How To Effectively Scale A Business: An Interview with Dmitri Liberman

Dmitri Liberman, a seasoned tech executive, mentor, and advisor, has spent years helping startups and established companies scale and achieve sustainable growth. With extensive experience leading key projects at Uber and spearheading the launch and expansion of Bolt Food and Bolt Market, Dmitri is now focused on Port—a startup revolutionising e-vehicle rentals for food delivery riders with its innovative hub-based model. In this interview, Dmitri delves into his journey and shares actionable insights into strategies that drive success in competitive and rapidly evolving markets.

 

Dmitri, could you start by telling us about your career journey and how you became focused on scaling businesses?

 

I began my career during a transformative time when marketplace platforms like Uber were redefining industries by seamlessly connecting service providers—such as drivers—with customers. This period was exciting not just because businesses were evolving, but also because technology was improving and simplifying everyday life in profound ways. Witnessing this impact fueled my passion for technology, and I joined Uber to contribute to scaling several of their key projects.

Uber laid the foundation for my journey into scaling businesses. Later, at Delivery Hero, I managed operations across multiple countries, honing my ability to navigate the complexities of diverse markets. However, my most defining role came at Bolt, where I built and scaled Bolt Food from scratch, growing it into a business spanning 20 countries. I then expanded Bolt Market into 10 countries. Scaling both of these ventures required a sharp focus on efficient operations, innovative commercial strategies, and resource optimisation. Over time, I became deeply involved in strategic scaling—managing investments, crafting operational and product models, and fostering high-performing teams.

Today, as COO of Port, I’m leveraging these experiences to grow Port’s hub-based model for e-vehicle rentals, which has already achieved remarkable success in several markets. Scaling technology businesses has become my passion, and I find great satisfaction in sharing my learnings with startups through mentoring and industry events.

 

Can you tell us more about the e-hub model at Port, and why it’s a game-changer for last-mile delivery?

 

The hub-based model at Port is a transformative solution tailored specifically for food delivery riders, addressing many of the pain points in last-mile delivery. Port provides e-bikes on a subscription basis, with vehicles housed at strategically located hubs equipped with charging stations. Currently, we operate nine hubs in London and one in Stockholm, Sweden. Delivery riders use our e-bikes to fulfil orders for platforms like Uber Eats, Deliveroo, and Just Eat.

What makes Port model revolutionary is that no other company catered to delivery riders with an integrated hub-based model for e-vehicle rentals. The hub-based model tackles multiple challenges simultaneously while enhancing the customer experience. For delivery riders, it minimises downtime by offering seamless access to a large fleet of well-maintained, fully charged e-bikes. For Port, hub-based model and proprietary software and hardware that we’ve built at Port automate and streamline operations like e-vehicle maintenance, lower costs, and eliminate inefficiencies such as charging, parking, and manual battery swapping.

Environmental sustainability is another cornerstone of the hub-based model. By replacing gasoline-powered vehicles with eco-friendly, shared e-bikes, we significantly reduce carbon emissions and contribute to creating greener cities.

Additionally, the hub-based model revitalises underutilised urban spaces. Post-pandemic, many city parking lots operate below capacity. Partnering with parking operators, we transform these spaces into functional e-bike hubs. The model’s flexibility and scalability are key strengths—establishing a new hub takes as little as a month, enabling rapid expansion in high-demand cities. To date, we’ve collaborated with industry leaders such as NCP, Q-Park, APCOA, and Saba, scaling across London and other major cities across Europe.

In just a short time, we’ve grown from zero to 1,000 e-bikes, proving the practicality and efficiency of the hub-based model for all stakeholders. This success underscores the potential of the hub-based e-vehicle rental model tailored for the needs of food delivery riders.

 

You’ve led major expansions at Bolt. How did you adapt operational processes and strategies to fit so many different markets?

 

One of the most important lessons I’ve learned is that expansion requires a hyper-localised approach. A one-size-fits-all strategy rarely works in diverse markets—it’s essential to understand local preferences, consumer behaviour, and cultural nuances. For example, if a platform doesn’t feature the most popular restaurant partners in a region, it simply won’t be competitive, regardless of other strengths. Addressing this, I prioritised analysing detailed local data, studying customer preferences, and mapping the competitive landscape to develop tailored go-to-market and operational strategies.

Take Sweden as an example: customer demand there is heavily skewed toward healthy, organic food options, so we focused on onboarding vegan eateries and salad-focused restaurants. In contrast, affordability dominates in Africa, where fast food chains offering budget-friendly meals are key drivers of demand.

Even within Europe, the diversity in user behaviour is striking. In southern Europe—places like Spain, Italy, and Portugal—order volumes peak late at night, often around 11 PM or midnight, reflecting cultural dining habits. In Portugal, delivery riders mostly use bikes due to favourable weather, whereas in Eastern Europe, cars are the preferred choice because of colder climates and urban layouts.

Each market presents unique logistical and operational challenges, whether it’s adapting fleets to local transport preferences, curating the right restaurant mix, or supporting region-specific payment systems. Embracing these nuances not only drives customer satisfaction but also fosters trust and loyalty among delivery riders and partners.

What factors do you consider when selecting markets for expansion and scaling?

 

When selecting markets for expansion, it’s essential to analyse macro-level factors like technological maturity, population size, and purchasing power. Technological maturity is a critical consideration—how developed is the local market in terms of delivery services? Are consumers accustomed to ordering food online, or do they primarily dine out? Population size and density help determine operational scalability, while purchasing power reveals the market’s capacity to support premium services or higher-margin products. These insights form the foundation for assessing a market’s potential for adoption, profitability, and long-term growth.

Market size and competition levels come next. Even in highly competitive regions where markets appear saturated, opportunities often exist to carve out a niche if the market size justifies it. Conversely, in emerging regions like Africa, where the market is still developing, long-term growth potential can make early entry a strategic advantage.

Leveraging existing brand footprints is also a key factor. For instance, Bolt’s established ride-hailing presence in certain regions provides a significant edge when launching new services. Familiarity with the brand lowers customer acquisition costs and creates cross-selling opportunities, such as promoting Bolt Food or Bolt Market to existing ride-hailing users.

By focusing on factors like technological maturity, population, purchasing power, competition, and brand familiarity, it becomes possible to strategically prioritise markets that align with growth ambitions and deliver sustainable long-term value.

 

Bolt Food was recognised as the fastest-growing brand in the Baltic region in 2021. What drove that rapid growth?

 

The rapid growth of Bolt Food in the Baltic region was fueled by a combination of strong brand recognition, strategic execution, and a relentless focus on customer satisfaction. Bolt’s existing ride-hailing service provided a critical advantage, as customers already trusted the brand for reliable and convenient services, making them more likely to try Bolt Food.

A key strategy for scaling quickly was onboarding a large number of delivery riders early on. This significantly reduced delivery times to just 20–30 minutes, a major win for customer and restaurant partners satisfaction. Providing fast and reliable service encouraged word-of-mouth recommendations, driving organic growth and attracting new customers at a rapid pace.

Operational efficiency played a vital role as well. Advanced dispatch and routing technologies ensured orders were assigned to riders optimally, reducing delays and maximising fleet productivity. Although teams were relatively small, a focus on process optimisation and automation allowed Bolt Food to manage high order volumes effectively. This approach kept costs low, enabled competitive pricing for customers, and ensured delivery riders were well-compensated—a win-win for all stakeholders.

This holistic approach—leveraging brand recognition, building an extensive rider network, enhancing the customer experience, and driving efficiency through innovation—propelled Bolt Food to become the fastest-growing brand in the Baltic region and provided a blueprint for scaling in other regions.

 

How do you determine the right pace for scaling, and what metrics do you focus on?

 

Determining the right pace for scaling is a balance between ambition and sustainability. A tailored growth budget for each region is crucial, factoring in market potential, competition, and available resources. Key performance indicators (KPIs)—including revenue growth, user acquisition rates, customer retention, and return on investment (ROI)—serve as benchmarks. If a region consistently meets or exceeds its targets, additional budget allocation can accelerate growth.

A data-driven, iterative approach is essential. Reviewing scaling efficiency quarterly and annually provides insights into which regions are performing well and where adjustments are needed. Such benchmarking and capital allocation approach ensures resources are focused on high-potential markets while avoiding over-investment in less promising areas.

For instance, when scaling Bolt Market, disciplined investment and planning were paramount. Leveraging detailed market analysis and demand forecasting, the business achieved double-digit million revenue within the first 10 months. This success was not about spending more but spending wisely—streamlining supply chains, optimising operations, and prioritising customer satisfaction ensured rapid yet sustainable growth.

Ultimately, aligning scaling strategy with performance data allows businesses to adapt quickly in high-demand markets while maintaining long-term profitability and resilience.

 

What are the key ingredients for successful scaling, and what challenges have you faced in the process?

 

One of the biggest challenges in scaling is conducting accurate market analysis. Success begins with selecting the right market, crafting a compelling value proposition, assembling a high-performing team, and designing a scaling strategy tailored to local dynamics. For instance, in Poland, where the market was fragmented with several strong competitors, a long-term strategy was necessary. By focusing on steady growth and anticipating market consolidation, Bolt capitalised on emerging opportunities when competitors consolidated or exited.

Adapting to local payment preferences is another challenge. In Africa, many customers prefer topping up digital wallets or paying in cash rather than using credit cards. Customising payment systems to meet these preferences was critical for ensuring a seamless customer experience and driving adoption.

Scaling also requires a flexible operational model, robust technology, and a capable team. At Bolt, a unified tech solution across multiple products allowed for efficient scaling and consistency. This approach minimised complexity and optimised resource utilisation.

Port’s hub-based model exemplifies scalability. Each hub is modular, enabling rapid expansion to meet demand. This adaptability simplifies entry into new markets and optimises operations across diverse urban environments, from dense city centres to suburban areas.

The cornerstone of successful scaling is a relentless focus on the customer. Whether ensuring affordable, fast deliveries at Bolt or offering eco-friendly e-bike rentals at Port, prioritising customer needs drives sustainable growth. When businesses centre their strategies on delivering exceptional value, the results often speak for themselves.