Бизнес-гении. Увлекательные истории для изучения английского языка

Анжелика Ягудена (2024)

Хотите развить понимание прочитанного, расширить словарный запас и прокачать коммуникативные навыки на английском языке? Вам поможет эта книга, рассказывающая истории успеха и занимательные факты из жизни выдающихся предпринимателей: Билла Гейтса, Эсте Лаудер, Уолта Диснея, Генри Форда и других бизнесменов. Все биографии сопровождаются актуальной лексикой и заданиями на понимание смысла прочитанного. В конце книги есть переводы текстов и ключи к упражнениям, которые помогут проверить себя без участия преподавателя и ускорят процесс усвоения материала.

Arkady Novikov

No matter what heights you achieve and how much money you have, always remember to stay human. Sadly enough, some people do not change for the better once they become successful. Truthfully, not everyone can withstand the challenges of wealth, power, and fame, which reveal a person’s true nature like a litmus test. As the saying goes, “If you want to test a man’s character, give him power.” Certain people become arrogant, heartless, selfish, and disrespectful to others once they climb to the top. And the list goes on. I think they simply cannot withstand pressure. After all, money does not spoil people; it only exposes their weaknesses and strengths.

Luckily, most successful and famous people do not suffer from “celebrity disease.” Instead, they work on self-development, achieve their full potential, invest in personal growth, and become their best selves. I am a firm believer that neither money nor power can spoil a strong-minded person who has the right values and priorities in life. In addition, the road to success is often thorny and paved with failures and obstacles. However, life’s difficulties help us know what we are capable of. They make us wiser and more tolerant. They also provide opportunities for personal growth and self-development.

Everyone is familiar with the name Arkady Novikov. Today, he is one of the most famous and successful Russian restaurateurs. Arkady Novikov is a self-made businessman. This unique man has managed to build a real empire of restaurants from scratch and gained recognition not only in Russia but also worldwide. Arkady Novikov is more than just a successful entrepreneur; he is also a man with a big heart. He is always ready to help the needy and support charities. What I most admire about this person is that he didn’t let success go to his head: he has remained charismatic, humane, sincere, and honest. Whenever I follow him on social networks and listen to his interviews, I am always amazed by his charisma, poise, and subtle sense of humor. Arkady Novikov never exalts himself or sounds bombastic. Contrarily, he is a truly sincere and pleasant person, without any hint of arrogance or high-hat manners. He is a true professional who is totally dedicated to his work. Here’s how Caroline Taylor, general manager of Novikov Restaurant & Bar, describes Arkady: “Tireless, inspired, a perfectionist and challenging!”

So, how did Arkady Novikov, who was once turned down for a job at McDonald’s, manage to build a culinary empire from scratch?

Arkady Novikov was born on July 25, 1962, in Moscow. He came from an ordinary family: his father was a design engineer, and his mother was a kindergarten teacher. His childhood was rather challenging. When the boy was less than 6 years old, his parents divorced. He stayed with his mother in a small one-room apartment. To make ends meet, his mom had to work hard, and his grandmother helped to bring him up. As a child, he used to dream about a bike, but he never got one because there was not enough room for it. Surprisingly, Arkady had no plans to build a career in the restaurant industry, and he was never a big fan of cooking. As a child, he wanted to be a policeman and imagined himself riding a motorcycle like police officers.

Curiously enough, Arkady didn’t find traditional school learning particularly engaging and didn’t like socializing much, but he read a lot.

After graduating from high school, Novikov applied to the Moscow Automobile and Road Institute but didn’t ace his exams and wasn’t admitted. And as the saying goes, it was for the best. Then, on his mother’s advice, he went to culinary college, and that was a turning point in his life. He suddenly discovered his talent for cooking and totally immersed himself in the culinary arts, curious to learn all the tricks and mastery of the craft. Here’s what Novikov says about it:

I entered a new world, where nobody really knew me, and I was able to establish myself the way I wanted to. So, I grasped everything on the fly: how to bake pies, how to roast meat, and how to cut quickly. Everything was so interesting, so unusual to me — knives, boards, meat grinders. I kept looking through books and dreamed of cooking something new.

I believe that dreams come true for those who pursue them in spite of the obstacles.

In order to grow professionally, Novikov decided to enroll in Plekhanov Russian Academy of Economics^[1] in 2010. As a part-time student, he was able to successfully combine his work with studies. Novikov began his career as a cook at the Universitetskaya Hotel restaurant. However, the most significant event in his life was his role as a chef at Victoria Restaurant. After working there for a while, he decided to quit. I think that some events can completely change the course of a person’s life. Thus, meeting the renowned musician Stas Namin was one of the turning points in Arkady Novikov’s life. It so happened that Namin became the new owner of Victoria. He changed the name of the restaurant to Hard Rock Café and appointed Novikov as the manager. According to the successful entrepreneur himself, it was thanks to Stas Namin that he stayed in the restaurant business. However, Novikov wasn’t going to stop there. His next goal was to open his own restaurant.

In 1992, Novikov opened his first restaurant called Sirena in the technical college building. He was able to negotiate the best lease terms. As per the agreement, he was to serve meals to 200 students of the college for a symbolic price. In the early 1990s, the restaurant market in Moscow was in its early days, just beginning to develop. So, Novikov was one of the pioneers in the restaurant industry. Since meat was costly, the entrepreneur opted for a fish restaurant. Over time, the place became extremely popular not only with Moscow residents but also with celebrity guests, including Liza Minnelli and Sting.

Since then, Novikov’s business has grown into an empire. Arkady Novikov has opened more than three hundred different restaurants not only in Russia but also around the world: in sunny Miami, in foggy Albion, on the Italian elite island of Sardinia, in the Arabian city of Doha, and so on. The menus include a variety of cuisines from different countries around the world. Among the most famous Arkady Novikov’s restaurants are Savva, Artest, Novikov Restaurant & Bar, Novikov Café Dubai, Novikov Italy Bodrum, and many others. In 2021, two of Novikov’s restaurants — Artest and Savva — received the famous Michelin stars2. Artest is one of the two restaurants in Moscow holding two Michelin stars^[2].

I think it is safe to say that Arkady Novilov has found his true calling in life. He always insists that he is doing what he really loves. As Confucius put it, “Find a job you love, and you’ll never have to work a day in your life.”

So, what’s Novikov’s winning formula?

I believe that his recipe for success consists of several key factors. First, it is his passion for work, as well as his dedication, total commitment, and enthusiasm. When you put your heart and soul into your work, you radiate positive energy and inspire your employees. Second, Arkady Novikov has an incredible charisma and a fantastic charm, which help him win people over and build trust-based relationships with his partners. Third, Novikov has good communication skills. His naturalness, sincerity, and simplicity are really captivating. Fourth, his keen business sense and intuition play a significant role in the success of his career. Arkady Novikov is a true visionary who sees opportunities where others do not. After all, as we all know, everything starts with an idea. What’s more, the influential restaurateur is always part of the process and is always there to help his employees when problems arise. It is common knowledge that having the ability to build a team is crucial in business. In addition, Novikov knows how to create a unique atmosphere in his restaurants to attract customers. It should also be noted that Arkady is always focused on building trusted partnerships. He believes “there are two important things in business and partnership: professionalism and integrity.” Lastly, Arkady Novikov’s main qualities are perseverance, determination, self-control, and discipline. He never cuts himself any slack. Here is one of Novikov’s favorite quotes from Robert Kiyosaki:

Justification is a lie that you tell yourself. Stop whining, complaining, and acting like children. Excuses make a person poor.

Arkady Novikov has been happily married for many years. Arkady’s wife, Nadezhda, is a highly accomplished businesswoman. The couple has two grown children: Nikita and Sasha. It is always a joy to see this happy family. In my opinion, Arkady and Nadezhda are a perfect match. They complement each other and always radiate positivity. Novikov’s children followed in their father’s footsteps and started their own businesses in the food industry.

Vocabulary

truthfully [truːθfəli] — честно говоря, по правде говоря

withstand [wɪðˈstænd] — противостоять, выдерживать

fame [feɪm] — слава

litmus test [ˈlɪtməs test] — лакмусовая бумага, безошибочный показатель

reveal [rɪˈviːl] — раскрывать, разоблачать

arrogant [ˈærəɡənt] — надменный, высокомерный, заносчивый

heartless [ˈhɑːrtləs] — бессердечный, бездушный, безжалостный

selfish [ˈselfɪʃ] — эгоистичный

disrespectful [ˌdɪsrɪˈspektfl] — неуважительный

expose [ɪkˈspəʊz] — разоблачать, срывать маску, обнажать

self-improvement [ˌself ɪmˈpruːvmənt] — самосовершенствование

self-development [ˌself dɪˈveləpmənt] — саморазвитие

tolerant [ˈtɑːlərənt] — терпимый, толерантный

personal growth [ˈpɜːrsənl ɡrəʊθ] — личностный рост

restaurateur [ˌrestərəˈtɜːr] — ресторатор

gain recognition [ɡeɪn ˌrekəɡˈnɪʃn] — завоевать признание, получить известность

poise [pɔɪz] — уравновешенность

exalt oneself [ɪɡˈzɔːlt ˌwʌnˈself] — возвеличивать себя

bombastic [bɑːmˈbæstɪk] — напыщенный, высокопарный

high-hat manners [ˈhaɪ hæt ˈmænərz] — высокомерие, заносчивость

design engineer [dɪˈzaɪn ˌendʒɪˈnɪr] — инженер-конструктор

police officer [pəˈliːs ˈɑːfɪsər] — блюститель порядка

culinary college [ˈkʌlɪneri ˈkɑːlɪdʒ] — кулинарный техникум

cuisine [kwɪˈziːn] — кухня, кулинария

put one’s heart and soul into [pʊt wʌnz hɑːrt ənd səʊl ˈɪntuː] — вложить всю душу

business sense [ˈbɪznəs sens] — деловое чутье, деловая хватка

perfect match [ˈpɜːrfɪkt mætʃ] — идеальная пара

Exercises

Exercise 1. Answer the following questions:

1) Who is Arkady Novikov?

2) Is Arkady Novikov married or single?

3) Can everyone pass the test of wealth, power, and fame?

4) Do money, power, and fame spoil people?

5) What are the benefits of failure?

6) What is Arkady Novikov like?

7) Was he born into a well-off family?

8) What was his childhood like?

9) What was his relationship with his classmates and teachers?

10) What did he want to be as a kid?

11) What is Novikov’s educational background?

12) Did Arkady Novikov find his true calling?

13) What’s Novikov’s winning formula?

14) What is one of Novikov’s favorite quotes from Robert Kiyosaki? Do you agree with that saying?

Exercise 2. Find the equivalents of the following phrases in the text:

не все выдерживают испытание богатством, властью и славой; подняться вверх по социальной лестнице; путь к успеху тернист; сильный духом человек; его имя знакомо каждому; один из самых известных и успешных рестораторов; построить кулинарную империю с нуля; помогать нуждающимся; завоевать признание; успех не вскружил ему голову; он никогда не возвеличивает себя; человек с большим сердцем; он никогда не ведет себя напыщенно; его отказались взять на работу в Макдональдс; он никогда не был большим поклонником кулинарии; он не был общительным

Exercise 3. Give the Russian equivalents of the following phrases:

to have a business sense and intuition; I am a strong believer; to create a unique atmosphere; to attract customers; the menus include a variety of cuisines from different countries around the world; to inspire employees; to find a true calling in life; he has an incredible charisma and a fantastic charm; to have good communication skills; he is a true visionary who sees opportunities where others do not; he never cuts himself any slack; to win people over; to build trust-based relationships with his partners

Creative task No. 1

“You learn through mistakes — no one was born a master.” Discuss what this proverb means. State your opinion on the topic.

Примечания

1

In 2010, it officially changed its name to Plekhanov Russian University of Economics.

2

A Michelin star is the highest award honored to restaurants that display an exceptional quality and a unique approach to the culinary arts.