Construction has always been personal to me. My dad is a general contractor, and I grew up on job sites carrying lumber, mixing concrete, and watching him pour every ounce of himself into his work. To this day, he’s one of the hardest-working men I know — highly skilled, respected for his craftsmanship, and known for delivering quality no matter the job.
But here’s the thing: my dad focused entirely on the work itself, not the business. My brother and I used to joke that he ran his business “out of a shoe box” — because that’s literally where he kept all his receipts. He never had a website. His company name was our family name, CHTCHETININ Construction — which, let’s be honest, nobody could pronounce, and it didn’t exactly inspire trust at first glance. Branding, marketing, lead generation… none of it mattered to him. What mattered was the work.
And you know what? That was enough — to a point. His reputation kept him busy, but it also kept him trapped. He insisted on doing everything himself, never scaling, never building systems that would allow him to step back. He was always working harder, not smarter.
Looking back, I wish I knew then what I know now. I wish I could’ve helped him build a brand, generate leads online, and create a system where the business worked for him instead of the other way around.
That’s why I’m so passionate about what I do today. My background in IT — starting as a Data Center Engineer in my early twenties — taught me how technology can completely transform the way businesses operate. Now, when I look at small businesses — contractors, law firms, medical offices, SMBs of all kinds — I see versions of my dad. People with skill, grit, and work ethic, but who are missing the tools and strategies to grow their business beyond word-of-mouth and sweat equity.
This isn’t theory for me — it’s personal. I want to help the dads, the moms, the family businesses out there who are grinding day in and day out, delivering real value, but leaving opportunities on the table because their website is just a digital brochure instead of a lead-generating machine.
I believe technology should make life easier, not harder. I believe every small business deserves the same growth strategies that big companies use, without the complexity or cost that usually comes with it. And I believe in building systems that let business owners focus on their craft — the thing they’re best at — while their website, CRM, and marketing quietly bring in new opportunities behind the scenes.
My dad taught me the importance of quality work and reputation. Technology taught me how to scale it. That’s why I’m here — to bridge that gap and help businesses like his grow in ways he never could.
Vadim Chetinin
Managing Partner, Cloud Sentinel MSP
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