Interview with Igor Sergeev Media Entrepreneur & Influencer
Innovator and successful businessman, with ten years background in events organization, international PR campaigns and magazines publishing in Europe; Igor Sergeev is a well-known media entrepreneur in the UAE. Visionary marketing professional who transformed the UAE social media scene by introducing a ground-breaking SMM business growth strategy based on Influencer marketing the “Big UAE Giveaway”.
Experienced in all aspect of magazine publishing and distribution, Igor launched WOW Magazine with a vision of establishing an international portal with a focus on showcasing Dubai as a regional business hub as well as covering the latest news in high-end fashion, international culture, five star travels, art, fine-dining and finance. With the vast international distribution network in Europe and Asia WOW Magazine aims to become a first UAE based publication with world-wide circulation.
This year you are celebrating your tenth anniversary of successful business projects establishment in Ukraine, Russia, and UAE, how did your international entrepreneur career begin?
Time flies fast, yes, it has already been ten years since I started my business career. (Thank you for your question, I am glad you asked) we aim to establish many more successful projects and every day we strive to be better than before.
I have been living in Dubai for 5 years now, because I fell that this city gives me an opportunity to achieve my goals. When I initially moved to the Emirates I didn’t speak any foreign language, after a while I have come to realize that there are many opportunities here and that this city is a great place to establish your own business projects, it was an intuiting felling telling me that I need to act! It is very important to listen to your inner voice.
The “Big UAE Giveaway” is a great platform that allows you to grow your business and you have already collaborated with more than 100 local brands, by which criteria do you select the influencers who you are working with?
I am very grateful that I came up with the idea to establish this project! I always try to create something new that doesn’t already exist on the market! I was the first one to establish an independent giveaway platform for bloggers and we are doing giveaways every month. “Big UAE Giveaway” has grown to become a large social media platform which allows brands to grow quickly and generate a large social media following. When it comes to influencers selection, I tend to choose from those who have an established presence on the market and who can achieve a great result for the overall campaign.
An entrepreneur is someone with a risk-taking attitude and who loves a challenge, how do you choose members for the Quality Standard Club? Which personal qualities and business achievements should they have?
Quality Standard is a private members club for established and successful entrepreneurs, the main factors by which we select our members is reputation of the company and approach to business. We invite our partners from variety of industries as networking is very important to us. I believe that the two most important success factors are social media presence and networking, the combination of which allows your business to grow faster, this is exactly what my company specializes in, for me it is important to bring benefit to society.
If you could give one advice to someone who is just starting their own business, which advice would you give?
There is only one advice that I can give is move forward with your goals and dreams, just get off the couch and start going and never give up! If you are an honest person and your work can benefit the society, you will be successful.
You mentioned in your previous interview that you started your business at a young age, how did you get the business idea and concept?
It all starts with an idea, but only an idea is not enough! You always need to keep learning new skills and working on improving yourself and your team. There will be no progress without the constant development. That’s why I first always analyze the best ways of achieving a quick result and only then I start work on creating the product.
Looking back at your successful life was there any time when you wanted to just give up? If yes can you share the details with us?
Like any normal person I have my difficult moments, but I try not to allow myself to be in this state of mind for a long time. I just know one thing – I love what I do. To be honest, I really enjoy my work. Therefore, everything is simple because if you like what you do- you will never give up!
If you could return to the age when you were 20, which advice would you give to yourself?
Igor, you are doing everything right! Even if I could turn the time back, I would not change anything.
Do you have your personal motto in life which inspires to create such project as Quality Standard and Dubai People?
My motto is: – your inner voice knows the whole truth, just listen to yourself!
Your businesses are built on extensive experience but how do you define a successful entrepreneur?
Any entrepreneur – is a person who takes risks and wants to change the world! An entrepreneur – is a person who answers the question “what do I need to do?”
