Фрагмент книги «Diving Into the Red Ocean. How to Break the Rules of Retail and Come Out on Top»
Do not look for instructions here. This book is about something else. Here we will share our experiences and failures; uncovering our thoughts and concerns. In these pages you will find many examples of sincerity and humanity.
Above all, I did not want this book to be a neat, well-packaged business story, built on the successes and achievements of the company. If I had been an outside author, it might have turned out exactly like that, but I was privileged to be both an eyewitness and a participant in the processes I am writing about. The book uncovers a lot of behind-the-scenes details and some home truths that are tough to face. You may read about our mistakes and think, "What on earth were they thinking?" But we are not ashamed of our history: each mistake helped us to move forward.
The thought of another business book appearing in Russia thrills me to the core — a book about a Russian company! We all love reading about American, European, and Japanese businesses and yet know so little about what is happening at home.
I hope this story about VkusVill will be a breath of fresh air for you and inspire you to leap in a new direction.
RULE 1
Even amid the fiercest battles for preeminence in the market, there are always moments of peace. Learn this rule — it will come in handy!
On 31 December 2008, Andrey Krivenko quit his job as the chief financial officer (CFO) of Agama Trade, a major seafood distributor. This was the moment that the story of Izbyonka (which translates as "log cabin") and VkusVill (which translates as "tasty town") began.
After five years of working at Agama, Andrey had grown weary of corporate life and decided to change fields. By then, he had already realized that the time had come for meaningful changes; big businesses could no longer stew in their own juices but needed to focus on the customer.
Andrey posted his CV online, searching for an opening for a CEO. He described himself as a top manager who prided himself on his customer-focused attitude, and he waited for interview requests to come in. In the meantime, he devoured book after book.
