“You can't vampire me - I feed a huge number of people myself,” says Ekaterina, looking at me point-blank. Her gaze penetrates, and I feel that I am also "charged". Previously, such people were called wunderkinds, but now it is fashionable to talk about strong energy. Katya, with her fragile appearance, is exactly that. And very smart eyes. Immediately I remember the expression old soul - "old soul". I am sure that people like Katya are one in a million. And there are probably even fewer such resumes. At the age of 15, finish a special school with a gold medal and enter a prestigious university. At 20 - already working as a senior consultant in an international corporation, while completing a master's degree at the Financial Academy. At 22, responsible for business development at an energy company. At 24 - to be an investment director in a large holding,and at 31 - managing the huge investment fund Marsfield. Now “the girl in a billion” - as the RBC magazine recently wrote about her - is expecting a baby and is actively building a nest. But he does not give up his career.
MC: You are 33 years old and have a crazy career behind you. Is such an early start a feature of the early 2000s, an era of rapid economic growth? Katya, is such a success possible today?
Ekaterina Lapshina: I think it is possible. But I'm not sure that the generation that follows us needs it in the form in which we needed it. I remember very well 2004-2005, when we graduated. There was a feeling that everything was at your feet. That you get exactly as much, you can carry that much. Given what is happening in the economy now, people are unlikely to have a similar feeling. And this, by the way, is a global problem, because stagnation has been everywhere since 2010–2011.
Are you a Muscovite?
Yes. Mom and Dad are Soviet engineers. I have never had any patronage.
Looking at your resume - you seem to me a genius of strategy. How did you learn this?
It is very important to understand what you want, what is acceptable for you and what is not. And not only in a career, but also in relationships. I cannot say that when I came to consulting, I knew for sure that I wanted to head, for example, an investment fund in a few years. This thought came to me later. But I understood that if I entered the business in this way, I would see a large number of different opportunities - and then I would be able to choose. We first consulted banks. I looked at the banks and thought: would I like to work at the bank or not? Then we advised, for example, coal resource companies. I also looked at them and thought: in what role would I like to work there? And that was a good start.
How quickly did you learn to maneuver, build the right relationships in a corporation?
I have never maneuvered in a corporation. All these things related to corporate strife or simply "closeness to the body" do not lead to anything good. I believe that when people just fight for a place next to the oligarch, they are making a mistake. After all, you must remain a professional, and you must have your own life, not a life subordinate to someone.
It happens that the skills of maneuvering and survival in a large organization can become key. There is a wonderful book by Niccolo Machiavelli. Everything is written there, what to do. Survival in a large ecosystem is also a war
And if we are not talking about a corporation, where everything is built around the oligarch's charisma, but about a large international company?
In such companies, it is useless to simply participate in a corporate struggle for place, status, position, or process. If you do not have the necessary skills, as a rule, at a certain stage you will not be able to continue your career there anyway. Organizations like McKinsey are good in that the selection and promotion system is meritocratic. That is, what you are and what you do - and so will grow up. But if you want to build a career in a corporation of a different kind, then, of course, the skills of maneuvering and surviving in a large organization can become key. There is a wonderful book by Niccolo Machiavelli - you can read it. Everything is written there, what to do.
Is all this really relevant today?
Absolutely. Survival in a large ecosystem is also a war. Sometimes people live this whole life. I just always avoided situations where most of the time and energy is spent on war.
Plus it's bad for karma! Especially a woman
It seems to me that a woman is just more likely to achieve results. Although at a certain stage they also run into the glass ceiling. As a rule, a man is a decision-maker, choosing between a man and a woman, he prefers a man. Simply because it is more comfortable and understandable with him.
Have you had to live off a man?
Never.
But is this option acceptable for you in principle?
I think yes. I just always felt uncomfortable asking for money from a loved one. He seemed to figure it out himself. Then I realized that it is necessary to clearly formulate thoughts, if you want something to happen, to negotiate.
Have you ever earned more than your husband?
I had situations when I quickly caught up with a man. This caused discomfort.
How did you handle it?
For some relationships, this was one of the reasons for their termination. Moreover, the stumbling block was not so much money as success and changing social status. The ex-husband was 12 years older. When we met, I was 23 years old, and the age difference was not felt at all. And after eight years, of which five we were officially married, the feeling changed. There are different types of relationships: there are couples where people develop in parallel, and there are cases when someone stops, and someone makes leaps forward. Sometimes people generally combine both personal and work relationships. Not all men need more partnerships. There is a fairly common model of relationship - "dad - daughter".
In Russia, the partnership model is still quite atypical …
… And women solve this issue in different ways. Someone is consistent: in all areas of life, I behave the same. And there are people who say: I am like that at work, but in relationships I am different. I can not do that. Not that I carry everything that was in the office to home … But I cannot be alone at work, and at home I suddenly turn into a capricious little girl who pouts her lips and throws objects. Someone knows how. According to my feelings, there are elements of schizophrenia in this, or something. Somewhere in one of the images you are deceiving yourself first of all, but this cannot be done.
Katya, do you share the popular opinion today that it is difficult for a strong woman to find a man adequate to her? Or is it still a stereotype?
It seems to me a stereotype. More precisely, a too simple model. In order to get X, you have to sacrifice this, refuse this, and happiness will happen. A much more complex model is to get X, to do so in order to ensure balance as well - not to lose yourself, your family, to make your loved one happy and to build something else in life. And I don't believe in self-proclaimed female loneliness.
Agree with you! It seems to me that in most cases it is forced
Forced, yes. But then it often turns into self-proclaimed. "It is my choice that I am alone." But in fact, I'm alone, because I don't want to adjust. Or because I'm scared to go into another relationship and be disappointed again.
I have a lot of girlfriends between the ages of 30 and 40 who pursue a career and at the same time live alone for years. They travel actively, have hobbies, novels. Some decided to be child-free. How organic is it for a woman to be alone?
I do not think that the option of such loneliness is comfortable for any human being. It doesn't matter if you are a boy or a girl. Another question is that society does not press with formal institutions now. And thank God. I have such a family that they never pressured me to give birth, to get married. But I know people who are constantly under this pressure. And by the way, I notice that my peers began to massively freeze eggs.
Forced loneliness then often turns into self-proclaimed. "It is my choice that I am alone." But in fact, I'm alone, because I don't want to adjust. Or because I'm scared to be disappointed again
But your example is just positive: after the divorce, you still met a man who suits you, and you did not have to freeze your eggs. Was he your business partner?
We met in the context of joint business projects … I think it is possible to have everything that you dream of. You just need to find your own recipe for this soup, which will contain a little of this, a little of this.
By the way, would you freeze the eggs if necessary?
I don't see why not, if there is evidence.
I want to talk to you about money. What are they for you?
First, it is a tool. The more there are, the more ambitious tasks you can solve. If you own a hundred million dollar business, that's one story. You can probably make 500 million out of it, but without some significant leverage, making a billion is hard. And if you manage a billion, another clearing opens up for you. It's the same in life. And from the point of view of expenses, I have a position that one should not spend less, one should earn more.
Do you believe that money is energy?
I believe that money is a huge conductor of energy. Charging money with negative or positive power is much easier than any other item.
How to set goals correctly? For example, I dream of having a house in Sardinia. Is this the correct goal setting?
The goal can be anything. A home in Sardinia is also a goal. A business coach I know once told me about two important things. The first is to be able to dream. And at every stage of life. And the second thing - you have to see that distant point, fantasize what it is, this point … The concept of biological age, given how rapidly technologies and medicine are developing, will soon become rather conventional. Not so long ago, the average life expectancy was 60 years, and in 10 years it will be 90. Accordingly, this means that life has increased by exactly one and a half times. And it turns out that you have one and a half times more active period and one and a half times more relationships. There is something to dream about.
5 know-how of a successful career from Ekaterina Lapshina:
Understand goals in the short and long term
Learn to deal with stress and negotiate with yourself
Find a mentor
Receive regular feedback at different levels
Never stop dreaming - at all times of life
And it's all about her
Ekaterina Lapshina
Age: 34
City: Moscow
Family status: civil marriage
Education: Institute of International Economic Relations (IMES); Financial Academy under the Government of the Russian Federation
Career: audit company Ernst & Young, senior consultant; Energoprom Management (part of Renova Group of Companies), deputy. business development director; Adela Holding Limited, Investment Director, Junior Partner; SCM Group of Rinat Akhmetov, Director of Media and Telecommunications Business Development; currently - the exclusive advisor to Telconet fund for asset management Marsfield, CEO and member of the Board of Directors of portfolio companies
Favorite brand: Dior, Acne, Céline, Saint Laurent, ProenzSchouler
Shopping city: London, Paris, Hong Kong
Perfume: Portrait of Lady, Frédéric Malle
Hobby: yoga, contemporary art, design
Diet: according to Volkov
Car: Porsche Macan
Photo: Julia Mayorova
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