Kitabı oku: «The girl who dared», sayfa 3

After diverse events, I wanted to focus on long-term projects. That’s how I shifted to initiatives requiring a comprehensive approach and aiming for lasting results. Among my clients were leaders in design and in children’s educational toys, construction companies, Russian and international performers, the government of Moscow, as well as corporations like Gazprom International and Comedy Radio.

My goal was always to expand outward, but it was only in that pivotal year that I realized I hadn’t fully explored myself. On the first day of my 31st year, I had no idea I was about to dive into one of the most important cases of my life – getting to know myself. Ahead lay my own life, the exploration of my inner world, my boundaries, and the pursuit of personal, not imposed, interests. Interests that add flavor to life.

It so happened that my life has always been enriched by people who “expand” me and reveal the depth I possess within myself – this is also about clarity. It’s about connections with people who you can learn from, those you want to talk to, and those who you want to walk through life with.

This is what happened with my client, Oksana Stesheva, a woman who showed me how I could look and who I could be at the age of forty-seven, given my own background.

Despite her nearly nonexistent free time, Oksana remains true to her long-standing passions and open to new ones, such as studying and collecting art. She is honest with herself, dedicating time only to what truly interests her; the same applies to her relationships with others – she openly explains her position. She defines her lifestyle and surroundings, which undoubtedly reflect her sense of self-worth.

We spoke for three hours about scale, choices, values and comfort. During this conversation, I realized that such an approach isn’t limited to my generation but extends to much older age groups as well: if I buy something, it’s the best; if I fly, it’s business class; if I work with people, it’s always honest and transparent. People have no boundaries or limitations – only the choice of themselves and their lives. And this is invaluable. If I understand this at thirty-one, where could I be at forty-seven?

Oksana and I dove into collaborative work that I could talk about for hours. No, that’s not quite right! It’s not about the work itself. It’s about the clients I work with. Those who I invest a part of myself and who I deeply believe in.

Having left a high-ranking position in law, I started developing personal projects with my partner. Today, we successfully operate an international holding that includes companies specializing in real estate renovation, international consulting, advertising, marketing, and PR, along with our own manufacturing and investment projects – each of which could be a chapter in its own book.

In all our years of work, we’ve never used our resources to promote the firm’s services. All clients have come to us of their own accord – some through word of mouth, others we’ve met at training sessions and workshops, and even acquainted while seating nearby on airplanes.

Every client collaboration we’ve initiated has felt like pure magic. It’s impossible to explain, but after reading a few examples later, you might be amazed and ask where I hide my magic wand.

However, clarity is also about understanding that no amount of money can compel you to work with a product that doesn’t resonate with your soul.

One of my clients faced a difficult choice long before meeting me. He was contemplating what to do with his life, what kind of business to build, and what it should bring to him and the world. This isn’t about profit, although that is undoubtedly a crucial factor; it’s about how one feels in the world, the emotions experienced when contributing something unique to society, and the legacy one leaves behind.

Spoiler alert: this person made the right choice by listening to his inner feelings. At the time of writing this book, he and his wife managed a top-ranked wooden educational toy factory in Russia, helping parents nurture their children and enabling kids to enjoy meaningful play.

Another parallel example comes from the film Triangle of Sadness by a Swedish director Ruben Östlund, a satirical masterpiece that won the Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival. The movie portrays modern wealthy individuals, including a charming elderly British couple who manufacture hand grenades.

Without delving into a film review, the conclusion is simple: the couple died from the very grenades their company produced.

These two examples highlight the profound impact our actions can have on the world.

The first example – real life – shows a choice made in favor of kindness, benefit, and care for children.

The second – modern social satire – demonstrates the opposite: a story where people paid the price for what they had “offered” the world for years.

When making choices, it’s crucial to internally understand why you’re saying “yes” or ‘no”. I have another intriguing example to demonstrate this.

With a wave of the magic wand, we find ourselves in the winter of 2022. A fiberglass company owner approached me. During our first meeting, vivid images flashed in my mind of the creative promo campaigns we could design and the influencers and bloggers we could engage – in short, I was ready to dive in! But – I didn’t. The value system presented by the owner clashed with my own feelings.

The director was primarily interested in increasing profits. He cared little for the product’s utility, customer care, or other aspects that some might dismiss as lofty ideals – but not me.