Who dares wins
There are two qualities of Slavic women, extolled in poems and described in history books: she'll stop a galloping horse and will follow her husband through fire and water, just as the Decembrists' wives once followed their husbands to Siberia. If the love is real, that is. Yes, it might sound trite, but behind every strong man, there must be a strong woman. Kristina Conde shares her story of persevering in a tough, male-dominated business and the rollercoaster ride she and her husband have been on.
Our company's story begins with my husband's grandfather, and now four generations have continued his legacy. First the grandfather, then the father, now my husband and I, and finally, our children. Our joint venture in England was founded in 2018, but there's a long history preceding it. My husband was involved in dismantling transport vehicles and collaborated with the Discovery Channel. Hollywood films were even shot on their premises.
Meeting my husband completely changed my life. We instantly knew we were made for each other. He proposed on the day we met. At the time, he was collaborating with a partner from Belarus, while I was studying at a university of foreign languages and working part-time as a tutor.
There was an amusing incident: everyone thought I was 28, although I was actually 19. When I learned that a partner from Great Britain was coming to visit us, I was incredibly nervous. I was afraid he might ask me something in English, and I wouldn't be able to answer. I postponed the meetings several times to avoid embarrassment. Eventually, I agreed to come to a lesson on a Sunday.
That's when we met. My husband asked me to repeat my name five times, and I couldn't understand if my pronunciation was so unclear that he didn't understand. Later, he confided that he couldn't hear or see anyone else at that moment except me.
My husband was staying with his partner. I remember that moment as magical. He immediately declared, "You will be mine." He terrorised his partner for two weeks to get my phone number. I laughed then and asked, "What, are you going to marry me off too?" My husband didn't know my real age for a long time and was shocked when he found out the truth after proposing. It took him a full two weeks to come to terms with it. That's how our love story and joint business began.
With my appearance in his life, my husband dreamed of entering the global market. Before that, all his activities were limited to Great Britain. My Russian entrepreneurial spirit and his British mentality helped make that dream a reality. This collaboration proved successful from the very start, and eight years ago, my husband offered me a partnership. He gave me a task: sell 500 engines worth several hundred thousand pounds. I had a two-week trial period. I managed to connect with companies that had never heard of me before. They sensed trust and transferred large sums without meeting or inspecting the goods, simply by receiving an Excel list.
When we met in 2011, I had no knowledge about cars. I couldn't tell a Mercedes from a BMW, but I had a good understanding of different nationalities' mentalities. From the very beginning, we did everything ourselves: purchasing cars, driving trailers to auctions for 16-18 hours. At a time when I was asking him to show me universities and cultural sites in England, he was taking me to yet another car auction. We loaded and dismantled cars, and we slept in the truck and even in a caravan. We truly toiled intensely.
We managed by convincing ourselves that we could do anything, conquering mountains on autopilot. The sheer volume of work was done unconsciously. People ask, "Kristina, how did you do it?" I don't remember; everything was automatic. My husband pieced me together, shaping my character and skills. He thoroughly tested me as a wife, a woman, and the love of his life. I didn't marry for money, but for love. I remind him of this when he jokes that I have a good appetite. He was a well-off man from the start, but I underwent a rigorous test.
In 2015, a tragedy occurred. On Christmas Eve, about a thousand cars were parked at one of the dismantling sites. It had been a successful year, with a lot of goods being prepared for dispatch. At 4 a.m., the phone rang: "Your yard is on fire." The London motorway was blocked, and the fire was raging. We had recently moved to that site, and the insurance hadn't been finalised. The insurance agent had suggested waiting a couple of days after Christmas to sign the documents. We agreed, thinking nothing would happen. Our colossal labour, health, and time invested in the company burned to the ground in a few hours.
The television covered the situation. Overnight, we lost all our trucks, warehouses, offices, and over 1,000 cars, from old to new. Memories remain of my husband sitting, watching a film, and me bringing his favourite pastries to console him. The firefighters didn't extinguish the fire, knowing it was futile. In the morning, we went to the site with our young son, clearing the ashes piece by piece for half a year. It was hard, but we got through it. True friends supported and helped us.
It seems that before reaching a new level, something significant is always taken away. Fate tests your readiness for change. After a year and a half, success unexpectedly arrived. Our thinking changed, and our decisions became correct. Working with our heads down ceased. Now, I think that if I could change anything, it would be moving to Dubai sooner. My husband taught me that every situation is a lesson. That experience taught us a great deal. God can take everything away in an instant and change everything in a few hours. He tests our resilience and then returns everything when we're ready to accept it. After the fire, our belief in life's trials was strengthened.
It's a brutal, masculine world, a tough business. It's not just about selling and dismantling cars and engines but also about sensing people, seeing through them, understanding where to take risks, and to whom to give a grace period, even for millions of pounds. The psychology of communication plays a key role. For example, some customers receive large grace periods, providing us with unlimited turnover. A handshake is a word of honour.
Our business philosophy is this: we see and sense a company's or individual's potential. Regardless of the client's scale, the energy is always palpable. We enhance their advantageous aspects, elevating them to a new level. Trust and loyalty are the foundation of this process. Don't compete with us, and you'll earn as much as you need. Our mission is to make our clients stronger because the stronger they are, the stronger we are. The more successful they are, the more they spend with us. Our approach bears fruit. For instance, if we travel abroad on business, simply mentioning it is enough for clients to book tickets, provide escorts, 24/7 service, hotels, and entertainment out of gratitude. There have been cases where I haven't posted about our trips on social media to avoid excessive attention.
The process is mutual. When clients visit England for the first time, we provide superior service. That was my idea. Previously, they would simply arrive, meet, and pay. I introduced hospitality into the company. Now we communicate on a different level, and trust grows.
Three years ago, while sitting in England, we were contemplating the future. Our British partners suggested opening a business in Australia and connecting suppliers into a single network, replicating England's success. One day, we were sitting and watching YouTube, where an English blogger was talking about how easy it is to set up a company in Dubai. He mentioned Business Bay and a reliable company providing staff. Our hands were free thanks to investments in artificial intelligence. AI helped us interact with customers, thousands of employees, and suppliers, making purchases and sales within 3-5 seconds of vehicles becoming available. We decided not to visit the country personally but immediately found a company through Google and contacted them. They helped prepare the documents and set up the company Auto Parts Solutions.
That's how we entered Dubai, the central hub with direct rails to Australia. We now dismantle cars, trucks and export engines to Europe, Asia, Africa, and America. Great Britain is our primary procurement market. We export engines and spare parts worldwide, collaborating with over 50 countries. In recent months, we've been laying the groundwork for operations in Australia. We have our own dismantling sites, we're signing contracts with insurance companies, and we're collaborating with large supplier companies that purchase and process up to 30,000 cars per month. The cars are taken away, prepared for dismantling, a video of the engine running is recorded, and then the engines are packaged and readied for delivery. We only work with large orders — a minimum of 100 engines per month. My husband, who visited Dubai 20 years ago, swore he would never move here. But three years ago, everything changed.
And so, the first trip to Dubai, a hot summer, mid-season, with the goal of obtaining residency. Difficulties? They don't exist in Dubai; everything here is designed for entrepreneurs. The main thing is to pay for the service because time is money. Difficulties only arise for those who create them. Put your thoughts in order, and the matter is in your hands.
At the moment, only the advantages are visible. Perhaps it's all about a positive attitude. Problems and deceptions stick to those who expect them. We're detectives, not naive but positive cops. We conducted our own investigation, studied a specialised English blog, and learned about other companies' operations. We know that scams are common, especially when setting up a business remotely.
There were Zoom meetings with a woman who looked just like us, a British woman: smart thinking — savvy. Naive people could have been swayed by her beauty. She asked for an invoice but didn't have one herself. Instead, she offered a Bitcoin wallet and bank details without a company name. The cost was three times the usual amount. We immediately realised it was a scam, one hundred per cent.
Moving to Dubai took three years. During this time, we tested neighbourhoods to live in and chose schools. Logistics was easier: we knew where all the suppliers, yards, and markets were located. We officially moved last August.
The company has branches in many countries in Europe, Asia, Africa, and America, and the logistics are set up so that you can reach out to any part of the world, mention the name and company, and receive service.
It's easier here to establish connections with South Korea, China, Japan, and Australia for imports. In October, I have a trip to South Korea to represent the United Arab Emirates at Mrs Universe. I plan to combine relaxation with meetings with clients, suppliers, and customers.
In Great Britain, 5-6 thousand engines are sold monthly. Turnover grows naturally: new suppliers call once a week or two, thanks to our good reputation. The Emirates receive shipments from Australia, Japan, and China. In terms of turnover, across all countries, the amount is in the tens of millions of pounds per year.
Difficulties in business are inevitable. There have been cases where greed has corrupted people we trusted. There have been times when we lost money because of people who changed. It's a normal situation for an entrepreneur.
My husband taught me an important rule: if a person behaves in a complicated manner from the outset, cooperation will not bring anything good. Complicated means that the person doesn't share their energy or positivity. Our business is not just a transaction. The client becomes part of the family. It's important to find common ground and resolve conflicts instantly. Don't put it off until later; don't delay discussions. Decisions are made here and now. It's crucial that cooperation is based on trust and mutual understanding. If personalities don't match, continuation is impossible: there's no trust, no passionate energy.
There are challenging situations. For example, one client in Greece paid a large sum for goods, but their email was hacked. The hackers changed the bank details in the invoice, and the client transferred £30,000 to them. But reputation is important, as we work with over 40 companies in Greece. We sent the goods at zero cost, lost money, and preserved our reputation. We agreed with the client: we'll help now, but in the future, he must work with us. In the end, we made it work.
Dubai captivates because the conditions for business here are ideal: there are no problems with labour — it's in abundance. In Great Britain, this was more difficult. Workers in Dubai are dedicated to the job because their families remain abroad, and they have one goal — to earn money for them.
During the war, we brought several families to England. It was both charity and strategy. Our Slavic peoples are hardworking, strong, and disciplined. We provided housing, cars, and jobs. Turnover doubled in a few months. One woman said, "I'm ashamed that I have it so good. I live in such a house, drive such a car, and I'm a refugee!" It's important for employees to be happy. In the Emirates, it's easier. Everyone calls me mum — workers, suppliers, and clients. They value my energy and say, "We cooperate because you're here. With other suppliers, it's not the same."
A successful entrepreneur should be positive and happy, greeting each day with joy. Transforming negativity into positivity is the key to overcoming stress. To maintain positivity, newcomers in Dubai should minimise expenses, build a network of contacts, and maintain their reputation. There are many sharks here, and promises must match capabilities.
Don't compete with market leaders — it will lead to zero profit. Let others fight for top positions. Focus on service and determine the necessary profit for living. The snowball of success will start growing on its own. Collaborations and energy are important components. The energy of family and business creates a powerful flow that brings success.
The United Arab Emirates is a market with no limits. Here you can find all the world's goods, especially in the automotive industry. In Great Britain, the space is more confined, and a client working there will definitely want to enter the markets of the Emirates and other countries. Having conquered the Emirates, you realise: the automotive industry, especially the used parts market, has development prospects. There's no artificial intelligence in this field here yet. However, I'm sure that the Emirates will also implement software over time, and this will bring even greater success, freeing the hands of local suppliers. But being in the Emirates is convenient. Everything is very simple: the tax here is zero.
In addition to these things, what motivates me as an entrepreneur is life itself, a love for what I do. Inspiration comes from people, but motivation comes precisely from the awareness of freedom and independence. Waking up, I feel joy from what I do. Freedom is the basis of my motivation. I don't want to regret wasted time in my old age. I want to look back and say, "How did we do it? It was madness!" That's the main motivation.
My husband once mentioned a company that was very successful at the time. "Do you know who made it like that?" he asked. It turned out that it was the owner's wife. She came into the business and changed everything dramatically. They called her the "Iron Lady". These stories inspired me to achieve success and become an example.
I rarely seek advice. In life's matters, I rely on my own thoughts, turning to God or the Universe. Having asked a question, I always receive an answer. In business, when stress and work block thinking, I go to my husband, but only in extreme cases. Otherwise, I create my own life, just as my husband creates his.
I listen to my heart and am glad of it. It's a pity to see people who constantly follow other people's advice, go around in circles, and are afraid of mistakes. Their dreams die due to traumas caused by other people's opinions. You need to understand, when you're knocked off your feet, it's a positive moment. Get up, as Rocky said, dust yourself off, and get back to life.
Yes, I'm risky, adventurous, fearless. I've risen after falls, following my life's credo: "Who dares wins". But Dubai brings tranquillity and peace, and our Christmas miracle came true with the move. The time difference with England allows us to enjoy the first hours of the day with family. It brings happiness to normal people: a mum, a dad, a husband, a wife. Now my state of mind is calm and serene. I'm grateful to fate and to Dubai, because 90% of the time in London was a rollercoaster.
The second credo that came with experience: money has no emotions. It's important to teach children to look at money without emotional attachment. We have two boys — I adopted my husband's son when I came to England. He's 21 now. We always teach our children to see money as just a means, not a problem or an object of desire. We tell them that everyone has their own path. You can't live by instructions. The main thing is to carry positivity on the path to success. If you carry negativity, there will be no happiness. It's like climbing a hill: in good shape, you reach the top and rejoice, but with a blocked mindset, you'll get there, but you'll regret the time spent.
