Предприниматель | Информационно-аналитический журнал - Part 124

How to protect against theft of the idea of ​​a startup?

July 30th, 2012 Журнал «Предприниматель»

Lawyer tells of the Center for Technology and Innovation PwC.

All variety of startups with their lives and stories combines the presence of “chips”, the idea or several ideas that underlie them and give them an advantage over existing businesses.

It was felt that the idea is impossible to guard or defend from attacks. Many entrepreneurs and investors share that view. But it’s not entirely true. Indeed, copyright law does not apply to ideas, and patents protect only individual technical, artistic and engineering achievements. However, this does not mean a complete lack of ways to protect startup.

Below we describe some ways to protect your startup, as well as their comparative advantages and disadvantages. We will not discuss asset protection startups that are connected with his idea, including the protection of computer programs, domain names and trademarks. These decisions should be discussed separately.

Gentleman’s agreement

In this paper the ideas of entrepreneurs often use the so-called gentlemen’s agreement. Such an agreement concluded orally with partners and investors. The idea of ​​a startup disclose certain circle of persons (partners and investors), which, in turn, agree not to transfer the idea to others and do not use it without the knowledge of the entrepreneur.

Advantages: Easy and informal approach. To participate in such an agreement can any citizen, not necessarily registered as a sole proprietorship.

Disadvantages: The practical difficulty of its application. This is due to the fact that there are no clear written obligations of the parties, no data on the volume and substance of the disclosed ideas, no sanctions for violations of the agreement. Seems improbable judgment in favor of the entrepreneur, if he requires an oral perpetrator gentlemen’s agreement. Perhaps more likely is that the entrepreneur will ruin his reputation and gain the specific “known” in the business community.

Confidentiality agreement

Privacy policy, drawn up in writing, is an improved version of a gentlemen’s agreement, without the inherent drawbacks. Written confidentiality agreement is an agreement on mutual rights and obligations of the parties (the entrepreneur reveals how the idea of ​​the party and a partner or investor as a party that takes the idea) on the disclosure and use of the ideas of responsibility for the commitments and other details.

Advantages: The relative simplicity. It is likely judgment for the employer at the request of perpetrator of such an agreement. To participate in such an agreement can any citizen, not necessarily registered as a sole proprietorship.

Disadvantages: Difficulty formulations. Such an agreement will require some effort of the parties, such as the exact formulation of the obligations, or when referring to the spirit and scope of its disclosure, specifying the order of dispute resolution, the size of liability and its application.

Design know-how

Russia is possible for entrepreneurs legalization of know-how. Russian law has a special definition of the term – the know-how means information of any kind (technical, economic, industrial, institutional and others), including the results of intellectual activity in science and technology, as well as information about how to perform professional activities . Such information must have actual or potential commercial value because of the unknown to a third party, any third party should not have free access to such information on a legal basis, in respect of such information, the holder has entered the regime of commercial secrecy.

Advantages: The ability to attract the violator in civil and criminal liability.

Disadvantages: 1. such a method in accordance with Russian legislation is only available to legal entities and individual entrepreneurs. That is, individuals use it is not available.
Two. Mandatory introduction of trade secrets. The entrepreneur should be sure to enter a regime of trade secrets and maintain compliance with its ideas of the requirements established in law. This will have to: determine the list of know-how to set the order of handling and to monitor compliance with this order, maintain a record of everyone who has access to the know-how and to whom it was transferred, to regulate the relationship with employees and contractors, who are also investors and partners , affix a stamp, “trade secret” and specify the owner of these data.

The main advice to entrepreneurs who want to defend the idea of ​​a startup, will focus on the ratio of labor protection method and its effectiveness. For those who are beginning to develop the idea of ​​a product or service, the best choice would be a confidentiality agreement. For situations where the studies were conducted, there is a ready-made formula (model, an algorithm prototype), which will be the core of the enterprise, the introduction of the regime of commercial secrecy and protection of ideas as the know-how.

Experience shows that better pre-prepared to defend business ideas that will make this defense much more effectively. Combine creativity in the development of start-up with the idea of ​​consulting professionals to protect it, and it will contribute to the success of the enterprise as a whole. If correctly formulate the terms of the privacy issue right know-how and thoroughly prepare a defense business, it can help you even in the face of complex legislation and contradictions in the jurisprudence.

Start-up in real estate in crisis

July 30th, 2012 Журнал «Предприниматель»

You can, if the creator has introduced a brand new market for the business model.

Bill Haney and Maura McCarthy took the decision to create a company for the production of prefabricated houses during the 2008 crisis, when the destruction befell many construction companies in the U.S., and it looked like an unexpected, and perhaps folly. They gathered to sell manufactured in a factory, designed by architect homes, corresponding to the “green” standards, designed for one family. Their homes were energy efficient appliances, and construction retains heat well. It was planned to reach an audience of buyers of upper-middle income, with environmental consciousness. Haney says that “since I had the courage to open a new business during a recession, this thing must be really unusual.”

Bill Haney, the owner of forty percent of the company, wears jeans, sport jacket and baseball cap, and free from the production house spends time shooting documentaries. (In his last film “Last Mountain”, he showed how coal is mined by open, which cut off the mountain. This film starred Robert F. Kennedy Jr.). From Maura McCarthy, capitalist, engaged in venture investment, Haney made the acquaintance in 2005 event, World Connect, a nonprofit organization of public health problems of developing countries. McCarthy and provided funds for the production of prefabricated houses.

These prefabricated (modular) design houses have been a popular topic for discussion in architectural journals during the rise in real estate. But the mass production of “green” buildings – in housing construction is an analogue of Toyota Prius – there was no economic effect. Difficult was the task of engineers – to construct a house that can fit on a truck platform, moreover, quite comfortable. In addition, buyers who care about the environment, many individuals are making adjustments. According to a former editor of Dwell magazine Eyrif Ellison, who wrote a book about modular homes in 2002, “the number of options to flow, which prevented the achievement of economic benefit from mass production. In the end, most projects are getting personal, which led to the ruin of some manufacturers. ”

The company Blu Homes, founded by Bill Haney and Maura McCarthy, headquartered in Uolteme, Mass., uses a completely different business model. Their advantage is the use of steel and special software. Their original software improves the automation of the design, production and order houses. A huge steel frames with hinges to help in the placement of the modules of houses on a standard Blu Homes, a width of 260 cm, and a trailer. These solutions enable companies to provide more options to customers and receive a profit. Preparation houses to be sent to the factory and build it in place are going to deliver the same work.

At the start of Blu Homes have managed to attract $ 25 million, as their business plan was realistic enough for a variety of investors, such as Abby Disney, great-niece of Walt Disney. A certain amount of investment has been directed to purchase mkDesigns, well-known manufacturer of prefabricated houses, which was founded by Michelle Kaufmann, San Francisco, and this acquisition provided the company a reputation for Blu Homes ‘green’ profile, and several awards for their architectural projects.

The company Blu Homes from its inception in 2008, managed to build 28 houses in the price range of $ 125,000 – $ 500,000 (this price does not include the price of land) and has received orders for 42 houses. Maura McCarthy hopes that his company supported by Blu Homes on the East Coast of the USA in 2013 to build 50 homes a year and be profitable. In 2011 it was planned to open a factory north of San Francisco. And what will happen again unless the decline in real estate? “Society tends to become more” green “, people try to save energy and maintain a healthier lifestyle – it was a cultural trend, and the economic difficulties will not change it” – says Haney.

In Massachusetts the factory Blu Homes, an area of ​​11,000 square meters. m, collected by the house Glidehouse, an area of ​​150 sq. km. m It is made to order from a retired senior engineer at Boeing in Seattle. The process takes about six weeks. When complete all the work, lay down their walls and floors, like a cardboard box, and the whole house – from the toilets with reduced water flow and ending with the kitchen sink – will fit on the loading platform. The dimensions of each wing of the building in the unfolded state – 5.5 m wide and 14.5 meters in length. When delivered to the construction of an assembly plant for its consolidation and connection of sections of leaves per day, and the other finishing work – about a week.

The system of CATIA, with which architects Blu Homes are constructed folding at home, developed by Dassault Systemes.Eta same program is used by Boeing to design and load testing aircraft. When you need to make changes to the project, the system determines the engineering parameters to calculate the cost estimate and sends for the costs of materials to the factory. Now the company Blu Homes is preparing a new interface with which customers will be able to look at the three-dimensional model of the building in virtual mode and go through thousands of options, starting with the location of the kitchen and finishing trims mark on the windows. The fact that Blu Homes uses steel frames instead of wooden, allows them to build resistance to strong winds and heavy snowfalls homes. Besides steel, the project gives the opportunity to place doors and windows almost anywhere due to lack of load-bearing walls. According to McCarthy, “it’s more like the way cars are constructed than to build houses.”

Indeed, the factory Blu Homes is associated with a large container assembly, and not to the construction site. With the loading area metal structures are sent directly to the shop where the cars are collected into separate parts, which are then welded to produce a framework. After a hitch in the exterior walls of the house rolls are rolled into the next shop, where workers install interior partitions, roof and insulation. Then work with drywall, cabinets and bathrooms. The house is fully assembled at the factory, and then build on the foundation carried out only minor painting and carpentry work. When working with two-story houses set the second floor with a crane.

Customers folding houses Blu Homes – is usually the inhabitants of the West and East coasts of the United States. To increase the speed Haney and McCarthy will have to reach a wider audience, attracting customers like Sandra Beer of the Albany, New York, growers own daughter and working at a regional television channel PBS fund-raising specialist. In 2010 she bought a house Blu Element, an area of ​​94 square meters. m Select the company, it explains the lack of work with many contractors. «Blu Homes just named my price, and I can cope with this” – she said.

Favorable factors for Haney and McCarthy is the patience of investors. “Now the terrible economic situation – said Abby Disney, which invested $ 3 million project – but Bill convinced that in the long run everything will fit properly. You just need to wait, and eventually things will change. “

How to increase sales of wine with your iPhone

July 22nd, 2012 Журнал «Предприниматель»

Way to get adults to drink more of Constellation Brands.

On the question of whether he has time to sit down and enjoy the wine of the company, Chris Fernstrem of Constellation Brands, which is the largest wine producer in the world, just laughs. Rarely, he says. Time director of marketing for wines of this giant American company spends to increase sales – it makes 75 wines, including Robert Mondavi, Estancia and Ravenswood.

The work is complicated. In the U.S. there is little demand for wine over $ 30 per bottle. Active buyers, but rather its remains, at $ 7-15, and a good profit should not wait. Sales in the U.S. last year fell by 3.3% in the financial plan for increasing the volume of only 1.2% (information Beverage Information Group).

Constellation is now having a hard time. In the fourth quarter, revenue from their sales increased by 2% to $ 260 million during the same period decreased sales of distilled spirits, 49% and reached $ 48 million (when the company refused several failed marks), and the volume of beer sales declined by 4 %, to $ 419 million

In Constellation turned to the services of the New York company Viktor, who developed them for the unusual marketing moves to expand the audience considering purchasing a technologically advanced wine connoisseurs are younger than 35 years. Now 47-year-old Fernstremu submitted an application for mobile phones IPhone and BlackBerry, which gives information on the scanned barcode with the bottle – for example, so you can find out where the grapes are grown, from which this wine is made, a description of its taste, compatibility with other products, and read reviews of other wine lovers. You will be able to get all this information simply by lifting the bottle in the photo.

With this application, customers can create custom profiles, leave comments and send them to Facebook and Twitter make recommendations about the drinks. For the Constellation will be useful to access to information at first hand as to where their consumers buy wine, what wine they prefer, and what actions and discounts will be attractive to them. On the recent action by buying Simi Cabernet Sauvignon for $ 23.99 buyers returned $ 3. “The companies selling orange juice, 50% of clients return to us for” happiness “index of 30%,” – says Fernstrem. – “In the wine industry loyalty remains the biggest challenge.”

Building applications for popular gadgets – is not the only company marketing ploy. Constellation in conjunction with American Express is working to create Pairings, web series, which consists of live shows with popular musicians and chefs.

According Ferntstrema, this year the company spends on advertising even more money than before (last year they spent $ 80 million, according to advertising tracker Kantar Media). Most of the money will go to websites such as Nytimes.com, Snooth.com, that the company should add interactivity. So, for example, promotion of wine brand Black Box, a box with four bottles for $ 20, the creator of the best promotional video company awarded $ 10,000. Contestants sent 41 video, and the best of them are now posted on the Black Box. Since June last year to a page fault on Facebook signed up 5140 people, which of the four thousand higher than Franzia Charles Shaw, the most popular wine in the U.S., known as the “Chuck-two bucks» (Two Buck Chuck).

For boxed wines make special cardboard container with a plastic bag inside. The package is compressed after the wine is finished. For the older generation, accustomed to the use of spin, such a mechanism would not be attractive. But young people may like the idea of ​​throwing less than glass bottles. Now Constellation wants people who prefer wine in packages, switched to a more expensive product. Cost of 2005 Robert Mondavi Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve $ 135 for a bottle with this cork.

CEO, Robert Sende, said that the ideology of Constellation reminds approach car manufacturers. His father founded the company 65 years ago, and they were selling kosher Concord grape wine. «General Motors has to start with a Chevy, then, when your wealth grows, you get a Buick, and then change later in the Cadillac».

But as the wine lovers prefer more specific brands, not companies, that idea does not always work. Constellation, for 10 years, buying up all kinds of brands, began to get rid of them only in a crisis, having sold 125 low-cost brands of alcoholic beverages. The company hopes that the strategy of targeting high-quality marketing campaigns with a smaller range will bring them profit even in a very saturated market.

How to optimize your credit load

July 22nd, 2012 Журнал «Предприниматель»

Seven tips to owners of medium-sized businesses.

Work on structuring financing

Although the structuring and financing of a very complicated process, especially at first, but eventually it can help save considerably, to make payments more convenient and safe. It often happens that a customer goes to the bank for a loan for working capital, for example, a $ 500 thousand, and after discussion and analysis of the characteristics of the enterprise turns out that would be enough to replenish half of this amount. If companies have to pay in advance for supplies from other countries, this problem can be solved by calculating the credit form. If you need to bring equipment from overseas, will the use of trade finance expertise under the customs guarantee. In addition, the tax now takes on the bank guarantees refund of VAT. When working with a decrease in accounts receivable factoring is connected, and the procurement of equipment at home – leasing.

Relate time

Optimally, if the loan term corresponds to the period of the project investment. The recent crisis has once again confirmed that it was too risky to take a short term loan for the project, despite the marked difference in the amount of bets – on short-term loan rates are much lower. Reporting to the bank customer will still be clear that not all the money has been directed to working capital, as formally stated in the loan. Besides, now the banks are much more likely to provide long-term money in connection with the improvement in liquidity.

Transparency business

Pay attention to the preservation of clear and transparent legal structure of business. Many medium-sized businesses owned not one but several firms, creating a holding structure. When banks consider the loan application, they request the data for all companies that belong to the owners and affiliated parties with them. Therefore, it would be better if all these companies will be clean in financial terms, and ownership structure – not too confusing and opaque.

Currency Loan

At a high level of business dependence on exchange rate fluctuations should be very careful in managing the credit load. Such dependence is typical for companies working with the export or import – the dynamics of the euro, dollar or other currencies can strongly influence their activity. Think long and hard over the choice of loan currency. For example, many companies that most of the costs and raw materials are in the currency revenues received in the national currency. During the 2008 crisis, companies that have dollar-denominated loans were compelled because of the growth rates of the U.S. currency greatly increase the cost of UAH, including service-related foreign currency borrowings. Companies that have managed to quickly attract new money in hryvnias and to prepay dollar debts, were in a safer situation.

It is necessary to take into account the experience in our uncertain times. In order to change course in time to be able to react, the company is important not to reach the maximum level of debt, which is unlikely subsequent bank lending, and to maintain a sufficiently large balances in their accounts. The optimum ratio is net debt / EBITDA is not higher than 3.5, although much depends on the scope of the company.

Explain the differences in official and administrative reporting

Be prepared to explain the variations in the financial statements of the enterprise from the accepted values ​​of the bank where you want to take the credit. In the explanations of the discrepancies can use management reporting, additional calculations and information. Almost all banks are willing to managers that the data management reporting can significantly, but within reason, differ from the official figures.

Serve the necessary documents on time

Over time, the crisis is a gradual change in the lending sector business and market sellers (lenders) is the market of buyers (borrowers). But, nevertheless, a bank can not pay attention to even minor omissions. Customers may delay filing, and bank account to request to bring the necessary documents, it can last for months.

This occurs because the borrower often want to be sure in advance that the time and effort spent on gathering the documents they are not wasted, and he will give credit. But it’s still wrong approach – there is no prior consent of the bank guarantees are not for anyone, either for the bank or the borrower, nor a broker for the loan if he is involved in the process. So if you really need a loan company, you need to stop doubting and start acting. The normal persistence client will serve as an informal indicator of its positive future success.

Keep compliance commitments

Each bank expects that after receiving the loan the borrower will be honest and punctual service to submit the documents specified in the loan agreement. Even if the payment is made in a timely manner, the bank’s important to have information on the expenditure of allocated funds. If the money is used for other purposes specified in the contract, the trust may be lost even to regular customers. The probability that a bank in a difficult time to meet the borrower will be able to grow, if honesty and interest in long-term cooperation will be present on both sides.

How to attract buyers with an income below average

July 20th, 2012 Журнал «Предприниматель»

The experience of the head of the network, “Russia’s Shoes”: a loan for boots and shoes that came out of it.

Persuade banks in the viability of the idea was simple. Our partners are OTP Bank, “Russian Standard” and “Home Credit”, which gave us loans at 40% per annum. Funds for the payment of interest we should have to pay for themselves, as buyers shoes sold at 0% for five months. And the money we have – due to an increase in the rate of turnover. With the introduction of credit system of revenue growth amounted to 12-16%. The amount of the check average was higher, too, as people began to take on two or three pairs of shoes at once, which we were very surprised.

The question naturally arises about the percentage of defaults, as in all consumer loans. Shoes did not often buy spontaneously, it seriously and always measure the chosen, which certainly reduces the risk of fraud. Shoes in the loan becoming mostly government employees – teachers, workers of Medicine, retirees, and they are characterized by integrity in payments. For a long time we did not have any returns. At the moment, their number is not more than 1-2% across the network. Whatever it was, such a risk – this is the problem banks.

Once the issue was settled with the banks, we started the implementation of credit throughout the network. Each store set up a workplace equipped with a computer, put the bank’s program, and most importantly – have trained our salespeople to work with loans. Now it is our people make out loans, and banks are not experts, because the banks would be unprofitable to provide the manager for each store, the day the number of issued credits from one point quite small. We receive large volumes due to a network, rather than by individual stores.

In setting up the equipment, connect all the systems, staff training, we spent a reissue of the year. Over time it became clear that the technical component – not the only difficulty of the project. The human factor is also brought about changes – how many give out loans depends on the sellers and their relationship to this method of trading. For some time staff did not perceive the new service, it seemed strange to sell shoes on credit. What should I do? We have developed a system of awards: one issued by a loan officer brings a bonus. In addition, we have issued their vendors also as managers of the bank, and banks, in turn, give them additional salaries and bonuses. Such motivation is immediately changed the way staff store at the conclusion of credit agreements.

In order to attract customers’ attention to the new service, we changed the design of the store: stickers pasted on the floor “credit for shoes,” placed near the cash registers explanatory information. When you start the project, we conducted a large-scale advertising campaign of our consumer loans, and it was the ads and commercials on television. Thus, we are told the information to a wide range of potential customers – in our audience were quite mobile people, income levels are slightly below average, with the family, and for them the question of buying shoes is quite important.

By 2008, we have included work on all points of sale of loans, the project started working in full force and increase our momentum. During the year we were given credit for 130 million rubles. Before entering the service credit buyers were limited to one pair of shoes for a purchase and the loan began to take shoes for the whole family at once – a few pairs. It got up to eight pairs of shoes on a check! No discounts are not bringing results such as cheap loans.

And then came the crisis. And immediately, the demand for our loans for shoes. Increased number of clients, but began to buy small: only came for one pair of shoes. Banks are not pulled funding for the increased demand, do not take 70-80% of applications due to lack of liquidity. In addition, banks have ceased to support the campaign with interest-free credit, which certainly had an effect on sales.

By the summer of 2009 “Footwear of Russia” has updated its credit policy, restoring the pre-crisis conditions of the shares. With the support of OTP Bank, our customers can use credit to buy shoes without the first payment for up to five months. Another good concession on the part of the bank has reduced the minimum limit on the loan, with three thousand rubles to two. After that, immediately increased the number of purchases of shoes on credit, and by the spring of 2010 we have almost reached the previous lending. In 2011 we rescued from the credit sales of footwear 120 million rubles.

The success story of its creator Linkedin and Reid Hoffman

July 20th, 2012 Журнал «Предприниматель»

Reid Hoffman, founder of Linkedin, spent to achieve its goal of 8 years. He managed to create a social network that has experienced many of the projects Web 2.0, as well as an IPO at the most opportune moment.

Recently, the list of billionaires of the world have another party. Reid Hoffman, founder of LinkedIn, which could significantly increase his fortune in the course of the withdrawal to the exchange. The yield on the stock exchange LinkedIn started with $ 45 per share, and on the first day of trading value of shares increased by 109%, which amounted to $ 94.25. After that, the package on LinkedIn Hoffman was worth about $ 1.7 billion before the IPO, he was the owner of 22.1% of the shares, 1% it is already sold. To fund Greylock Partners, which works with Hoffman in 2009, the share price was $ 1.3 billion

Reid Hoffman is not like most of the residents of Silicon Valley, for which he is a major venture capital investors. Outwardly stout good-natured middle-aged, it differs from the creators of geeks and companies such as Facebook or gruponov. But he did for eight years to create a highly successful social networking site, which went through many of its competitors and quietly reached an audience of 100 million users, and then held one of the most notable IPO since the dot-com bubble (and the largest since the placement of Google). Such an impressive success was preceded by years of work. LinkedIn has always positioned itself as a rather boring and useful service than as the star of the internet. At the time of its foundation were popular MySpace, Friendster and most have already forgotten Plaxo Tribe.

LinkedIn for a long time remained in the shadows of fame Hoffman as a business angel. He invested in high-profile projects, most recently at the beginning of their activities: Last.fm, Facebook, Flickr, Zynga, Digg, Ning, Six Apart, Mixer Labs (which was later bought by Twitter). At the same time, Reid Hoffman did not leave the job with LinkedIn, improving services and gradually increasing the number of subscribers. He was able to keep its audience and is much ahead of major competitors such as Xing. Was chosen as the most opportune moment to go public: while growing expectation of IPO companies by Groupon and Facebook, LinkedIn’s stock price soared more than doubled.

Hoffman had burned to the startup in 1997, when a wave of the Internet boom. He decided to start a business, having worked at Apple and Fujitsu. “In the summer of 1997 I began to get nervous. I thought I needed to set up his own company as quickly as possible, when the Internet market is really warmed up, but it could not last long, “- said Hoffman for the Wall Street Journal. He calls SocialNet.com, a company that is open to them at that time, the “ordinary history” Project for the Silicon Valley. Hoffman went out of business in 1999 when it became apparent that success will not happen. This experience, coupled with losses brought him to an important point. “I used to think that the best way to establish a company in the economic recovery. But then I realized that you need to begin to decline. It is easier to pick a team and partners, and competitors will come later. ”

After a failed startup Hoffman began working with Peter Thiel at PayPal, and after a short time became its vice-president. From PayPal came more than a dozen investment professionals and start-ups, they are called “mafia PayPal» – Steve Chen, Jawed Karim and Chad Hurley, founders of YouTube; Jeremy Stopplmen from Yelp, Max Levchin of Slide. “The leader of the Mafia,” is Peter Thiel, who became a billionaire by Facebook – he invested in many projects, particularly in 2003 appeared in LinkedIn. To collaborate Hoffman invited colleagues from PayPal as well as from his first startup SocialNet.com.

The creators of LinkedIn from the beginning focused on the consumer segment, which differ from clients MySpace or Facebook, suggesting that young people are easier to draw, but also easier to lose, as shown by the example of MySpace. The audience of professionals who use LinkedIn to purely utilitarian purposes, grew at first rather slowly – 2-3 million subscribers a year, but still they were loyal customers.

LinkedIn itself announced that it is not necessary to wait on them a sharp rise in profits. They planned not to go, plus in 2011, as gathered to invest in technological development and business expansion. During 2010 the net profit stood at $ 15.4 million, compared to other social networks is a little bit, but advertising is not for the sole source of income LinkedIn, like Facebook. Provide a permanent revenue (which is $ 243 million, or $ 2.4 per subscriber) enterprises that use LinkedIn for recruiting (49%), advertising (almost 30%), as well as those who are connected with charge accounts (15%).

But despite such is not particularly impressive financial performance, Reid Hoffman, it seems, still enjoys the confidence of investors. The company is estimated at 37 proceeds ($ 243 million in 2010). Hoffman is definitely not in vain for so long, “worked hard” on this project.

How to evaluate a startup

July 20th, 2012 Журнал «Предприниматель»

Criteria startup and how to sell more expensive

The first thing that investors are viewing the future – a business plan for a startup. You’ll need to specify it your assessment of the market, competitors’ activities, the expected profit, and many other indicators. It will not hurt to prepare more than one model, and several options. It is desirable to provide a variant with the most pessimistic forecast. This option will show the possibility of a startup in its minimal success. Typically, investors in the business plan is based on data from other sources, examples of the work of competitors, the average multiplier in this niche.

Financial Criteria

Most often, when assessing the financial parameters of a startup focused primarily on the period of cost recovery (return to EBITDA). The faster the project will pay off, the quieter the investor. There are exceptions, where, above all, pay attention to other indicators – the number of users of the site, for example. Each investor’s own approach to the assessment of a startup.

If your plan states that in the first place will be made to attract customers, and then – their monetization, better use the principle of «proof of idea» (the principle of answers to questions in which an outside person immediately clear how profits will come in What is the value of the project – approx. edition). This is the most appropriate way for projects that go into a new market, even when it is impossible to predict the response of the final consumer product.

Human Resources

Up to two thirds of the value of your company is the potential of its employees. Prepare yourself for what you will be judged on various criteria: if the economic models and schemes of work can be influenced, then the person is almost impossible to change. Try to show investors that you have long-term vision of the situation, you know exactly what to do and how and what your team is a friendly people, all of which are implemented in practice.

Award

You can get a premium on a proven business model. If you position your company as working on innovative schemes, the investor obvious question arises: “Why on it so far no one has worked?”.

Do not be afraid to haggle. Describe the additional capabilities of the enterprise. For example: you have an idea of ??the service, which will work on the B2B market. Do not rush to position itself as a company that is ready to serve 1% of the total population, even if you can do it. It is better to say that there is a big part of the market that can serve, but the calculations did you do for a cleaner and “native” segment. If you expand the target audience of buyers in the process, this will be your bonus.

Receiving awards from investors possible in the case of “letters of confirmation” of your customers first.

Discounts for estimating

Rather, an investor looking at the business plan, the discount will apply to the assessment of your business. It would be better if you ask an investor to send written comments, in your opinion, the business plan. It happens that because of a simple misunderstanding can lead to serious omissions. And if all comments will be recorded, it will be easier to navigate and understand what is missing in the business plan for your business. This type of treatment to the investor will give you the opportunity to find arguments that the investor did not know, or that he simply did not pay attention.

Talks with investors

Go to the negotiations must be carefully prepared. Focus on what matters to investors: the project team (guarantee of the business plan in practice), means (profitability and sustainability of the project), the competition and the market (whether run your business model?) And the value of products or companies the eyes of the consumer. Technological aspects of the investor initially not interested, you can submit them later, if an investor will take an interest.

Try to call the exact numbers, talk about investor understandable terms. Expect the project itself, the investor should not do it for you.

Simple calculations

In the best case, to determine their interest in your startup investors will use three criteria: the amount of funds required, your assessment of the project and the potential of the company in the future. But each fund has its own internal policies. Individual investors will want to take at least 25% 1. Many investment companies have restrictions on the minimum and maximum amount of investment. In addition, they may have limitations related to expertise.

Bargain for more favorable terms will help you as your belief in success. For example, you show confidence in the plans, agreeing to take the money part. Investment tranches can bind both to the size of the profits as well as to the number of clients, or to the completion stages of research and development or scientific research. The indicator should be simple and obvious.

Try to negotiate with the investor on the option. If, say, the investor does not believe in the project and wanted to pick up 25%, and you want to reduce this share, select the option: if an investor picks up 25%, but when the option will return you back 10%.

Also, to convince the investor can use an optional program that your employees not only receive salaries, but have a stake in the business.

Evaluate investors

Do not choose a method of investing solely on the basis of the money invested. Ask the conditions of corporate governance. For a beginner project will be important is what the investor will be able to help businesses succeed, except investments, this may be his means of communication, information on market conditions and more. It would be better to cooperate with the core investor than a portfolio that has a lot of different projects, it will not have to have so much attention.

The best option is to have the investor the synergies of business. Comfort cooperation with investors is essential to the success of the enterprise.

Prepare defenses

An investor has a controlling stake, may abuse their influence. Agree about the “mandatory accession to the sale,” it will give you a guarantee to sell your time share and the investor. Pay attention to the suggestions of additional emissions.

Any investor wants to bring the project to the level of a global company, it can offer you more money and reduce your share of 1%. From his point of view, it is better to own 0.1% of the company «Apple», than 100% of start-up that does not cost anything. Not everyone is so close to the position. In the event of disagreement would be better to start a discussion about the investor’s exit from the company. But the best option would be to convince investors that the best asset of the company you are.

6 secrets of the popular site

July 20th, 2012 Журнал «Предприниматель»

 The experience of the creator Avito.ru Jonas Nordlander.

When the owners bought my company eBay, online auction Tradera, they made me an offer to work at it the same for two years. I worked there a year and decided to leave. I was offered bonuses, guarantees, and finally said that if I break off the contract, we can do a similar project in Russia and Indonesia – where there is no eBay. I signed all the commitments and resigned.

I have never occurred to him to come to Russia. But that all changed after a call from Yuri Milner DST. He found out that I sold my auction and retired from eBay. He offered me a “rule” one of his projects. So I’m at the end of 2006 was in Russia. We negotiated with him and Gregory Finger, I also met with Dmitry Grishin, who now owns Mail.ru Group. Milner offered a very good job, but I wanted to do a joint venture in which I would like to invite your friends, the Swedish partner. Milner, I was interested only in the quality of management, without foreign investment. I declined the offer.

But went I was not in vain. Something changed in me after this trip. I learned that in Russia the sea of ​​opportunities – Internet market is not mastered by more than 40%. If we compare, in Moscow alone the same population as in the whole of Sweden, where I worked before.

On his return to Stockholm, I began to think about creating a site ads. Proposed project by Swedish investors, but then they had something to do without me, and in terms of their interests in Russia, the company was not included. At the same time, I met with Philip Engelbert. Then he just invested in an investment company that bought the Yellow Pages. My business plan came to his heart, and since then we work as partners. Then I moved to Russia.

In this project, a key success factor was to achieve a balance between a sufficient number of buyers and sellers, where each, having come to the site, gets Zachepa he came here. How can this be achieved?

Find a new niche in the market

Analyze the situation on the market demand study, try to understand what’s missing people, and you look what you get is better than others. For such projects, unwritten law is valid, as there did not invest money if the other visitors, more and easier to sell your product, everyone will go there.

In the U.S. there is Craigslist, a resource with free ads. He has been in existence since the nineties, and enjoys the people’s love. Its owners do not spend anything on marketing. Still there is eBay, which also has a website with ads. This is a multibillion company, they have virtually unlimited funding, they spend billions on advertising campaigns, but nothing changes – Craigslist adds and eBay each year is falling.

Therefore, eBay and goes to buying ready-made market leaders, which was my Tradera, – they are worth less than the creation of a similar site from scratch and its not cheap promotion.

Invest in advertising

One of the most expensive processes in business is marketing, but at the start of the project alone. But if we are able to take a leading position in its market segment, to stay there will not be difficult.

For us, the circumstances were very good way – we first conducted an advertising campaign in early 2010. No one has the money, the crisis is not the hot season, and here we got a lot of time on TV for very little money. This is an isolated incident fantastic luck. Within two months the number of unique visitors have doubled – from three to six million.

Do not rush a lot of money

Plan to profit, but do not chase after her. During the crisis, to invest in our company no one wanted. Our investors have allocated funds for the marketing campaign, but after that it ceased to cooperate with us. In any negotiations with venture and investment companies, we immediately warned that at this stage we do not advertise and do not take money from the visitors.

As we came to this decision – a whole year to work in zero? The owners of the majority of Russian resources, short-sighted. They do not see long-term prospects. They want as quickly as possible to get money. You come to the site, and then some banners. Our objective was to create a site that appeals to everyone. There is a rule that always works: “Invite the client to the site only once – next time he comes himself.” We tried hard to show that our resource – especially for people, for the convenience of their purchases and sales.

Such an approach is not troubled investors. According to the results roadshow we were able to bring the company $ 30 million, which is certainly a very large sum for the company, which has no speed. They were able to understand that satisfied customers then bring much more profit. And no one is lost. My forecast revenue last year, managed to beat ten-fold in just six months.

See larger

In the work on site we have taken the approach retailers. When you come to the supermarket for bread and milk, you must buy something else, and not a commodity, addition that was needed. Effective marketing trap – essential commodities are at the far end of the hall, and many more will have to search.

By accessing our website, people can immediately see ads not sorted on the main page, they get to novelty (newest first). Incredibly, unplanned purchases – it is 70% of transactions. More than two-thirds! Our paid services are working, as in the supermarket: the payment is for the placement of ads for some time above the rest, in the case of the supermarket – at the very entrance of the.

Such services are needed for urgent sale – for example, small puppies that will soon go up in less “liquid” dogs. Even for a small period of placement in the top of the chances of finding a buyer is seriously increasing, it’s all because of the very high attendance. In the day Avito.ru located about 180 000 new ads. At the busiest time of publishing several ads in the second. So now that we are in the top ten most visited sites on the Russian-speaking Internet, more than half of revenue comes from our services as we start working with advertisements.

Listen to the customer

I live in Russia for five years, and I can say with confidence that the service is rarely ideal. But nevertheless, everyone loves a good service. For many businesses view customer – the last thing they care about the business and only business. Only problem is that their business stays just on the clients.

If our experts see the bad reviews on the network Avito, it immediately subject to the proceedings. So we promptly identify their mistakes and improve each time. And do not deny their blunders, it is better to confess and correct operation. If, however, from our side there was no error, we try to explain to the client situation. And it works. Very dissatisfied users are more loyal customers than those who initially had been loyal.

Do not lose your optimism

My main interest has always been in the process that leads to success. I often remind myself that when I agreed to sell Tradera. It was really cool – to sell you a product created by one of the most influential players in the market. But here, at the point of success when you have money, there is serious work that will ensure your life, you suddenly feel a void. You lose all the excitement. Well, that is to drop everything and go to Russia – another country where you do not know the language or the people around you learn is by doing. And all this with only one purpose – to create.

If you’re going to start a business, you need to keep such a foolish optimism. Those who know everything, all the account may be “stuck” on the stage, taking into account all possible scenarios. So it is not taking action.

For a long time we did not put its activities on the show. While competitors were engaged in advertising, we worked on and improved quality of service your project. Now it is obvious that we have something to tell you – on the day of Avito.ru placed to one hundred thousand ads. And we can tell you how we did it.

Gennady Korban: I would be able to select the Poltava Mining

July 19th, 2012 Журнал «Предприниматель»

Continuation of an interview: Gennady Korban: Lazarenko thought that it betrayed Axelrod.

“Between Tymoshenko and Kolomoisky never had warm relations”

– What is your relationship now with Igor Kolomoisky and Gennady Bogolyubov?

– I want to say that I have excellent relations with all. More than just beautiful – they are friendly.

I’m friends with Bogolyubov and Kolomoisky, and Akhmetov, Surkis, and I’m friends with the Yaroslavl and sometimes communicate with Pinchuk. I like all men of real good relationship. And when the tragedy occurred, I called and Akhmetov, and Bogolyubov and Kolomoisky and Surkis. They simply expressed their condolences. Just found a human word. It’s nice when you have such powerful friends. But, unfortunately, they are no help in this situation.

– That is, these people share business and personal?

– Of course, business and personal relationships – are two different things. In addition, I have to date not with Akhmetov, nor Kolomoisky or Bogolyubov with or with no Surkis osculating business, which may be due to at least some differences.

– You’re doing some big projects?

– I was engaged in those projects, which involved the Gene.

– Now What will happen to them?

– Some projects are already working, generate revenue. Some projects exist only on paper. Some of them I’ll try to finish. Although I do not know if it will work for me. Because it worked professionally Gene.

He is talented conceptology. Bogolyubov called him a genius. First Bogolyubov began to bring foreign conceptology here. They have something to draw, given reports that many stops, how much traffic. But in order to build something in this country, you see, feel, understand a man who wants to do it and wants to spend money. So when Gene Bogolyubov introduced the idea of ??”Menorah”, he called me and said that he was a genius.

That is the Menorah. View from the shopping center

That is the Menorah. View from the shopping center

– Faithful Is the impression that Kolomoisky are extruded from the “Ukrnafta” from “Ukrtatnafta” of all the businesses?

– I do not know, he does not share with me on this subject. Judging from his conversation and appearance, he was feeling fine and in terms of business, and in terms of relationships with politicians. If squeezed it right, perhaps it would have been seen, it would be a PR. So I think that it’s all right.

Maybe it had something to do, somewhere narrow. But this is business. He refers to this very pragmatic, very philosophically, I would say.

– What does the fact that he did not participate in the tender for the privatization of “Dniproblenergo”? This is a signal that the region is already controlled by other people?

– Control of the region for a long time for other people. Because, unfortunately, he left the Bogoliubov region. They just got here not interested. These people are different sizes. They went to those regions that correspond to their scale. Maybe that’s why he had not fought for “Dniproblenergo.” Maybe, even, for some reason.

Maybe there was such a team – not to participate. Previously, there was no such instruction, there was no instruction at all. So you could go to court to oblige the Fund, to prohibit or stop. But now a team, but there is no conflict .. Maybe it is correct.

– He still has a chance to select the Odessa Port through the courts? Your opinion as a professional.

– I think it is. He actually bought it at an auction fair. This auction was also attended by Russian companies, but that he offered the highest sum. Just then Tymoshenko said that she had little money and decided to terminate the deal. She went bad.

Left - Gennady Korban, in the center - Igor Kolomoisky, right - Shimon Briman, journalist portal IzRus

Left - Gennady Korban, in the center - Igor Kolomoisky, right - Shimon Briman, journalist portal IzRus

– among them were really warm relationship?

– Between them, never had a warm relationship. It’s a myth that somehow support the journalists. He met with many politicians, including Ms Tymoshenko, tried to discuss any questions. But she did not patronized, even though they are from the same region.

You know, Dnipropetrovsk businessmen and politicians is a disgusting trait: They smile at each other in the face, seems to agree on something, and once apart, do the exact opposite.

– Violate the word?

– Of course. In this case, I do not mean Kolomoisky. But there is such a manner.

– Donetsk manner exactly the opposite.

– Yes, there is little other work psychology.

– And there is, for example, the Odessa psychology of business, or even any, Lviv?

– Surely. I speak only of Dnepropetrovsk, which I know and see. Kuchma had fought against Lazarenko, Lazerenko fought with Kuchma, Tymoshenko was at war with Pinchuk Pinchuk with Tymoshenko Kolomoisky with Pinchuk Pinchuk with Kolomoisky. The war of all against all. It’s sad. Maybe it is a sign of degeneracy once glorious large region.

– Do you agree with the version that Kuchma brought the case to take away part of the business at the Pinchuk?

– I am sure it is not connected with the business, it’s just politics. The current government must show that she is trying to apply an objective, not only to strangers, but also to his or her once.

– International status, which was trying to make himself Pinchuk in recent years, it is somehow protected?

– Yes. Paradoxically – Pinchuk and Akhmetov are very meticulous, very strongly engaged in their own image, and it gives results. Kolomoisky applies to this case, it is not engaged in his own image. And so it is often a bad thought, although he is very talented, very original businessman.

I just think that Kolomoisky not interested in public opinion, and therefore they are not engaged. Although we can not say that is not engaged. They created a community for their money Gene has built “Menorah”.

– I saw in Israel a plaque that says about their enormous contribution to the arrangement of Jerusalem.

– Yes, Bogolyubov really great things. But they can be a little more to do with it, so they are not PR.

– How would you describe Firtash?

– You do not. I do not know him.

 

I’m not going to do this more

– you called raider. You call yourself a more tolerant – Conflict. This activity will you do next?

– No. This activity has exhausted itself for several reasons. I can name the main factors of why this activity is almost over. It ended, not because I finished it. She finished everything, even those that hunted on a small scale.

– You mean the arrival of “Donetsk”?

– I do not mean the coming of Donetsk. The most important factor in completion of this activity – a loss of liquidity.

To perform redistribution, it is necessary for the war to spend a lot of money. Today, global markets are in deep crisis. I believe that it is not just not over and in front of its second wave. Therefore, the value of the Ukrainian fallen so low that it makes no sense to spend money on the redistribution of those assets.

– They are easier to buy?

– Buy or do not touch it, because these assets do not generate profits. It was possible to engage in any asset, when he makes a profit, and has consistently grown its cost. And today, even if you take the big business … Let him try to sell the oil business Kolomoisky. Who? For love or money? Who buys it? Who are today hundreds of millions or billions? I read people, and they will not buy it. Foreigners or foreign companies that own such a resource, too, will not buy it. They are not interested, it’s a small market. It’s not even China, not Russia, not Brazil, not a big country. I’m talking about conventionally Kolomoisky, the same can be said about the Pinchuk, Akhmetov about.

The second factor – but not without the participation of the authorities. But they have not done anything concrete to stop it. They just built a very strong vertical. Previously, you could work through the courts and other organs, because without the vertical was easy to make horizontal connections. And today, to solve a conflict, does not necessarily apply to the courts. You can refer to the vertical of power, and power his team to resolve this conflict.

This activity has lost all meaning and all content. I’m not going to do this next. First, I stepped in 40 years. I do not want to just do it. I would like to engage in the creative business.

Second, in this country, I went through all the biggest sites. I have reached its peak in this sort of activity. And if you come to me tomorrow, owners who will share syrzavodik or dairy factory, I am simply not interested, and even disgusting.

– The era when loggers have played a key role in corporate conflicts have left?

– Yes. They no longer have any value. For the simple reason – the State Commission on Securities obliged, in my opinion, to the end of 2012 to move to a so-called book-entry form release. The Registrar now sees only a nominee. He does not see the owner, he does not know to whom to write off stocks. And here is a nominee, the local guardians, have seen the account owner. And here it is possible to hide – such as a depository – that it was impossible to see even the owner of a local custodian. This is a progressive step.

– but you can still work?

– Harder, much harder.

– you see people in Ukraine who can compare with you in the conduct of conflict?

– No. In that work, which I did not. I do not know whether to brag about it. These people do not.

– Do you still have stakes in large enterprises, for which you mentioned earlier – “Ukrtatnafta”, “Ukrnafta”, “Ukrtelecom”, “Dniproblenergo”, “Kyivenergo”, “AvtoZAZ”, “Styrene” “Khartron”?

– Yes, I have a stock of “Ukrtelecom”, there is action “Khartron” and “AvtoZAZ.” But there is no conflict. Gene is usually joked: “You’ve got a percentage of the whole country.”

Sometimes I just bought the shares – not in order to arrange some kind of conflict or redistribution, but simply as an attachment. Because I know in the stock markets. And the action, such as “Styrene”, “Ukrtelecom”, or “Ukrnafta” I seemed attractive at the time.

– How do you evaluate their own actions on such objects: “Baby,” “House of Political Education”, hotel “Astoria”, Park Globa, “Rybalsky careers,” shopping center “Kirov” plant “Zlagoda”?

– There was a time, somewhere, and now even the echoes of his coming, when I attributed to any conflict that occurs in this country. For example, there was some conflict in the elevator, and friends called me and asked how one can agree with me. And I did not mean he did not have to do with it – never heard of hearing. This trail is slowly dying because there are fewer conflicts. But let’s specifically.

Shopping Passage - the facade

Shopping Passage - the facade

Passage mall - inside the shopping center

Passage mall - inside the shopping center

“Children’s World” – it was a joint stock company, in which 30% or so owned by the Director, “Children’s World.” The rest were citizens of Ukraine. And I started to buy these shares. After that came the director, and sold for good money (she was pleased with) his stake.

Then we tore down the “Children’s World”, because it was ugly building, together with the hotel “Central”, which we also bought with money from the owners. We have never bought nothing from the government, we worked on the secondary market. We demolished the two buildings and built a “Passage”. Gene built his. Building, planning, kontseptiroval, engaged in renting.

– “House of Political Education”?

– This is one of the objects Lazarenko. When he ended his political career, then flattered himself that his party “Hromada” will increase political influence. Even after the prime minister, as chairman of the regional council and conducting pre-election program, he announced additional payment of all pensioners over 10 hrn. To do this, it does not just take the money and make them legally. Then the regional council decided to sell a huge number of objects owned by the regional council – including the Catholic church.

– In effect?

– He has not acted. The community demanded a transfer to her temple. We helped them pick up, now he is with them, they have it restored.

Then Lazarenko, including the Catholic church bought. The competition came to a certain American corporation “Dugsbery”. It was not even a contest, in those years practicing targeted for sale. They sold the corporation “Dugsbery” a huge number of objects in the city center.

He has already decided two things – got ownership of the company, and made the necessary amount of money to finance political issues. Of course, ownership of these objects has always been questionable, and it flared up from time to time conflicts with what the prosecution, then by the State Property Fund.

According to the “House of Political Education,” as far as I know there are solutions to higher court, which is fixed in one way or another owner of the property right. The court’s decision to comment properly.

– Hotel “Astoria”?

– The same.

– Globa Park?

– Do not have nothing, never had. Globa Park is city property. And even the city of his, I’ve heard, is going to reconstruct.

– LLC “Rybalskaya bat”?

– Never had a relationship.

– Shopping Centre “Kirov”?

– There was a conflict with Mr. Arutyunov, a deputy from the Yulia Tymoshenko Bloc. He ended, all were in their own interests. This conflict has been exhausted in 2007. There’s actually nothing to share.

– Combine “Zlagoda”?

– Do not have relationships.

– Think of the situation “Ozerka” and Kurochkin. Perhaps you have an opinion about all this.

– Of course there is. I have been a direct participant in these events.

– Who could have ordered Kurochkin?

– I will not comment on it. I can say that this is not related to the “Ozerkov.” He had other businesses, is much larger than a “Ozerki”, and in these other businesses he had a conflict. Generally, at the time of his arrival in Ukraine dispute was settled and resolved in terms of money. Moreover, he even asked my guard and armored car. To which I said to him: “We’re not such great friends. Do you have your opportunity, use the”. And anyway, I did not recommend travel to Ukraine. But he was smart, he made his decisions. What came of it – we all know.

“Coward, everybody, but nobody claimed to give the business “

– In Dnepropetrovsk is “looking” like, say, in Kiev?

– No, in Dnepropetrovsk is somewhat different situation. I can tell you absolutely confidently, not in order to throw someone bream.

Alexander Vilkul

Alexander Vilkul

Vilkul Alexander, who placed here as a governor – progressive enough young man. Since the time of Lazarenko’s the only governor who is actually doing something for the city. After Lazarenko as the city was abandoned. Hence the left all the oligarchs, and nobody here does not do it. Even Tymoshenko … She could win the election, if anything did for his native city. But she did not lift a finger hit. Vilkul made the road – before this it was impossible to drive at all. Looks like he is a workaholic, actually sitting at work.

I almost do not talk it, we just know each other. We had known each other 10 years ago when he worked for the Southern GOK, and I was doing this project. That was in 2001.

– Do you believe that he could become prime minister?

– I think he has a great political future. He has very good backers. In addition, it is itself a very active person. Moreover, the governor came, they searched for their interest in here somewhere. For example, Vladimir Yatsuba it sought to “Ozerki” Viktor Bondar – in some lands. Here, I do not see it.

– wrote that Cooper was patronized by you.

– No, we just talked. I am of them do not need anything, and never have been. We are self-contained structure, and never ask the authorities – either land or buildings, or contracts. We’re just doing the usual normal business. So I rarely get to talk with the case one way or another governor. But I can say that this is very different from previous ones.

– In Ukraine is the redistribution of property. What do you think about the demonization of individuals such as the Jura and Alexander Enakievo Yanukovich?

– It is hard to judge because I do not know one or the other. I’ve heard rumors like everyone else, but I have never encountered such things. And I know that the local governor is very hard to respond to such attacks when they occur. Therefore, trying to relate to these stories very well, without making explicit findings. I think that some people on the ground trying to act in their interests, hiding behind the names of significant people.

– Local business people are not influential “coward”?

– “Truth” of all, but it was not associated with the property. There were problems at all with the advent of the new government. But this should be treated philosophically: Red came the white came. All of our orders, we must be able to adapt to them. Yes, trotted the tax authorities, DAEC different. But no one is required to give a business the share of the business or facility. New people came, they need something to live.

– Why is not the business away from Konstantin Zhevago? Many have tried.

– Causes of three. The first – as he tried to protect their business by making an IPO. So he tried to advance to protect their main asset – Poltava GOK. Everything else – it’s rubbish. Poltava Mining – a really good asset expensive.

The second reason – is that none of the persons concerned did not apply to professionals.

– That is, you would be able to take away?

Konstantin Zhevago YuGOK would have lost if he had to deal with Korban

Konstantin Zhevago YuGOK would have lost if he had to deal with Korban

– I could not. I know the history of Poltava GOK. And this is a dirty history of privatization. I’m not afraid of those words, it is a fact. I’m surprised at all, as he did with such a privatization IPO. Usually, foreigners are watching closely these questions.

To pick up his little team. You do not come just like that, not zaberesh. You need a very clear, very meticulous, scrupulous, professional work. It should be understood to return to the past or go into the future. This refers to the technologically and legally.

And the third reason is very banal. I alone was unable to finance such a conflict. There are stakeholders who are able to finance such a conflict. And they began to think and talk about things like reputation. They now have a new expression – “reputational risks”.

I am a cynic in this regard. A little funny to hear when they talk about reputational risks. Maybe it’s a kind of evolution, when a person has had enough, picked up, he was great, and he wants to have respect. Respect – is, first of all, reputation.

If any of the oligarchs was lit in such a conflict, though the company is on the IPO, he would have suffered significant reputational risks.

“Dnepropetrovsk into a county town”

– The “Proton 21”, dealing with scientific developments in nuclear physics. What is this?

– For many years I was engaged in this project. Now he is in a frozen state, as previously funded by Bogolyubov and Kolomoisky. They got into this project is completely random, even under Kuchma – he had them dragged into this thing somehow, I do not know the details.

It’s really very scientific project. They spent a lot of money there. When the amount of investment has exceeded a certain limit, Bogolyubov asked me to go into this project. And I fell a little in this project, because a child was fond of entertaining physics.

Those phenomena that I have seen – it is simply inexplicable. I do not want to be considered crazy. But they just flip the view of traditional physics. Unfortunately, the project is located in an abandoned state. Because these projects – it’s not even a project hierarchy with Kolomoisky. Such projects – a project of the state, the project is NASA. There have to spend hundreds of millions just to the scientific part, not to mention the part of the application. Applied part could cost billions. But that’s where I’ve seen – it is really a miracle, and it can really solve many problems of mankind. I think that the project “Proton” just ahead of time.

– Ukraine has a future in science?

– I think not. The main scientific potential located in the developed countries that can fund the research. In our sit Academy professors who are dogmatists. A country’s intellectual potential is also fairly low. Nearby there is Russia, where these questions are very well funded. Nearby there is Israel, where these issues are well funded. Is the United States, in the end.

When I deeply realized the project “Proton”, then just come to Bogolyubov and Kolomoisky, and said: “Of course, I can not spend your money. But I think that you do not have enough money to bring this project to the application of” .

Maybe in some small things, and we would have. But first, there is a very strong resistance to traditional science, and the Academy of Sciences, and general science in the world. This is a whole world of its own, which has its own subculture, where it is necessary to take into co-authorship of Nobel laureates. When I grasped it, then realized it was not mine. So I told them: “I propose to present this project and everything connected with it, the State of Israel.”

The residential complex

The residential complex

– In Dnepropetrovsk has a future?

– Gene said no.

– What is now Dnepropetrovsk?

– Nothing. Dnepropetrovsk turns slowly from the financial and industrial capital and the elite prep school in the county town. A complete backwater, unfortunately, do not want to go to investors who do not want to shop here open their representative offices or branches.

– In Ukraine, there is even a new generation of business? Is there such a thing as leaving the wave of businessmen, who rattled in the past?

– Yes, now there are some virtual businesses, it is mainly young people. But I think that in Ukraine they have very few opportunities, and sooner or later they will leave abroad. In general, the business is now deaf.

– It is in Ukraine?

– In general in the world. This objective can not be everything to hang on the current government. Of course, it is not always good for business. But there are objective things. This is a global financial crisis. And Ukraine is just completely lost the liquidity of the country, as an asset.

– What can we expect in, say, five years?

– It depends on the vector to take. If Ukraine goes to the East, this is a reversal. We will gradually turn into the outskirts of Russia.

– Taki absorption occurs?

– Of course, this is obvious.

– Other options are there?

– I guess was some sort of option in 2004, but his clumsy use amateurs and dreamers who came to power. On the other hand, if Ukraine goes to the West, it is also very hard way. Look at the Baltic. It turned into a garbage pit of Europe. There’s a very hard life in humans, they are really in poverty. In Europe, no one is waiting.

I think it should be somewhere in the middle, at least in the near future. And most importantly – a global financial crisis. As soon as he finished, and here things will be better.

The problem of power – a conditional problem. It changes, people change. There are things that are above this, and more global. This, above all, global financial flows, the global economy, global credit system. In other words, Ukraine is dependent on these things more than the power that is in the country.

– What would you like to say about his dead friend in prison interview?

– For me, there was no one closer. No one. It was more to me than a friend than a brother than a business partner. I have taken away the most expensive. I truly loved this man.

With or without the help of law enforcement, I still find who did it. And while here irrelevant.

Corban and Axelrod with Luciano Benetton (middle)

Corban and Axelrod with Luciano Benetton (middle)

Rent The Runway: dress hire – a success story of two Cinderellas

July 19th, 2012 Журнал «Предприниматель»

 Two friends from New York opened a web site designer dress rental Rent The Runway. During the year the project has brought millions of dollars in profits.

Jennifer Hyman, 30, and Jennifer Fliess, 27 years after Harvard Business School to tackle the serious women’s issue: there is nothing to wear, and a wardrobe full. They have created a site called Rent The Runway, which is proposed to rent designer dresses for a small fee, at the same price as the dress of the H & M. The girls opened the company in October 2009 and in March 2011 it became profitable. There are currently 1 million registered users, and their number is constantly growing – 40,000 new users per week. The site is so popular that the final balls and meaningful party girl dresses Exclusive Offers for a few months before the event. Graduate of Harvard’s definitely found his niche.

The idea of ​​creating Rent The Runway, Jennifer Hyman invented, looking at his sister Becky and her issue of choice. My sister was going to the wedding of a friend and did not know what to put on all her clothes had been captured in many pictures from holidays, and pictures – posted on the Internet. Becky flatly refused to wear dresses for a second time, and new it was not enough money. Then, to Jennifer, and got the idea to create such a site, if you take a DVD rental, why not rent dresses?

Foundation Bain Capital LLC has provided Jennifer Hyman and Jennifer Fliess $ 1.7 million of seed capital. Then they were funded venture capital investors: $ 16 million from Highland Capital Partners and Bain Capital of the same, and another $ 15 million from Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers. In March last year, growth in annual sales increased 10 times on average per week on site at customers produce 10 000 orders. Revenues for 2010 totaled $ 20 million, three times more than a year earlier.

At the moment, Rent The Runway has 25,000 orders from 135 different designers, the selection is diverse in every budget: have inexpensive dresses, dresses from fashion houses such as D & G, Nina Ricci, Moschino and Escada. With $ 50, the site can be hired to pick up something like Diane Von Furstenberg dresses cost $ 425. The most expensive cost, for example, dress from Hervé Léger, which is in the shop is $ 3500 and rent in Rent The Runway – $ 350. During the four days of hire is usually charged about 10% of the retail price dresses. For those who wears one dress is not more than two times the price is justified. To exclude the possibility that the dress does not fit with each ordered dress for free send a different size of the same model, but if the buyer is not sure what color he liked more, the site offers to another model of a different color to try on and compare for only $ 25. Rent The Runway also offers free advice stylists in the phone or via chat. You can also purchase insurance to pay for dry cleaning if the wine is spilled on the dress or some delicacy. Insurance will cost $ 5. If the dress is not to clean or repair, the customer must return the company of its full value.

Delivery to hire dresses and sending him back involved in delivery service UPS. Dry cleaning is carried out after each rental outfit. Today, for the delivery of Rent The Runway is the most vulnerable point in their activities. On its speed and reliability depends on many things – because if too late to dress, what zakazchitsa go to the event? According to the very same company, 2% of customers having problems with delivery.

Another delicate point is the rapid change in demand. Fashion can change so quickly that bought the dress does not have time to pay off and bring even more profit. Its just not be able to take on hire the required number of times over a short period of time until the last trend. According to Jennifer Hyman, this problem can be overcome by increasing popularity of the service. To other cities in the U.S. fashion comes with some delay, that is, from New York, where customers order the latest fashion industry news, dresses slowly moving to other states. Difference “in time” fashion world is about six months.

About a quarter of ordered it from the site of Rent The Runway make up the student. For this particular audience of entrepreneurs have developed a special approach. Before starting the project in April 2009, Hyman and Fliess conducted an experiment on their sokursnitsa – brought to Harvard campus full truck loads of clothes and gave students the opportunity to choose and hire any liked the dress. With this test, it became clear what dresses are popular and many of these students will be able to pay. At the same time, Jennifer Hyman clarified and future marketing strategy – selection of dresses for girls was virtually impossible without the approval of example, and friends. For example, when a student has to rent a dress Tory Bunch, it made two of her friends like to take.

Based on this experience, Hyman decided to use viral marketing to advertise the service Rent The Runway. She created a network marketing business with more than 200 students, who visibly demonstrate the ease of ordering dresses for hire. These “representatives” of the company engaged in the conduct of fashion-blogs, contests and demonstrations of social networking outfits. The main objective of their work – to attract new clients, in fact, most of them continued to use the services of Rent The Runway without further advertising, because once you try to wear an expensive dress for a party, go back to jeans desire disappears.

A significant impact on business success and Hyman Fliess has Facebook: «lit up” in a dress in the photos from past events, the dress circle of friends here have not dressed, the girls are sure will order more.

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