Jobs: Nikita Sherman, head of the Russian branch of Wix
Workplaces / / December 27, 2019
Nikita Sherman
Head of website builder Wix.com Russian representation. In the past - president of the social network "Odnoklassniki", founder Drimmi game publisher. He worked as director of development in IT Territory and "Runner". He headed a popular network of acquaintances Mamba (Wamba). Early in his career was the chief editor of the Internet newspaper "Dni.ru".
What do you do in your work?
I work for a company Wix.com regional manager, responsible for one-sixth of the land called Russia. Our company was founded in Israel nine years ago, and today we serve more than 65 million customers around the world. Wix.com - a platform for small and medium-sized businesses on the Internet. We can solve almost all issues that relate to creating and maintaining an Internet presence company.
Before that, I worked for almost five years building their own gaming company Drimmi, worked for Mamba (now - Wamba), by IT Territory, and "Runner". But most of all I remembered in connection with the project "Classmates", which I headed for some time before to establish your business.
What is your occupation?
After graduating from high school number 2 in the city of Bryansk in 1994, I enrolled at Bryansk State Pedagogical University, the Faculty of Technology and Economics. Basically there is preparing the future of teachers, but it was the only department, where you could choose the profession "Programmer".
At that time I really wanted to become a computer programmer and did write some programs in Basic on the BK-0010-01 home computer. This is a device that is made in the USSR, which connects to the vacuum tube television, a program loaded from cassette tape via the "Rus", connected to the computer. So I was very surprised when the first lesson of informatics at the University found out that we will learn to program... on calculators. More I did not attend this thing, and then completely lost interest in the study, and at the very first session, my attempt to get a higher education had ended in failure.
On the whole my life - it is rather antiprimer where everything is happening not because of something, but in spite of. I am a candidate for master of sports of stepping on a rake and a champion in speed finding trouble. Many good things could happen in my life much earlier if I was a little smarter every time. Unfortunately, the experience of life comes only through the jungle of their own stupidity and hard passed from person to person.
It's hard to say how much would affect my life to education. I know both positive and negative examples. But I think that a person's success in life does not depend on certificates and other papers, but from their own sense of purpose, motivation and self-discipline. Another issue that the Russian model of reality is that 20 years have forced people in some way begin to realize themselves. Otherwise, it will become a vegetable, and it would be difficult to alter.
In the West, it's different. There, people come to understand what they want from life, but after twenty, and the first job in his specialty are closer to thirty. There is this process much less stressful, a person more time to self-identification and decision-making. Nobody is hurrying adults by our standards people live peacefully together with their parents, and this is not seen as something abnormal. Frankly, I do not know how to. But my older son 17 years. I hope that he will eat no later than twenty of us.
I am inspired by the mystery of tomorrow. I always have new ideas, which have yet to be implemented. Some live for years, until it is their time. Waiting for this moment is the most exciting time - question time, walks and introspection.
What are your strengths and weaknesses?
My strong point has always been to find a common language with people. Despite the fact that I am by nature an introvert and somewhat sociopathic, if necessary, I am very well play the role of a shirt-guy. It helped me a lot in the army, where I went in December 1995. Now without this skill, too, anywhere, because you often communicate and long hours.
This quality has a brother-antipode. I am very uncomfortable feel in a society of strangers, it is hard do the first step. Even to call a stranger, I have to win a mini-war with the demons guarding my comfort zone.
Other my advantage - good intuition. I have a fine sense of where the wind blows, and in the framework of their competences have enough wide event horizon. If you read the novel by Stephen King The Shining (Or its continuation Doctor Sleep), Something in me, I want to believe, there are a number of of the "glow". In other words, my fifth point is very sensitive. In fairness it should be noted that this "instrument" I do not work outside the profession.
The downside is that sometimes I rely too much on the inner voice. It is fraught with the fact that I subconsciously nudge myself to the decisions that I would like to take, and not to those who take it should. All the same internal demons trying to persuade me to go on to easy, comfortable way, drowning out the voice of reason. But the more, the better I get to suppress the riots.
Other positive features of its I would have carried her lack of fear of making decisions. I really never afraid to take responsibility and always clearly meant it as needed. It helps a lot, because there is nothing harder in life than making decisions.
Of course, it is also not without a counterweight. I'm an adventurer. At times, the temptation to dive into the pool with his head is stronger than common sense.
Now I try to think of what else their "bright" side, but climb some shortcomings in the head. For example, I would like very much to stop trusting people because, as I often do. Credit my trust by default are incredibly high. Many of these at different times used and continue to use it.
I want to learn to pay more attention to detail, never to my inner demons did not dare to tell me, "and so will come down." Because these demons no one sees, and I see. I want to stop indulging their weaknesses, which, although less frequently with time, but still periodically break out. And most importantly, I want to win, finally, their laziness, which does not allow me to follow through on many of the good ideas.
How does your workplace?
Most of all I am now suffering from a lack of a full-fledged office in the apartment. Due to the fact that Wix.com not have an office in Russia, I have nowhere to go to work. Of course, on the one hand, good to be your own boss, but on the other - in my apartment all three rooms and as many as three people, besides me, who live in them. Therefore, the desktop picture with a bunch of important papers scattered gadgets and entangled wires forever I can not show.
But I have a good understanding of how to look my perfect home office. This is a fairly large room, decorated fumed oak. On its perimeter floor-to-ceiling windows are shelves of books. No, this is not the business literature. Each book on the shelves of the age of at least several decades. I love things with history. They are a pleasure to hold in their hands and think, who held them in their hands before, that they have seen in my lifetime, what role played in someone's life?
Also in my dreams a massive wooden table and leather chair. On the table, there should be nothing but a lamp with a green shade and a laptop. Near the window - a rocking chair in which to relax and think.
But in the office personal office I never will. This vow I gave myself after gaining experience in their own business. None governing employee should not enclose the walls of what is happening in the company. Once this happens, he loses control of the situation. Who needs a private office? That's right, only the inner demons that build there comfort zone, so as not to stick your nose out of it.
In everyday life, I use a very limited a set of gadgets. My main working tool - a MacBook Air 13 '. I take it with you almost all the rides, there is still the most important thing.
Apple technology, I began to acquire in 2009. At first I was given on the day of the birth of iPod Touch. I am so imbued with this device that has brought me in admiration of the idea that such a device could still play the role of your phone. So I got my first iPhone. Then I bought a MacBook Pro 15 ", and still later the company presented the iPad, which I initially resisted, but still could not resist. Now Apple devices are the base of our family.
But the use of iPad in time I still refused. At one point, I caught myself on the fact that he is my extra weight when traveling. Movies I can watch and on a laptop, which is still constantly taking with me. The game play less and less, and the iPhone screen more and more, so it is quite possible to do on it.
iPhone is primarily a device for me. In addition to its primary function - communication - for me he is a mini-office. Here I read every morning fresh "Vedomosti", committing to him the purchase of air tickets and hotel bookings, manage finance through banking applications, working with e-mail, I read a book, pass the time with games and so Further. When she last line (6 and 6 Plus), the screen "plus" seemed to me too much and I bought a "six". But now I understand that the next phone I will be "plus".
More one day I realized that I seriously lacking specialized devaysa for reading books. After a little research, I chose the Kindle Paperwhite, and ordered it to his friend, who was at that time in England. Making himself a birthday present, I have found one of the most essential devices for themselves. Let me explain what I mean.
Firstly, in this chitalke there are only books, and nothing but books. The iPad I was constantly distracted by a variety of applications that are not allowed to quietly immerse themselves in reading.
Second, the Kindle screen is very similar in properties to the real paper, which is good for the eyes. During daylight hours, do not need artificial lighting, and the screen is not gleams in the sun.
Third, I can finally buy and download books in English in one click with Amazon.com. And this is just one of the options, because with the same success it is possible to pump the book with the laptop, and even send them to the device via email.
Fourthly, my Kindle is synchronized with the same application on the iPhone. Therefore, when traveling around the city, I can read the phone, without having problems finding a place where you left off reading at home before going to bed.
As for software, There is a big role playing software from Google. All my work mailboxes via Gmail. Although for the letters I use the native client Apple Mail. So I can not accustom themselves to work with mail through a browser, the mind does not accept this option. My main browser - Chrome. To plan using Google Calendar, part of the intra-corporate communication takes place in Google Hangouts.
For everyday working communication using Skype. But this is only for a laptop. On the phone I never turn: do not like their application. But there are installed all kinds of messengers: Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp, Telegram, Viber and 4Talk.
Office suite - Microsoft. To work with images - iPhoto. Screenshots do to help Monosnap. A premium version of Dropbox solves my problems with storage. Player to watch movies - Movist.
What is in your bag?
In daily life I try to do without any cargo, so everything fits in the pockets. I even umbrella never take, because I hate to wear something in his hands. In fact, everything that I need - it's a wallet, phone and keys. However, sometimes there are situations that require the transfer of some documents, or small goods. To this end, I have a small shoulder bag leather Hugo Boss. If the size of the burden exceeds its size (for example, need to take a laptop), comes into play my backpack Samsonit, who faithfully serve me for five or six years.
Backpack I always take a trip, to put all the necessary things.
First, it documents and wallet, they lie so that they were convenient to get. The left side pocket - headphones, and the right - for charging the phone. The main compartment lie MacBook, Kindle, chargers for laptop and Garmin Fenix 2 hours. The clock I need to exercise, but more on that later. If necessary, here also put the camera.
Recently, however, I'm tired to carry a DSLR and I started looking for an alternative solution. Found it fast, even buy anything not necessary. Its a May trip to Europe, I spent only with the iPhone 6, which is now still plays a role, and a camera for traveling. Its camera is superior in performance "bar of soap", bought a few years ago.
The last compartment backpack I use for all sorts of documents and papers. The backpack has several hidden little pockets, which are always my business card just in case, and Israeli also a trifle, I use it when visiting this country (headquarters located in Wix Tel Aviv).
I am happy when I get to realize that it was born in my head - to materialize their ideas and to bring into the world something that was not so far.
Is there a place in your paper work?
Paper covers in my life less and less space. I tried several times to train yourself to use Notepad, but nothing came of it. Print out only those documents that me someone calls. I hope that in the near future and all the paperwork will be done in the virtual space.
How do you organize your time?
I do not believe in time management. Examining this question from all sides, I have come to the conclusion that the basis of all of these techniques is an elementary self-discipline. If there is internal motivation, clear goals and interesting tasks, force yourself to do something it is not necessary.
Everything that I have - it Notes on a laptop, where I regularly write down what I need to do. Every day I review the list of projects and tasks, and builds its day, depending on the priorities arranged by me. This takes into account more and some household chores, as well as city tours at various meetings.
Due to the fact that my main job - the house, planning to travel, I try to group things so as to address several issues in one trip. Thus, I have a few days by a pure "office" when I sit all day at the computer, while others - visiting.
I know of examples of people erecting time management to the rank of religion. They are constantly looking for better task-manager and their every day painted by the minute. Just how much they work, the number of tasks on their list is not reduced. In my opinion, this is because there is a substitution of concepts. Instead set priorities, identify the most important problems and solve them in the first place, "hard workers" spend more time, poking in my todo-list, trying to hammer it to failure. It is of paramount importance not the result but the process. As a result, the efficiency of this work looks doubtful: a lot of small activities and the almost complete lack of forward motion.
What's your daily routine?
By way of life I am an early bird. But it's not because I laid a certain program, but the consequence of a way of life I had built. Usually I wake up around seven in the morning. If it is not during the school holidays and I do not travel, then my first morning deal after brush your teeth - it is lifting their children to school. I have two sons - 13 and 17 years. I cook them breakfast, usually scrambled eggs with bacon or cereal with milk.
After they leave, I start doing exercises. It may be a long series of exercises, including work with dumbbells, then charging takes about an hour; or if you plan to jog, I confine myself to the general warm-up, stretching and a set of exercises on the press. After exercise should be a shower and breakfast, during which I read the latest issue of "Vedomosti" and the corner of his eye view news channel release "Moscow-24".
My most productive hours - before lunch. At this time, I try as far as possible to do all the most difficult and uncomfortable task for me. After lunch, I usually hold talks with colleagues and address various operational issues. Later in the afternoon plan to do the next day. I finish your day often book.
How to pass the time in traffic jams?
For two years, I do not use personal vehicles. It was a situational decision that resulted in some kind of "enlightenment." I suddenly opened a completely new life, devoid of stupid prejudices and full of free time. Now, I'm terribly sorry for the people chasing new models of cars and idling in traffic jams much of his life. My last car was a Range Rover Sport. I once calculated that for every 12 months of life more than a month I spend behind the wheel. Now I can use this month is significantly more productive.
My main activity during the forced pauses (metro, airports, airplanes, trains) - this reading. In second place - movies and TV series. The third place is occupied by the game. Sometimes I prefer to just play music that is suitable for any mood and thought.
What's your hobby?
I have several hobbies.
I love aviation and everything connected with it. Unfortunately, so far I have always something to learn to prevent private pilot, but I sincerely hope that sooner or later the time will come. While I was in the pleasure flying on a computer simulator, sometimes I visit the actual aircraft flight simulators, I spend a lot of time studying blogs pilots and aviators community.
I like to be creative. Over the years, the life I dabbled in painting and writing. Artistic experiments eventually abandoned because it recognized the need to take some lessons from the master, and the hands up to this has not yet been reached. So now I pour their creative energy into prose. Most often it is the small everyday sketches, but there are some larger pans.
Traveling - my other passion. I can not stay long in one place, try a few times a year to get out in the new point of the globe. Current job requires periodic visit to Israel, where I travel on average every six weeks. Once a year, it required a two-week seaside holiday with the family. My youngest son, like me, loves the wild, so sometimes we try to go somewhere with him together.
All these activities, I believe, play an important role in my life and develop me as a person. Aviation is helping me to understand the details, focus on the little things, helps to learn from the mistakes of the past. Creativity enables direct my emotions in the right direction, to realize their hidden potential. Travel broadens the mind, helping to better understand the structure of the world.
But my main hobby at the moment is sport.
What place sport occupies in your life?
I started to run a couple of years ago, when not experiencing the best moment in my life. Long distance reconciled me with my mind, made it possible to abstract from reality and focus on the important things. It was intuitive solution, but to be honest, I'm not sure that without sports I managed to solve all my problems.
Before the beginning of 2015 my jogging wear non-system character. I ran, when he wanted to, but when you do not want - do not run. Ceased employment during the holidays and winter. I ate too without any artificial restrictions.
However, in February this year, I decided to completely change their lifestyle. For this it was necessary to set yourself a long-term goal, which would have disciplined me, and did not allow to relax. So I signed up to take part in the full marathon in Moscow in September. All that is happening to me now, is subject to this decision.
First, I changed my diet, removing from the diet of all superfluous. Excess weight I have never been, but the figure has significantly changed for the better.
Secondly, I am now working on the training plan, which was for himself on the basis of information collected from a variety of articles, books, and communicate with other people keen on running.
Third, svol minimize alcohol and stop smoking. Before that, I for many months in a state of "quit smoking": could not smoke a month or two, and then, for example, weekly smoking.
May 17, I ran my first official race of 10 kilometers under the Moscow half-marathon and set a best time for yourself. In the overall standings, I finished 250 th out of a little more than 1 000 people. But for me it is not a race with other participants, and the competition with yourself.
Sport now has an important meaning for me. Availability of long-term goal of the marathon makes me prodelyvat daily work focused on solving the problem in the long term. I understand that if you give up the slack today, will suffer the whole plan. This is a very cool disciplines.
Another very important advantage in long-distance running - it is a complete disconnection from the outside world, the deepest dive in yourself. I do not know the best way to clear my head. Each time running out for a run, I try to take a very difficult at the moment a problem or difficult tasks. There was not even a single case, that decision has not been found before the end of the workout.
Of course, all of this really helps me in my work: adjusts to the desired fashion, teaches patience, allows you to select the most important of the general flow of information and events, trains systematic approach.
Layfhakerstvo from Nikita Sherman
Now I read a lot. I try to alternate between fiction and business books, Russian and English editions. By the choice of books, which put in place to read, I go over very carefully. Therefore, something little interest to me comes across extremely rare. At the same time I can not separate the individual names of some, influenced me, or have caused some changes.
But I am ready to try to compile a list of five books, which seem to me relevant to the person who shares my approach to life.
- The Martian ( «Martian") Andy Weir. This bestseller, the film adaptation of which will be released in November this year. The book teaches the right attitude for any trouble, and demonstrates the correct approach to problem solving. I finished reading it at the moment when he found himself in an extreme situation, staying with his 12-year-old son, who was in a state of moderate severity, 1.5 thousand kilometers from Moscow and 200 km from the nearest major cities. I sat on the bed next to a child, which is filled in a row is not known what the dropper in the district hospital in the village of Pinega Arkhangelsk region, thinking about a plan of action and thought that my problems - nothing compared with what is going through people, surviving alone in the distant planet.
- Customers for Life («Customers for Life") Carl Sewell and Paul Brown. Best Book of a client marketing. Recommended reading for all who are engaged in business, regardless of occupation. On a very simple and clear examples, the author talks about the creation of competitive advantages, most of which does not require any additional costs. After it I will definitely recommend Delivering Happiness ( "Delivering Happiness"), the founder of Zappos.com Tony Neck.
- The Rosie Project («The "Rosie"") And its sequel The Rosie Effect ( "Effect" Rosie "") Graham Simsiona. I have read this book, seeing in some article that it recommends to the reading of Bill Gates. Now I also recommend it to all family and friends and have never heard of someone remained indifferent. However, I do not recommend reading it on the subway. Firstly, you will be puzzled look when you laugh at the whole car, and secondly, it is easy to drive his station as I did twice. The book will appeal to all who love life and wants to be like everyone else. If possible, it would be advised to read the original.
- Good to Great («From good to great") By Jim Collins. This business edition is useful to anyone who wants (and can) learn to look at the big things on top, to see a complete picture of the world. Not just a book, but the result of deep research, allowing a number of features distinguish just good companies from the truly great. It recommended to anyone who wants to "take over the world."
- american Gods («American gods»). In my opinion, one of the best fantasy novels of my favorite writer Neil Gaiman. I advise everyone who has a rich imagination likes to dream and who closely within the real world. Now, as far as I know, I removed the eponymous series. I think that it is necessary to read the book before the TV version will be released.
By the way, if we talk about the show. I'm afraid to be unoriginal - I have little time to view them. But the best work in this genre, it seems to me, - Breaking Bad ( «Breaking bad»). From a business perspective I think the best series Boardwalk Empire ( «criminal empire") And the House of Cards («House of cards»). Because any business - is the search for the best opportunities for themselves, the organization of processes and communication with people. This series is about. The most entertaining - Game of Thrones ( «Game of Thrones»). Funniest - Big Bang Theory ( «The Big Bang Theory") In the voice acting" Courage Bamba. "
My dream is to create something that will continue to live on earth after my time on it over.
What is your life motto?
My philosophy of life is that you need every day to strive for self-improvement. I always want to learn something new, get rid of the shortcomings and expand horizons. Of course, so I was not always, but the longer I live, the more you do not want to spend any time on useless exercises like watching TV. At the same time I hope that got rid of (or almost rid) of youth extremism, when you want to fight at least for the universe. Now I understand that any global projects start with small steps and can not do without falling.