Founder's advice. Lev Matveyev, Chairman of the SearchInform Board of Directors

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

Mr. Matveyev graduated from Minsk Radio Engineering in 1993 with a degree in software engineering, in the process of learning he became a winner of programming competitions. Even during his studies he headed the database department in a private company.
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Lev Matveyev is also the author of several patents in the field of processing unstructured information. At different stages of his own activities, he headed organizations numbering from 30 to 500 people, until in 1995 he founded his own company, which remains the chairman of the board of directors to this day.

SearchInform works in the field of software development to protect business from information leaks and control of working time. Mr. Matveyev himself is an active speaker at conferences in the field of information security and the founder of the annual RoadShow SearchInform, a series of educational events for information security specialists.

The company's two main products are SearchInform DLP-system and WorkTime Monitor DIB-system. This year, the company promises to release its own SIEM system.

The offices of the companies are located in Moscow, St. Petersburg, Kazan, Yekaterinburg, Novosibirsk, Khabarovsk, as well as the CIS countries: Kazakhstan, Belarus, Ukraine and Poland. CIB controls more than a million PCs in 8 countries of the world, more than 1,500 organizations are users of SearchInform software.

Here are some tips Lev Matveev shared with the audience of "Megamind".

Get over the fact that at the beginning your subordinates will receive several times more than you

In order to open your own business, you need, first of all, a stable psyche and rabid motivation. For the pleasure of being the head of your own business, you have to pay a lot of hardship. And for someone it is too high a price. This is normal, which is why people are divided into businessmen and employees. Do you want stability and lack of a headache? Work "on uncle." Do you want to be an entrepreneur? Be prepared for a lot of problems and lack of money.

When I first founded the company, I paid employees 3 times more than I received. He received a “salary” on the basis of the residual principle: first, workers, taxes, contribution to development, then, if something remained, for his own residence.

Do not demand from employees the same attitude to work as yours

It is a common mistake of entrepreneurs to demand from employees the same return in work that a manager shows. It is especially relevant at the stage when the team is small, 5-6 people and all know each other, spend the weekend together and in general are best friends.

If you are working on your own project 80 hours a week, do not expect someone from the team to follow your example. This is your project, you put your soul into it and understand why you are doing all this. Your team is employees, their attitude to the company is completely different.

Hire and Delegate

Sooner or later there comes a time when the company is ready for expansion and growth. And here the novice entrepreneur begins to “strangle the toad”, because many functions can be assumed and, at the same time, perform work efficiently and fairly quickly. And if you hire a new employee, then, out of ignorance or inexperience, he spends 4 times more time on the task, and he will have to pay a full salary.

Deal with this injustice and hire staff. Let the worker do the task in 4 hours, but he will free the hour of your time. Spend it on development, not on current affairs.
Otherwise, the business will not grow, and employees will develop professionally.

Do not be afraid to risk

Any entrepreneur on his way makes a lot of mistakes. Without experience and knowledge, acquaintances and mentors, we often break the wrong door, at the wrong time and in the wrong direction.

Lack of money and the constant "uncertainty of prospects" can gradually make a businessman paranoid. Here the only advice is not to break down and not to start “having burnt on milk, blowing on water”.

Any business activity is a risk. Walking along the beaten path, you will never be the first.

Take in a team of people who want to earn

I admit honestly: I do not understand people who have enough average earnings and work from 8 to 17. For me to recruit a team, the most interesting are employees who need a lot from life.

People who want to grow with the company, earn more: to rest, a good car, a house, a family - for anything.

The most correct people are not those who, from the start, “sell” themselves, but those who are ready to work, show their favor and make a breakthrough in their own work. In our company, most of the tops grew out of ordinary managers. I am sure in their motivation, they gave a lot to the company, and the company gives them nothing less.

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