“From one crisis, we smoothly flowed into another.” Interview with a Russian woman who opened a pastry shop in Lithuania during difficult times

Tatyana Bykovskaya is guided by the principle "do not be afraid of anything, go ahead." This is reflected in the history of her business. In 2011, she left the bank and opened a candy store in Orenburg. After 8 years, she decided to move to a resort town in Lithuania. And at the beginning of 2022 she moved to Vilnius.

It may seem that the heroine rarely loses heart, and looks at changes with a positive attitude. However, it was not always easy for her to carry out her plans. Tatyana shared her story with us and talked about meeting a bandit from the 90s, strange tastes of Lithuanians, the coronavirus crisis in Europe, and attitudes towards Russians.

"I did everything at random"

From 2004 to 2010 I worked in banks. Back then I wasn't going to start a business. Yes, sometimes I slipped: "I would like my own children's cafe." But the matter did not go further than conversations.

However, banking systems gradually changed, processes were automated. If at the very beginning of my career I could evaluate borrowers and make decisions on lending on my own, now I have become just a robot that scans and sends documents. And most importantly, I learned that the bank was soon to close.

Then I thought: “Why not change your profession?” So I decided to open a bakery.

Friends and relatives supported me, although no one in our family had ever done business before. And I didn't know much about food. But that didn't stop me.

At lunchtime, I began to drive around the city and look at premises that could be suitable for my pastry shop. And one day I saw a building that immediately attracted me. It was opposite the office of a famous bank - where I started her career in this domain. It was on this building that the windows in my first office faced. "Rent" - was listed on the plate. I thought: "Well, I'll call."

The owner of the premises seemed to me a gangster from the 90s. A simple rude man. When he saw me, he did not even go into details. He simply said: "Take it and make your own cafe." So easily agreed to this - still strange!

At that moment, there was a feeling of flow - as if some invisible wave picked me up and carried me. Everything worked out perfectly.

The rental price at that time was 80,000 rubles per month for 80 m². A familiar designer immediately offered us a design plan for the hall. We started doing repairs.

I wasn't tech savvy either. Wrote in a search engine: "buying confectionery equipment." And I immediately found a company that made a technical plan for me and installed everything I needed.

I did everything on a whim. I've never even been to the shop. Yes - baked cakes in the home kitchen. The first person to show me how to cook food in large quantities was Elena ShramkoElena Shramko is a confectioner with over twenty years of experience. He is the owner of 25 International gold medals for participation in international gastronomic competitions. World Champion in Confectionery. The most titled confectioner in Russia.. I went to her for a two-week confectionery course in Moscow and learned a lot.

We also compiled the menu based on her recipes. The dishes were not very complex, but tasty. And everyone loved it right away! After this training, I managed to get training from other chefs and update the menu several times. But for some reason, Shramkov's desserts were the best, the very first ones: banana in chocolate, napoleon, eclairs - always with a bang.

At the same courses, I put on a chef's tunic for the first time. I stood in front of the mirror and thought: “Oh-fi-get out.”

Before that, I always walked in heels and in a suit. Worked as the head of the corporate lending department. Everyone said that my path was to become deputy manager. And then I look at myself - "Cook".

“Orenburg did not match the pictures from Australia”

At first, I had the feeling that I had lost in status. I remember one time I opened the doors of a candy store and saw that the urn next to it was overflowing. No one will pick up the trash but me.

At that moment I thought: “Central street. Opposite is the bank where I worked for four years and where everyone knows me. My colleagues are probably sitting in the office right now, looking out the window and seeing me walking around with this garbage bag!” Foolish feeling.

But it went away after a month. And then it changed completely. Arriving at the bank, I saw how my ex colleagues sit in their papers. For many years - in the same pieces of paper. And I am free. I don't depend on anyone. I do what I want.

Someone even envied me: “So you did it! But I couldn’t... ”Former colleagues then often came to me. The bank generally ordered desserts all the time!

Perhaps I got lucky. Everything coincided: both time and place. The confectionery immediately began to gain popularity and grow. And mainly due to word of mouth - we were not advertised anywhere.

So, in the first month I had only two employees, and after three there were six of them. Everyone scared: “When you open a catering, be prepared for a large turnover of staff.” But in the end, these people worked with me for 7 years.

I think the fact that the discovery of Tortoffi was so easy spoiled me.

Therefore, after 4–5 years, I thought about opening a second point of Tortoffi - without sugar. At that time, a class of people had already formed in Orenburg, from whom one could hear: "I'm losing weight", "I'm a vegan", "I don't eat sweets."

Plus, I was very interested in this topic. In social networks, I was subscribed to Australian and American confectioners, who posted interesting recipes for low-calorie dishes. I thought why not try something new?

But it turned out that people were still not ready. Those who losing weight, took one candy and a liter of tea. There was no flow of customers that would provide a normal level of profitability. Orenburg did not match the pictures from Australia, which I had seen enough.

Those who are accustomed to classic desserts were not always ready to replace them with low-calorie ones. After all, you need to understand that the usual "Napoleon" and "Napoleon" without sugar are two different things. If you are used to the first, the second will definitely not be so tasty. This is how receptors work: the fatter and sweeter, the tastier.

On top of that, another problem has been added. When I opened the second branch, I thought that the first one would be able to work on its own, without my participation. After all, all the processes there have already been established. But it turned out not. It was hard to pull two points without managers.

Then my husband, Igor, just began to reshuffle at work. And we decided that he would quit and help me. Basically, shopping. So he became mine business partner.

And although I liked the concept of "Tortoffi - without sugar", a year later I sold this outlet. But she still works. And I am very glad about this: it means that it was not in vain that I opened it.

"Our desserts are tastier"

In 2012, Igor and I went to the USA. I was amazed at how free American society is. First of all, internally. After returning from the States, I looked at my usual life with different eyes.

From that moment I began to actively play the lottery "Green Card"Green Card (Diversity Visa Lottery) is a program in which 50,000 US visas are randomly issued annually to citizens of other countries.. The idea of ​​moving has already been formed, but it was not possible to obtain an American visa, so I decided: I need to take everything into my own hands. And I began to study the countries where it is easiest to emigrate.

I wanted to go to the sea - away from Orenburg, because I never liked the dust and heat characteristic of it. At first, I considered not only abroad. For example, one of the options was Zelenogradsk is a city in the Kaliningrad region. But it just started programWe are talking about the national project "Safe and high-quality roads", which started in 2017. As part of it, metal pedestrian barriers were erected in the Kaliningrad region. Not all locals liked it - they called this process "fencing" the city. road safety. And the whole city was full of fences - everywhere, everywhere, everywhere... Ugly.

And then suddenly on YouTube I accidentally came across a video where Russian and Lithuanian cities were compared - those that are closest to the borders. There I saw Palanga and Klaipeda for the first time.

I really liked Palanga. We arrived there in January - out of season. On the main street we stumbled upon some kind of confectionery. We bought eclairs - it is impossible to eat. They threw them in the trash. We found another confectionery - the situation repeated itself.

We thought: "Our desserts are tastier." And we decided to move to Lithuania.

You don't need as much money to open a business here as, say, in Spain. Plus, many speak Russian and, in principle, perceive us adequately.

By this study competitor market limited. The feeling was this: they poked a finger and drove off. Probably, it was a mistake, because then moments were revealed that I had not even suspected. But on the other hand, it seems that you can penetrate only in practice.

In Orenburg, we quickly sold the cottage and business. I didn't break the price for Tortoffi. I didn’t even know exactly how much it cost - I could only guess, based on the basis of my economic education. Based on the volume of revenue and the cost of equipment, she set a price tag of 4,000,000 rubles.

After that, she came to the bank and met there with a former colleague. As soon as I said I was going sell business, he said: "I will buy." So we agreed.

“The tourists have left – you won’t run to catch up with them”

We moved to Palanga in May. At first it was very difficult to find a site. If in Orenburg the entire center was hung with red banners “For Rent”, “For Rent”, nothing like this was observed here. In addition, it was important for us to find a room with a kitchen, and there were even fewer of them.

All cafes were mainly located at hotels and rented out, at first glance, for little money - only 500 EuroAbout 37,500 rubles - for May 2018. per month. But everything turned out to be not so simple.

Rent was not paid monthly. Over the summer, it was necessary to pay the annual amount - that is, not 1,500, but 6,000 euros. If by the end of August this amount is repaid, then you can do whatever you want. If you want to use the room in winter - use it, no - do not use it. For us it was a surprise.

As a result, in May we made repairs and opened at the peak of the season. At first there were a lot of clients. It did not frighten me: in Orenburg I got used to such a flow. But then suddenly September came, and people abruptly disappeared.

Of course, I understood that we were going to resort town. I assumed that in the fall the flow of people would decrease. But so much... And now this has become a problem. Shrinking was harder for me than growing.

It is difficult to fit yourself into a small business if before that it was big.

The parting with employees was especially emotional. In Orenburg, for example, 10 people consistently worked for me. Here at the beginning of the season I took six. But when September came, they simply had nothing to do. They sat at the table for half a day on their phones.

For me, a person from the Russian Federation, who worked all his life in a bank and observed the laws of the Labor Code, it was strange to hire employees and dismiss them in a couple of months, just because the season is over.

But our accountant kept saying: “Are you out of your mind? Take people away! They don't need that many." I threw up my hands: “How to remove? After all, I liked the way they work! There needs to be a good reason to quit. And now I have to pay them all compensation... "

Anyone who has been cooking in a seasonal business all his life understands perfectly well that he takes people for the summer. And I was aware of this with my head, but it was still difficult to part with them.

It took me 2 years to understand: it's not my fault. It's nobody's fault. This is the specificity of the resort town. The tourists have left - you can't run to catch up with them.

Seasonality has another problem. In the summer there is such a large flow of people that it becomes absolutely unimportant what kind of food you offer: eclairs “from powder” or freshly baked brioche buns. People eat everything and don't seem to notice much.

At the same time, the cost of my products is higher, I spend more labor, and I sell as much as the owner of the pastry shop, frying semi-finished products in 10-day fat. And most importantly: people will still continue to buy from him, because his point is closer to the sea, in a super passable place on the main street. And nothing can be done about it: the best premises have long been bought by the locals.

Because of this, it seemed to me that the efforts that I expend were not worth it. Sometimes the motivation to work was lost. I was glad that some still appreciated my work. They said: "You have delicious food." And then they added: “Everything is different, not like the locals.” But what is "other" - no one has been able to explain.

“I don’t think it would have happened in Russia”

Literally six months later the world covered pandemic. Strict quarantine has been introduced in Lithuania. People sat at home, crossings between cities were closed. I don't know how Palanga survived without an influx of tourists.

But we continued to work. At the beginning of 2020, in the first wave, it was possible to sell takeaway food. We were able to rescue 100 euroAbout 7,500 rubles - for March 2020. in a day.

And here the specifics of Palanga played into the hands - it helped that we paid the annual rent over the summer. That is, in winter we did not have to work on the premises. We "beat off" only electricity and products.

They baked four rolls a day and suffered.

The last wave was the toughest. For three months we just sat at home. Didn't work. Walked. And they went crazy. I joked: "That's the pension."

I remember during the crisis of 2014 I said: “It is interesting to work in a country with a stable economy. Where well not tied to the euro, where you don’t expect the ruble to fall and prices to rise.” And when the pandemic began, I thought: “I got drunk.”

And I think it really turned out to be easier to survive the crisis in Lithuania. First, the state paid salaries to everyone, including our employees. Even despite the fact that we, business owners, are not citizens of Lithuania.

Second, the rate has gone down. VAT. For restaurants and hotels, this figure was 21%. And during the pandemic it became 9%. And so far nothing has changed, we still pay so much. It helped a lot. I can't imagine how we would have survived without this measure.

Thirdly, there is a possibility of installment payment of taxes. Everything that had accumulated in three months, the state allowed to pay within a year and a half. At that time, our tax amount was about 3,000 euros. We broke it into several parts and gradually paid off.

The state organized all this so quickly and so timely. And it felt so... right. I don't think it would have happened in Russia.

Small businesses in Lithuania generally live well. There are no online cash desks here and it is easier to pay the tax. It's also easy to get a license to sell alcohol.

At the same time, there were many covid restrictions. But everyone followed them. For about a year, I had to carry my COVID-19 vaccination passport with me everywhere. When we asked visitors to show it, no one was indignant. I remember one of our clients joked: “Finally, the Russians are checking the passports of Lithuanians.”

“I had to immediately settle in the capital”

A few months before the end of the pandemic, the owners of the premises changed. The new ones turned out to be revived bandits from 90s. It was not possible to find a common language with them. At first they did repairs for a long time, spoiling part of our decor. And then they asked for a too high price tag for rent.

I told them that for the same money you can rent a room in Vilnius. And it turned out that this is indeed the case. I immediately left for the capital to see it.

At that moment, I already understood: Palanga is not exactly my place. Initially, we considered Vilnius, but at that time I was not particularly impressed. City and city. There are many areas with graffiti, old Soviet five-story buildings... Now I think it was a mistake. It was necessary to immediately settle in the capital.

By the way, I often compare Vilnius with Orenburg: the same population, the same territorial extent, the same rhythm of life.

I think the bar was initially too high: immediately to Europe, immediately to the resort town. So we decided to relocate again. moving was understandable, but I wouldn't say desirable. In Palanga, we have just fed people, more or less accustomed to seasonality. Plus, it was still necessary to transport the equipment, to connect it with a new one ...

If it was possible to rent a room for the same money that was agreed upon initially, we would have stayed. But in those circumstances - when the pandemic had not yet ended - the prospect of killing himself in order to give all the money earned over the summer to some uncle... It did not suit us.

“Suddenly now someone will come and start to beat our windows?”

On February 16, 2022, we opened Tortofi in Vilnius. Even during the registration of a business in Palanga, the employee said that the name must be Lithuanian and suggested adding -is at the end. So it turned out Tortofis. But then it turned out that there are no restrictions on naming. Therefore, having moved to Vilnius, we returned the old Tortofi, but in Latin - we liked it better this way.

In the first week of work, I was in shock. I did not expect that we have so many loyal customers! The fact is that many residents of the capital vacationed in Palanga in the summer. They knew us. Therefore, on the very first day, whole families came to Tortofi! I then thought: “This is the result of the torment that we endured for the first two years.”

But a week later came February 24th. Everyone huddled up again, quieted down. For the first two weeks, I cried.

There was a feeling that we smoothly flowed from one crisis into another.

When you open a new place, you usually look to the future with hope, try to see the prospects, you expect something good to come... But now everything has changed, and no one understands how to live farther. What will be the relationship between the countries?

In Palanga, we always loudly declared: "We are Russians." We tried to build a dialogue. And we never felt that someone offends us or infringes on us. Everyone treated us well.

But here, in Vilnius, when it all started, we, of course, put our tails down. Thought: what to do? Suddenly now someone will come and start to beat our windows?

In addition, the Seim, the State Duma of Lithuania, is very close to us. It's as if our confectionery was on Tverskaya in Moscow. We've been getting a lot politicians. They heard our accent, saw the Ukrainian flags that we hung out in support, and asked: “Where are you from?”. And assuming that we are Ukrainians, they asked if we needed help.

To lie that we are from there, I could not. Therefore, she answered: “No, it is better to help the refugees. And we are from Kazakhstan. Before that, they lived in Palanga, now they have moved to Vilnius.”

And this is not entirely a lie, because my husband and I were born and lived in Kazakhstan for a long time. When we answer in this way, the acuteness of the question is removed. Someone starts talking about Russians, you communicate with someone, you don’t with someone.

But I have not yet seen or heard aggressive actions or insults directed at me. On the contrary, those who knew that we were Russians offered us help.

In general, this whole situation makes me feel bitter. I'm bitter read news or see how some people react to everything that happens. I feel misunderstood: why do I see black and you see white?

Sometimes I come to the candy store in the morning and think: “What is all this for?” It is better to sit on the shore and look at the beautiful.

Now my main problem is that I can't make plans. It's hard to develop without them. It's impossible to motivate yourself. While I'm not sure there is any way to deal with this. You can't read the news. Walking is stupid. Working is pointless.

Probably the main insight that I discovered during this time: live one day. You never know what will happen next. Therefore, I did not regret that I moved to Lithuania.

I am ready to repeat like a mantra: "Do not be afraid, go ahead." You can think for many years that something does not suit you, but at the same time do nothing. And you can take and change. Let it be in small steps. The winner is always the one who moved, and not the one who remained in the closing bank, waiting for a new position on a silver platter.