1. My life principles.
Significant part of my life in this world I spend at work, hence doing my business, growing my company. My life is precious and the time I live is nonrefundable. My business should reflect my life principles and values. I am vegetarian, I am strongly against speciesism, therefore when I am approached by companies producing leather clothes or meat and poultry, I say my firm no.
2. Legacy.
I know that our names live longer than we ourselves. Therefore, I want to be remembered in a good way, as a person who contributed to the development of our society, who changed somebody else’s life for better. That’s the principle I base my business decisions on. My company mission reflects this. Even more, I have just published a new unconventional Russian language textbook.
3. Giving.
People have been talking a lot that “givers gain”. I can’t agree more with this. I have got so many examples of this principle working that I ought to believe in it. More than that, I want to believe in it as it makes my life so much more comfortable and meaningful. Yes, I feel better giving and so this works for my businesses – they work better giving, giving from day one, starting small and then growing the support. I’d never delayed giving to the rosy future. Giving is as important now as it will be later.
4. Money.
And as I want to live and enjoy my life and see the joy of those around me, my family, business does mean money for me as well.
Ignaty Dyakov is founder and MD of Russia Local Ltd, London-based linguistic consultancy helping international businesses expand in Russia. He is the author of “Rasskaz-Sensatsiya” Russian language textbook.
