Dmitry Potapenko VKontakte. Dmitry Potapenko’s business: what does a fighter for entrepreneurs’ rights earn?

Dmitry Valerievich Potapenko became famous thanks to his criticism of the authorities and recommendations on doing business. He has extensive experience in retail; he currently runs a company specializing in the management of chain retail facilities, writes books, hosts original radio programs, and posts videos on YouTube.

• Full name: Potapenko Dmitry Valerievich.
• Date of birth: March 30, 1970 (48 years old).
• Education: Moscow Institute of Radio Engineering, Electronics and Automation.
• Date of start of business/age: 1992 /22 years.
• Job title: Managing Partner of Management Development Group Inc.
• Social networks: https://www.instagram.com/potapenkodmitry/.

Mr. Potapenko is a figure who attracts attention and does so quite consciously. He does not miss the opportunity to criticize the existing government, laws Russian Federation and the entire system of the modern Russian economy, in which the place of private business is, to put it mildly, unenviable. At the same time, Dmitry Valerievich promises to teach how to create a business in such unprofitable realities. From this we can conclude that, contrary to his loud and often contradictory statements, Dmitry Potapenko’s business is, among other things, also business consulting.

Biography facts

As Dmitry Valerievich himself states, he is a native Muscovite in the fourth generation. Indeed, he was born into an ordinary Moscow family. After school, he entered the Moscow Institute of Radio Engineering, Electronics and Automation, where, upon completion of his studies in 1993, he received a diploma in industrial engineering.

During his student years he developed a stormy trading activities- sold musical and other equipment at the famous Moscow “Gorbushka”. This was his first entrepreneurial experience. Some sources mention the first business he organized in 1992, that is, while still a student. And it was, apparently, a large-scale project - a retail chain of Tusar stores specializing in the sale of electronic equipment. However, there is no mention of this activity on Dmitry Potapenko’s official website.

Entrepreneurial path

In general, to know for certain the entire entrepreneurial path of this figure seems to be a very difficult task. Reliable information in open sources negligible. Dmitry Valerievich himself in an interview different periods refers to his extensive business experience, but without specifics.

Potapenko’s entrepreneurial path can be structurally described in this way:

The entrepreneur is actively developing in the retail industry, first specializing in technology, and then moving to grocery chains.

From 1995 to 2000, Potapenko made a career in a famous German production company household appliances Grundig, in 5 years, turning from senior manager to vice president of marketing in the Baltic countries.

Dmitry then had a short banking episode in the early 2000s, when he tried himself as a vice president of investment development"CreditImpexBanka"

And in 2003, the businessman returned to retail again, but this time in grocery, becoming the head of the Pyaterochka distribution network in the Moscow region. He worked there for 2 years, gaining considerable experience.

Finally, in 2005, Potapenko became the managing partner of the European company Management Development Group Inc., whose activities, however, appear to be very vague. The official website refers to the main brands of this group of companies, but no links or even brief information does not contain information about the type of their activities. According to the entrepreneur himself, understanding the theory and practice of sales, he deals exclusively with network projects with a specialization that is well known to him.

These are grocery chains in the format of an inexpensive convenience store, eateries and cafes designed for the undemanding client, the production of semi-finished food products, as well as building materials.

Political career

Dmitry Potapenko's wide popularity as an ardent critic of the authorities, not afraid of loud accusatory statements, began with the Moscow Economic Forum in 2015. Then he entered into open confrontation with State Duma deputy Vladimir Gutenev and criticized a number of economic decisions by the government of the country.

Many bloggers still like to quote his now famous statement:

“The dialogue between business and government has been happening for the last 20 years like a dialogue between a butcher and a cow, looking tenderly into the eyes and holding a knife under the throat with the question: what do we have today - beef or milk?”

After this, the businessman continued to shock the public and journalists with statements in his direct and ingenuous manner. People are already afraid to invite him to serious and large-scale forums, but in the regions they are delighted with this speaker. Representatives of small businesses willingly purchase tickets to his master classes, where he teaches how to set up retail networks, create client bases, how to build working systems in business and much more.

Seeing the wide resonance of his statements in the public environment, Dmitry Potapenko decided to go into politics.

In his own words, this step became a challenge and an opportunity for him to figure out whether it was possible to change anything at all in the country’s political system.

“To talk about the worthlessness of the authorities without trying to change something yourself would be stupid. My life experience is practice and result; I don’t know how to work differently.”

The newly-minted politician spoke of confidence that he would get into the Duma, because he has everything for this: a wealth of knowledge, skills and the support of people. His goal was to get into the system and change its operating principles.

In 2016, the businessman ran for the State Duma from the Kaliningrad electoral district as a member of the Growth Party. The results of these elections did not allow Potapenko to change political system, since he did not overcome the percentage to pass the barrier.

Journalistic activity

But Dmitry Valerievich’s journalistic and consulting activities took off after the historic December forum. Many journalists seized the opportunity to irritate the authorities and began vying to call Potapenko for interviews, which he gives willingly and rarely minces his expressions.

This practice even resulted in an original program on the Ekho Moskvy radio. It is called “Potapenko Course”. The businessman has also become quite familiar with the Internet media and enjoys commenting on news from the business environment in his own column for Slon Magazine, a media holding company also known from the Dozhd TV channel.

All this activity inspired Potapenko to write books, which are largely based on his speeches and master classes for aspiring entrepreneurs. In 2016, “An honest book about how to do business in Russia” was published. A year later, Dmitry Potapenko presented a new creation to the readers - “Business is verbs and nouns that end in numbers.”

One of the videos of the program “In fact,” in which Dmitry participates

Dmitry Potapenko, 2016 Photo Valwell from wikimedia.org, available under license Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International

Dmitry Valerievich Potapenko born on March 30, 1970 in a Muscovite family. After graduating from school, he entered the Moscow Institute of Radio Engineering, Electronics and Automation and in 1993 received a diploma in his specialty "technological design engineer". In 2002, he completed the postgraduate education program MBA (Economics), VAVT under the Ministry economic development and trade. Has a certificate from the Moscow Regional Audit Chamber « International standards accounting and reporting" IAS/GAAP.

Dmitry Potapenko is a well-known media character who openly speaks about business problems in the country and criticizes the authorities, for example, during a speech on December 8, 2015 at the Moscow Economic Forum in defense of truckers protesting against the introduction of the system "Plato" and subsequent discussion with Vladimir Gutenev. He is the author of articles on the website Slon.ru, host of original programs "Potapenko Course" on Echo of Moscow, "Business and a little personal" on Radio « Komsomolskaya Pravda» . Also hosted original programs "Entrepreneur's Hour" And "Cash Transfer" on City FM.

Participated in the elections to the State Duma of Russia of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation of the VII convocation (2016) in the federal part federal list from "Growth Party" in the top three, along with Boris Titov and ex-Socialist Revolutionary Oksana Dmitrieva, but they did not overcome the 5% barrier. Ran from "Growth Party" in the 97th Kaliningrad single-mandate electoral district, Kaliningrad region, but failed with a slightly predictable result.

He began working as a small entrepreneur at the age of 19. Since 2003 he has been working in Management Development Group, Inc. ( "Management Development Group"), since 2005 CEO and managing partner of this online resource. The project provides consulting services in the area strategic management. One of the domains hosting a one-page website MDG, mdg.su, is also registered in his name (proof).

Details: LLC "Management development groups". Legal address: 117463, Moscow, st. Inessa Armand, 3. OGRN: 1097746815495. INN: 7728720007. Checkpoint: 772801001. Registration date: 12/18/2009. General manager: Potapenko Dmitry Valerievich. Management Development Group Inc. s.r.o., Prague 3, Blodkova 1280/8, PSČ 130 00. IČO: 28415086. Statutární orgán: Dmitry Potapenko. Date: 12.6.2008.

Dmitry Potapenko positions himself as "Entrepreneur. Advisor. Citizen", "retail expert"(in the field of managing large retail chains) and offers consulting services on « effective management and development". Advertising company speeches, meetings and seminars with D. Potapenko are carried out on his website http://davos.su

Meetings with him may be of interest to beginning retailers, both managers and owners small shops or small networks whose ultimate dream is to create their own "Five" or "Magnet". Also, his practical experience and advice may be of interest to novice owners of low-budget and unpretentious catering establishments.

It is not recommended to attend his lectures for those who dream of creating their own high-tech startup, trainees who are looking for an internship and young professionals without practical work experience who want to work for him - Dm. Potapenko does not like all these categories of the population and is ready “throw their diplomas into the shredder”. Of course, this is a joke, but it is unlikely that he will be able to give positive advice to all these listeners.

In addition, Potapenko is "anti-intellectual" And "anti-theoretical" "business coach". So, for several years he repeated himself about "Field Marshal Clausewitz of the First World War", until it was corrected by visitors to the YouTube channel. And when asked by a listener about Michael Porter, he admitted that he didn’t know this [Sources: Dmitry Potapenko on business processes, 2012; Advice to aspiring entrepreneurs from Dmitry Potapenko and answers to other questions, a fragment of Dmitry Potapenko’s speech as part of "Anti-crisis tour - 2016". Official YouTube community of entrepreneur Dmitry Potapenko: https://www.youtube.com]. By the way, regarding the question of the second, American MBA diploma (Business & Economic Option) from California State University, Hayward (California State University in the East Bay) - on D. Potapenko’s personal website it was not possible to find a photo of this education document, although the others are present, up to domestic diplomas and certificates of advanced training.

Despite numerous appearances and positioning as successful entrepreneur, it can be assumed that D. Potapenko needs money, since blocks of advertising are posted on his personal website Google Adsense (proof), and you can also find an advertisement for advertisers about the possibility of placing a banner for several thousand rubles per month (proof). Along with the character's habit of dressing cheaply and tastelessly, such as his constant polo shirt with a stand-up collar and his famous blue suit, which he regularly appears in and from which he has long been "grew up", but the short pants of which he wears with short socks - (see, for example, a screenshot from the performance of Potapenko and Ekaterina Shulman on Channel 1, 03/14/2017, screenshot) - all this leads to some thoughts...

In November 2016, Dmitry Potapenko’s book went on sale “An honest book about how to do business in Russia”, which contains information about the business “no unnecessary theorizing, just practice”. The publication is available in paper and electronic versions. ISBN: 978-5-17-099208-9. This publication is aimed at aspiring entrepreneurs and startups, for whom the author, without any cuts or embellishments, talks about all the problems and difficulties that they will encounter when starting their own business.

Contact information

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/potapenkodmitry And https://www.facebook.com/DVPotapenko

Twitter: https://twitter.com/DrDmPt (account has not been updated since spring 2016) and https://twitter.com/DmitryPotapenko

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/potapenkodmitry/

VKontakte group: https://vk.com/potapenkodmitry

LiveJournal: http://potapenko.livejournal.com

G+: https://plus.google.com/+PotapenkoDmitry

Vimeo: https://vimeo.com/user5981711

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/CEOMDG And https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC54SBo5_usXGEoybX1ZVETQ

WWW: http://potapenko.ru http://mdg.su http://www.7md.eu http://davos.su

Along with this look:
Investment policy in Russia
M. Delyagin
M. Khazin

I waited. For a week now, liberal resources have been busy promoting Mr. Potapenko. Refer tovideo clip , they incomprehensibly exclaim, “Beautiful! He’s cutting down the truth!” They climb into search engines and, writing with joy, replicate biographical data scattered on the internet like never before successful businessman and two-time world karate champion.

Let's start with something minor, but striking. With karate.
" Twice world champion in karate. Multiple champion of Moscow and Russia".
Zero specifics. What championships, what countries, what years? People who know first-hand about karate shrug their shoulders. Haven't heard the name "Potapenko".
Yes, even " wrestled professionally"Also a multiple champion, probably?
I almost forgot - a great golfer. " I started playing golf and in my first year I received a medal as « Olympic hope » "

"The first company « Black leopard » I built it from scratch at 18 years old".
Okay, let's skip it.

Obvious inconsistencies in various biographical information and interviews in the early 90s. During the same year, Mr. Potapenko "studied at MIREA", " founded his first retail chain - Tusar electronics stores", " was the director of the gambling club Otari Kvantrishvili" as well as " worked as a security guard"(immediately after creating your own retail network, or immediately after getting a job with the most influential thief in law?).

In 1995, a twenty-five-year-old security guard with electronic gambling experience became "Vice President Sales and Marketing Grundic GmbH". One bio at a time" in the Baltic countries". According to others" in the CIS and Baltic countries". Again, zero confirmation.
" General manager « JSC MEZ DSP » "(Moscow experimental particle board plant in Podrezkovo).
" Vice President for Investment Development of PBC« CreditImpexBank» " (formerly "Kreditimpex Bank" on the old Arbat?).
" Deputy Group Manager « Logos » ".
" General Director of LLC « Wholesale centers » ".
"General Director and chief accountant JSC « RemtransAVTO » ".

Such a busy schedule did not interfere with the studies of the multi-machine genius. "MBA, California Heyward State University, Economic option"(correct - California State University, Hayward)." MBA, Economics, All-Russian Academy of Foreign Trade".

Previously, the media (in his words) repeatedly presented Potapenko as "founder and manager of the network « Pyaterochka » ". Often recorded in "owners", "general directors ". Upon closer examination, it turned out that he came to a working network (created by Andrei Rogachev and Alexander Girda), so he could not possibly be the founder. Now only"sales network manager « Pyaterochka "(2003-05) "

He has been working for the last 10 years"managing partner of a European operating company Management Development Group Inc.". Russia, Czech Republic, Bulgaria, Switzerland, Belgium, all the way to China.
Here you should definitely look into the respected cargomax : http://cargomax.livejournal.com/2982.html.
Questions, questions.

Among the heaps of data he voiced, there is no doubt that Potapenko was 45 years old, that he studied at Kuntsevo school 714, that he studied in the karate section in the area, was a farce, submitted documents to MIREA, traded at Gorbushka, hung around with bandits and much more. years ago I was involved with Pyaterochka.

A cross between Khlestakov and Bender, comes from a criminal background? With the organic makings of a self-promoter, in the armor-piercing style of “lying without blinking an eye”? Or a truly talented, mega-creative businessman operating fabulous millions in six (at least) countries?

As an adult, I lean towards the first option. That is, to Ostap Ibragimovich Khlestakov. A salesperson (lectures, seminars, forums, TV - all based on a fabulous biography) and monetizing the results of this dust-free work.

Potapenko repeats from interview to interview: " I am the son of two GRU colonels". Not far from the lieutenant's son...

An amazing candidate for the position of new Navalny. Plus new Nemtsov, new Kasparov and new Kasyanov combined. It breaks better and holds a blow better. He will be able to portray his closeness to the people in a less lame manner. Speaks simple, understandable language, sometimes obscene. Fast response coupled with the mentioned boorish pressure and attack.

Remember the pre-election photos of the Navalny family, taken in an American, deliberately benevolent format? The Potapenko family also does not disappoint. Watchable wife-psychologist Elena, two daughters (the eldest of whom, according to their father, "winner of almost all Russian Olympiads in physics and mathematics").

There are an abundance of soap bubbles in politics. The promise and danger of Potapenko lies in his thick-skinned impenetrability. Sort of impenetrable bubble.

Four quotes from the future opposition leader

"We, of course, have a very high opinion of ourselves (the country, the people). We supposedly know a lot, but in fact we really are Mongolia, just with a gas baton"

"We are the last redneck, we can’t do anything other than get drunk and sing songs. The main thing for us to say is “We are from Russia!” Let us already understand that the world is moving along the path of globalization. Russia depends on buyers abroad and it’s time to start talking politely there and stop being rude"

"Are you for the country?
- No, you were mistaken. I'm for myself"

"What's good about Russia? We have a great client: we spit on him, but he adores us"

Dmitry Potapenko- not just charismatic Russian entrepreneur, V recent years he grew into a politician known for his sharp criticism of the state's economic policy. Also Dmitry Potapenko became famous for bringing to light those who are behind such a phenomenon as , which our hero quite rightly considers an illegal mechanism for seizing real estate from citizens.

Dmitry Potapenko, without being the creator of really big retail chains for the mass sector he is known as a kind of consulting guru in the development of this area of ​​domestic business and as an interesting speaker, a prominent public figure, loved by the press.

Biography of the charismatic businessman Dmitry Potapenko

The trading networks led by the hero of our story feel quite confident even amid the storms of crisis and sanctions, but the largest networks that he led in the past are still not his property, our news business portal.

Potapenko Dmitry
Industry - Trade, retail
Company - Management Development Group Inc
Position - Managing Partner
Place of birth - Moscow

Dmitry Potapenko- Managing Partner of Management Development Group Inc, this charismatic businessman is known for his harsh statements. For example, at an industry conference of retailers, he said: “Each of you will be offered to “sit on the track” as soon as the business becomes interesting to some specific kid in uniform” (see the full text of the speech). In the interview, our speaker also honestly admits that he does not eat in the establishments he owns and does not buy food in his stores: “If you start introducing an emotional component, then you stop seeing the nuances,” explains Mr. Potapenko.

In the 1990s, Dmitry Potapenko was a security guard for a year and a half, protecting the president of the Rossiysky Credit bank. Dmitry Potapenko founded his first retail chain in 1992 with the company Natashkyang Korotia Systems - these were Tusar electronics stores.

Career of Dmitry Potapenko

1995-2000 Dmitry Potapenko- Vice President of Sales and Marketing of Grundic GmbH in the Baltic States
1998-2001 Dmitry Potapenko - General Director of OJSC "MEZ DSP", Vice President for Investment Development of PBC "CreditImpexBank"
2001-2003 Dmitry Potapenko- Deputy Manager of the Logos Group of Companies, General Director of Wholesale Sales Centers LLC
2003-2005 - manager of the Pyaterochka distribution network (Moscow and Moscow region)

2005 - present vr. - Managing Partner of Management Development Group Inc.

Education of Dmitry Potapenko

Moscow Institute of Radio Engineering and Automation, MBA (Economics)
BABT under the Ministry of Economic Development, MBA (Business & Economic Option) California State University (Hay Ward)

Here's what Dmitry Potapenko writes about himself:
A native Muscovite in the 4th generation, of which there are no longer any left in Moscow... I studied a lot and am still studying... MBA, California Heyward State University, Economic Option MBA, Economics, VAVT under the Ministry of Economic Development and Trade
Certificate of the Moscow Regional Chamber of Auditors, “International Accounting and Reporting Standards” IAS/GAAP
Certificate of the center “Det Norske Veritas”, “ Internal audit quality systems". Standards ISO 9000:2000, Moscow Institute of Radio Engineering, Electronics and Automation; Diploma "Engineer-design-technologist".

Business proposals of Dmitry Potapenko

How to spend my money... I will decide myself... no need to write or call...
Worked. Many. And I will work. Because life is work... on something different every time. Rest is the same as work. If you do it professionally, of course.
Grundig. "Pyaterochka", "Carousel", "Skhodnya-Mebel", GC "Logos", etc.
Now he is the founder and managing partner of Management Development Group Inc. www.7MD.EU Then it’s like an official resume, so as not to explain: “What did you do “Before now”?” “Pyaterochka”, “Karusel”, Retail chain
General Director of the JSC. Network Manager for the Central Federal District. A chain of supermarkets with more than 150 facilities. Retail trade, Development
What did you do yourself? Operational management and development of the Pyaterochka chain in Moscow and Moscow Region, St. Petersburg and the Leningrad region
Development of business processes and procedures for the Karusel hypermarket
Launch of the Karusel hypermarket

Work with the Mayor's Office, Prefectures and Administrations of Moscow, the Government of Moscow and Moscow Region, the Administration of St. Petersburg and the Leningrad Region
Search and purchase of objects and land plots for construction and rent
Preparation of company documents and launching an IPO
Creation of construction projects and their approval by the State Emergency Service, Sanitary and Epidemiological Supervision, the Department of consumer market, CHAPTER.
External architectural solutions and advertising companies
Creation shopping complexes with a single concept
Creation of layouts and layouts.
Planning and control of the work of merchandiser companies.
Sales and pricing policy
Financial flow management
Credit policy, attracting investment resources from the Government of Moscow and Moscow Region, international investment banks and companies
Preparing the company for an IPO
Organization and control, work of companies in the field of procurement, sales, logistics, warehouse complex, 10,000 people.

GC "Logos", LLC "Wholesale Sales Centers"

Deputy Manager of the Group of Companies, General Director of the company. A group of companies from 7 areas of wholesale and retail channels in Moscow and the CIS for the sale of printed products. Dealer and wholesale supplies to the regions.

What did you do yourself?

Management, development and restructuring of the holding.


Minimization of taxation.


Organization and control of the work of companies in the field of procurement, sales, logistics of the warehouse complex, 2500 people.
Analysis of financial and economic activity company, $10 million/month.
Planning new activities

OJSC "MEZ DSP and D", PCB "CreditImpexBank"

General manager. Vice President for Investment Development. One of largest factories in Europe for the production of chipboard and furniture parts. Related productions. Woodworking technologies, building materials.

What did you do yourself?

Enterprise restructuring and crisis management.
Business development programs in cooperation with PCB "CreditImpexBank".
Holding project management.
Minimization of taxation.
Optimization customs procedures, credit and leasing relationships;
Creation of a system for adapting a company to fiscal audits.
Financial flow management;
Management of a team of 2500 people;
Creation of a management team according to the Myers Brix typology.
Conducting equity transactions, mergers and acquisitions of companies.
Optimization of business and business processes according to ISO 9000:2000 and IAS/GAAP;
Corporate development of areas.
Reengineering of holding divisions.

Vice President of Sales and Marketing. Moscow office of the American corporation Manhattan Ind. Corp. Exclusive manufacturer of goods under trademarks: Grundig, AKAI Ind, Sankyong Cemical.

What did you do yourself?

Strategic and operational planning and management;
Creation marketing strategy, product placement.
Marketing research; market segmentation;
Company positioning;
Company pricing strategy, TM promotion.
Monitoring and management of logistics operations.
Minimization of taxation.
Organization of wholesale and retail trading operations company ($120 million/year turnover).
Creation of client networks and service networks in Moscow and the regions.
Placement of orders for production at factories in South Korea, China, USA, Germany
Development and analysis of investment projects.
Development of new products and services;
Minimization of taxation.
Internal training programs
Management of information and analytical flows

Dmitry Potapenko, businessman: “Before the crisis, entrepreneurs did not work, but were just bars” Comments: 110
Businessmen are groaning under the yoke of the crisis. What do entrepreneurs have to sacrifice?
Will the new Trade Law reduce food prices? Who took advantage of economic problems to redistribute property? About this and much more in an interview with the former general director of the Pyaterochka retail chain, Dmitry Potapenko, managing partner of Management Development Group Inc., which includes a dozen and a half retail chains, restaurants and manufacturing enterprises with a total turnover of more than $140 million per year.

FIVE FLIGHTS PER WEEK

The interview took place on the field. At 10.30 Dmitry Potapenko arrived from Perm at the Kazansky station. We agreed to meet in the neighboring one - Leningradsky - at the monument to Lenin. The businessman was going to transfer to the train to Tver.

He is about ninety meters tall and weighs over 100 kilos. Dressed in a suede jacket and leather pants. The look is completed with a short haircut. The police like to check the documents of such comrades at train stations - what a millionaire he is! And not a single bag with me (in response to a perplexed question, he pulls out a bag with toothpaste and a brush from his jacket pocket: “I travel light”).

What are you, Dmitry, going to Tver by train - a crisis?

This is the same as saying: Muscovites take the metro because of the crisis. Although normal people usually travel by whatever transport is convenient.

- “Normal” people, perhaps, actually drive whatever they need. But for some reason I have never seen businessmen with multimillion-dollar fortunes on trains...

Don't think of rich people as schizophrenics. Many of them buy groceries at Auchan and travel around Moscow by metro. Ninety percent of the office plankton, who need to be driven with a filthy broom from any job, strive for this fetish - the car, - he says reverently Potapenko, rolling his eyes.

Don't you have a car?

And not just one - five. But the question is different: why? If we are talking about prestige, then we return to the thought of schizophrenia. On the other hand, imagine that you bought a Lamborghini. You live in a village where everyone has it. Attention, question: are you getting excited about having a Lamborghini?

No, if in this village it is in every yard...

Right. And it’s another matter if you get out on the road public use, and next to them are “sixes” and “eights”... The person who thinks that they are making fun of him in a Lamborghini is just a sucker. He has an inferiority complex. And I don’t care about all this. I can take the metro too. - Potapenko pulls out a travel card for 60 trips from his shirt pocket. - I travel to Tver by train 2-3 times a month, when a meeting of the board of directors of one of the retail chains is held there. Four to five flights per week. This is how I always work.

“THE WORKERS WANTED TO PUNCH MY MOUTH”

How has the crisis affected the work of your enterprises?

Demand collapsed. Sales in our retail chains fell by an average of 16%. We began to prepare for the crisis ahead of time, in May last year. Since then, depending on the chain and region, they have reduced staff by 40%, assortment by 15-60%, and store area by 5-40%. We had to deprive top managers of bonuses. This is approximately another 0.5% of the total turnover of the networks. As a result, we not only did not go to a loss, but also significantly increased our profits. And from November 1, we will reduce another 10% of staff. But in general, the current crisis does not terrify me.

Has it ever been worse?

In 1998, I, a young hotshot in a vest, headed the Skhodnya-Furniture factory. By that time, the company’s employees had not been paid salaries for 8 months. And I need to organize production - I fired almost 1.5 thousand employees in two months.

Didn't they spit in your back?

The first thing the hard workers wanted was to punch them in the face. But it's difficult. In addition, I know what a person needs, I know how to resolve conflicts.

So what does a person need?

Money and the opportunity to find a job later. Troublemaking does no good. Well, the man fumed and ate severance pay. What next? A potential employer will say: “Why do I need this freak who didn’t work, but downloaded his license?!” Finding a job will not be easy.

Why are the management of other retail chains now complaining about losses?

Because until recently they did a terrible job. They began to think with their heads only when the crisis came. Set goals and reduce costs for business processes. Before the crisis, many people had businesses to show off in front of women.

AVTOVAZ WORKERS ARE NOT TO GUILTY

It turns out strange. The crisis originated in America, and, judging by the rate of economic decline, it hit Russia first... Why?

Before the crisis began, Western guys played on our dead stock market. When they had their own problems, they said: “We went, the wives said - return the money home.” And then it turned out that the Russian stock market does not exist. Yes, there is no crisis in Russia! If we haven’t built a damn economy for 20 years, and everyone has been doing “administration,” then what do you want? Which statesman was responsible for AvtoVAZ in the form in which it still exists? Nobody. And the money pumped into it is colossal. And they will pump it in, because the enterprise is so-ci-al-but-mean-mine,” the businessman pronounces syllable by syllable. - AvtoVAZ employees, of course, are not to blame for producing such cars. The person in charge of the auto industry as a whole is to blame.

How will we get out of the crisis?

Through pseudo-nationalization.

What else is this?

Sometimes a negative image of a particular business is deliberately created. And then officials and security forces transfer this business to themselves or to the right people. Businessmen will only have the husks of small enterprises left. The big money will go to mayors, high officials or their associates - in a word, to the state.

You can't even call it corruption...

I’ll tell you now about corruption. The other day, the head of the Investigative Committee, Bastrykin, said that if officials are imprisoned at the current rate, there will be no one to work. That is, he openly said: corruption cannot be overcome. I believe that it is impossible to fight corruption in this country. Corruption is the quintessence of power.

Citizens and businessmen in Russia do not break the law because they want to break it. But because the laws are deliberately written in such a way that you cannot help but break them.

Are you sure you can’t do without bribes?

Try opening a store or restaurant. 33 regulatory authorities and about 600 by-laws await you. The point will start working in the best case in 9, and usually in 14 months from the start of paperwork. During this time, it is necessary to pay rent for the premises and salaries to employees. And the businessman will also be accused: why is he complaining - his business is still profitable...

Is it unprofitable, or what? It’s no secret that the trade markup on goods sometimes reaches 100%.

We earn so much that our pockets are full of income! - Potapenko sneers. - Although if we read the reports of the largest retailers, verified by foreign companies, we will see: net profit does not exceed 1.5 - 2%.

You're not begging. - Pointing to expensive watch on Potapenko's hand.

The main part of my business is grocery stores and inexpensive restaurants like canteens. I make money not on the markup, but on the number of clients served.

THE LAW “ON TRADE” PUSHES TO CRIME

Officials together with senators and State Duma deputies are promoting new law"About trade." Will the document reduce prices in stores?

The main innovation: the law introduces another regulatory organization - the Federal Antimonopoly Service. When in America fuel prices jumped along with oil prices, in Russia a liter of gasoline still cost 20 rubles. FAS conducted inspections and issued fines. What, the price of gasoline has fallen?

There is an interesting clause in the law. When entering the retail network, the manufacturer will be charged not 15 bonuses, as now, but only one. Prices must go down.

They won't go. The manufacturer simply will not be part of the retail chain. Imagine the situation. You are a merchant. 70 manufacturers with a product line of 100 items each are vying for a shelf measuring twenty meters. A total of seven thousand positions. And you only need to choose 60 of them. How will you personally solve this problem?

I’ll take brands that are well-known, and I express the first thought that comes to mind.

Don't know...

The current bonuses are an auction rate. Whoever paid the most from the manufacturers made it onto the store shelf. The money officially passed through the accounts and was taxed. Now they say: “No, guys, this is wrong.” No question - payments will go into the shadows.

That is, the problem will be solved by bribing the merchant?

How else? Man produces socks, bicycles or milk. The product is similar to one already available on the market. What to do? The manufacturer himself will take the money out of his pocket, but this will be a bribe.

What to do?

The problem must be approached from a different angle. The amount of production capacity in the world is 150 times greater than what is needed for consumption. There is a crisis of overproduction. Only in France, for example, the state does not fight the networks, but pays producers extra so that they do not produce excess. In this case, everything is not lost. And we are doing the diametrically opposite. We raise import duties, “protect domestic producers,” twist the arms of retail chains...

IN RUSSIA THERE IS NO COMPETITION FOR LOADER POSITIONS

In Europe prices are falling, but here they are rising...

They are growing due to increasing costs. Let me remind you that at the beginning of 2009, each of us - let's say, “ordinary people” - silently swallowed the 30% increase in the price of utilities. Naturally, this affected the costs of the entire business.

Until recently, the low wages of Russians were called ours competitive advantage before the West...

Look at the advertisements - Muscovites want salaries starting from 1000 euros. But even in Europe the normal salary is more modest. For example, the average Bulgarian or Czech receives about 400 euros. IN retail trade and in restaurant business Guest workers work all over the world. In the French “Simple” (Auchan chain), the cash register is staffed by Vietnamese people who, at best, speak a few phrases in French. The Wal-Mart checkout counter in America is staffed by Mexicans. But here they say: the loader cannot be Tajik. But we have no competition for the position of a loader.

Well, in Moscow and St. Petersburg people are actually unaccustomed to hard work, but in the regions?

In Tver, where we are going, all quotas for foreigners have been reset, which means I can’t hire them. Previously, Uzbeks worked for me for 8 thousand, and they worked, - Potapenko mints the syllables. - Now Tver residents don’t work for 14 thousand. They know that they are irreplaceable, and they simply ferment.

Lower positions should be occupied by people without education, with low needs, but not by local citizens. This is an international trend. Replacing the Soviet word “limitchik” with “guest worker” did not solve the problem. Then there was a limit, and now there should be a limit. The townspeople will not become janitors.

How big is the role of chain stores in trade?

Networks are not the main channel for bringing products to the buyer. At least 15 thousand retail outlets are registered in Moscow. Various formats: tents, chain stores, something else. There are only 75 chains operating in Moscow and the Moscow region - no more than 800 stores. So, 800 stores versus 17 thousand. Question: if I’m a manufacturer, why the hell am I going online if there are a huge number of free points?

According to Soviet habit, 99.9% of production managers associate the word “sales” with the State Planning Committee. They do not understand that when you produce a product on an industrial scale, the first task is not production, but marketing. It is the basis of economies around the world. But it doesn't work for us. Our product is not available in any country in the world. And not because it is not allowed there, but because it costs three times more than its analogues.

You are a manufacturer yourself, why don’t you solve this problem at least for yourself?

I have two production facilities in different cities. But at the same time, I really understand what I make the goods from. And they produce everything from this. When someone starts yelling: “I am a domestic manufacturer!” - I propose to prove this without populism and politics. Whose equipment are you using? For some reason it's imported. Labor force whose? Tajiks. Information Technology not Russian either. Ingredients are also often imported from abroad. It's like calling a BMW assembled in Russia a domestic car. The same applies to our entire economy in general.

Dmitry Potapenko- World karate champion. In the late 80s - early 90s, he worked as an orderly in a morgue, a security guard in a casino and a bodyguard for the president of the Russian Credit bank. At the age of 25, he became the youngest vice president at the Grundig company in the CIS and Baltic countries. Former director retail chains "Pyaterochka" and "Karusel", the factory "Skhodnya-Mebel" and other enterprises.

What is Dmitry Potapenko's Business - Management Development Group Inc.

Now he is the managing partner of Management Development Group Inc., which includes retail chains ProdECO and “Gastronomchik”, the restaurant chain “Restoranchik” and other enterprises. The fleet includes Mitsubishi Pajero, Lexus and Kia Rio. Married, has two daughters.

Potapenko Dmitry Valerievich:
At the age of 25, Dmitry became the youngest vice president at the Grundig company in the CIS and Baltic countries. Former director of the Pyaterochka and Karusel retail chains, the Skhodnya-Furniture factory and other enterprises.
Now he is the managing partner of Management Development Group Inc., which includes the retail chains ProdECO and Gastronomchik, the restaurant chain Restoranchik and other enterprises.
Staff size: 7,500 people.

Management Development Group Inc.- European operational management company. Management and support of businesses: Retail food chains “ProdECO”, “Gastronomchik”, “Marka”, “Tverskoy Product”, “Economy”, “Orange”, “4 Seasons”, “Russian Cuisines”. Southern Federal District, Central Federal District and Ural Federal District. “Tasty” Bulgaria. "Levner" Czech Republic
Retail DIY networks: “Parade of Planets”, “KhozMag”, “Kangaroo” Ivanovo.
Chain of canteens and cafes "Restoranchik". Real meat", "Restaurant". Real fish”, “Pizza Uno”, Construction workshop ECOnomStroy, Design Bureau “ArtPrague”. The Group's turnover in 2013 was 367 million US dollars.

The annual turnover of 367 million dollars is impressive, especially considering that Potapenko hosts programs on several radio stations, is a frequent guest on television, and conducts master classes and seminars. Run a business with a turnover of a third of a billion dollars, and even manage to handle such a volume social work- this undoubtedly deserves respect.

Go to the website of Management Development Group Inc. The first thing that surprised me was that language switching doesn’t work on the site, only the Russian version is available, Czech and English are provided, but they don’t work, it’s a bit strange for a company with its head office in the center of Europe, but oh well, let’s look further
Management Development Group positions itself as a company that is engaged in external operational management and business creation according to the technical order of the investor. And below is a list of objects under management, the logos of these companies are located on the right side of the main page - “Gastronomchik”, “Restaurant”, etc.

True, in an interview in 2009, he says, “Good afternoon, dear colleagues. I’m Dmitry Potapenko. Who doesn’t know - the owner of 12 retail chains, a couple of four restaurant chains, and other little bullshit.” this negligence, of course, is captivating, is it a joke? - or 2 restaurant chains, or 4, and there’s all sorts of bullshit, well, 367 million dollars in turnover, who’s going to keep track of what’s in the property, not to mention the logistics.
Here, of course, the question arises: Is Potapenko the owner of networks or the owner of a network management company? Or are these different projects?

Let's see what kind of brands are managed by Management Development Group. Unfortunately, you won't be able to go from the main site, since the links don't work, you'll have to Google, I won't attach screenshots of the search results, so as not to inflate an already voluminous post. If you have any doubts, you can search by company names yourself.

"ArtPraga architectural bureau", the logo actually says architectural studio, let's look at both options - hmm, strange, there are no matches, it is mentioned only on the MDG website, neither the official website nor any other mentions.
“Restaurant, real meat” has no website, no address where you can go for dinner, no reviews from restaurant critics - it is mentioned only in an interview with Potapenko himself.
“Restaurant, real fish” is the same story as with real meat, there is nothing on the Internet, not a single photo.
"EconomStroy" there are many results for such a request, the logos do not match even once, it is impossible to determine whether it is Economstroy or not.
"ProdEco" several coincidence - Czech coal company It is unlikely that Potapenko did not mention assets in the mining industry. Company from Sverdlovsk region, with a similar type of activity “creation of retail enterprises”, office in Vyshnyaya Pyshma, spelling of the name is different ProDeCo, completed projects do not overlap. There is a mention of a certain Prodeco store in Shchekino, it is reported that the ProdEco brand belongs to the Ecoritail company, which in turn is part of the holding of one of the largest chemical enterprises UCC "Shchekinoazot"
Portal Wallmart.ru - only the main page works, the last and only update was May 28, 2015, places under advertising banners, are busy advertising the portal itself, links to sections either do not work or lead back to the main page.
"Gastronomchik" there are many stores with this name, the logo from the site does not overlap, the name fits http://gastronomchik.rf/, grocery chain, "store at home" format 2 in the city of Essentuki and 1 in Budennovsk.

This gives a turnover of 367 million dollars?

Google also does not know about the Levner network in the Czech Republic, or about Vkusno in Bulgaria - no websites, no addresses, no mentions. It only knows the address at which the company is registered: Chech Republik 130 00 Praga 3, Blodkova 1280/8. Somehow, from a company with a turnover of 367 million and a staff of 7,500 employees, you expect a little different, but on the other hand, why these high costs.

True, new data has recently appeared; in an interview on December 10, 2015, Potapenko answers a journalist’s question
During your debate, you talked about the fact that you work, among other things, abroad. At the same time they criticized Russian conditions and praised conditions in the West. What format do you run your business there?

It remains approximately the same. Manufacturing, a small carpet factory, a small chain of canteens, not very large retail. All this amounts to approximately 25 million euros of annual turnover, no more.

That is, it’s already 25 million, but it was 367 - is that overestimated? Or fell from 367 to 25 in 2 years? 25 is only in Europe?

I spent several hours searching for information, but the answer to the question of who Mr. Potapenko was never appeared. What businesses does he have in the Czech Republic, Belgium, China, Russia that give such a turnover?
Without this, it is impossible to understand what logistics problems his enterprises are experiencing.
I don’t question talents and business qualities Dmitry Valerievich, times are difficult, but where can you look at the fruits of his business activity? Why was the tactic chosen to close information about the business, given such media openness of the owner himself?

The transfer of Oleg Tinkov's "Business Secrets" to RBC in 2012, we are also talking about the Czech company Management Development Group, Dmitry confirms the staff of 7,500 people and the fact that he is the owner of this company.

Article by Sergei Stepanov on the Ardexpert portal, provides information from open base for Czech companies:
- The company Management Development Group Inc. is listed in this register. s.r.o.
- The founders are Dmitry Potapenko and, apparently, his parents.
- According to the information available on the website explanatory note to the balance sheet in the company there are NO employees AT ALL - only the director-secretary, which is Mr. Potapenko.
- The company has no revenue, at least as follows from the balance sheet for 2013. For the year 2104 there is no balance in the system yet.