Women's start: where successful careers begin. Women's Start: Where Successful Careers Begin General Mary Kay Russia Alla Sokolova Receives AmCham Business Person of the Year Award

Julia Solovieva, Google Russia CEO

First work: interpreter

I was a greenhouse domestic child and began to work only at the institute. It is clear that my sister and I helped at home, at school we also did something. So, in grades 9-10 at school, at the bottom of vocational training, we made small motors for toys. Once a week, they went to the factory and made these motors with their own hands - at first they stripped the wire for a long time, then wrapped it with something. I managed to make 50 pieces in a day.

And my first income was at the institute, then I studied in foreign language at the translation department. I never washed cars, never worked as a waitress, like American children. I immediately decided to work by profession - to be a translator. And in the 4th year I contracted for a couple of weeks to work as a translator. This was the beginning of the 1990s, when foreign businesses began to actively enter Russia. I worked with an American couple who came here with the idea of \u200b\u200bselling popcorn. They wanted to set up popcorn machines and traveled around various ball-bearing factories to find partners. Where am I and where are the ball bearings? This was my first job. We traveled to different cities and negotiated. I especially remember the trip to Vologda, because the day before I dyed for some reason a bright red color, and I had a short haircut. Probably, then in Vologda they mistook me for an alien, or also for a foreigner. We walked around the factory, told us in detail how what is being done. And then, of course, we were taken to drink, after which the whole Vologda was brought to the station of the American. And when it was necessary to translate documents from English into Russian, he asked me to print information on the first analogue of the laptop - it was called word processor. I tried to refuse and write by hand, but they insisted. The first day I tormented, learned to print with one finger. Then I found textbooks on fast typing and still type like a professional typist with all my fingers. And then it seemed to me that such a skill as typing, I absolutely do not need and will never need. At that time, the translator’s rate was $ 20 per day, and in 2 weeks I earned about $ 200. At that time it was a lot of money. What did I spend them on? To be honest, I don’t remember. Probably began to put off for the future. When I left for the exchange in the USA at the end of my studies, I bought a radiotelephone with a caller ID for my deferred money.

And my first real job was in the company "Moscow Cellular Communications" - and also by profession. I came there right after the institute in 1994 as a translator and assistant to Fred Ledbetter, who was the company's deputy general director for commercial matters. The connection went to the regions, and we began to travel all over Russia and open regional cellular companies. My first trip was to Vladivostok, where I quickly turned from a translator into his partner, because I had to do everything at once - write job descriptions, negotiate, and even stand in line for gasoline indefinitely. There was no gas in the Far East at that time. And at 18:00 in the whole city they turned off the light. So we worked. Then there were already the first laptops and there was even an email, we went to the post office every night, and for a long time he tried to dial-up to email and write a letter. I perceived this as something transcendentally cosmic and not related to me. But my boss was an advanced person, he printed his letters himself, while all his Russian colleagues wrote letters by hand and the secretaries reprinted them. I then had the first cell phone the size of a suitcase. My boss gave it to me, although the phone was not assigned to me by status. I was quick, nimble, quickly redoing all things and ran away to the sales department to the young sellers and laughed there with them for half a day, and the boss could not find me. So he wrote me a phone. So I got an Ericsson “suitcase” weighing about 1 kg. I remember the dawn of the development of all these technologies in Russia. It was very interesting and fun.

Natalya Pochinok, Rector of the Russian State Social University

First work:instructor athlete

At 13, I had a work book and the first entry in it was “an athlete-instructor of the Moscow Federation of Trade Unions”. From childhood I went in for sports, was a member of the junior team of Russia in athletics (1991-1994), became the winner of all-Russian and international competitions in 800 and 1,500 m running and 4x400 m relay. I earned the title of master of sports. And an athlete-instructor is one of the forms of immersion of athletes in methodological activities. In this position I worked for four years - before entering the university and a couple of years after.

My first salary as an instructor athlete was either 30 or 40 rubles, while my mother, a certified neurologist, received 95. I brought the money I earned to my family, and, of course, this was a significant help for the family budget.

But the first real work was related to my immediate profession - a financier in one of the leading audit and consulting companies Arthur Andersen. In it, I started working as a third-year student at Plekhanov University. In this real, “adult” job, the salary was about $ 600. I always dreamed of having a car and, frankly, I already knew how to drive, but I did not have a driver’s license and my own car. For two months I raised $ 1,200, bought a used Lada, got the rights.

Career lesson:Today, having reached a certain level of professionalism in management and leadership, primarily in the financial and banking sectors, you undoubtedly manage family capital and personal savings more efficiently.

Children and money: In children, it is necessary to encourage the desire for work, for an active life position. There are wonderful lines: “Do not let your soul be lazy! So as not to crush the water in the mortar, the soul must work day and night, and day and night! ”Therefore, of course, children must understand: to become successful in life, you need to work hard, have a clear goal and, of course, learn, because at their age, study is the work that must be done responsibly and efficiently.

Ksenia Ryasova, President of Finn Flare

First work: registry of the Moscow clinic

I started working at the age of 13, during the summer school holidays I got a job at the reception at the 15th medical unit in Moscow. My grandmother, who worked there as a doctor, helped me get to work. I gave out cards, recorded patients, answered telephone calls. I am from a low-income family, and I wanted to dress beautifully, look good, I needed boots, coats. For the first salary - it was 70 rubles - I bought autumn gray low boots. It seems that they took the whole salary, so many boots were worth at that time. Few of my classmates and friends worked, but my parents supported me, and besides, I worked only two months out of three and rested for one month. I think this is normal - at the age of 13-14, start thinking about money, about work. My son is now 16 years old, this summer he first started working as a courier in the company of his father. He realized how hard money is given.

I worked in the clinic for three consecutive summers, I did not have time to work at the institute, I studied in the full-time department of the Moscow Institute of Management named after Ordzhonikidze, except that I went to construction teams for student vacations, but not for potatoes. So, once I worked as a seller in a confectionery department in a high-rise on Krasnopresnenskaya. I withstood only a week and left, during which time I managed to gain two extra pounds.

But after the 3rd year of the institute, in the early 1990s, my husband and I left for Vietnam, where my husband was a diplomat, and there I started my own business. She brought clothes from Vietnam and sold them through sellers in Moscow markets.

Olga Podoynitsyna, Member of the Board of VTB Capital, Head of Corporate Relations and Marketing

First work:transcript of documentary films

I didn’t look specifically for work; the question was by no means how to get a livelihood. But the work found me myself. The first work appeared, it seems, in the 8th grade of the school, that is, I was 14-15 years old. I was asked to help print texts for documentaries by my mother’s friend, a first-class translator from Intourist. She gave me part of the materials, and I received little money for this. I actually became her subcontractor. I had to listen to the film and print by ear from recordings on audio tapes. Printing was then possible only on a typewriter - computers appeared a little later. I still remember how it was necessary to observe a certain impact force, so that the letters were printed, to be able to recharge the film, if it was time to replace it. With cassettes, from which it was necessary to print the text, sometimes also had to mess around. After all, you constantly turned on and off the sound in order to manage to print texts in parts. I must say that this experience is invaluable as the first attempt to have your income, and, most importantly, the opportunity to learn something new - attention, patience, new skills, quality of work and its implementation in the right time. And, of course, business communication. After all, you entered into a relationship, if not with the employer, then with his representative, and you had certain obligations. I think, if the opportunity presents itself, I need to somehow ask my mother's friend how she evaluated me at that time and the results of my work.

True, I tried to remember what kind of films they were, and I realized that I don’t remember at all. Apparently, they were not at all interesting to me. I don’t remember how much they paid me, but I bought something for tea home for the money. After all, this is such a tradition: to bring something to the house from the first salary.

A little later, it seems, in my first year at the institute, I chose the job of compiling a catalog of the home library of a famous Soviet philosopher. He had recently died and his widow wanted to clean up the library and possibly publish his works and notes. It was a real philosophical library with famous books and ancient editions. This was the golden mean that is difficult to get in life when you are doing something that gives you pleasure, and at the same time you earn. I love books, from childhood they are part of my life. And of course, students always need money. I studied then at the Lenin Pedagogical Institute. In addition, an important moment for me was communicating with interesting people. It was an intelligent Moscow family with philosophy, culture, and the right values. And that was an added bonus. Communication is priceless, especially when it brings something new to you. If I were older, I would have talked more with that lady, because when you are young, you are always in a hurry somewhere.

I had different options for earning from case to case. There were proposals, and I did not refuse them. In addition to printing the texts of documentaries and compiling the library catalog, I later worked at the Institute of Patent Examination, and in my fourth year I prepared the 10th grade of a sports school for final exams in literature. They all surrendered him, which was unbelievable. It was also earnings. But for me it was more a new difficult experience of overcoming, developing character, communication skills with a new audience, the experience of being able to get results.

What did I spend money on then? For example, I bought fabrics several times and sewed dresses for myself.

My parents approved of my desire to work. I think all parents are happy when the child is doing something useful. In addition, when a child receives money, he must be able to dispose of it. And this is another important lesson.

My parents did not raise me in this regard, but the best education is always a personal example. So, my dad was a mining engineer, but he always worked part-time in order to be able to pay for a cooperative, to buy a car - he was engaged in translations, wrote articles, scientific works, and as a student he taught mathematics.

Children and money: With my children - daughter and son - I behaved in much the same way as my parents did. Children always participated in family life, we always talked with them on equal terms. They understood where the money came from, what the budget was, no one had ever hidden from them how much renting an apartment costed and how it corresponded to the cost of a kindergarten, and later preparing for the institute and studying in Russia and abroad.

It seems to me that it is necessary to encourage in children the desire to work and get results. This is important in studies, in sports, and in work. They all teach discipline, instill a sense of responsibility. Children can probably earn money from the age of 16 for sure. This can be participation in the family business, if there is one, there may be lessons on the subject that the child is fluent in, or training if he has succeeded in some kind of sport. Yes, even New Year's cards, if there is an opportunity to attach them. After all, sales are a special talent. It is one thing to produce or to be a carrier of knowledge and skills that are in demand on the market, another thing is to be able to sell. In any case, if a child has a need and an opportunity to work, why not.

Elena Yurgeneva, Regional Director, Knight Frank Residential Property

First work:radio program "Pioneer Dawn"

My first work was the Pioneer Dawn program, if you remember, in Soviet times there was such a daily morning program that became an alarm clock for many generations of children. In the program, children in vigorous voices in the morning talked about what good news the pioneers had. I got there at age 13, participated in an audition. I remember when the competition was announced, the queue stood across the entire Kachalova street. We were about ten leaders who changed on the air. I came to the studio two to three times a month, and we recorded several programs at once. It was interesting to work, we were seriously preparing for the programs, we were taught how to breathe correctly, we were taught the correct diction, pronunciation. And after me, these qualities were very useful. I believe that oratory is useful to anyone, regardless of place of work.

I remember I had a fabulous first salary, I was paid 3 rubles 55 kopecks, for me it was a lot of money. I didn’t buy anything, I just gave it to my mother. And she said she would put it off, so that later I would buy something.

But I think that in the end we did not buy anything. Just corny eaten this money. Our family lived very modestly.

I worked on the radio until the end of school and at the age of 17 I found another part-time job - worked as a model at presentations and worked on promos - distributed samples, yoghurts, and cigarettes at the metro. Spent small money earned as a promotional girl (for an evening of work up to $ 20) she spent on cosmetics and ice cream.

Even then, I started selling real estate - the first timeshares, when Soviet people were persuaded to buy a life-long right for a week of rest in the Canary Islands. This service cost $ 15,000. I think few of our customers made it to the Canary Islands, probably bought for the sake of exoticism.

And my first job with a serious income was also in real estate. I then studied at the Institute - at the Moscow State Academy of Fine Chemical Technology, at the Faculty of Semiconductor Physics, my specialty is an electronic engineer. Already in my second year, I wanted to have my own earnings. And I got a real estate agent at InterOxidental. This was the first agency in Russia, it was she who established the rules of the game in the market. One of the founders of the agency was an American Dan Corcoran, and it is thanks to him that now all realtors in Russia and the CIS work for interest.

My first deal was the sale of a one-room apartment in Novokosino. As I remember now, an apartment cost $ 16,000. It was still those times when apartments were cheaper than cars and some sold an apartment to buy a car. Now it seems unbelievable, and the price per meter was about $ 600, the most expensive housing cost about $ 1000.

Children and money:It seems important to me that children begin to think about part-time work from an early age. My parents always supported me. Now I am very surprised when I get a resume where it says that a person started working after college. Even in wealthy families, it’s wrong to take money from mom. It is not necessary to wash cars and unload newspapers, of course. But it may not be dusty work in the company of parents. What matters is the desire to make money and help the family. This is exactly what I raised my daughter. Now she is 13 years old, she is studying in England, and there students do a lot with their own hands - they bake cakes, make crafts and sell them at fairs, and all the money earned is transferred to charity funds. It seems to me that this brings up responsibility, respect and a serious approach to work in children.

Alla Sokolova, CEO, Mary Kay Russia

First work: fast food sale at the festival

I earned my first money when I was 15 years old - at an international youth festival selling sandwiches and sausages. It seemed to me that I was awarded the great honor of providing uninterrupted energy to the participants of this important international event. Perhaps, at the time of youth, it was not so important what to do, how much the involvement and importance of the moment, the value of the very possibility of having one’s own funds. The first 20 rubles earned burned their hands so much that they were immediately capitalized as a present to their mother on her birthday and to her beloved grandmother who lived with us. But the most striking was the feeling of independence, self-sufficiency. The opportunity to express myself in a new way in relations with my relatives was very motivated, and I thought about my career.

Children and money: Most parents, at least in Russia, try to protect their children to the last. On the one hand, I want to let the child know the joy of a carefree life in his own way, on the other hand, it’s important not to go too far with care, risking taking away the most valuable things - independence, freedom of choice, the possibility of your own search, decision making, making mistakes, and ultimately their life motivation and responsibility for their own implementation. But it’s good to understand, it’s harder to do - my daughter is 12 years old and, frankly, it’s quite difficult to imagine her as a working lady in a couple of years.

Should our children repeat our path and begin to work from youth? I do not think that there are fundamental changes. The situations for everyone are different, and it is they who determine the choice of each.

Elena Ishcheeva, journalist, partner of Banki.ru news agency

First work:rhythmic gymnastics and rock ballet

My work began at age 6, I was professionally engaged in rhythmic gymnastics and every day in the heat and cold went through the whole city for training. It was a school of the Olympic reserve in Zhukovsky, where during the training camp we were given food stamps, since we were part of the Moscow region team. According to these coupons, my family received sausages, stews, delicious sweets, condensed milk in special closed tables of orders. These were my first earnings, which turned into a food ration - it was remembered for a lifetime. In the 1980s, it was bad in a country with food ...

I ended my career in sports at the age of 14, becoming the USSR master of sports in rhythmic gymnastics. By that time, my parents and I moved from Zhukovsky to Moscow, and I got a job as a dancer in the rock-ballet "Patron", which was founded by a former soloist of the Bolshoi Theater. At the rehearsal, I went every day as to work. I came from school, dined and went to the ballet. We prepared a good program and planned to go abroad, but they did not let me out, because I was a minor.

However, it was in rock ballet that I began to receive my first official salary; I had a work book there. How much I earned was erased in my memory, but I remember for sure that I spent the first salary on decorating. Then everyone was engaged in fartsing, and the girls brought the Italian silver chain 925 sterling, as thin as a thread. And I spent almost all the money on her, for which my mother scolded me very much. She said that you can’t spend your money so thoughtlessly. This episode was remembered, and I made conclusions ...

My parents and I made a rule - to save my money for the future. They took part of my salary from me and took me to a safe for work. Over time, this helped me a lot when I had to organize a wedding on my own, that is, at that time I turned out to be a rich bride.

I worked in ballet from 14 to 16 years old, and then left to enroll in the journalism department of Moscow State University and, having scored a half-pass score, ended up in the evening department. In those days, if you study in the evening, then you must work. And my mother helped me get a courier on the Smena radio station in the USSR State Radio and Television system.

Why did I go to work so early? Sport had a very big impact. It is important to consider the psychology of young athletes. When you go in for professional sports, you grow up very early: training camps, competitions. By the end of my career, I had already toured the floor of the Soviet Union, performed at tournaments in Georgia, Armenia, and Moldova. Thus, my desire to go to work as early as possible was natural, I used to be independent.

Children and money:You can not compare Soviet families and modern. For today's children, the topic of earnings is not as acute as ours. They live in a different reality, in a different Russia, they have a lot of things, toys, all kinds of food, this is a completely different generation. But we found the scrapping of the Soviet Union and remember what empty shelves are. After going through this, you understand how much a pound of dare.

Of course, it is necessary to instill respect for money from childhood. It is important that the children understand: the wealth of the family is not taken from the shelf, but is earned at the cost of strength and health of the parents.

My eldest son, Danila, is currently in grade 10, he is 14 years old. Recently, at the family council, we decided that in the summer, during the holidays, he will work for a month as a trainee on our banki.ru portal. When we voiced this idea to him, he agreed with pleasure. And he asked: “What, go to work right every day?” The husband says: “Yes, every day.” It is important to understand what the load is. Let him work in the marketing department, let's see what thoughts he will have in terms of promoting our products. I hope he will work his first salary honestly and in full force.

Ekaterina Turtseva, Acronis Corporate Communications Director, co-founder of Advertos Communications Agency

First work:potato weeding

I began to earn money from 10 years old. All summer I worked in the village on weeding collective farm potatoes - it was unrealistically hot and hard. The first earnings - 25 rubles. Of which I immediately spent 5 rubles on gifts for my parents (I bought some nonsense in the form of combs, soap, and something else in our store). For this, I “received” from my mother: “Shame on you ?! With us, everything in the family has always given money to the mother in the family budget, and you are squandering. ” I had to hand over the first salary. Everything was bought for me at school — notebooks, pens, pencils.

In the second year, at 11, I managed to earn 140 rubles for the summer. I really, really, really wanted a tape recorder, I already knew all the available records in the house by heart. Dad was against it. He believed that this would distract me from school and dampen (although I studied for one five). I had to come up with a legend that we were given a task at a music school to learn 4-piece works. I can learn and record one part on a cassette, and I will play the second part at home on the piano. Rolled! I even demonstrated this case once. At age 12, they took me to grain. Barely persuaded. She was skinny and feared that I could not stand it. They paid more. I no longer remember how much I earned over the summer from grain flow, but it was hard and very fun. I worked there for 2 summers, at 12 and 13 years old. Having felt that I could help my parents in that they would spend less on me, I got a job as a music worker in a kindergarten. After school, I went to work. The monthly salary was 65 rubles. Finally, the next summer I was taken to a brick factory. We dragged the raw bricks, laid them on the scaffolding for drying, then we were taught to stack the bricks correctly before sending it to the kiln - I really liked it. At 15, I didn’t finish the summer there - my toe was broken, the brick accidentally fell. And then I went to study at a teacher training college in Kazan. And from the age of 17, I began to leave for 4 shifts every summer to work in the camp. In total, I worked 34 shifts in the camp. The last two, being an employee of Beeline, during the New Year holidays.

Children and money: My parents were calm that I was doing a useful job. They themselves went through similar, even more difficult, work.

And is it really bad that a child goes to music school and at the same time teaches young children music and makes money? Great practice. And the rest is the same. And physical labor should be 100% - it willpower and character forms, the core of personality

Theoretically, from school years you should already be able to earn money. Develop your knowledge, train them. I would be glad if my son from an early school age finds himself a business that will enjoy and benefit. I will do my best to guide and support him in this.

Ksenia Podoynitsyna, director and co-owner of the Gallery 21 Gallery of Modern Art

First work: accountant assistant

I got my first job right after practicing the first year at REA named after Plekhanov. I studied at the faculty of International School of Business specializing in Finance and Credit.

I was always attracted to real action. And the schedule of the second course already allowed to combine study and work. I had a good result, and my supervisor offered me a job. So I became an assistant to the chief accountant of DWS Investments - this is Deutsche Bank's asset management.

We then actively engaged in the implementation of SAP, my responsibilities included testing the program, transferring data from paper, reconciling cash flow and balance. I really liked it. I felt responsible, I understood that even the slightest discrepancies in the calculations should not be allowed. The result of the activities of the business unit, which was evaluated by the financial director of the bank, depended on this.

It was then that I realized that even being in junior positions, you are responsible for the result and the results and effectiveness of others depend on your work. Moreover, the better you do your work, the more chances there are to get new and interesting tasks, and this is an opportunity for development and growth, without which work makes no sense to me.

This offer was a great opportunity to get to know the world of finance and prove yourself. Of course, no less important was the opportunity to start making money herself. The same proof of independence and professional solvency at the same time. And it's not that you have nothing to live on. It is very important to understand that you can contribute to the family budget, have your own money, and at the same time be a member of the team, be able to cooperate, work in a large team. This is a feeling of independence, which, in my opinion, is necessary for everyone. But it must be supported by specifics. And work, professional development and compensation for the result is the best basis for independence. I then received 30,000 rubles a month. It was very good for a sophomore. Spent money on food, on cinema, on clothes. I didn’t buy anything serious. But just then she felt within herself the strength for a further independent life.

Career lesson: The ability to take money responsibly helped me further my studies in Germany and England. And the work experience that I got after the first year showed how Russian students, who, for obvious reasons, are younger than their Western classmates, were more self-confident and, due to the knowledge gained during the work, were more free to navigate in most academic subjects. Therefore, I believe that work and making money is an invaluable development practice, both professional and personal. Moreover, the ability to get professional results and make money directly affect the formation of leadership qualities.

Children and money: I don’t remember at what age and how parents began to tell us about money. But I remember for sure that my brother and I were given, as a reward, a hundred dollars, which we were recommended not to spend, if possible.

We understood that money can be profitable in the future, and not just be spent on momentary needs. I must admit that after all, money was wasted when the dark days came. For example, there was an irresistible desire to buy something. Nevertheless, these were the first lessons of financial discipline and savings management.

Mary Kay Russia CEO Alla Sokolova receives AmCham Business Person of the Year Award

On December 2, 2017, the American Chamber of Commerce in Russia summed up the results of the outgoing year and noted the achievements of the AmCham business community. For the first time in the past 12 years, the AmCham Russia Business Person of the Year Award was received by the woman general director of Mary Kay Russia Alla Sokolova.

“It is incredibly pleasant to receive the recognition of the professional business community, because this is confirmation of the correctness of the given path of development of our company. I believe that every woman’s dream is to be a dream woman, therefore I devote all my professional activity to this mission. If today another woman discovered her new self and believed in her success, then this day is not in vain for us, ”said Alla Sokolova, CEO of Mary Kay Russia.

“Today, declaring Mary Kay Russia Director General Alla Sokolova the winner in the AmCham Russia Business Person of the Year nomination, we would like to note her outstanding contribution to the development of the company's business. Under her leadership, Mary Kay, Russia has become one of the leaders in the Russian cosmetics market and has expanded its business to new territories - Armenia and Belarus. With our award, we also thank Alla for her active participation in the life of the entire community of the American Chamber of Commerce in Russia and her contribution to strengthening it, ”said Alexis Rodzianko, President of the American Chamber of Commerce in Russia.
John Huntsman, US Ambassador to Russia, personally congratulated Alla Sokolova on her well-deserved award.

Alla Sokolova joined Mary Kay in 1996. Having gone from the Deputy Chief Accountant to the Executive Director for Finance, Operations and Administrative Issues, having made a significant contribution to the development of the company in Russia, in 2005 Alla was appointed to the post of Director General of Mary Kay Russia, which she currently holds. In 2010 and 2014, under the direction of Alla Sokolova, Mary Kay branches were opened in Armenia and Belarus.

In September 2017, Alla Sokolova entered the Top-250 of the Top Leaders of the annual Top-1000 Russian Managers rating of the Association of Managers and Kommersant Publishing House.