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Regular version of the site

HSE Alumni Centre

 

Society

'I Always Knew I Was Doing What’s Right for Me'

'I Always Knew I Was Doing What’s Right for Me'
Any budding economist would dream of rising on the career ladder to the IMF and consulting different countries’ governments on economic policy. HSE alumnus Vadim Khramov tells Success Builder how to move towards new goals, make an impact on the European economy, and put his teaching experience to use in the world of investment banking.

Serious Projects are Born when their Creators are Still at University

Serious Projects are Born when their Creators are Still at University
HSE graduate Sergei Pronin was still studying for his degree in Software Engineering when he and others designed App in the Air, promoted by Apple as a successful mobile project. Sergei now works as the leading developer at Empatika and teaches at HSE. He talked to HSE News about trends in the app market, the unique Russian language course on developing iOS apps and about the principles of teaching in the IT sphere.

'The State should be Run by Philosophers. I Control My Own Nation in My Business'

'The State should be Run by Philosophers. I Control My Own Nation in My Business'
A degree in philosophy does not mean you have to remain a theoretician, and there’s a way to transform basic knowledge into not only a business, but money as well. HSE graduate Ilya Menzeleev, the co-founder of the hip-hop and soul label Hustle Flower, tells Success Builder how the Silver Age of Russian Poetry fits into rhythm and blues, why Russians should love ‘black’ music, and how Aristotle helps the music business.

'Having Your Own Business Is a Daily Source of Motivation'

'Having Your Own Business Is a Daily Source of Motivation'
Starting your own business is usually a good thing, but it’s very scary, especially for someone with an honours diploma and a promising future in finance. Ekaterina Frolova, an ICEF alumna and the founder of CitYkids, a chain of children's centres, tells Success Builder why she forewent a career as a bank clerk to work with children, how to provide young moms with leisure time, and what motivates happy people.

It's Important to Know What You're Better at and What You Can Be Successful at

It's Important to Know What You're Better at and What You Can Be Successful at
Business is fashionable, but how do you know what your calling is? The ‘chocolate baron’ from the International College of Economics and Finance (ICEF), Oleg Guskov, told 'Success Builder' how to build a business around sweets, whether a luxurious lifestyle can motivate you to open your business, whether it’s possible to recoup investments in just a month, and why you should lure in workers from women’s magazines.

'In Business, Not Having Optimism Could Be the Death of You'

'In Business, Not Having Optimism Could Be the Death of You'
You don’t have to invent a new business model, but can simply take one and use it on an existing market with a smaller project that will work for the benefit of the Russian economy. This is what HSE alumnus Pavel Mokrushin, the owner of the café chain  Brusnika  (Lingonberry), did. He tells Success Builder why he studied at HSE after Moscow State, as well as how what he does is better than the warm chair of a clerk and how the small café is able to survive among the 66 restaurants on Maroseyka Street.

'We Shouldn’t Be Afraid to Admit When We Aren’t Yet Capable of Doing Something'

'We Shouldn’t Be Afraid to Admit When We Aren’t Yet Capable of Doing Something'
If you can explain why your project will be a success, investments in your business are guaranteed under any conditions. HSE alumnus and chairman of the board of directors at the 'R-Pharm' group, Alexey Repik, told 'Success Builder' what how to phase out of imports properly, how the government can help entrepreneurs, and how to turn extending people’s lives into a business.

'We Directly Applied Our University Knowledge to Business'

'We Directly Applied Our University Knowledge to Business'
Projects rarely become profitable right away, but if one learns from their mistakes and does not give up, success is sure to follow. In its six years of existence, the Timepad project has had its ups and downs, but in the end it became a market leader. Timepad’s creators – Ludmila Pavlova, Daria Ustyuzhanina, and Artem Kiselev, all HSE alumni – told Success Builder about the advantages of the Russian market, how to avoid spending money on advertising, and how to earn over 100 million rubles without selling your idea.

‘We Are Not Ecologists at All – And That’s a Huge Plus’

‘We Are Not Ecologists at All – And That’s a Huge Plus’
The Recycle project began as an online journal about living an environmentally friendly lifestyle in the city, but in less than a year it went offline into real life. Now its staff members organize recycling collection points, give lectures at large companies and battle the myth that sustainability always has a tinge of craziness. In this edition of ‘Success Builder’, Recycle cofounder Elena Barysheva tells about people’s willingness to change, Wi-Fi enabled recycling centres and inexpensive environmentally friendly products.

'I Create Beautiful Clothing for Beautiful Women'

'I Create Beautiful Clothing for Beautiful Women'
Is it easy being a Russian clothing designer when factories cost, China sews, and discounts on cheap foreign brands can reach 70%? Everything is in authorship. HSE alumna Luda Nukishina tells Success Builder why business must be done in Moscow, how a Russian designer is better than H&M, and how to make things that people will definitely buy.