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Hi Yevgeny! Thanks for taking part in our programme In2up Startup Of The Week
How are you?
Everything is good
Today the world knows you not only as a successful entrepreneur
and the founder of the biggest Russian and maybe even world
mobile phone chain store Yevroset
but also as the founder of a new London project
Hedonism Wines
Could you expand on what it is exactly
and how you come up with this idea?
Well, I asked myself what is it that I want to do with the second half of my life?
I can spend lots of time in music stores
and in alcohol shops
So I though that there is a niche on the upper part of the market
I mean there is a gap there that is not really filled
So... Essentially
two years ago we decided to create the best wine shop in the world
and this Friday it’s gonna be one month since we opened it
That’s the story
Evgeny, since you established Hedonism Wines in Mayfair
which is one of the best places in London
could you tell us how good is the current situation in London
in terms of creating new stores, opening new businesses there?
It takes lots of time and it is expensive
Apart from the time and price, everything is favorable
What would be the main difference of Hedonism Wines
from all the other London wine shops?
It is made by perfectionists for perfectionists
It is an ideal place
that surpasses others in many ways!
The location is better
The choice is better
The service and staff are better
The atmosphere inside
The distance between store’s counters
The comfort - everything is better!
We are better then anyone else
We simply created the best project on this market niche
Speaking about perfectionist, as far as I know you worked with Artemy Lebedev
who built a website for you
Yes, true, and it is not entirely ready
but that is because of us
Well, IT is not my best skill
and everything is on a slow but steady way to success
What was it like to work with Artemy?
His motto “Long. Expensive. F..king Awesome” makes sense
That is why I made an order two years ago, two years before the opening of the shop
and paid a lot, really, much more that it would be otherwise
It is really expensive
I mean he totally justifies his motto
Two days ago a British newspaper The Telegraph
published an article about you and your shop
and the author Victoria Moore explained hedonism as
the doctrine that moral can be defined in terms of pleasure
What is hedonism for you
and why did you choose Hedonism Wines as a name?
How did we find this word?
We found it when I was reading “Tasting Notes” by Robert Parker
He applies this word to the best wines
those that bear that pleasure in their essence,
the highest pleasure,
some delight so to say
So yeah, you know, originally...
Just today I recalled that originally we wanted to build a store on Bond Street
and as a name came up with Bond Street Wine Shop
which is quite boring
So it happened that the domain hedonismwines.co.uk was available
together with hedonism.co.uk, it was easy to buy
And we bought both of them
What did we know about this word?
We knew there are some resorts where people do some nasty things, some debauch
However if you read about those resorts normally it is a 3 star hotel
without a fridge in a room
where no public sex is allowed
where they buy some weed through the fence
where only sometimes, during the night, well...
no, obviously you can stay topless there
Where can’t you stay topless? Apart from the UK of course
So...Yeah...
Talking about Christianity
About our version of it, an Orthodox Christianity to be precise
Everything relies on suffering and only it
And the general moral lies, how shall I put it...
It lies in the concept that you will be forgiven for all the sins you committed
via suffering that you have to undergo
The doctrine of hedonism is the exact opposite
The life is given for pleasure
you need to live it to the full and avoid suffering, illnesses and anxiety
You need to indulge yourself
That’s the way humans are created, the moral is to live a good happy life
to quench your interest, to try everything and to visit all the places around
to develop, to get obtain lots of great skills and so on
Evgeny, speaking about the future of Hedonism Wines,
let’s say 2,3,4,5 years, what’s your plan?
I don’t think there is anyone who could pick up any store here which is better than Louis Vuitton
Just to illustrate with an example, right? There is nothing that can be better
If you want to create something great in fashion industry
It’s impossible, completely impossible to ignore the achievements of Louis Vuitton
I mean if it is something exquisite, not some progressive fashion but more of a classic style
It is impossible to create a store without analyzing of what was done in London Louis Vuitton
The same with us. We want to be a benchmark
Something that is impossible to match but that helps others to identify where they are
Some example to emulate
Something that causes jealousy, that is imitated, that is copied
By the way you can come and take a photo of everything around
We do encourage that. If someone copies us we will be happy
It is silly not to let others copy you. If people copy you are like an alpha-crane
ahead of the wedge or, pardon, ahead of the shoal
From the moment of your opening, there was some positive reaction together with criticism in British media
Could you please provide some examples of criticism?
For example, in some comments or blogs people say it is hard to compete
with big companies, with mavens of wine business in England,
that it is challenging to understand what the targeted audience wants
What do you answer to those people as a lieder of your project?
You see, we are not talking about criticism, we are talking about doubts
Doubts?
It would be a criticism if someone says that our sales people are bad
or if we don’t have... let me think... if we don’t have...
Glenmorangie, a 25-years old one. We just received it today
Or if someone was not served properly
Or it is too hot inside for the wine we are storing
This would make it a criticism. Or if our choice is too narrow.
Or if we wrote everything only in Russian and exist only for Russians
Things you mentioned are all doubts
That would be a criticism
and they can be dispelled only with sales
You are right, there is some criticism, but is it not that tough
or big as it can seem
On the £10 wine market - there is a real battlefield
The volumes are huge there and billions are made
In our case everything is more complicated, hard, I can say even painstaking
So to make billions here you’ll have too go...
go to the people
Well, maybe. Or maybe not
The competition here is not as fierce as it might seem
Our sales will be the answer for all those claims
What is the difference between Russian and British markets
in terms of the culture of consumption and business service?
Do you mean the centre of Moscow or Russia?
Let’s take Moscow and London
In Moscow some places are better served. You can build a store faster
Many Russians are perfectionists by their nature
We love more, higher, stronger, brighter and so on
Most of the stores here are contained by permissions and licenses
while in Russia it is possible to pay for that or give a bribe
and do what you think is good
That’s why many stores there are bigger, more beautiful and colorful
Some place boast better and faster service
The middle market service is better in London,
the upper market is service is better in Moscow
That is my opinion. I haven’t been there for 3,5 years hence can not be sure
Once you leave the centre of Moscow you face Soviet nightmare
where a long time, a new generation will be needed to make things as they should be
From the service point London is not the best place
Speaking about serious retailing or selling some serious products
Our neighbour in the building is Porsche central store
Two minutes walk away they sell Bugatti, Bentley, Rolls-Royces 0:13:32.000,0:13:34.000 There is a Bentley store that sells more cars than any other in the world
But again you can’t say that their service is exemplary
I mean Bentley is all right but a bloke from Rolls-Royces is quite arrogant
At least I had this impression
The same with restaurants which are different too. Sometimes you wait and witness their...
their narcissistic arrogance
I think when it comes to service the best place is Hong Kong
London is far away from Hong Kong, let alone Russia
Evgeny, what did you like doing the most when you were 8-9 years old kid?
8-9 years old? Which grade was it? 2-3?
2-3 right
I liked eating (fressing)
Understood, ok
I like eating and girls
No, I did not like girls yet but I definitely liked eating
Some simple childish pleasures. Swimming, eating, walking, playing pranks
I had a collection of matchboxes which reached its apogee when I was 12, maybe even 13
I used to construct some towers from them and initiate battles
I also made tanks and acted as a chief commander for both sides
And you know one of the sides would win. It would take some hostages
which would be sent to concentration camp
You studied in school. Then graduated from the university
Started post-graduate studies and as I know even had some PhD requirements satisfied
What is the role of academic education for an entrepreneur?
We lost each other’s track this days but for a while those guys used to be great drinking pals
Have so much stuff to discuss. Because back in the school
I studied in the school for fools. Half of the students from there become alcoholics by now, no doubt
No obviously there were some wonderful people there
But our place itself...In successful south-western district ours was sort of peasants area
It was many years later that I become aware that our school was a school for fools
Before that, all that time I was trying to figure out what the problem was
So...What was the question again?
The question was about the role of academic education for an entrepreneur?
Yes, now I remember. Well, I graduated from Auto Transport Economy and Management program
And...I’m not really good in finances, sometimes not good at all
IT is something I am far away from
I never used things I learned there directly
On the other hand, what probably helped me even more than the things I learned
is that I met some really smart interesting people
If not an entrepreneurship, what else would you like to do? Some other career maybe?
I did not want to pursue any other career
Two years ago I started a new chapter of my life and decided to go for retail again
I had a conversation with Boris Berezovsky
He said “You’ve got a very promising political potential and it can’t be wasted”, it was about two years ago, so he recommended me to go to politics
I answered that I want to dedicate the second part of my life to retail
He was laughing out loud and reminded it to me a couple of times later
Last time we met at demonstration he reminded me about this talk again
I did exactly what I told him I would. One month ago we opened the best wine shop in the world
And by the way he admitted it
Evgeny, oftentimes you are asked about your favorite book or the book that influenced you the most
In most cases you mention two works. First is Alisa Rosenbaum known to the world as Ayn Rand with her “Atlas shrugged”
and the second is “Loosing my Virginity” by Richard Branson
Why these two books and why entrepreneurs should read them?
Well, “Loosing my Virginity” reminds the way we were building our business, you know, those feelings, striving for excellence, it is a very good reading for everybody
I would add to that list another great book by Maxim Kotin “Even nerds make business”
Again it’s about those feelings and thoughts of someone who opens his first company
A man starts his book shop in Syktyvkar pressured by immense financial limitations
We started our luxurious London shop here having as much money as we need
but the thoughts and feelings are the same! Almost the same, that’s why it is a great reading too
Speaking about Ayn Rand, it’s an essential reading that helps to understand
that everything born in your head is eternally yours, you have all the rights for the yield of what you create
you don’t have to give what belongs to you to anybody and you’re are not alone in that belief,
there are people who think the same way, they do exist, it helps to boost your self-confidence
which is extremely important
As a book “Atlas Shrugged” is not ideal, of course, there are many repetitions, it’s not easy to read
but it is a remedy, the book does have a medical effect, it heals
You need to read it. It’s like a pill from a doctor, an unappetizing, not glazed in sugar
It is not tasty at all. But you have to read it. It purifies your blood
Speaking about the next 10-20 years, in which areas of economy and business new fortunes will be made?
Which industries will produce new Rothschilds during the next 10-20 years?
Imagine a tiled roof, a good solid construction, right? I give the same answer for this question for the last 11 years by the way
So the tiled roof that looks like a tiled roof but is a solar battery in fact
I keep bragging that I fathomed it in 2001, but I did nothing to make this idea happen
Also imagine a battery that is charged and functions during the frost
It needs just few minutes to charge and is applicable in the car. So the one who comes up with the car battery one day...
We use only electrical buggies in our company. We deliver with those vehicles you know, 650 kg buggies
We don’t burn oil. Not a single pound goes to Rosneft!
In one interview for Terafirrma.ru you talked about startups and mentioned the importance of investors institute
Have you ever thought of becoming a business angel, a mentor or an investor in some startups?
I am my own business angel
OK
You know I come up with an idea, found some like-minded people and invested money here
What should a student nowadays do in order to succeed in life and business after graduation?
He should stop obeying
Right
It’s better to listen to yourself
Evgeny, at the end we always have a final part, it’s called differently, normally a “table-tennis set of questions”. You are asked a question with several options to pick up as an answer
Steve Jobs or Bill Gates?
The answer is evident
iPhone, Blackberry or HTC?
The answer is evident again
Tea or coffee?
Both. Depends on the occasion. I love tea a lot and I love coffee too
Going to a party or staying home?
Staying home
Mercedes or BMW?
Everybody dreams of being Sid Vicious but is Joseph Kobzon in reality
I have BMW but my driver got Mercedes
Our project In2up is popular worldwide
Among our audience there are some people who want to startup and create their companies but may have some doubts. What would you advise them?
Let me think
Pull yourself together, sissy!
Don’t be afraid. Everything’s gonna be alright!
That was, is and will be Yevgeny Chichvarkin
from the best wine shop Hedonism Wines
located at 3-7 Davies St., Mayfair in London
Specially for In2up!
No pasarán! Free *** Riot! For Russia without Putin!
Did you hear that noise?
Pretty much so
One of our employees just shot himself