Arseniy
From “I was not considering anything” to a confident choice of direction
How it began
During the first meetings, Arseniy mostly stayed silent and listened. Modest and quiet, he rarely voiced an opinion of his own. His curator at Grand Mission recalls that, at first, it was hard to tell how interested he himself was in what was happening.
At the same time, he comes from a supportive family and is responsible and well organized. He is the eldest of the children, cousins included, so he is the first to take his final exams, apply to university, and pave the way for the others.
At the start, Arseniy had no idea which direction to consider at all. Interests appeared and quickly gave way to one another. He described it this way:
At the same time, he comes from a supportive family and is responsible and well organized. He is the eldest of the children, cousins included, so he is the first to take his final exams, apply to university, and pave the way for the others.
At the start, Arseniy had no idea which direction to consider at all. Interests appeared and quickly gave way to one another. He described it this way:
“Sometimes an interest in something appears very quickly. Then comes the analysis, and after that, emptiness.”
At the first meeting, Arseniy said it plainly: “I was not considering any directions… I was hardly considering anything.” He had no career direction of any kind. Only later, when we began looking closely at his university plans, did it become clear that management had come up as an option solely because of the subjects he had chosen for the Unified State Exam, Russia’s university entrance exam—not because the field interested him.
The main obstacle
Arseniy himself understood what was holding him back: he wanted to find the right direction straight away and be certain that everything would work out. The assessment confirmed that one of his main barriers was a fear of risk, which made it difficult to take the first step.
“The problem is that I am sometimes afraid to take the first step because there are risks.”
This showed in his meetings with mentors as well: he had the chance to talk with an experienced entrepreneur, yet found it hard to put into words what exactly he wanted to learn. After one such meeting, Arseniy remarked: “I came empty-handed.”
How we worked
We introduced Arseniy to entrepreneurs from different fields: online marketplaces, startups, marketing, and sales. Together, we looked at how their work is structured, what decisions they have to make, and what happens when plans do not work out.
Gradually, his expectations became more realistic. At first, for example, marketplaces looked simple: you buy and you sell. After the meetings, Arseniy saw how much analysis and calculation lies behind that, weighed his own interest, and decided to return to this field later.
With his curator, he talked through what had caught his attention, what he agreed with, and what he wanted to test for himself. He learned to notice his own reactions and put them into words. He began coming to the next meetings with questions of his own and a clear sense of what he wanted to take away from them.
Gradually, his expectations became more realistic. At first, for example, marketplaces looked simple: you buy and you sell. After the meetings, Arseniy saw how much analysis and calculation lies behind that, weighed his own interest, and decided to return to this field later.
With his curator, he talked through what had caught his attention, what he agreed with, and what he wanted to test for himself. He learned to notice his own reactions and put them into words. He began coming to the next meetings with questions of his own and a clear sense of what he wanted to take away from them.
The turning point
One of the key conversations began with LEGO.
Arseniy loves building sets. As he discussed this hobby with his curator, he recognized a familiar logic in entrepreneurship: there are separate pieces and ideas, and you can assemble them into different solutions, test what works, and change the design.
Behind the word “entrepreneurship,” there was now an activity he understood and found interesting.
Arseniy loves building sets. As he discussed this hobby with his curator, he recognized a familiar logic in entrepreneurship: there are separate pieces and ideas, and you can assemble them into different solutions, test what works, and change the design.
Behind the word “entrepreneurship,” there was now an activity he understood and found interesting.
“I realized that entrepreneurship is not a single idea either, but a process.”
At the same time, his attitude toward making a choice was changing. Arseniy became calmer about uncertainty and allowed himself to try things and revisit his decisions as he gained experience.
The change showed in the way he communicated, too. At debates and workshops, he asked questions, answered actively, and explained his position. He prepared for meetings with mentors on his own and worked to make the most of what the program offered.
The change showed in the way he communicated, too. At debates and workshops, he asked questions, answered actively, and explained his position. He prepared for meetings with mentors on his own and worked to make the most of what the program offered.
Where Arseniy is today
In his first six months, Arseniy identified the directions he wants to explore in greater depth: entrepreneurship and marketing. Together, we mapped out an educational path around that interest: degree programs to apply for, three target universities, and his Unified State Exam subjects.
The changes were also reflected in the follow-up assessment: his score on the fear-of-risk barrier dropped to a third of its initial level. Arseniy has become more confident in talking about his interests and in acting even when the outcome is not known in advance.
Later, he completed an internship. According to his curator, the experience confirmed that he genuinely likes the direction he has chosen. The young man who barely spoke during his first meetings now asks his own questions, prepares, tries things, and understands what his next step is for.
Later, he completed an internship. According to his curator, the experience confirmed that he genuinely likes the direction he has chosen. The young man who barely spoke during his first meetings now asks his own questions, prepares, tries things, and understands what his next step is for.
