Finding Your Tribe

The search for kindred spirits remains one of humanity's fundamental needs, particularly in an era where borders blur and people move freely between countries and continents. When cities and nations constantly shift around us, discovering a genuine community of like-minded souls becomes essential. Alexey and Darya Nakaznye, founders of Vision Club, share their journey of building such a community and transforming it into a true home for ambitious entrepreneurs.

We'd always dreamt of a place where people, ideas and opportunities converge — somewhere with its own particular atmosphere that smells of tangerines. Yes, you read that correctly: we've installed our signature scent directly into the air conditioning system. The moment someone steps into our clubhouse, they're greeted by this fresh, energising aroma that instantly sets the tone. This wasn't arbitrary: tangerines embody energy and vitality, whilst orange serves as our corporate colour.

The notion of establishing a physical clubhouse had been percolating for years. We'd mulled it over for about two years, perpetually postponing due to limited resources and competing priorities. This year, the decision came impulsively. I (Alexey) simply lost my patience and declared: "Right, I'm just going to do it and see what happens." We signed a three-year lease on premises that already had basic finishes — it seemed we'd merely need to bring in furniture. But then Elena Bal, one of our club members, entered the picture and persuaded us against settling for mediocrity. "Lyoshka," she said, "our Vision Club is brilliant. We must make it mind-blowing! Let me handle the design."

I confessed that I had no money, that I'd already signed cheques for a million dirhams and was taking a considerable risk. But Lena persisted: "Listen, the wood panels won't cost much, I'll give you the sofas, I'll do the design." We ended up investing another 400,000 dirhams in renovations, but the outcome exceeded all expectations. It truly became an entirely different space, one that inspires everyone who crosses the threshold.

What astounded us most was our members' response. They donated $60,000! Someone gave $10,000, another gifted sofas, whilst others contributed technology and equipment. Katya Gulyanskaya, who'd already left the club due to relocating to Milan, transferred 6,000 dirhams — this money, combined with other members' contributions, went towards a professional coffee machine costing 30,000 dirhams. We were overwhelmed by this generosity; it's inspiring and demonstrates that the club has evolved into something far greater than an ordinary business network.

For us, the club is family. We share genuinely warm relationships with our members, and amongst themselves. 'Home' is the first word that springs to mind when thinking about the club. We wanted a physical power base where we could gather artefacts connected to the club, to significant events and people in our lives. A place where we could meet at any time and create whatever we wished.

Our two-storey clubhouse has been meticulously planned down to the finest detail. The ground floor features a communal space with luxurious sofas, a lounge area with carpeting and fresh flowers. We've arranged a partnership with a florist who delivers fresh bouquets weekly. There's a library and museum area displaying flags from our travels, housing important memorabilia. An enormous wall-mounted screen displays portrait photographs of members.

The kitchen boasts two coffee machines — one for espresso aficionados, another for cappuccinos and other coffee-based delights. The fridge is always stocked with soft drinks in tins. In the bathroom, the mirror bears the inscription "The person who changes the world," and we've provided sanitary products for women, cotton buds, toothpicks, mint sweets, blotting papers, breath fresheners, plasters, nail files and hair ties, Tom Ford cologne for men and women's perfume — everything for our guests' comfort.

The first-floor houses two meeting rooms: one accommodating 20-25 people, the other 5-6. The larger conference room features a Samsung television worth €10,000, gifted by a member — a smart model with screen-writing capabilities. A special camera identifies faces and clearly displays all participants. The modular furniture can be arranged in square or circular configurations. We'll soon have our own podcast studio.
Construction proved challenging. Dubai has its technical peculiarities — for instance, noisy work is permitted only after six in the evening. We ordered equipment from China, which was more economical but took longer. Several tables remain stuck in customs. Having a Russian-speaking person with our mindset to oversee the process proved crucial. There were moments when work ground to a halt due to missing materials, and we lost precious time.

We encountered typical problems — the initial estimate of 140,000 dirhams swelled to 200,000. The builders lacked professionalism — they spotted problems but offered no solutions. When constructing the kitchen island, for instance, the tiles protruded at the sides. They could have made the island five centimetres larger for a perfect fit. But the builders simply adhered to the agreed measurements without suggesting improvements.

Holding our soft opening on 24th July proved our salvation. Everyone insisted we wouldn't make it, suggesting we postpone until September. But we held firm, and it worked. Firstly, the builders accelerated — accomplishing in three days what they'd planned to do in a month. They practically lived on site. Secondly, we'd warned participants this was a trial opening, which earned us greater understanding. Thirdly, we discovered real issues — the air conditioning couldn't cope with large numbers of people. After debriefing, we compiled roughly 150 points for improvement.

Whilst crafting the perfect space for our community, we draw inspiration from everyday life. We live in Dubai Hills. There's a café nearby, Bakerist, where over breakfast we invariably encounter at least ten acquaintances. We want our clubhouse to become that same sort of place, where people arrive confident, they'll feel comfortable and certain to meet their people.

The clubhouse now operates as a co-working space from 9 a.m. to 6 or 7 p.m. Any member can drop in to work, book a meeting room, hold appointments. One member, Katya Kuznetsova, has already conducted team training there. We deliberately created a space that offers members greater possibilities. It's not our office; it's their place.
The club is a living organism; we evolve alongside our members. The fundamental task is fostering trust, which emerges from the quantity and depth of interactions. We're not an educational system, we don't teach business, but we can create an atmosphere where members share experience.

Our members typically range from 35 to 50 years old. This age often brings a midlife crisis, when people look back and wonder: "Where on earth have I been heading all these years?" We've discovered that without a vision of the future, people cannot fully benefit from the club. So, our current focus is helping members identify their personal vision through our extensive network of connections and opportunities.

We're fond of saying: "The club is what you make of it." If you're prepared to extract value, the club provides it. If you're not prepared, the club won't create value by itself. It's rather like the most expensive fitness club: if you merely pop in to chat on the phone before leaving, your muscles won't grow.

Two elements matter for successful entrepreneurs: state (physical and mental) and environment. These are closely intertwined. If you're sour, your environment won't be brilliant. But if you're in good shape, you'll attract the right people. When things go badly, as happens to everyone, it's your environment that pulls you through.

To maintain physical health, we have a sub-club called Long Life, featuring breathing practices and cold-water immersion. We invite experts and have a club doctor — Dr Talal from Saudi German in Rosenheim. He's Syrian but Russian speaking, which allows our members to receive qualified medical care without language barriers. We're currently finalising a contract with Saudi German Hospital that will provide our members with a 30 per cent discount on all medical services.

To forge the closest connections, we've established forum groups of ten people where profound topics are discussed — that "five per cent" you can't talk about anywhere else. It's a space of absolute trust where people can share what truly concerns them. Everything remains confidential. There's a discussion club where we explore fundamental questions: what is love, friendship, how to overcome crisis, the philosophy of death, life's meaning, what challenges and opportunities AI will bring, and so forth. When people align their physical and psychological states, understanding of what they want emerges naturally. In a disturbed state, it's terribly difficult to determine one's vision.

We spent considerable time discussing various visualisation methods, recalling the film "The Secret". Many members shared similar stories — experiencing a cash-flow crisis, then unexpectedly receiving a client with precisely the missing sum.
We create events addressing significant themes. People share experiences of overcoming crises: some found solutions through coaching, others travelled to Tibet, some began running marathons, whilst others threw themselves into work. The tools vary, but exchanging experiences sparks new thought processes. We work with intelligent, educated people; we don't teach them but guide them, showing examples. We have a favourite phrase: "Oh, you could do it that way too?" When at least ten people gather, there invariably emerge five different solutions to one problem.
We pay particular attention to the quality of our business managers' work. Previously, if a member asked, "Who deals with commercial property?", the manager would simply pass along a contact. But that's poor practice. The request might conceal various motives — perhaps the person wants to become a competitor and is gathering intelligence, or wants to rent premises, or plans to build something for sale. Each irrelevant contact creates negative experience. We train managers to ask "five whys" to uncover genuine needs. This tremendously enhances service quality.

The desire to create a place where everyone feels they belong is our priority. We want people entering the clubhouse to sense they're genuinely welcome. Not like certain Dubai restaurants where you're greeted with "Do you have a reservation?" delivered with an air suggesting you're unwelcome. In our house, everyone should feel comfortable and at ease, knowing they'll certainly encounter like-minded souls.
Entrepreneurs share a common trait: they're all about growth. They never stand still. Even a chance encounter with another member over coffee yields countless insights and energy. You're somewhat similar in mindset, you're both developing, and regardless of the topic broached, the interaction will invariably generate fresh ideas.
At the clubhouse, we regularly host authors. Our upcoming plans include inviting Oleg Torbosov, Margulan Seisembayev, Igor Mann and other writers for lectures and book signings. We've organised cross-booking — book exchanges between members. The literary club has become an essential part of our culture.

We're establishing traditions and rituals that strengthen the community. For instance, we've designed special coffee cups featuring Dubai's skyline and the Vision Club logo. For those who've particularly distinguished themselves in service to the club, we create personalised black porcelain cups. Want one? You must earn it! We love personalised gifts: caps, bottles, merchandise bearing members' names. This creates a sense of belonging to a select community.

We're currently experiencing vigorous growth. Previously we had a limit of 200 participants, but we've set a goal to reach 500 members by 2027. In August we attracted 10 new members; September's target is 20. When we had a club in Kyiv, we reached 550 people and decided to pause recruitment at that point. A club of 200, 500 or 1,000 people, represents entirely different organisms, requiring different management approaches.

Our plans include implementing a social project. We pondered at length what might unite entrepreneurs from different countries, religions and cultures. We realised that in Dubai, we're all united by the lack of fresh air. We want to create a Vision Avenue where each member plants a tree bearing their name. Granted, 200 trees won't solve Dubai's oxygen problem, but it will send an important signal to other entrepreneurs.
We're not merely expats exploiting Dubai before flying away. We live here; our families are here. What if we began treating the Emirates as our home? One of our members organises trips to Fujairah to collect plastic rubbish. Many assume they'll spend 4-5 years here before departing, but we want to change that attitude. Dubai is our power base.

Another significant event — in March we're preparing a major gathering in Dubai jointly with Grigory Avetov, who's organising a mega-summit at the Coca-Cola Arena with ten world leaders. Mark Randolph, co-founder of Netflix, and Robert Greene, author of "The 48 Laws of Power", have already confirmed their participation. We're organising an Alliance gathering — a union of different Dubai clubs. Day one: hotel check-in, fireside conversations. Then speakers' presentations in our designated VIP zone at the Coca-Cola Arena, where we'll reflect on what we've heard. After all, listening to speakers is one thing; discussing the insights gained is quite another. We're planning day three in the desert, as a yacht won't accommodate the 300-400 expected participants. We're preparing a spectacular location, dress code and a star performance, possibly Zivert, for dancing and unwinding after the intellectual intensity.
Dubai itself is a city that commands admiration. You arrive and your energy immediately soars from the sheer scale and ambition. We joke that whatever you organise in Dubai will be brilliant regardless, because the city's energy is extraordinary. People return to their countries with fresh vision, having discovered new perspectives on familiar things.

Any gathering aims to charge people with energy. It's like a camp for adults, with four days of continuous networking, excitement, brilliant speakers, insights and new friendships. You return home already yearning for next year. Naturally, participation requires payment, as we need to cover mega-summit expenses, where we'll have VIP seats near the stage and a designated microphone for questions to speakers. Additionally, roughly $500-700 per ticket will go towards organising the concert. But this isn't about profit — we simply hope to avoid substantial losses.

In creating the clubhouse, we were particularly meticulous about the customer journey. What will people see when they enter? How will they find the bathroom? Where will they get water? We're absolute perfectionists in this regard. I (Darya) always mentally don VR goggles and walk through the entire journey through our customers' eyes. Where people can use the bathroom, where to get water, where to sit, where to leave their bag — all these details are crucial for creating a comfortable atmosphere.
Sometimes we're astonished by our members' generosity and love for the club. It's inspiring and confirms we're on the right path. Vision Club has become more than a business or community — it's become a home for ideas, opportunities and people united by their drive for growth and positive change in the world. Most importantly, what we've understood during this time: everyone needs, as Oscar Hartmann put it, "a partner and a tribe". We're creating a tribe where everyone finds themselves and their people.