💰 How to Make $6M on Upwork: A Real Case Study | Sales Mates Podcast #69

💸 Hey friends!

In episode 69 of the Sales Mates Podcast, our guest is Kyrylo Kozak, who made over $6,000,000 on Upwork in just 8 years. But it all started with failure: a 60% rating, project flops, and complete confusion about what to do next. How did he turn things around and end up working with Amazon and GoDaddy? Listen to the episode to find out.

AI automation for Upwork agencies you may find here. 
🔥 50% off the first month with promo code: PODCAST50

📌 In this episode:

00:00:00 – Intro. Who is Kyrylo and how did he get on Upwork
00:02:40 – From failure on Upwork to $6–7M in profit
00:04:35 – What will change on Upwork in 2025 and how to take advantage of it
00:06:01 – The invite algorithm: how to pay less and get more
00:09:38 – Reaching $6–7M in revenue from failure on Upwork
00:12:31 – Cover letters that don’t look like they were written by ChatGPT
00:17:00 – How to properly conduct calls with clients
00:25:41 – Getmany: AI assistant for Upwork agencies
00:28:03 – Enterprise clients: Amazon, GoDaddy, badges, filters

👉 Watch this episode so you don’t miss the 2025 wave!

Summary

This episode of the podcast explores Kyrylo’s journey on the Upwork platform, his path to success, profile optimization, client acquisition strategies, the importance of communication, and the use of artificial intelligence in daily work. Kyrylo shares practical tips and his philosophy of success, emphasizing the value of focus and truly listening to clients. The conversation touches on key challenges and opportunities entrepreneurs face in an increasingly competitive and fast-changing environment. It highlights the importance of automation and innovation in product development, as well as the realities of working on Upwork — including how to attract major clients and build a strong presence. The episode concludes with an exclusive offer for podcast listeners.

Takeaways

• Kyrylo started working on Upwork in 2016.

• He earned $6–7 million over the course of his career.

• Optimizing your Upwork profile is critically important.

• Clients want to work with real people, not bots.

• Listening to the client is key to successful communication.

• It’s crucial not to fail at the deal-closing stage.

• AI can help write effective cover letters.

• Focusing on one niche yields better results.

• Regularly updating your profile increases your chances of success.

• Clients already know a lot about you — don’t mess it up.

• Competition is growing, and it’s important to stay on top of trends.

• Automation is a key element of business success.

• Big clients are accessible on Upwork, but you need to know how to attract them.

• Personalization strategies help attract clients.

• You need expertise in new technologies to stay competitive.

• Understanding your market and clients is critical for success.

• Having a clear strategy for working with enterprise clients is essential.

• Leveraging algorithms can significantly boost business efficiency.

• Attracting clients requires a personalized approach and solid research.

• Exclusive offers can help draw in new clients.

👤 Guest

Kyrylo Kozak — an entrepreneur who started building WordPress websites for Ukrainian businesses and grew into an agency with 70+ people. Over 8 years on Upwork, he made over $6M in revenue, worked with global giants, developed the AI product Getmany, and shares Upwork expertise as a blogger and consultant.

🔗 Guest Contacts: Telegram

Hosts: Anton Fedulov and Oleksii Sinichenko

Get practical advice from two successful sales managers who share the secrets behind their success, personal stories, and strategies — plus interesting guests, fun stories from the daily life of salespeople. Watch and listen online on our YouTube channel: Sales Mates Podcast

Don’t forget to subscribe to our YouTube channel: /@salesmatespodcast

Thanks for being with us! Follow us on social media:

Oleksii Sinichenko:

1. LinkedIn

2. Facebook

Anton Fedulov:

1. LinkedIn

2. Facebook

Sales Label Community:

• Telegram

• Instagram

• Threads

• TikTok

• Facebook

• Apple Podcast