The Microflora of Macro Success
Health is the foundation of a happy life. This simple truth lies at the core of the worldview of many successful people. The harmony of physical and mental well-being allows individuals to realise their potential, build businesses, and change the world for the better. Dmitry Fedorov, the co-founder of Daigo, is convinced that the key to a healthy body lies in the balance of the gut microflora. It was this discovery that inspired him and his partners to establish a company promoting Japanese metabiotics in Russia, Dubai, and other countries.
I arrived at the idea of a healthy body as the basis for a happy life together with two business partners. We were engaged in the retail sales of various beauty accessories, opening small islands in Moscow shopping centres. While immersing ourselves in the study of manicure tools, additional care products, masks, and creams, we became acquainted with cosmeceuticals from BB Laboratories (Japan) and developed an interest in this direction and everything related to Japan. This is how we learned about Japanese products that caught our attention at a local exhibition in Kyoto, where one of my companions had travelled. The video demonstrating the gut and the impressive before and after results, displayed at the manufacturer's booth, intrigued us and made us wonder: why was a company associated with the gut represented at a beauty industry exhibition? The answer turned out to be simple and ingenious simultaneously: the skin is a mirror of what's happening in our gut.
Realising this simple truth transformed our understanding of health and beauty. Instead of masking imperfections with cosmetics, it is much more effective to solve the underlying problem by getting to the root of it through the gut. Inspired by this discovery, we bought suitcases full of Japanese products and took them to Russia. First of all, we tried them on ourselves, and each partner noticed an effect: someone lost weight, someone's metabolism improved, acne disappeared, or energy increased. And all this thanks to one product, now known as Daigo. Naturally, we decided to actively introduce Russian consumers to this amazing product.
The secret of the product lies in metabiotics — products connected with the vital activity of lactic acid bacteria, discovered by a Japanese scientist and presented to local users. Metabiotics strengthen the immune system and correct the gut microflora, creating an environment in which beneficial bacteria reach an optimal quantity, bringing the microflora into a balanced state. This approach is shared by a significant number of doctors and microbiologists. In Japan, this product has been used for 110 years and has been recognised by the House of Representatives of Japan as a product of strategic importance for the health of the Japanese nation.
It all began with I. I. Mechnikov and his discovery of the positive influence of lactobacilli on the body, bringing order to the gut environment. Among I. I. Mechnikov's followers was Japanese doctor and researcher Kakutaro Masagaki. He started with the production of yoghurts in Japan.
Kakutaro Masagaki's work and aspirations were continued by his eldest son, Kazuoshi. He continued active research in this field, and in 1945, he met with the scientist, researcher, and abbot of the Kozui Otani monastery, who introduced him to Buddhist scriptures that were 2,500 years old. Their content led Kazuoshi to the idea that the products of bacterial life are much more beneficial and effective than the bacteria themselves.
Every human body contains 3-4 kilograms of bacteria — little helpers. To create the fermentation extract of lactobacilli, the manufacturer uses soy milk, as its use for bacterial cultivation leads to a cultivation of a higher density (1,000 times more) than cultivation in cow's milk. The producers realised that purchasing soybeans from outside was unprofitable due to the inability to track quality, and they began growing soybeans independently in the fields of the protected area at the foot of Mount Fuji. Without GMOs and chemical pesticides, soybeans grow quite well with proper irrigation. The harvest is collected and dried exclusively in the sun, without additional chemical treatments. I had the opportunity to personally observe with what thoroughness ideal soybeans are selected at the production facility, carefully prepared for the production of Daigo and for a new harvest.
Next, soy milk is made from the beans, into which lactobacilli from their own bank, cultivated for over 100 years, are introduced. The strains of lactobacilli that are present in the microflora of each person were taken from the gut microflora of healthy individuals, and since 1914, the company has cultivated 16 strains. To obtain the final product, Daigo, it takes almost 2 years of production. You must agree that a nation that takes children to admire the blooming of sakura and respects nature will only produce a product for health and longevity according to the laws of nature.
Business is certainly related to money, but our main task was and remains health. My partners and I have a clear understanding that when a person's body is healthy and functioning normally, nothing bothers them, and emotionally, everything will be fine — no negativity, only bright thoughts and ideas. We immediately set a goal for ourselves: by providing the right gut microflora, which is the foundation, in order to give an impulse to building a beautiful and healthy body. And on a global scale — a healthy society, healthy, rational, and positive people, which will ensure the safety of everyone!
We conducted numerous studies, the main one being at the Sklifosovsky Institute in the laboratory under the guidance of Tamara Popova, who, unfortunately, passed away at the beginning of the year. We will always remember her, as she gave us a start in life.
The study showed impressive results, and we presented them in Moscow so that doctors, physicians, and microbiologists in Russia could be convinced of the product's effectiveness. In our country, evidence-based medicine is popular, and it's better if this research is conducted in Russia. That's why we demonstrated the results.
We were the first to talk about metabiotics on a massive scale. In 2015, we conducted research, and in 2016, we began actively educating people through articles and various events. After that, all companies in the information field suddenly switched to the topic of gut microflora. Even the pharmaceutical industry, which had previously offered heartburn medications, changed its position after us and focused on balance in the gut. Our company truly changed the overall message. Many began to imitate us and use the term "metabiotic”. Now, if you google "Metabiotic Daigo”, you will get a dozen other products in the recommendations that actually contain 4 times fewer strains of lactobacilli, and sometimes are not even metabiotics but symbiotics (a combination of pro- and prebiotics). The demand from the audience is high, and we have entered the markets of Dubai, Noon, and Amazon, as we are already well-known in the Russian market.
We have decided to expand our business and have launched the market of the GCC countries. At the end of January, we came to the Arab Health exhibition, already considering entering foreign markets. We established a number of contacts, began studying the market, trying, and testing the waters. In 2022, we made the final decision to enter and establish ourselves in this market. It took a year to fully launch the company's operations. The main problem was opening a bank account, which many who came from Russia with Russian citizenship will understand. But we, of course, solved this issue. Over 2 years, our indicators are not bad. Purchases are coming not only from Dubai but also from Saudi Arabia, the Arab Gulf countries, as well as from Europe and America. We have already acquired regular customers.
There are certain action schemes that work both in Dubai and in Russia. Products are distributed through clinics, medical centres, beauty salons, and online sales. As soon as we reach certain sales volumes, we will also launch with pharmacies. The manufacturer recommends a course of at least 3 months. The duration depends on the specific case of the person and the degree of neglect of their body. Ecology, stress, correct or incorrect nutrition — everything has an influence. But, in my personal opinion, the product should be used regularly.
Of course, no one will forbid starting on your own. You can familiarise yourself with the opinions of doctors who have already prescribed our product to patients and honestly talk about the results and successful cases. When doctors see the effectiveness of the product, they gladly prescribe and recommend it. We strive to establish contacts in government and medical circles. In general, I like Dubai because new things are easily accepted here, especially if these innovations help make life better. They advocate for longevity and health, supporting such initiatives in every possible way.
Daigo brings the microflora into balance, thanks to which a person thinks quite vividly, since the "GUT — BRAIN" connection has already been proven. They do not experience fatigue, drowsiness, and possess clarity of mind. After all, it is much healthier to take Daigo instead of litres of energy drinks to increase productivity — the result will be much better, and the effect on the body will be exclusively positive. We always come with this idea: to make people healthier and more energetic, and then everyone will be well, including employers. I do not deny the business component, because if I cannot make money from it, I will not be able to scale and reinvest.
The first and foremost thing in business is the right choice of your direction. And it must be ethical. What do I mean by this? Ethically in terms of long-term action, long-term survival, that is, not looking at how to provide for yourself financially in the moment, but at how your business will affect entire generations and those people who will use the fruits of your business. The second is honesty, which should always be present. I can say that when we started doing business as a group, we immediately decided to be transparent, because it is impossible to develop as a businessman and scale a business unless you do so.
As soon as you convey the idea to people, as soon as they consider it and understand it, the reaction and feedback are always positive. And this is exactly what we need! My favourite feeling is when I hear: "You know, this is what we were looking for. Where have you been before?" Currently, Dubai is a young country, forming a community of people who want to play for a long time and be in the game for a long time. This is not Europe, already established, with family businesses that have existed for a long time. Everything is just beginning here. And, of course, any business owner wants to control processes and profits for as long as possible so that their brainchild does not collapse due to incorrect actions.
I, too, am ready to play for a long time, and in this, Dubai and I coincide. Probably, such success, which makes you slow down and relax, has not yet happened. Otherwise, I might have stopped. I can honestly call the Daigo project something that changed my life, outlook, and focus of attention. If previously my interests were limited to small areas, now it seems to us that nothing is impossible. Entering the Dubai market helped to realise and see this even more clearly.
Speaking of success not only in business but also in life, everyone encounters problems at some point that knock them out of their usual rhythm. I am no exception. Once in my life, troubles arose, the details of which I would prefer not to mention. But at that time, I analysed what was happening and realised that they happened due to some of my not entirely correct actions. These problems forced me to rethink my behaviour and understand that I needed to change everything for the better, because if I continued to move in a not entirely correct course, it would only get worse. Such behaviour upset my loved ones, and I didn't want that at all.
Then I made a decision: all my subsequent life, all my actions, I will weigh, considering from the point of view of whether it will bring pain to me, my loved ones, friends, or my environment, whether it will cause frustration or upset. There is a good rule: "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you." And I try to live only in this way. But in order to truly understand something, sometimes you need to fall and hit hard, and only then do you begin to soar. This makes you stronger. Usually, a very sharp and vertical ascent upward, to a higher level, is a consequence of a deep fall.
The path I have taken has made me not very sensitive to the opinions of other entrepreneurs, so I give advice with caution. Perhaps this is bad, although I, of course, read and listen to other businessmen, but I rely on my own intuition. Nevertheless, I really like Grant Cardone — an American businessman who has built a huge empire. He ignites his staff, he has a large number of employees and many businesses. It's as if he is everywhere and manages to control everything. I really like that. We gave his wife metabiotics at one of the events, but I don't know if she tried them or not. I also like Apple. How they inspire consumers, how they scale. After all, phones are sold constantly, and people change them once a year. There are probably those who produce gadgets with better characteristics, but still, Apple is Apple. Such things appeal to me.
It seems to me that courage is a trait inherent in any person who has decided to reach the global level in business. And luck favours the bold. A quote from the American scientist and philosopher Ron Hubbard comes to mind: "What does courage mean? Summarising, we can say that courage is, firstly, the desire and readiness to be the cause of something, and, secondly, the achievement of the consequence that a person has postulated despite everything. As it happens, there is no such thing as failure. As it happens, it simply does not exist."
