Yulia Mishkina, a resident of Zapolyarny, has three companies with her husband Alexander, and all of them are about family entertainment. Yulia combines entrepreneurship with parenting her two children.
- How and when did you come up with an idea to start the business?
- In 2019, I moved with my young daughter to Zapolyarny from St. Petersburg, where I had previously lived for 8 years. There were no leisure places in Zapolyarny, but we wanted to socialize and I came up with the idea to open the Aurora Family Center, which later became our first business. My husband supported me.
Before starting our company, I worked as a baker and my husband was a track fitter at the mill. I was trained under Nornickel's "A World of New Opportunities" accelerator program and got an interest-free loan at the investment session. We used the money to open a family center where the kids enjoy going to.
- In 2019, I moved with my young daughter to Zapolyarny from St. Petersburg, where I had previously lived for 8 years. There were no leisure places in Zapolyarny, but we wanted to socialize and I came up with the idea to open the Aurora Family Center, which later became our first business. My husband supported me.
Before starting our company, I worked as a baker and my husband was a track fitter at the mill. I was trained under Nornickel's "A World of New Opportunities" accelerator program and got an interest-free loan at the investment session. We used the money to open a family center where the kids enjoy going to.
Yulia Mishkina runs two businesses: Aurora Leisure Center and Moroshka Café.
Yulia Mishkina runs two businesses: Aurora Leisure Center and Moroshka Café.
Yulia Mishkina runs two businesses: Aurora Leisure Center and Moroshka Café.
Expand workspace while keeping your privacy
- How do you and your husband share responsibility in the business?
- We have three operating businesses: a leisure center, the Cloudberry Café, and a sauna. At the same time, we started arranging children's festivities. Although each business is about family vacations, my husband and I oversee our own ventures. I am in charge of the center and the cafe and my husband is in charge of the sauna. It is important to us to keep work issues at work and personal relationships private.
Although, there are exceptions. For example, I am in charge of social media for all businesses, and my husband “moonlights” as a foreman when needed. We have few good repairmen in the Pechenga District, and we have to do a lot of things with our own hands. For example, we almost completely remodeled the sauna with our own hands because at first we had bad luck with contractors.
- Are you what you would call serial entrepreneurs?
- Yes, and all our endeavors are aimed at strengthening family relationships. Our sauna is a family type facility too, with strict rules, because our guests visit it with their babies under a year old. It lacks adult restrooms, only common areas that are thoroughly sanitized.
- We have three operating businesses: a leisure center, the Cloudberry Café, and a sauna. At the same time, we started arranging children's festivities. Although each business is about family vacations, my husband and I oversee our own ventures. I am in charge of the center and the cafe and my husband is in charge of the sauna. It is important to us to keep work issues at work and personal relationships private.
Although, there are exceptions. For example, I am in charge of social media for all businesses, and my husband “moonlights” as a foreman when needed. We have few good repairmen in the Pechenga District, and we have to do a lot of things with our own hands. For example, we almost completely remodeled the sauna with our own hands because at first we had bad luck with contractors.
- Are you what you would call serial entrepreneurs?
- Yes, and all our endeavors are aimed at strengthening family relationships. Our sauna is a family type facility too, with strict rules, because our guests visit it with their babies under a year old. It lacks adult restrooms, only common areas that are thoroughly sanitized.
Overcoming challenges
– Who are your customers?
- All of our guests are families from the Pechenga District.
The nature of small towns is such that we do not divide our customers into categories. Everyone can rest, eat and take steam-bath at our place. The winters in Zapolyarny are cold and long, lasting 7-9 months. I guess that all projects that involve heat will be a success.
- What challenges have you faced?
- There are several of them. First of all, all of our facilities are leased. Therefore, we need to be very careful about the cost of rent and the amount of money we invest in renovations. A separate quest is to find repairmen who are ready to work for reasonable money, meet deadlines and still do a quality job.
You can't predict everything. For example, when we were starting the cafe, electrical problems were the hardest thing to deal with. The lessor acted in bad faith: he promised a certain level of electrical power, but actually it turned out to be much less. The capacity was not enough to run the cafe, so we had to buy equipment and materials, we spent a huge amount of money.
There are always problems with shipping. Since we are a remote area, it is not only expensive but also time consuming effort to bring in furniture, appliances, etc.
- All of our guests are families from the Pechenga District.
The nature of small towns is such that we do not divide our customers into categories. Everyone can rest, eat and take steam-bath at our place. The winters in Zapolyarny are cold and long, lasting 7-9 months. I guess that all projects that involve heat will be a success.
- What challenges have you faced?
- There are several of them. First of all, all of our facilities are leased. Therefore, we need to be very careful about the cost of rent and the amount of money we invest in renovations. A separate quest is to find repairmen who are ready to work for reasonable money, meet deadlines and still do a quality job.
You can't predict everything. For example, when we were starting the cafe, electrical problems were the hardest thing to deal with. The lessor acted in bad faith: he promised a certain level of electrical power, but actually it turned out to be much less. The capacity was not enough to run the cafe, so we had to buy equipment and materials, we spent a huge amount of money.
There are always problems with shipping. Since we are a remote area, it is not only expensive but also time consuming effort to bring in furniture, appliances, etc.
Working and socializing
- How has the program been useful to you, besides the opportunity to get funding?
- We participated in several Nornickel programs and completed two accelerator courses. As a result, I was able to improve the financial performance of the Aurora Family Center: our revenue, profit, and return on investment increased by about 40%. Our average check has also increased due to package offerings.
- We participated in several Nornickel programs and completed two accelerator courses. As a result, I was able to improve the financial performance of the Aurora Family Center: our revenue, profit, and return on investment increased by about 40%. Our average check has also increased due to package offerings.
A 40% increase
in the company's revenue, profit and return was achieved through the accelerator program "A World of New Opportunities"
Many thanks to Dmitry Bogdanov, he is an excellent specialist. We enjoyed working and socializing with him. We still keep in touch. We have not been abandoned, we can always get advice.
- How would you formulate the social objective of your business?
- In one of my application forms, I wrote " to reduce the number of divorces" as a goal for my business. It sounds more like a joke, but I still believe that the more time you spend where you don't have to cook, clean, and wash dishes, the more likely you are to have a strong and happy marriage.
- How would you formulate the social objective of your business?
- In one of my application forms, I wrote " to reduce the number of divorces" as a goal for my business. It sounds more like a joke, but I still believe that the more time you spend where you don't have to cook, clean, and wash dishes, the more likely you are to have a strong and happy marriage.
In addition to our business projects, I am a social entrepreneur, I am on the registry and I even received a grant as a social entrepreneur this year. My husband also plans to become a social entrepreneur and apply for a grant to further develop the sauna.
It's scary not to try
- What are your plans for business development?
- We are very flattered that there are projects in the image and likeness of ours starting to appear in the city. This indicates that our services are in demand. We don't want to turn into a Miskins Inc. in Zapolyarny. We are interested in other cities: Monchegorsk, Norilsk. But at first, we need to fine-tune the business processes of our existing companies here.
- What would you advise to those who want to start a business venture?
- When I worked as a baker, I got up for work every day on the clock, but I had weekends off. I am an entrepreneur now and plan my own day, but I have neither weekends, nor vacations.
Sometimes you wonder what's more scary: to try something new or just never try to do it. It is more scary for me to live an unhappy life, not in line with my chosen occupation.
I also want to advise you to rely not only on your own abilities, but to look for support around you. One soldier does not make a battle, a team does.
- We are very flattered that there are projects in the image and likeness of ours starting to appear in the city. This indicates that our services are in demand. We don't want to turn into a Miskins Inc. in Zapolyarny. We are interested in other cities: Monchegorsk, Norilsk. But at first, we need to fine-tune the business processes of our existing companies here.
- What would you advise to those who want to start a business venture?
- When I worked as a baker, I got up for work every day on the clock, but I had weekends off. I am an entrepreneur now and plan my own day, but I have neither weekends, nor vacations.
Sometimes you wonder what's more scary: to try something new or just never try to do it. It is more scary for me to live an unhappy life, not in line with my chosen occupation.
I also want to advise you to rely not only on your own abilities, but to look for support around you. One soldier does not make a battle, a team does.
Photos by Yulia Mishkina
February, 2024
