Founder's advice. Sergey Smirnov, founder of Smirnov Design and Smirnov Technologies, expert of the Ministry of Economic Development and member of the expert council of the Ministry of Industry and Trade of Russia

“Founder Councils” once again acquaint Megamind’s readers with IT market stars, founders and managers of their own business.



The hero of the current column is Sergey Smirnov, an industrial designer with twenty years of experience and the general director of SmirnovDesign , one of the leaders in this industry in Russia.

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Sergei Smirnov studied at the Stroganov MGHPU at the Industrial Design department from 1992 to 2000 with a break of two years of military service. In 1998, he created Smirnov Design, which is currently one of the leaders in Russian industrial design, and in 2003, Smirnov Technologies, operating in the market for the manufacture of molds and plastic molding.



In 2006, Smirnov became an expert of the Ministry of Economic Development of the Russian Federation for creating a design development concept in the Russian Federation, in 2012 he became a partner of Skolkovo in the field of industrial design development, in 2014 he was a member of the expert council of the Ministry of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation in the field of design development in the Russian Federation.



In 2013, Smirnov Design received the most prestigious award in the field of industrial design, the Red Dot Design Award. Currently, the company has a portfolio of more than 200 successful projects in the field of industrial design.

Accurate and clear goal setting is the basis for success.

Smirnov Design is one of the market leaders in Russia. Our competitors in this area are Art. Lebedev Studio and ArtUp. "Smirnov Design" spawned eight companies, some of them are operating, some are no longer.



We need to look at the history of the company in order to understand why we have become who we are. I started my commercial career in 1994. I designed a wall switch, and in 1995 I joined the army. For two years, this switch was made, I came from the army and found out that the switch was commercially successful. Then I decided to make another switch - this time designed for a portfolio. I wanted to show originality. Two years and a lot of money were spent on its implementation again, and sales eventually amounted to 0.06% of the sales of the first model.



It turned out to be an excellent "vaccination" from designer romanticism. You don't have to do the work for the portfolio. You do a commercial service and care about the goals and objectives of the customer. Industrial design is a competitive tool. Such mistakes teach: two projects - 50% of success and 50% of failure.



All further steps of the company were about responsibility to the customer. Industrial design is one of the most objective types of design. We make objects, they are subject to the laws of physics and economics. The measure of success is return on investment.

Do not be afraid to make mistakes. You must respect these mistakes and be able to draw conclusions, to learn. My first mistake was strategically necessary. Only through continuous learning, I came to success.

The main and most difficult task: the industry of industrial design is underestimated and incomprehensible

The word design is incomprehensible to anyone. Everyone thinks that design is the decoration of objects. I have my own definition of an industrial designer: this is an interdisciplinary integrator in the new product creation industry.

When we look at an object, for example, at a camera, we see its beauty, we know about its functionality, we have the concept of cost. Any change in this object leads to a change in parameters, a change in the target audience, ergonomics. Marketer can tell what the needs of the audience. The designer will talk about the problems in case of replacing materials with others. A businessman knows that he has a certain amount of money and a profit plan. And the one who should think about everything at once - this is the industrial designer.



Some designers disagree with this definition. They are sure that they should only draw. Therefore, Smirnov Design is one of the leaders.



I still encounter the undervalued and incomprehensible nature of my services and tasks, to say nothing of what was ten or fifteen years ago. Constant training of people and myself is my mission, for more than twenty years I have been constantly breaking through the wall of misunderstanding and studying myself.



It adds interest in life. I have the happiest profession - not even a hobby. I constantly create something, including the same robots.

Do you do your business?

It happens like this: there is a designer, but he is a threesome. He sits down with those who from above are given to become a talented designer. It's like Mozart and Solleri. One person pours, and the customer immediately accepts his work. And the work of the second designer does not like him. This depresses a person who sits next to the talent in one company. You need to find your business, where you are strong by nature. And then it becomes better, even if there comes a moment of despair and lack of demand.



In the nineties, what I was doing was unnecessary. In these moments, step over yourself, make it work - and it will bear fruit. I had hard times, hungry times. It is necessary to overcome obstacles and move forward, even if you have reached despair. Everything becomes easier if you love your job.



Remember that there are areas where talent is critical, and there are areas where technology is critical. There is a talent for a stylist, and there is a talent for a systemic look - even within one area, you can find different uses. There are designers who draw cool beautiful things, and there are guys who, although their work does not look "amazingly creative," think through every detail and every little thing that compares all the factors for product development. Talent is not just being a creator with thick glasses and a scarf.



If you really want something, but this case is not given to you - this is a mistake. Mozart will always appear next to and morally push. So write not for the violin, but for the flute - find yourself.

Editorial note: if you have a desire to participate in the “Founder’s Tips” section, write to us at editor (at) megamozg.ru