career and business in the U.S. today?

- That is a very interesting question. I think it is our attitude toward work, the fact that work tends to be a priority for us, our ability to earn money, and the fact that our professional activities shape us as individuals. In the U.S., by contrast, the individual tends to come first, followed by what they do professionally.

For example, people of my age may work in delivery services, and that is completely normal here. They live their lives fully and do not become frustrated because they do not hold senior positions. In other words. People here tend to maintain a more balanced approach to work and personal life.

To answer the question further, I would also mention our work ethic, high productivity, flexibility, respect for older people, and understanding of professional hierarchy and reporting lines. These qualities help build relationships here because business, networking, and opportunities are largely built through communication and interpersonal connections. If you are a person who knows how to communicate effectively, that is always an advantage, and many key opportunities come through people.

What, by contrast, did you have to change after moving to the United States?

- When we moved from Kazakhstan, we were leaving relatively comfortable living conditions, and there were certain things here that felt quite uncomfortable. For example, to achieve the same standard of living that we had in Kazakhstan, we have had to work hard to reach that level here. We also had to start doing certain things ourselves.

For instance, in the United States, services involving manual labor are highly paid. In Kazakhstan, we are accustomed to such services being relatively inexpensive. Here, by contrast, anything that requires human labor is significantly more expensive.

For example, housekeeping is something that is generally affordable in Kazakhstan, whereas here you need to reach a certain level of income before you can comfortably afford it. So these everyday aspects of life had to change as well.

People in the U.S. also like to plan their time in advance and schedule meetings ahead of time. As a result, we also had to adjust our approach to time management. I see this as a positive change.

What surprised you most about American workplace culture?

- Probably the fact that, at least at the company where I currently work, everyone on our team gets up and leaves exactly at 4 o’clock. Regardless of the circumstances, when the working day ends, no one stays behind to finish additional tasks or complete unfinished work.

The second thing is openness. Workplace relationships here tend to be quite casual among employees.

Is there a difference between how Kazakhstanis and Americans understand the concept of “success”?

- Yes, I think there is a significant difference in how success is understood in Kazakhstan and in the United States. In my view, because Kazakhstan is still a developing country, we tend to focus more on material achievements. Here, there are many other criteria for success. If you have a stable job, a roof over your head, time to enjoy life, friends, and good health, you can already be considered successful.

Looking at it from a business perspective, when we sold our brand in Kazakhstan, we first worked on becoming well-known before seeing any significant financial results. In the U.S., by contrast, you can build a great brand and a compelling story, and even if you do not have the entire country as your customer base, having a relatively small community of loyal customers can be enough for a major brand to notice you and acquire your business.

You currently work as a Senior Growth specialist at a beauty brand. What does a Growth specialist do?

- I was hired by the company specifically because of my entrepreneurial experience. In general, a Growth specialist is responsible for the company’s growth and revenue growth. This includes developing specific channels, sales, and distribution. At the moment, my focus is on digital channels, including TikTok Shop as a separate project, as well as Walmart and Amazon. Essentially, everything that contributes to the company’s revenue growth falls within the scope of a Growth specialist’s responsibilities.

How has your approach to marketing changed since you began working in the U.S. market?

- This experience has definitely been very valuable, although many things are generally similar.

To be honest, Kazakhstani specialists are much better, faster, and stronger in many areas. Perhaps this is because we work more quickly. Take mobile content creators, for example. At the company where I currently work, I was not satisfied with the pace of work in this area, So I began recruiting professionals from Kazakhstan. The management of the American company can see the results of Kazakhstani mobile content creators. I am very proud and inspired by the fact that I have been able to help export creative services from Kazakhstan to the United States.

In your opinion, what is more important for product growth today: good marketing, a strong product, or analytics?

- In fact, these are three pillars of the same structure: good marketing, a strong product, and analytics. You can have an outstanding product, but if no one knows about it, there will be nothing to analyze.

If you have good marketing but a weak product. Yes, you can promote it successfully and attract customers, but they may try it once and then never return.

There are products that only need to make one sale to a customer anywhere in the world and, essentially, nothing more needs to be done. But sound analytics is essential if you want to remain in the market for more than a single day.

That is why all three elements are important, and all three form an integrated whole.

Why do you think more and more Kazakhstanis are now trying to enter international markets?

- I strongly encourage this because it was only after coming to the United States that I realized how small the Kazakhstani market actually is.

It is extremely small, both in terms of population and purchasing power. Kazakhstan has many talented entrepreneurs with strong projects. I understand that if they entered international markets, including the U.S. market, they could generate significantly higher revenues for the same amount of effort they currently invest in Kazakhstan.

Because the Kazakhstani market is small, it leaves little room for mistakes. And the customer is always right. As a result, brands in Kazakhstan have to work ten times harder and constantly come up with new ideas just to remain competitive. In the U.S., by contrast, if you perform reasonably well overall, that can already be enough to achieve good results.

What do you think are the main barriers preventing Kazakhstani professionals from competing in the global market?

- First, language proficiency. Second, the courage to simply take the step and try. And third, probably, mindset. People may think that entering the U.S. market requires making some fundamental change or doing something extraordinary. In reality, that is not the case. Especially now, with the development of AI and the internet, things have become much simpler and more accessible in this respect.

What does being a “successful woman” mean to you today, and how is that different from how you viewed success 10 years ago?

- When I was 20, I thought that a successful woman was someone with an impressive career who lived in a major city. Today, for me, a successful woman is someone who does what she loves, has financial security, a family if she wants one, good mental and physical health, and time for hobbies.

People now talk about being a “pilates girl.” You get up in the morning, have a coffee, go to pilates, read, and take care of yourself. Having free time and the ability to pursue what you love — that, in my view, is what success means today.

Beyond the positive side of moving to the United States, what was the most difficult part of the experience?

- First, I think it is the broader challenge of immigrating in your 30s or 40s. Second, moving from a comfortable environment into an uncomfortable one is also psychologically difficult.

Third, it is difficult for families as well. I know many cases where families move together and later become separated because immigration can affect men and women very differently. For one partner, the transition may be easier, while for the other it may be much more difficult. But once you go through that experience, it undoubtedly makes you stronger.

Another difficult part was finding the confidence to establish yourself, overcoming the fear of working with Americans, and, above all, allowing yourself time. No matter how intelligent you are or how many resources you have, sometimes you simply need time to understand how things work. You need to spend a certain amount of time in the United States, and that experience will open your eyes to many things.

For example, I could not understand during my first three months in the United States what I understand now. Many friends who immigrated before me told me that the first two or three years are the most difficult and that things become much easier afterward. I completely agree with them.