"Superpower entrepreneur not to be successful" history maker service "Take charge" Kirill Kulakov

Kirill Kulakov

Founder rental service pauerbankov "Take charge".

Firecrackers, advertising, colors: as I began to do business

The first business I was still in school. In winter, I found on the street $ 50 and decided to buy them firecrackers. Bought, sold, bought more, I sold again. So in 2-3 months I gained a new furniture and equipment for the home. Then I became interested in modern dance, and even became a co-founder of the studio.

At age 19, I already had a successful business. I was getting about $ 100 per hour. After the crisis of 2014, probably the same number get.

When in 2008 the crisis came, I opened the SP and ran an advertising agency. Serviced tourist offices around the world who wanted to attract Russian customers, in parallel with his own hands made furniture and selling it. This experience helped me in this case.

In a Moscow park was not healthy, tasty and wholesome food. I decided to make pedicabs where right when you cut the fruit in a beautiful glass and give a skewer. All the money I put up to scratch in the purchase of fruits, bikes and hiring children.

On the night before the opening of the festival, we were standing at the gate, "Picnic" Afisha "," and hoped that we be allowed. Festivals - just for those projects that have not yet have a legal entity in order to test the idea. All formalities usually solves the festival itself. You just need to negotiate with the organizers.

To test the idea, just I need the opportunity, your perseverance and faith in the project. He who is afraid of the formalities and difficulties, of course, will not do anything. And the one who insists, continues trying and trying, to make sure.

Ever since his wife started the floral business - started making jewelry from natural flowers. Success was unreal! Now the business has been his wife, she was the second best year florist-decorator Russia. Working in segments Suite and B2G: there are orders from the sheiks, we buy flowers at the closed meeting of the presidents and ambassadors.

Where did the idea of ​​"Take charge" of

One day I received a newsletter, an invitation to an open program "SAMOproektirovanie" Business School "Skolkovo", and then decided to undergo a program of "Startup Academy." This is a real way to create a business from idea to implementation in five months.

There I ran the app to search HelloGuide Russian-speaking guides and went to test the idea in Switzerland. And faced with the fact that we had to move a lot, to be guided on the phone, and he is constantly discharged. I learned that in Switzerland you can buy pauerbank and within two weeks to pass back to the store for half its value. Then I came up with to make the machine where people take pauerbanki are charged and pass them somewhere else, and to test the idea in Moscow.

I bought a bag of inexpensive reel stands, printed rollap, stood with him at the city food festival and offered to take people pauerbank rent for half an hour for 50 rubles. 30 minutes was enough to recharge by 20-30% and quench fear that the phone will sit down at the most inopportune moment.

Why 50 rubles? The lease should be cheaper than a cup of coffee. Usually, if your phone gets, people are going to be recharged in a cafe, but they were embarrassed to ask about the service, so they have something to order.

The result was fantastic! 1% of the guests of the festival took advantage of my service, that is, it was a straight superneeds.

That's when I decided that I will definitely engage in this business.

As machines with pauerbankami appeared in Moscow cafe

I invited a fellow student at the "Skolkovo" Stepan Ermachenkova investor, and then drew a sketch of the first machine. Immediately laid the social function: it is possible to exchange the used batteries at the points to take pauerbanki free. China has found a hardware manufacturer, software written yourself.

I have found that in many schools the waiters already give guests pauerbanki. But we have to make sure that the gadget has been loaded, and if guests forget to give it away and carry, while waiters and administrators reimburse the cost of their wallet. I offered a café service and equipment that is not tied to the service on the part of the institution. Guest can itself take charge and do not need to watch over it. And the cafe is not paying for it.

We have a rate of "first hour free": guest can fully recharge in an hour and not have to pay anything if the charging return. But if he wants to get away with it and put in another place, for it will have to pay.

How does the "Take charge"

Benefits for business start

I understand that the company will have a big turnover, so the simplified taxation system will not work. We want to create IT-platform and become the manufacturer of the equipment, so simple Ltd. opened with the first investors and wrote an application to the "Skolkovo" fund. Residents of the fund are in special economic zone, have benefits to pay insurance premiums for all employees, the possibility for some time not to pay VAT and income tax.

team building

"Take charge" - my first IT-projects with product development, so first I relied on outsourcing. However, I realized that freelancers do not fully immersed in the business and how you can try to deliver the job faster, the product remains moist. Decided to recruit people in the state. Now we have 22-25 people. But outsourcing services still use, as we grow and platform should be expanded. Once we find a specialist outsource, which is ready to close a particular area, we leave it.

If you just want quality, a team needs a man in charge of the technical part that understands who you can hire, and how to expand. His competence should be enough to look for people in the market, sobesedovat and check the operation.

We hope to reach thousands of location before the end of this year in Moscow, soon there will be more and in St. Petersburg. We are expanding in European countries - Spain, the Netherlands, and possibly the UK. Maybe go to the Emirates.

To self-sufficiency Year. Now franchised, and investment funds are investing in development. It is necessary to hold the market, so that all funds are used to increase staff, buy equipment and the opening of new offices.

As "Take charge" is opposed to theft

When the first test at the festival, I gave 50 rubles for the device, which cost 500 rubles. And I was wondering whether they will return. Back everything. Then I realized that people will not take it on purpose.

When there were machines, saw that someone is trying to steal specifically, but such units. But those who are honest and grateful, tens of thousands. By individuals who try to take as much as possible of chargers, we have come up with protection with reference to the map, phone and mail. Lock the virtual cards, because they are too easy to open - a couple of minutes.

But to translate all restrictions to the unit, not fair. Therefore, for those who have normal maps, everything is open. We do not require any collateral, not to freeze the funds. Those who live in the paradigm, "Oh, I'll find a flaw in the system and hack it" - you know, that you thus harms not only us, but also all around. People want to live without collateral or guarantors, just be honest and benefit.

His work: tips Kirill Kulakov

Where to find the idea for the business

Ideas can learn anywhere and everywhere. Like something, you know, how you can improve, - consider how to make money.

First try to do is free - so to see whether there is a response from the people. Then offer for little money. If people are willing to buy, and you quietly queue, a check raise.

How to evaluate the effectiveness of the idea in advance? Nothing. Do only what you believe. Then, a third-party expert opinion that will fly or not fly, does not matter.

Do not give up, try, make mistakes and get up. Superpower entrepreneur not to be successful. It is that, for any impact to shake and move on with even greater speed.

Superpower entrepreneur - do not give up.

Where to get money to start

• If you need a means to test the hypothesis, it is possible to find friends who are thrown off by a couple of thousand.
• At the start of the business to rely on loans is not necessary. Banks are interested in your previous activity and creditworthiness. If neither this nor the collateral and capital, it is unlikely someone you prokredituet.
• Look for the investor, even with small finances. In the language of startups is 3F - friends, family and fools: friends, family and fools. Not stupid, of course, but the ones who can take the risk and invest their funds.
• This money will be used to test hypotheses and elaborate business model. Then you and those who have invested, you need to look for new investors. First, people like you. Then, like you, are looking for people from the inner circle that bit richer. Those, too, are invested, and then start looking for those who are richer.

How to assemble a team

• Do not waste the money of investors in the external design, exterior design, at all that is just a part of your product. Invest these funds need only to the team.
• Use the budget to test hypotheses, do not waste money on hired workers. Form a team of associates.
• Make sure that the people to grow with your project. Their experience will transform your business. Therefore, do not skimp on the team, and external contractors.
• If you have an ideology that inspires people, then look for a partner for operational work, while you are in the clouds. It is desirable that this man had a financial margin of safety. Perhaps the first year you will not be earning anything, and lose a partner after you have passed along some way offensively.

How to manage your business if you have no experience

• If you want to start a business - address to experts. When I plant was the first PI, then somehow I opened it with 18% VAT. It was hard and uncomfortable, VAT can be removed after only a year. In the tax then I know personally, I'm still out there on the check mark.
• We conduct business fairly. Really. Pay all taxes, do not try to somehow wriggle. It is better to work stably at once, than to constantly worry that you will come and close the account.
• Doing business is not too difficult. If you are careful, patient person, then cope on their own. If you, on the contrary, there is a skill to run the market, inspiring and fun to sell - do not worry. You can work on outsourcing with accounting firms, which will deal with documents and hand for your taxes.

If you have the desire and the opportunity to try his hand in business, be sure to do it. Success comes to people who are engaged in that love. Money - it is only a reflection of what you are on the right track.