Can you be asocial and successful? Interview with Evgeny Chichvarkin

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

Only in an exclusive interview with Evgeny Chichvarkin specially for the Lifehacker - the most important life hacks for a successful, self-confident and harmonious person

Chichvarkin Evgeny - the creator of Euroset in Russia, and then in Great Britain - a very interesting and extraordinary personality. Eugene started trading in the market, later switched to mobile phones and built a giant empire.

Eugene of the times of Euroset was remembered by everyone as an extremely demanding leader. In his salon, they could be fired for everything: for queues at the checkout, for empty shelves, for the smell from an employee. He did everything possible and impossible to make the client happy, and led an extremely aggressive policy of expansion in the market.

When you read Max Kotin's book about Chichvarkin, one gets the impression that Chichvarkin is a madman, a man fixated on trade and money. But an interview with him completely changes this idea.

I live a normal life. I am not an unusual person.

I usually wake up at 7:40 am and drink four servings of wheatgrass juice. It's not because of the health benefits, I don't care about my health, but I just drink.

Then I take the child to school, go to study English (editor's note: Eugene assesses his level of English as insufficient).

I usually play polo once or twice a week. This is not to say that I have a job or I work. I just spend time in the office or shop. I work three to four hours a day. I also usually have various meetings during the day. Sometimes I buy something to cook dinner later.

I work so little because I don't have my role in the company.

Now I am reading Anna Karenina.

About planning

It cannot be said about me that I live free today. But I don't plan too much.

I have a dreams.

There is, for example, a dream to return to Russia, but under a different government. Alone, I cannot change anything, but when I feel the opportunity to influence, I will do my best.

I even bought a T-shirt, there is a drawing of a crow behind the glass and the inscription "Waiting for revolution".

About inspiration

I take inspiration from personal relationships.

Advice for someone who is now twenty

• In Ukraine - to seize the moment. There is a chance to change something in the country.
• In Russia - to conduct educational work.
• For everyone - to study a lot, travel to Europe, read books.

About success

I became successful because at first I just wanted to make a lot of money. Then it worked what the boys have - the spirit of rivalry and competition. I wanted to be the best. For some time I competed with the Svyaznoy company, with other competitors. Negotiated with suppliers.

There is no competition in the new business now.

We have chosen a supra-market niche. Made the best store in the world. We originally planned it as the best. Now we are constantly improving it, since the movement towards perfection is endless.

About asociality

I am a very antisocial person.

1. I don't like formal cards, cognac gifts. For example, when a gift comes, I feel obligated. But I don’t want to do something in return. I know right away that I will not answer in any way, so it upsets me. I give gifts only to close people.
2. I do not reply to emails. More precisely, now I'm just learning how to answer them. Six months ago, I would not have answered you, but now, you see, I did.
3. I drive with a driver. I find it difficult to keep track of all these radars, it drives me into stress, so I prefer to pay the driver.
4. I don't care what the majority thinks. Earlier, when there was Euroset, I had to reckon with the opinions of clients. Now I don't care what people think of me.
5. I don't need to prove anything to anyone.

About dreams

My dream is to build a tourist village, add art, experience. Something like. But to reduce the flow.

It will be a place where you can spend from a weekend to the whole summer. A place where both the top officials of a country can meet people of another country, and a presentation of "Bentley" on batteries can be held. Song and folk festivals are held there. There are master classes, like in Mandrogi, pools and villas, like in the Emirates, wine list, like in our store.

There is a positive feeling at all levels. Everything in a national-historical context. Roughly like the farm of Pan Savka near Kiev. The same is near Riga, in Georgia there is "Chateau Mere".

Of course, everything around will be filled with development (shopping centers, amusement parks, hotels, and so on).

I am now living this dream. But it is impossible for me to realize it anywhere except in my country.

10 life hacks from Chichvarkin

1. Doing something for your health, even if you are not sure if there is any benefit from it.
2. Have your own hobby that you want to devote one day a week to.
3. Draw inspiration from relationships.
4. Don't plan, but live the dream.
5. Twenty-year-olds - study a lot, read books, travel to Europe.
6. Give an opportunity to the desire to make money and the desire to compete and be the first to be realized in what you do.
7. Do not give formal gifts just out of politeness or because it is customary.
8. Do not prove anything to anyone.
9. Ignore the majority opinion if the majority are not your customers.
10. To have a dream that moves you forward and gives you strength to wait for a good opportunity to realize it.