Business, Professional Activities

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How Did My Professional Career Begin?

Current Areas of Interest

For details, see: 💼Current Business Interests

Decision-Making Strategy

When I consider exiting a business, my approach is similar to how I decide whether to enter it or make decisions within it. Sometimes I think through the situation much more carefully when I’m still inside the business than when I leave it. I may suddenly realize that my involvement in a given project is no longer necessary.

I rely on a set of focal points when making decisions:

• My vision of the project and my own internal feelings about it.
• Opinions and insights from my teachers and mentors.
• Advice and perspectives from close friends and acquaintances.
• Positions and opinions of my business partners.
• The impact of the decision on the company’s employees and customers.
• The strategic and key goals of the business.
• The business’s legal and financial security.

If I notice certain signals across these areas, I understand that the time has come to make a decision. This approach applies not only in business but also in personal relationships, changing one’s place of residence, raising children, and other aspects of life. The main difference is that in family or personal decisions there are no “clients” or similar professional categories. Ultimately, decisions are made based on my internal state and intuitive feelings.

I’m aware of my ability to make decisions. Many people think there’s a certain timeframe for making a decision. But in reality, all businesses and relationships will end sooner or later. From this perspective, I try not to judge my decisions by whether there was “enough time.” Instead, I look at whether everything that needed to happen to complete that stage or leave that business has occurred. It’s important to determine whether it’s the right moment and understand what’s driving my decision: am I leaving out of fear, or because I realize I no longer need to be in that business?

In life, there have often been situations where something pushed me out, especially if the departure was accompanied by conflict. Sometimes the exit happens naturally, other times you have to leave despite difficulties. Conflicts primarily arise internally or stem from recurring patterns. The key is not to leave out of weakness, not to run away from something, but to do so consciously and from a place of strength, stemming from a well-formed decision.

For example, when I left “Business Molodost,” I did so to preserve my own state and no longer live in that conflict. I simply did it—I left—because I can make decisions quickly. Was that a good thing? I don’t think so. Perhaps I should have taken a more measured approach, given myself time to think it through. It’s important to act not out of worry or hardship, but out of the need to do what must be done at the time.

There are also departures from business and partnerships accepted quite solidly, seriously, and with full understanding. For example, my exit from GeekBrains was entirely clear and precise. In other cases, like leaving Megaplan, the decision was made instantly and on impulse. At that time, I was attracted by the future partnership in “Business Molodost” and the forthcoming money, the idea, and the dream. I just came in and said, “I’m leaving.” There was no need to stay and think it over. I made a great, quick, super-right decision.

Choosing the Next Step in Professional Activities

When making decisions, I sometimes rely on intuition, other times on measurable parameters related to the business, knowing what can be achieved within it.

The main thing is to understand why I’m involved in or launching this business. That’s fundamental. Why am I doing it? A goal isn’t necessarily about having specific expectations. Sometimes the goal is simply to engage in this business because I know I need to do it now. Or the goal might be to earn a lot of money, and then I define what “a lot” means to me. Or maybe I just want to do business with this specific person. Or I’m doing it because it’s an interesting field where something large-scale and new can be created. It’s important to clearly define what matters most and why I’m doing it. Knowing this, you live differently.

Often, when looking at a certain business, we think we know their goals because we’ve formed some impression, but in reality, we haven’t truly figured it out.

For example, at the start of 2023, I joined venture fund. Someone might say I joined to make money. But I didn’t. My main goal was to immerse myself in the venture investment market and more closely engage with the Silicon Valley atmosphere. Why is it important for me to remember the initial impulse? This approach keeps me from building illusions and expectations. Suppose the fund doesn’t make any money; I won’t blame them or accuse them of misleading me.

Can a goal transform or change, and might I eventually join funds or stay in this fund for money’s sake? Yes, it can. That’s why I make decisions based on the goal. In the end, I also leave businesses or change directions guided by some goal.

What is a goal? I don’t live by goals. For me, a goal is more like understanding the direction of movement: why I’m doing this business or pursuing this partnership. If I see that the business or partnership isn’t leading me toward achieving the goals—why stay there? That’s an illusion.

I often use an example: People start a business to earn a million dollars a year, but then they open another project in parallel that brings in a hundred million dollars a year. Does a partner have the right to say: “Wait, I don’t want to run the first business anymore. My main life goal has changed”? Another partner might say: “No, I want to change the business itself.” The question is, who’s doing what and why? That’s why I’m always reassessing my direction.

Principles matter to me. For instance, I won’t join a business or partnership that violates universal truths and laws: don’t kill, don’t deceive, and so on. If it conflicts with my foundation, I won’t engage in that business.

For me, business or partnership is a tool on my life’s path, not its foundation. I don’t let business dictate terms like: “You must abandon your children because…” I’ve heard such things in partnerships. I’m not willing to do that. Even if the business aims to earn 10 million dollars but conflicts with my core principles, I’ll refuse. I have a higher, very clear foundation.

That’s why it’s important for me to have open discussions. If I enter a partnership, I try to convey what’s inside me and why I need it, and also learn what the other person needs.

Next, it’s important to see the goal. Once the goal is defined, we lay out a strategy to achieve it and identify which parameters influence reaching the goal. If my goal is net profit, then my parameters are revenue volume, customer acquisition cost, and customer LTV. Then I explain the principles I rely on to build a kind of boundary. Can it be expanded or moved? Yes. It’s not a concrete wall. But if we agreed on a principle of honest financial accounting and legal business operations, then that’s how the business will be.

As we work, on a day-to-day basis, I assess whether these tasks align with these principles and lead us to achieve the main goal of the business. If I see that tasks don’t help reach the goal or that the entire business has changed its orientation, at that moment, I say to myself, “Stop! I won’t stay there any longer.”

Fundamental Business Principles

Fundamental business principles depend on my role, the type of business, its location, and its scale. If I’ve entered a business and I’m playing a significant operational role or acting as CEO, that’s one scenario. If I’m one of the owners, that’s slightly different. If I’m a minority shareholder, my own principles will differ yet again.

Are there universal principles for all companies? Relatively. It all depends on the environment and the people involved. There are things I’ll never do since they contradict my life principles. For instance, I won’t be part of a business based on theft, legal instability, or exploitation. I also won’t engage in a business that robs me of my personal freedom. These principles are the foundation of my life path.

It’s crucial to understand the goal to define these principles. Why are we doing this business? To generate profit, become the world’s most famous company, gain power, impress friends and acquaintances, help the maximum number of people, achieve a scientific or technological breakthrough, or simply have a workplace we control? Determining the goal is the key step.

Then, within that goal, we can build a strategy and establish principles: how we will achieve the goal and what we rely on from the standpoint of these principles. How are they chosen? It depends on many factors—industry, country, type of customers, partnership specifics, and who’s leading the business. Principles vary depending on who manages the business. If I have a large stake, I try to introduce more substantial rules, like a transparent financial accounting system. If I have a smaller stake, I might ignore this principle. It also depends on the field. If the business is just for joint activities with a partner or a group of people, maybe financial accounting isn’t crucial for me, as it might be a burden or a problem for the partnership. It all depends on the goal. What is the goal of this business?

In my life, I’ve consulted and helped thousands of people—from regular employees and sales managers to serious business owners managing hundreds of millions or even billions of dollars. And understanding the goal is a huge problem. One of the most important business issues I often highlight in my courses and mentorship sessions on business management is that a person might have a goal, strategies, principles, and tasks, but they’re completely misaligned. People tackle tasks that don’t lead them to the goal or don’t align with the strategy. This problem exists. However, the fundamental problem is that many people don’t realize their goal at all. It’s not a solid, precise foundation for them.

I always see what needs to be done. I focus quickly and understand what the business truly needs. Any proposals or ideas of mine will be based on the goal. If a person doesn’t know their goal, all other actions become pointless. Why are you even here? Around a clearly defined goal, business strategies, principles, and tasks, as well as people’s expectations, form quickly because people tend to have expectations. Sometimes expectations are necessary, sometimes not.

For example, recently I went to a party without any expectations. Many people go to a party expecting to relax, recharge, dance, eat, drink, enjoy nature, socialize, find clients or partners, establish personal relationships, or find contractors. I came with no expectations. Because if I have expectations, I should at least discuss them with those who invited me. Initially, they described the party as fun and a place to have a great time. But I don’t buy into that illusion. I understand it could happen—or maybe not. I also acknowledge that I might not have a good time, not find partners or contractors, and the food or nature might not be great. By doing this, I don’t cause myself suffering or create dependency for those who invited me. On the other hand, going without expectation, the party turns out to be really great.

In business, the key is understanding the true goal. Many people actually know their goals deep inside, but not always realize them or articulate them. There’s always a goal, principles, and a strategy somewhere in their subconscious.

For instance, three days ago an engineer from Google asked: “I want to start a business selling T-shirts with prints. How do I do it?” People start giving him advice. I tried to clarify his true intentions, his goal. He couldn’t answer. Does he want money? To boost his ego? Help people? Try entrepreneurship? Get praised by his wife? That’s crucial. Because if he wants money, that’s one thing; if he wants to try entrepreneurship, that’s another. If he wants to earn money, he could just sell his time as an advisor at $500/hour. Why deal with something 100,000 other people can do if you can do something only one in 100,000 can? That’s why giving advice without knowing the true goal makes no sense.

Understanding the true goal of any endeavor—be it business, a personal project, or an idea—is key to success. Only then can you truly recommend something to a person. Everything else is your own illusion. You invented their goal for them.

Recently in our group, someone asked: “How do I launch marketing from the standpoint of a landing page? What does it mean to create a good landing page? Tell me.” I asked: “Why do you need it?” He answered: “It doesn’t matter. I just need the task.” I realized he had no clear goal, which is pointless, and I curtly said: “Then $5000/hour and I’ll tell you.” And I stopped paying attention to that request.

More About Business Goals

First, I look at my own goal. Of course, I check if it aligns with others’ goals, if there’s overlap in our direction. Then I look inside myself to see what might come next. The point of intersection can vary. I have my goal, another person has theirs—that’s perfectly natural. Then, in this business, can we combine our parameters and come up with some idea?

For example, consider real estate. Someone’s been in it for a long time, earning decent money with a small number of deals. I say: “Can we make a large number of deals?” We discuss and find that we can. I’m interested in increasing the number of deals; he’s also interested in growing this business. But if the deal volume is small, I won’t be involved. If it’s large, something new might emerge in this partnership. A new goal might appear, and the partnership might develop into something unique. But there’s a certain stage we’re aiming for right now.

Choosing a Business Strategy

How do I choose a strategy? I have an internal strength that sees, knows, feels, and understands. I think very broadly; my perceptual profile is extensive. I can easily advise both the owner of a small beauty salon and the owner of a billion-dollar enterprise. My range of actions in business is wide. Forming actions and strategies is an inner knowledge. As odd as that sounds, it is what it is.

Can I rely on mentors, acquaintances, books, education, information I’ve read, my own experience, other businesses, competitors, or partners? I can. But I can also choose not to. The question isn’t where the information comes from, but the correct selection and application of it.

One shouldn’t build illusions based on their own experience. In my case, just because I significantly influenced the creation of a large educational company in Russia, such as “Business Molodost,” doesn’t mean I should replicate the exact approach to build a similar company. I don’t build illusions. In some aspects, I can use past experience; in others, I need a completely new approach. Coaches, mentors, or books might say, “Follow these rules and principles; rely on these concepts. This company has been successful for 867 years doing so.” Others might say, “Forget everything that came before. Look at everything anew and allow for new possibilities.”

Because the combination of decisions and actions is incredibly varied, the ability to navigate them, identify, and recognize them all is crucial. If I’m focusing on strategy, I can generate 500 different options, then pick from them or immediately name five main points. They’ll differ—I can’t name them now because they depend on the specific goal. Everything depends on the goal.

If my goal is to open a coffee shop in Los Altos Hills, a well-known spot in Silicon Valley, can I assume that the strategy will match that of creating a $100 billion educational company? I think not a single point would match. Maybe I’m opening the coffee shop for my own enjoyment—just because I like being there—or because it’s my partner’s entire world and I want to support him. We can adopt his goal as our common one for this business. Or maybe we want to create a new coffee chain that competes with Starbucks and is valued at $100 billion. There’s a massive difference in approaches, how we live, work, and develop professionally.

This isn’t idle talk or lack of knowledge. It’s the ability to make the right decision and take the right action for a specific situation. If I open the coffee shop because it’s important to my partner, I immediately ask: “Are we ready to invest in it? Should it be profitable or not?” If it doesn’t matter, how much can the coffee shop consume per month—$10,000, for example? Are we willing to spend $5,000 per month for 10 years? If yes, let’s go. We’ve set some parameters. If the coffee shop must be profitable, the strategy changes.

How does the strategy change? Sometimes my wife walks around the city and wonders, “Sasha, do these stores even make money? How do they earn anything?” I reply: “Who said they need to make money? Maybe someone bought art and is just selling it. Or turned the place into a gallery. He’s not doing it for money at all. Maybe they’re open just two hours a day.” The same with the coffee shop: maybe we only serve coffee from 9 to 11 a.m. twice a week. Why not? Then we define in advance that we’re doing it for enjoyment.

But who will run this business? I might say: “I can’t fully commit. I’ll help, but I won’t be fully involved.” If my partner is willing to handle it, great. If he can’t, then we might have to close or rethink the situation. Maybe we need to hire someone, raising expenses to $40,000 or hire a star for $100,000 a month. Or maybe we don’t need anyone at all and can organize it with trusted employees, building the right system and infrastructure. That’s the incredible difference.

If we want to scale a network of unprofitable family coffee shops meant for enjoyment and then sell it, we must ask: “Who will handle the scaling?” I might say: “Actually, I’m interested in doing it because such a network might be worth billions of dollars.” Someone else might protest: “It can’t be worth that much; it has no revenue.” I’d say, “That’s a big question.” Creating such a network could create a community, a club of people. Thus, the strategy is to form a club where people selected by a certain principle or those who open such coffee shops in their cities gather. For this, we need 5,000 coffee shops opened by people willing to invest $10,000-$20,000 a month to create a local gathering spot for ideas, contacts, spiritual reflections, galleries, creative impulses, or tech events—hackathons, workshops—held at the coffee shop. Then the strategy evolves differently. We realize it can be worth money. If we say we don’t need money, it’s easier to open. But if we need money, it’s important to understand why it can have value. Perhaps 5,000 coffee shops run by wealthy individuals hosting events can be valuable. But 5,000 regular coffee shops, opened by anyone, where something uncontrollable happens and no revenue is generated—that’s a different story.

Building a Management System

I am a strong, genuine manager and a good businessman. At the same time, I’m a good employee capable of performing specific tasks thoroughly and well. These combined qualities make me a good manager, businessman, and employee simultaneously. At any given moment, you step into a certain role.

My management system is constantly evolving. It differs from how I managed 5 or 10 years ago and how I manage now. They’re completely different approaches. Comparing them is abstract and illusory. I have an internal management system formed from my life experience. It includes 8 fundamental blocks:

1. Acquisition — everything related to marketing and customer acquisition.
2. Sales — converting people into customers.
3. Product — serving customers, delivering services or producing goods.

And 5 supporting blocks:

1. Personnel
2. Finance
3. Security
4. Management
5. Development

When I enter any system or company, I think within these 8 blocks. Each block has key success factors—focus areas that best contribute to achieving the set goal in line with strategy, principles, and certain tasks.

This fundamental part outlines about 120 different success factors. What’s a success factor? In finance, a success factor might be having daily updated financial reports. In marketing, it could be multi-channel approaches and a wide variety of acquisition channels. In sales, it might be an automated system tracking all client interactions. There are different success factors I rely on. I possess more than 1,000 such factors. Starting from these 8 zones, I begin to interact and make various decisions.

For me, it’s important to cover all zones. If I’m managing, I keep an eye on everything—from marketing and lead generation to legal documents for clients and employees. This is easy and clear to me.

In any business I join, I immediately implement complex, effective financial accounting systems. Each of these systems has its foundations, principles, and rules for decision-making.

Because of my broad understanding—of finance, accounting, programming, and technology—I can easily switch between communicating with programmers and reviewing certain details, then quickly adjusting financial aspects.

I always ask myself: “Where do I get deeply involved and fully work things out, and where do I let people do what they believe is right?” For example, I may let accounting work as they see fit, since their main task is to submit documents correctly. This doesn’t affect my operational business movement. But in other cases, I may thoroughly review accounting if it’s crucial for decision-making, risk assessment, etc. For instance, I might check how and when employee bonuses are allocated and how that reflects in the accounting records.

The depth of my involvement in certain business aspects depends on many factors: the situation with clients, the company’s legal and financial security, the partners’ desires, my own goals, shareholders’ interests, and the team’s overall work. It’s a whole spectrum I rely on when making decisions.

When managing, I always start from having a main goal, strategies, principles, and specific parameters that influence achieving that goal and define the tasks to be done. I try to manage so that each task leads to the main goal. Thus, in organizing systems, I can have very “turquoise” processes with creative freedom, or a strict authoritarian approach where every action is tightly controlled.

In finance, different approaches may apply: some payments might require years of approval, while others are paid within 10 minutes under strict control.

The hiring and firing of employees can also vary: sometimes we hire someone very quickly, other times it takes a long time. With some people, we build long-term relationships; with others, they’re short-lived.

Hiring Personnel Strategy

In the personnel field, there are also two approaches: one is a system that handles recruitment, termination, and employee development; the other is forming a core team. These are different approaches to managing a team.

What does teamwork mean? Which team is the foundation of the business’s functioning? It’s important to know who’s on the team, their roles, and their locations. With whom must I interact directly, and who, despite limited interaction, still form the core of the company? This is a crucial point I always pay attention to, as it determines which team I’m working with.

For example, when managing GeekBrains, I dealt with more than 30 directors, of which about 15-20 were top managers, and 10-15 were directors at the next hierarchy levels whom I interacted with directly. There were also always employees I kept in touch with. This gave me a clear understanding of what to base my managerial decisions on.

There are large, good companies that say: “We don’t have any open positions right now.” Actually, there are always positions available. It’s a matter of finding the right person. I always have positions. I can create a role for the right individual, or even adjust the team structure. I’m always mindful of which team and core I need to form, who should be there, and what qualities they should have.

In a company, two important principles for me are:

1. Hiring new people, monitoring current employees, always looking for new talents for the business and company.
2. Attention to the customer—understanding their needs and wants.

In the area of hiring, I have a system I build. It’s based on understanding that different positions require different hiring approaches. This means for some positions—be it a design director or a project manager—it’s crucial that the HR system provides a flow of new candidates. But I’ll personally interview them. In other cases, we need a system that hires and fires staff automatically.

So, in HR, I have divisions and areas that help solve different tasks effectively. For example, how to get many candidates for a position, how to process them and bring them to an interview, and how to conduct the interview and successfully onboard new employees. Depending on the specific task, I determine which employees will be involved at each stage of the process.

Team Formation Rules

In forming a team, I allow for varied approaches. Sometimes I hire a person based on intuition, without numerous interviews; other times, I need detailed checks and even a polygraph. Every position and every person requires a unique approach, whether it’s a lengthy hiring process or a quick decision.

It all depends greatly on the specifics of the business. Principles of personnel management can differ drastically from one company to another. In some cases, strict control and discipline are necessary, while in others, employees need a certain level of freedom.

We’re not talking about abstract concepts but specific businesses—be it a coffee shop with two employees or a chain of 10,000 coffee shops. Company size greatly influences decision-making and the application of principles in personnel management.

Can the same approaches be applied universally? Sure, but it’s always a question of goals. For example, in one case a principle might be to hire only very smart people if the goal is a cutting-edge technology project needing the best scientists. In another case, if we’re focused on efficiency, we might hire simpler executors and rely on automation. Approaches can vary: hire only women, only men, young specialists, or experienced professionals. It all depends on the specifics of the business, its goals, strategy, and principles.

Going back: every action in the company should be based on strategy and principles, guiding us toward the main goals. If, for example, someone proposes hiring salespeople who wear expensive suits, we first analyze whether this aligns with our strategies and principles. If our strategy includes this point as important, great—we hire only such people. If not, we discard this idea.

Time Management and Handling Multiple Businesses

I can’t say I’m involved in an enormous number of projects or that I spend a huge amount of time. I could do much more. From the standpoint of my capabilities, right now I feel quite free and flexible.

Why can I do this? Because that’s who I am. It’s connected to my personal development system, what matters to me in life, my values and beliefs. I live in freedom. Someone might think it’s a huge number of actions and decisions, but for me, it’s not.

I often give an example about time: if I put the number of daily tasks I handle onto my mother, it would cause her tremendous stress. Her system would explode. But that doesn’t mean she’s bad or good. It just shows the difference in approach to task volume. For me, it’s free and easy; I feel no stress. I don’t have a complex system of accounting or pre-planning.

I’m quite experienced in accounting systems. I’ve taught tens of thousands of different people how to work with assistants, manage calendars, files, etc. But that’s not the main point.

For example, I’ve always gone to bed early, woken up early, and got a good night’s sleep. Always. There’s no effort in that. Sometimes I’d like to sleep more, but getting up at 5:30 a.m. is natural for me. For others, that might be a life achievement, but for me, it’s a natural process that requires no special effort. It’s not about methods and rules.

I’m always immersed in a large number of tasks. Besides work, I have many family responsibilities. For instance, my wife doesn’t handle finances, accounting, cards, accounts, or payments—that’s all on me. Each of us has our own responsibilities, and at the same time, I have freedom of choice. I spend a lot of time with my children and talk with loved ones. We don’t need a calendar to spend time together.

Recently, I saw a proposal for an app that would help men remember they need to spend time with their wives, offering suggestions on how. That’s an illusion. Supporting such a tool can be nice, but the point isn’t where you go or what you do. The point is whether you feel good with your wife anywhere. It doesn’t matter where you are or what you do, or if you specifically need to plan something.

Although I usually remember many things, I can forget to do something. Sometimes I try to be simpler, deliberately letting go of attention. For example, now and in recent years, I don’t work with strict assistants controlling my calendar. Could I work that way? Sure. But I give myself some freedom. If I decide to work from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m., I’ll just do it.

What difference does it make whether I make 15 business contacts a day or none? It’s not about the amount of time. If you can quickly identify the right task and not get stuck in it, that’s the fundamental success—knowing which right task to tackle now, the single best action to take. After all, my work isn’t physical labor, like mowing the lawn, where my output depends on time. I can’t mow 100 square meters in a minute. But in business, a correct decision can be made in five seconds, while someone else might never make it or spend years on it.

Fundamental success is the ability to notice and do something important immediately—quickly determine what needs to be done. Many might say, “You need attention for that.” No, it’s not about attention.

In business management, I often face situations where someone comes to me with problems related to taxes or accounting—problems that arise because they haven’t been managed properly for a long time. In my case, I automatically implement the right financial accounting system into business processes. It happens almost intuitively, effortlessly. Just as easily as cooking food.

I cook a lot and have a lot of experience. I can cook meat on the grill, in a pan, in the oven, in a tagine, a tandoor, sous vide, etc. Not just meat. Even if I follow recipes for something special, I rarely measure spices in exact grams. Someone who cooks doesn’t need that; I rely on experience and intuition. I don’t question how—it’s already clear. It’s an automatic action, like driving a car or chopping vegetables in the kitchen.

For example, at an event, I saw a woman reheating vegetables. I immediately realized that the vegetables, which had been in the oven, remained cold, even though I didn’t know the oven’s temperature. I mentioned this to the person I was talking to. He didn’t pay attention to my comment, but after trying them, he said, “They really didn’t heat up.” How did I know? Intuition based on experience. Just like a gardener who understands flowers doesn’t need constant instructions. He may glance at something, but he understands what he’s doing. He knows the end goal.

When you’re in your element, handling a large number of tasks isn’t difficult. Cooking for 20 people is absolutely no effort for me, while other tasks might stress me out.

In business and handling large volumes of tasks, I’m comfortable. It’s always been that way. I have a principle: better to complete 300 out of 500 tasks than 10 out of 10. What’s the essence? I’m oriented toward a large number of tasks. But in critical moments, like when I need to pick up the kids from school, I’ll do 10 out of 10.

I’m not afraid of large numbers of tasks and I approach them easily. It’s freedom. I always have lots of notes, papers, tasks. Sometimes I need to just let go, relax, and sit quietly. Interestingly, I can be alone with myself. I can sit quietly on the couch for three hours, just staring ahead.

When I lived in Moscow and rode with a driver, people asked if I worked in the car or listened to books. No, I just looked out the window. During COVID-19, of course, I started taking some calls from the car due to Zoom and online meetings. But I’ve always loved just looking out the window, doing nothing. If I’m riding with my wife, we never listen to audiobooks. We just drive.

If I were told: “Sasha, you need to spend two weeks in the forest,” I’d agree. I have no problem being alone with myself. I can easily accept any task, any approach calmly and neutrally, acknowledging its possibility.

What does it mean to accept something as possible? It means understanding that anything can happen—any business, any partnership might succeed or fail. Accepting the possibility that I could die tomorrow. Can I accept the possibility of my own death? Probably yes. Do I want to die tomorrow? Probably not. But if I knew it would happen, maybe I’d change my plans for today. I don’t live under the illusion that I control everything or know exactly what will happen. This lets me exist in a state of rich, expansive life.

A rich, expansive life to me isn’t about the number of completed actions or tasks. It’s more about a huge flow of events, where right now I’m simultaneously enjoying tea, maintaining contact with the operator who’s filming and taking photos, observing what’s happening around us. A rich life is also about knowing when to stand up, go outside, and ask the kids to be quiet because we’re filming at my home. A rich, good life is also noticing the world around me—trees, birds, squirrels—thinking about future projects, how this material will be used on Instagram or YouTube, how it will be perceived by my partners and employees. How you’ll use this information and where it will be applied. I consider image quality and lighting.

Such a world exists in my head all day long. I also think about where we’ll have lunch, whether we’ll go somewhere, whether we’ll play today. Tomorrow my mom arrives—I should check where she’s registered. All these thoughts run parallel to business tasks and other affairs. Or maybe I won’t have that flow of thoughts, depending on the energy I need to convey and absorb at that moment.

It’s the state where I realize that even the title of a book on a shelf can influence someone’s perception. I wonder whether to open the cabinet or not. This is a state of various processes and thoughts going on in my head.

When asked how I come up with strategies or solve tasks—that’s how. None of my stories are abstract; they’re all real. How you appear, what happens, where and how something will be used, what the risks, problems, pros, and cons are, and various circumstances—it’s all in my head.

I allowed for the possibility that today’s filming might not work out. If it starts to pour rain, we can’t shoot, or the recording has an echo. I’m prepared for something to go wrong, and if it does, I accept it calmly and move on.

What remains unchanged? Fundamentally, my life and my core remain unchanged. I continue to live in accordance with universal laws and truth, and that’s what matters most to me.

Future Professional Achievements

Initially, I thought it might be difficult to talk about specific professional things, because it’s not a requirement for me. But there are things I’d find interesting.

For example, creating an active global community, both offline and online, with hundreds of thousands of people. I’d be interested in building a large offline center in the U.S. and making it a global hub for educational processes, combining online and offline formats.

Of course, I like creating large-scale, technological projects. It would be interesting to create or manage a major global tech company. But not just create or manage—rather, have a significant influence in that sphere. That would be truly cool.

I’d also be interested in encountering a different scale of money, a larger volume of financial operations in my professional realm. It’s the change in scale and financial scope that I find attractive.

These three areas are the most significant and interesting directions for me.

• Details about Partnership
• Learn about mentorship, Advisory: Mentorship
• About Technologies, IT
• About Current Business Interests
• About Personal Journey
• A description of one-time and long-term mentoring for business owners or their businesses, personal consultations, and individual mentorship is available at this link: Personal Mentorship by Alexander Volchek.