Today, a woman can realize herself not only in motherhood, but also doing what she loves and even developing her own business. About what is needed for this and how to combine work and personal life, we talked with Yulia Artemyeva, co-founder of 12 Brusnika cafes in Moscow.
Psychologies: Julia, before the opening of the first Cowberry, neither you nor your husband worked in the restaurant business. How did the idea to open a city cafe come about?
Yulia Artemyeva: We used to deal in luxury clothing, but the group of companies also had a premium restaurant. Therefore, we are well aware of the specifics of this area. There were also outdoor events: the organization of a cafe zone at the Moscow fashion week in the international trade center, fashion shows at a restaurant site located next to one of the boutiques. It’s just that the restaurant was not a core business, the main activity of the previous company was the retail trade in clothing and fur products.
Why did you choose this restaurant format?
The idea to open a Fast Сasual cafe appeared when we realized that the city lacks atmospheric places with good, high-quality and tasty food at affordable prices. Brusnika is a modern expensive interior and a gastronomic mix of homemade and haute cuisine. You can take buckwheat with mushrooms, or you can treat yourself to king prawns with a glass of sparkling wine – with no waiters and the speed of serving dishes up to 15 minutes!
They say that a family business can negatively affect relationships. Can you leave work at work?
No, you can’t leave your job at work. In business, full and voluntary involvement is important, when work becomes part of life. Therefore, among ourselves we talk about work all the time. Moreover, many family members are also involved in Brusnika, and at family meetings, our business is often discussed. Disagreements happen frequently. This is hard, but effective for the company: every decision goes through the “millstones” and in the end it turns out to be more balanced. We have a large team, so we discuss many issues not only among ourselves, but also with the heads of departments.
You and Pavel have two children. How do you manage to combine the roles of an entrepreneur and a mother?
At home, I am a mother, but the children know for sure that both parents are entrepreneurs. Children adore “Brusnika” and comment on something when they are in a cafe. For example, once entering on Sunday, the son excitedly noted: “Dad, there are few people in Brusnik today! Maybe you need to advertise urgently? And going into the toilet of the Cheese Factory at the Badaevsky plant, he always repeats: “I think the toilet is better in Brusnik” (Laughs. – Editor’s note). From birth, our children have been watching the construction of almost all cafes, so “Brusnika” is as dear to them as it is to my husband and me.
How do you share the responsibilities of business, home, raising children? What would you wish to women who do not dare to start their own business?
We allocate responsibilities depending on the situation. The important thing here is not to keep track of who does what and how often, but rather to support each other. And I do not think that the family prevents a woman from doing business, rather, on the contrary, it inspires!
In business, you often have to be tough. Have your personal qualities changed since you started your own business?
I have a fairly tough and assertive character, so I don’t feel discomfort in business. The sports past makes itself felt: I like to go to the goal, to achieve results, no matter what. I think the most important thing in business is the speed of decision making. No matter how fast you act, you can do it even faster. And, of course, it is important to think strategically, to understand in which direction to develop – then it is easier to prioritize and really go towards the goal, and not waste time and effort on something that does not lead to it.
At Brusnik you offer homemade food. Do you like to cook yourself?
Very! Especially when the products are as in the picture. From the favorite – risotto with mushrooms, grilled fish and baked meat. Traveling in Italy, we not only go to restaurants: we often buy groceries and I cook myself. In Italian homes, the kitchen is a sacred place: there are always a lot of special pots, spoons and unusual appliances. Therefore, cooking from Italian products in Italian cuisine is a pleasure. In Russia, I also like to cook. I believe that tomatoes are our pride. You won’t find such ripe and beautiful ones in Europe. We love to make picnics in nature, bake vegetables or grilled fish.
Your own business is both freedom and a huge responsibility. How do you deal with stress?
I think that for an entrepreneur, the stress level threshold is constantly increasing, because there are a lot of reasons for unrest – either the revenue is not the one that was expected, or an unexpected check. But there is good news: what I was afraid of five years ago is no longer important today. Naturally, every day there are new reasons to be nervous. There is only one way to deal with them – to look for a solution and continue to develop.
What does it mean for you to live in a constant situation of uncertainty?
The situation of uncertainty is scary if you look at it in a negative way. But you can also do it in a positive way – then this is an exciting adventure that awakens the spirit of adventurism! Agree, this is completely different. Both my husband and I are interested in adventures: what will happen next? You can compare it to a vacation: my ideal travel option is endless transfers. It is difficult for me to stay still, something always drives forward. I can’t imagine that when we arrive at the hotel, we will walk to the beach every day, have lunch and dinner.
I love the constant change of the picture, so that there are many impressions. I am glad that the whole family is comfortable living at such a pace. It is the same in work – it is important for Pavel and me that there are many events and emotions.