August 30, 2023 • 24 mins
About Gaziza Yespayeva
Gaziza is a remarkable embodiment of tenacity and entrepreneurial spirit. Hailing from Kazakhstan, her journey from a challenging childhood to a thriving businesswoman is a testament to her unwavering determination. At just 17, armed with a mere $20, she delved into online commerce, sowing the seeds for what would become her own online empire.
Despite early setbacks, Gaziza's resolve remained unshaken. Today, she stands tall as the visionary founder of a flourishing online store, showcasing not only her business acumen but also her keen marketing insights.
About this episode
Get ready to be inspired by our latest episode with Gaziza Yespayeva! Starting her entrepreneurial journey with a mere twenty dollars, Gaziza has built a business empire from scratch, her fierce determination and resilience serving as her fuel. She shares the story of her humble beginnings in Kazakhstan, where she took her first step into business at just seventeen. But it wasn't all smooth sailing - Gaziza tells of her trials and tribulations, including her first major business setback, and how these experiences have shaped her into the formidable businesswoman she is today.
Gaziza's entrepreneurial spirit didn't just stop at her homeland. She ventured into the international business arena, setting her sights on developing a global chain of music schools named "Not Schools Drums". Gaziza discusses her challenges and successes in navigating the competitive business landscape in Dubai and getting potential investors on board. Gaziza's narrative underscores the potential of resilience and resourcefulness, inspiring others to believe that immense success can be achieved even from the humblest beginnings.
Quotes
5:04 – I decided that I needed to sell the goods produced by ourselves in our country myself, and not to depend on suppliers
8:28 – We have invested all of our funds in the opening of new stores at that time
9:35 – We decided that it is the time for us to produce clothes by ourselves
11:54 – I decided that I should make something bigger, made some bigger chain international
17:28 – Always know the value of the people in your life
17:33 – When hiring a person, it’s important that the international values and the principles correspond to the set of qualities that is necessary for a particular position
18:45 – Everything in the world is unpredictable, your business too.
18:50 – I set a goal, go towards it but feel secure, and then my main advantage is that easily adapt to situations and continue on my way
20:54 – If there’s a hurdle on your way, pick a different route. Just don’t stop.
Useful Links
Website:http://gazimag.tilda.ws/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gazi-yespayeva-783649286/
Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/gazizka_mag
The Matrix Green Pill Podcast: https://thematrixgreenpill.com/
Please review us: https://g.page/r/CS8IW35GvlraEAI/review
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Hilmarie Hutchison (00:10):
Hello and welcome back to another episode
of the Matrix Green Pill Podcast.
I'm your host, HilmarieHutchison, and today I'm excited
to welcome a million-dollarbusiness entrepreneur, Gaziza
Yespayva.
Gaziza is originally fromKazakhstan and started her
journey as a young woman withbig dreams At 17, she started
(00:32):
her first business and, throughhard work and dedication and
many ups and downs, are here.
She is now recognized as thegirl who created millions.
Super exciting.
Let's hear from Gaziza herself.
Gaziza, welcome and thank youso much for joining me today.
Gaziza Yespayeva (00:48):
Hi, thanks so much for inviting me here,
because this is my first podcastin English and I am a little
bit scared, but I thinkeverything will be okay.
Yes, you can relax.
Hilmarie Hutchison (01:02):
Yeah, thank you.
To start off, could you pleasetell us a bit about yourself?
Gaziza Yespayeva (01:07):
My name is Gaziza and I'm 30 years old Now.
I'm living in Dubai, moved inhere eight months ago and now
I'm starting two businessprojects.
One of them is the Nutt Schoolof Drums with my partners.
Second one is girls' treatmentsalons, healthcare massage
(01:31):
salons.
We are opening two networkchains here in Dubai and we are
directly looking for opening thechain in the Middle East.
Hilmarie Hutchison (01:42):
Sounds really exciting.
Now let's go back to yourchildhood.
I believe you made a vow thatyou would never work for anyone.
Can you tell us a little bitabout that and tell us, maybe
walk us through, some of thepivotal moments that shaped your
determination and drive?
Gaziza Yespayeva (02:00):
This is a long story.
My mother divorced with myfather when I was one and a half
years old.
From that time, my grandma,with her husband took me to race
and until my 10 years old, Icalled them like my mom and
daddy and I was living with themand we lived well.
But in my seven years, some ofcircumstances happened that led
(02:23):
us to state where a grandmotherand I had nothing to eat.
This is the separate long story, like I told right now.
But this was the decision andthis is what the result.
When I thought at the age ofseven, I told myself that I
would never work for anyone andI would make my own money.
(02:45):
I will have my own business.
This was the time when I makethis decision for me and how.
It's fashionable to call itlike feminism, but it was.
But I was a very young girl andI didn't know what is it.
I decided that I will have myown money for every type for you
.
Hilmarie Hutchison (03:04):
It wasn't feminism, it was out of need.
You can see that you needed tomake your own path to be able to
provide for yourself and notrely on anyone else.
Yeah, starting with twentydollars in your pocket, you had
a vision of selling scops.
Can you tell us a little bitabout that?
And also maybe you can touch onyour first major setback and
(03:24):
some of the lessons that taughtyou?
Gaziza Yespayeva (03:26):
Yeah, this is the story in my life about the
night, right, of course, but nowI consider that it was a cool
experience rather than a failureIn this time.
I started with twenty dollars,but three steps result them for
the four, three times the priceand within a month I made my
first Something similar likeeight hundred or one thousand
(03:51):
dollars simply by receivingvarious accessorizes on my
social network.
It was a big case, somethinglike facebook in russia.
We have other social networkname it contact me, maybe some
of our guests who know thisnetwork.
So I sold the scarce and otheraccessorizes on this network and
(04:14):
for a whole year I work likethis, placing orders at night
and in the morning takingparcels.
I delivered them to customersby bus, by myself.
I didn't particularly tell myparents what I was doing, saving
up all the money from my futurestore.
I did it every time on thenight, every time on the way to
(04:39):
the university, and a lady Iopened a small store like twenty
square meters and ordered goodsfor ten thousand dollars.
That's when the first bigproblem was happened with me,
because the goods from chinasimply didn't know the right and
the supplier was whom I workedfor six months it didn't get in
(04:59):
touch with me.
Now I think that this gave megrowth Because I decided that I
needed to sell goods which weproduce by ourselves in our
country and not just depend onsuppliers.
And this is the next step on myway in the business.
I think and I think this timewas the first big problem that I
(05:20):
have bad this one the firsttime when I grow it up.
What a story, though.
Hilmarie Hutchison (05:26):
My goodness.
First of all, I love yourresourcefulness.
So you decided I'm gonna makemoney.
You found scarves andaccessories.
You would buy them and thenresell them and get on the bus
go deliver.
This is not just easy.
I mean this.
You are studying at the sametime, so using every spare
minute to get your businessstarted and saving up your money
(05:48):
until it was ten thousanddollars.
You lost ordering from somebodywho just goes to do and never
delivered the product.
So Really hard.
Listen to learn, no doubt.
My goodness, what a start inyour career.
But you said that was a goodlearning experience.
And then you went on and youstarted some new stores.
It was in high fashion, as Iunderstand, hi in fashion.
(06:09):
How did you identify the demandfor hi in fashion in kazakh?
Start and manage the rapidexpansion of your stores?
Gaziza Yespayeva (06:17):
The second step of the business was this
seven stores we open with myhusband, but it was the time
after two years from the story.
By the time I was marriedalready in change in the
production of jewelry and soldthem for one hundred dollars per
piece.
And this is the small story ofmy small business.
(06:39):
I don't tell anyone about this,but it was necessary to create
a more serious business with myhusband and we decided that we
can organize events for smalldesigners like me who made
something similar like maybe,maybe jewelry, maybe some
designer clothes, and we decidedthat we will make an event and
(07:04):
we will make sales amount toartisans for them and we will
invite some customers for theseevents.
Also, the success was our wellbeing because it took from us
like two weeks from idea toimplementation and then, if I'm
not mistaken, like one thousandand five hundred people attended
(07:27):
the event in one evening.
Hilmarie Hutchison (07:29):
Those times, Wow, that's incredible.
You did this in two weeks.
Gaziza Yespayeva (07:33):
Yeah, it was like we were lying on the bed at
night and we thought aboutsomething big, what we want to
create from us.
We thought about the stores orevents or something like this,
and we had one idea to make thisevent.
And you know, this idea was sohuge and so inspirational for us
(07:54):
.
This is the reason that's why,from idea to making this event,
we've gone only two weeks at all.
I think People began to ask forwhere they can buy these
products on a regular basis whenthey were on the exhibition and
they didn't want to wait forthe next exhibition.
We immediately realized that weneed to open the stores and you
(08:17):
know it was like very fastgrowing up.
In one and a half year itbecomes from one to seven stores
in different cities.
It's not worse, see, but wehave invested all our funds in
the opening of new stores thattime.
Hilmarie Hutchison (08:32):
What an incredible story and what an
incredible fast expansion to gofrom one to seven in one and a
half years.
What are some of the challengesyou had during this expansion?
Gaziza Yespayeva (08:43):
It's very first and biggest problem that
we were open the store afterstore and the demand was gay,
but the goods were literallyincontable units because we took
rental payments from thedesigners to display them in our
store and the thought that thedesigners needed it too.
We was entrepreneurs and we hada business and for us it was a
(09:07):
really big business, but thedesigners had only the
creativity.
It's like when inspiration came, they came up with one dress
and gave it for tailoring forfive pieces.
You are waiting for these fivepieces for selling them, and the
designers are waiting to becomea builder, but that doesn't
work.
(09:27):
For a year we were looking forreally cool designers with large
volumes, but it didn't happen.
And then we decided that it isthe time for us to produce
clothes by ourselves.
There are shops, there is ateam, there are customers and
demand, and I remember we sendoff like something similar like
(09:50):
200 summer blouses for the firstbatch and sell a small price
for them.
If I'm not mistaken, we soldeverything like in one or two
weeks in those times, and afterfour months we build up a
workshop and produced from 1,000until 1,000 to 200 and
(10:12):
something similar like theseunits of goods per matinee and
we work with them five years.
Hilmarie Hutchison (10:17):
Really fast expansion, really having to also
pivot, so having to think, okay, what's the next thing, what's
going to work, what's the demand, and pivoting and changing as
you could see where things aregoing.
Really incredible.
So then, how did you end up inDubai?
Gaziza Yespayeva (10:34):
we work with our chain, with our stores, with
designer clothes, and tilltwenty twenty one and we close
up everything.
Because I thought that I dothis business seven years at all
and I wanted to grow up.
I wanted to make somethingbetter, I wanted to make
something bigger.
All of last three years I dreamabout something international
(10:59):
and I started to thought aboutTreatments for girls.
Because it will be easier thanto make the clothes is by
ourselves, than to produce it byourselves in our country,
because, open the stores oropening the salons, it will be
easier because you are justmaking the decision of where you
(11:20):
will stand, taking the officeor rental shop, contracting
there, and after you are makingthe command and the hiring
people who will work with youand that's all.
In the dress is in thepreparing clothes is.
It took time like from five tosix months for preparing the
(11:41):
clothes is and after one or twomonths for selling.
That the time is very, I can say, and a completely different
business model that you will befollowing for the salons, so
that's very exciting yeah, Idecided that I should make
something bigger, make somebigger chain in international
and the first city I wanted toand it was to buy.
(12:03):
In the january when I came hereafter two months Leaving here,
I thought and I recognize theopening of the one salon here
will be very costly.
It looks like similar, likemore than three thousand hundred
dollars for opening one salonand I thought that this is the
(12:27):
very high cost for business,because last my business, as I
opened like one or two and fivethousand dollars, for example,
for one store we spend like notmore than five or seven thousand
dollars.
Then I decided that I shouldfind out the partners, that I
(12:47):
should find out other businesswith home I can open it more
easily.
And then it's now I try to findout something and I followed the
girl named that's the other bbqfrom russia and she has her
international big chain includesmore than two hundred School,
(13:09):
so musical classes for adults,and I thought that this is the
not bad model for business foropening here.
I tried to call them so we havetheir meeting each other like
thirty minutes and after theygave me the potential investors
who want to open this classeshere in dubai with somebody like
(13:34):
french z, like me.
So then we decided that we willmeet with leonid.
We met with him like alsothirty minutes and that more,
and we decided that we want toopen that one, two, three or
five, that we want open morethan one hundred Schools here in
the middle east, and then itbecomes my prime partner here.
(13:58):
So this is the one other storyof success for me fantastic.
Hilmarie Hutchison (14:04):
So now we've moved away from the salons
talking about the project to dowith music.
So the name that I've got forthis project is not schools
drums, so can you explain thatname to us please?
Gaziza Yespayeva (14:17):
okay why it named like not schools of the
drum, because when we aretelling that this is the school,
some people think that we areteaching kids.
But we are not about the kids,we are about adults and we are
about hobby.
We are not just teaching, weare making a hobby and making a
community for adults who wantsto after work, to come to us and
(14:40):
having a relaxed, having agreat community and taking a new
friends, for example, becausethe buy it's so big and has so
different internationalities.
I know by myself that to findout the friends here it's a
little bit difficult foreveryone.
Hilmarie Hutchison (15:00):
So this will create some kind of community
as well, for people to gettogether with like-minded folk,
and it's to learn to playinstruments only, or is it for
singing and dancing and acting,or is it instruments only?
Gaziza Yespayeva (15:14):
It's like having enjoyed with the music
and dancing and instruments also.
So we create a community forpeople who want to be inspired,
enjoy life in sustainable ways,because we all get tired after
work or after work of ourprojects and we want to spend
the evenings and have friends ininteresting company, a couple
(15:37):
of types of it.
We think that making music,having enjoyed making dancing,
maybe in our school, andspending the time with friends
developing new skills byteaching, it's better a proposal
than just sitting in cafe, asit's often the case.
Hilmarie Hutchison (15:55):
You are planning to open 100 of these
schools, or not schools, I guesswe should say Is that all over
the?
Gaziza Yespayeva (16:04):
UAE.
It will be in the UAE and Saudiin the Qatar, in the Oman and
the other countries in MiddleEast.
Hilmarie Hutchison (16:13):
Excellent, and how many students do you
plan to have in each location?
Gaziza Yespayeva (16:18):
In each location.
It should be like not less than200 students every month.
In Dubai, for example, we wantto open from 7 until 12 for not
schools.
Hilmarie Hutchison (16:29):
And the time that it's open.
Is it open all day or is itonly open in the evenings on
weekends?
Gaziza Yespayeva (16:34):
or what?
No, it's opening from 10 amuntil 12 pm because our teachers
will teach the customers until10 pm, but after 10 pm until 12
pm they can come and just havean enjoys playing their
(16:55):
instruments for free Soundsreally exciting.
Hilmarie Hutchison (16:58):
I'm really looking forward to visiting one
of the not schools to see how itall works.
Sounds fantastic.
Gaziza Yespayeva (17:04):
Of course, of course, I have no idea, of
course.
Hilmarie Hutchison (17:07):
Balancing entrepreneurship and leadership
requires exceptional skills.
How do you manage to maintain acohesive team across different
store locations?
Now you're doing internationalprojects.
How do you manage your team?
Gaziza Yespayeva (17:21):
The one way how we can manage and how we can
work for a long time withpeople, it's to know their
values.
I work with people on the levelof their values.
When hiring a person, it'simportant that the international
values and the principlescorrespond to the set of
qualities that are necessary fora particular position.
(17:44):
You don't need to force or onceagain motivate or direct.
You just give the task, thedeadline for its completion and
the reward for speed.
For example, all stores indifferent cities with the
closest work independently inthis way.
I didn't go there more than oneyear in each of the store and I
(18:06):
think that the working by thevalues with people is the best
way to have a good team.
Hilmarie Hutchison (18:12):
Excellent insight.
So you find people that hassimilar values, so that you're
on the same page, and then youdon't have to be micromanaging
them, checking on them all thetime, because you know that
they're going to do whatever isrequired of them.
Gaziza Yespayeva (18:24):
Yeah, because it's important for them also,
not only for me.
Hilmarie Hutchison (18:27):
Building a multi-million dollar business
surely comes with moments ofself-doubt.
How do you overcome thosedoubts and keep your vision
steadfast?
Gaziza Yespayeva (18:37):
I had some times of self-doubt also, but
rather, on the contrary, mybelief is that everything in the
world is unstable, also inbusiness like this.
I set a goal, go towards it,but change a cure, and then my
main advantage is that easilyadapt to situations and continue
(18:57):
on my way.
This is the reason why I amhere now.
Hilmarie Hutchison (19:00):
My last question in this section is your
story is a testament to theextraordinary heights one can
achieve through determinationand hard work.
What legacy do you want toleave behind and what impact do
you hope your endeavors willhave on future generations of
entrepreneurs?
Gaziza Yespayeva (19:17):
Everything.
What I want to tell that womencan do everything, and even more
than they imagine aboutthemselves.
And this is the main thing.
What I bring to the masses, andI will not try or repeat it
Even you are 17, with 20 doors,a girl, and you can become an
entrepreneur and also, with that, you can make an international
(19:39):
market, even you're a woman.
This is the one thing I'mbringing to the masses, I think.
Hilmarie Hutchison (19:44):
It's a lovely legacy to leave for
future generations as well.
Thank you so much for sharingyour story, because it's
absolutely inspiring, but nowwe've come to the segment of our
show.
We'll ask you some rapid firequestions, our version of a game
show.
Are you ready?
Okay, what is your favoritedrink?
It's Pepsi Died.
(20:06):
Okay, who is your biggestinspiration?
You know?
Gaziza Yespayeva (20:10):
I haven't one person who inspired me.
Sometimes I open my YouTube andI write the most rich or
richest people in the world andI am seeing some videos about
these people and all of theminspiring me in different cases.
Hilmarie Hutchison (20:29):
Very interesting Heels or sneakers,
sneakers.
What is one piece of advice youwould give to a young
entrepreneur?
Just don't stop.
Gaziza Yespayeva (20:38):
If you will have some problems on your way,
just don't stop.
Just make the different way,even every time you have some
problems or you are notbelieving in the way you are
going now.
If you have problems now, juststart to go by different ways,
but don't stop.
Hilmarie Hutchison (20:59):
Don't stop Look for alternative solutions.
I like that Good advice.
What is one thing you do everyday, no matter how busy you are?
Gaziza Yespayeva (21:06):
Taking time with my child, lovely.
Hilmarie Hutchison (21:10):
I like that.
Well, thank you very much.
That was the end of the gameshow.
It wasn't too difficult.
Before we wrap up, we'd like todo our Green Pole moment, so
could you please share aninspiring or life-changing
experience that you have gonethrough?
Your Green Pole moment.
Gaziza Yespayeva (21:26):
I think that this moment was from my first
story for today.
It was from the day when I wasseven years old and when I
decided that I will have my ownmoney.
Hilmarie Hutchison (21:38):
It was at seven.
Okay, wow, incredible yeah.
Gaziza Yespayeva (21:42):
Because I decided that I will have my own
money and I will never work forsomeone.
When I was seven years old,this decision gave me this green
pill, I think for all my life.
Hilmarie Hutchison (21:54):
And then, by the time you were 17, that's
when you started your firstbusiness.
Yeah, an incredible story.
Somebody so determined, fromsuch a young age already, with
such a clear vision you don'toften hear that.
I can say I've spoken to manypeople and it is quite
remarkable to meet somebody likeyou.
Gaziza Yespayeva (22:11):
Thank you.
Hilmarie Hutchison (22:12):
As I said, your story is nothing
extraordinary.
From Kazakhstan to the globalstage, you've conquered
challenges to fight odds andcreated a million-dollar empire
in just a few years.
It's a tale of tenacity,innovation and unwavering
determination, and I'm sure ouraudience is going to really
enjoy this conversation.
Gaziza Yespayeva (22:33):
Of course, I enjoy everything what happens in
my life.
Maybe that's why I'm verypositive person, even some
challenges happening in my life.
Hilmarie Hutchison (22:42):
I think that's the key right Just to
always be positive, no matterwhat you're facing.
I think that's excellent.
Yeah, before we say goodbye,could you please tell our
listeners where they can findand follow you, and we'll also
put this in the show notes.
Gaziza Yespayeva (22:54):
I have my social network on Instagram, my
own page, it's gaziskamg and youcan find me.
Hilmarie Hutchison (23:02):
Excellent, so do you say gaziska?
I've been saying gaziza, am Isaying it?
Gaziza Yespayeva (23:06):
wrong.
No, my name is gaziza, but myfriends call me gaziska.
Hilmarie Hutchison (23:12):
Gaziska, I believe you've also got a
nickname Gazy Mac.
Gaziza Yespayeva (23:16):
Yeah, this is the Mac.
It's like a first letters ofthe name my grandpa, and I think
this is the part of the wordmagic, and I want to inspire
people like everything that youdo in your life.
It's going to be like magic.
Hilmarie Hutchison (23:33):
A very cool nickname to have.
I like it very much.
Well, thank you again so muchfor joining me today.
It's been absolutelyfascinating and inspiring.
I wish you all the very best,and for sure I'll be watching
and following your journey andall the new stores that you are
planning on opening in thefuture.
Gaziza Yespayeva (23:50):
Thank you so much and thank you for inviting
me here, because it was veryinteresting and very inspiring
for me also.
Hilmarie Hutchison (23:59):
Thank you so much and you did excellently so
thank you for that.
Gaziza Yespayeva (24:03):
Thank you, thank you, bye.
Hello and welcome back to another episode
of the Matrix Green Pill Podcast.
I'm your host, HilmarieHutchison, and today I'm excited
to welcome a million-dollarbusiness entrepreneur, Gaziza
Yespayva.
Gaziza is originally fromKazakhstan and started her
journey as a young woman withbig dreams At 17, she started
(00:32):
her first business and, throughhard work and dedication and
many ups and downs, are here.
She is now recognized as thegirl who created millions.
Super exciting.
Let's hear from Gaziza herself.
Gaziza, welcome and thank youso much for joining me today.
Gaziza Yespayeva (00:48):
Hi, thanks so much for inviting me here,
because this is my first podcastin English and I am a little
bit scared, but I thinkeverything will be okay.
Yes, you can relax.
Hilmarie Hutchison (01:02):
Yeah, thank you.
To start off, could you pleasetell us a bit about yourself?
Gaziza Yespayeva (01:07):
My name is Gaziza and I'm 30 years old Now.
I'm living in Dubai, moved inhere eight months ago and now
I'm starting two businessprojects.
One of them is the Nutt Schoolof Drums with my partners.
Second one is girls' treatmentsalons, healthcare massage
(01:31):
salons.
We are opening two networkchains here in Dubai and we are
directly looking for opening thechain in the Middle East.
Hilmarie Hutchison (01:42):
Sounds really exciting.
Now let's go back to yourchildhood.
I believe you made a vow thatyou would never work for anyone.
Can you tell us a little bitabout that and tell us, maybe
walk us through, some of thepivotal moments that shaped your
determination and drive?
Gaziza Yespayeva (02:00):
This is a long story.
My mother divorced with myfather when I was one and a half
years old.
From that time, my grandma,with her husband took me to race
and until my 10 years old, Icalled them like my mom and
daddy and I was living with themand we lived well.
But in my seven years, some ofcircumstances happened that led
(02:23):
us to state where a grandmotherand I had nothing to eat.
This is the separate long story, like I told right now.
But this was the decision andthis is what the result.
When I thought at the age ofseven, I told myself that I
would never work for anyone andI would make my own money.
(02:45):
I will have my own business.
This was the time when I makethis decision for me and how.
It's fashionable to call itlike feminism, but it was.
But I was a very young girl andI didn't know what is it.
I decided that I will have myown money for every type for you
.
Hilmarie Hutchison (03:04):
It wasn't feminism, it was out of need.
You can see that you needed tomake your own path to be able to
provide for yourself and notrely on anyone else.
Yeah, starting with twentydollars in your pocket, you had
a vision of selling scops.
Can you tell us a little bitabout that?
And also maybe you can touch onyour first major setback and
(03:24):
some of the lessons that taughtyou?
Gaziza Yespayeva (03:26):
Yeah, this is the story in my life about the
night, right, of course, but nowI consider that it was a cool
experience rather than a failureIn this time.
I started with twenty dollars,but three steps result them for
the four, three times the priceand within a month I made my
first Something similar likeeight hundred or one thousand
(03:51):
dollars simply by receivingvarious accessorizes on my
social network.
It was a big case, somethinglike facebook in russia.
We have other social networkname it contact me, maybe some
of our guests who know thisnetwork.
So I sold the scarce and otheraccessorizes on this network and
(04:14):
for a whole year I work likethis, placing orders at night
and in the morning takingparcels.
I delivered them to customersby bus, by myself.
I didn't particularly tell myparents what I was doing, saving
up all the money from my futurestore.
I did it every time on thenight, every time on the way to
(04:39):
the university, and a lady Iopened a small store like twenty
square meters and ordered goodsfor ten thousand dollars.
That's when the first bigproblem was happened with me,
because the goods from chinasimply didn't know the right and
the supplier was whom I workedfor six months it didn't get in
(04:59):
touch with me.
Now I think that this gave megrowth Because I decided that I
needed to sell goods which weproduce by ourselves in our
country and not just depend onsuppliers.
And this is the next step on myway in the business.
I think and I think this timewas the first big problem that I
(05:20):
have bad this one the firsttime when I grow it up.
What a story, though.
Hilmarie Hutchison (05:26):
My goodness.
First of all, I love yourresourcefulness.
So you decided I'm gonna makemoney.
You found scarves andaccessories.
You would buy them and thenresell them and get on the bus
go deliver.
This is not just easy.
I mean this.
You are studying at the sametime, so using every spare
minute to get your businessstarted and saving up your money
(05:48):
until it was ten thousanddollars.
You lost ordering from somebodywho just goes to do and never
delivered the product.
So Really hard.
Listen to learn, no doubt.
My goodness, what a start inyour career.
But you said that was a goodlearning experience.
And then you went on and youstarted some new stores.
It was in high fashion, as Iunderstand, hi in fashion.
(06:09):
How did you identify the demandfor hi in fashion in kazakh?
Start and manage the rapidexpansion of your stores?
Gaziza Yespayeva (06:17):
The second step of the business was this
seven stores we open with myhusband, but it was the time
after two years from the story.
By the time I was marriedalready in change in the
production of jewelry and soldthem for one hundred dollars per
piece.
And this is the small story ofmy small business.
(06:39):
I don't tell anyone about this,but it was necessary to create
a more serious business with myhusband and we decided that we
can organize events for smalldesigners like me who made
something similar like maybe,maybe jewelry, maybe some
designer clothes, and we decidedthat we will make an event and
(07:04):
we will make sales amount toartisans for them and we will
invite some customers for theseevents.
Also, the success was our wellbeing because it took from us
like two weeks from idea toimplementation and then, if I'm
not mistaken, like one thousandand five hundred people attended
(07:27):
the event in one evening.
Hilmarie Hutchison (07:29):
Those times, Wow, that's incredible.
You did this in two weeks.
Gaziza Yespayeva (07:33):
Yeah, it was like we were lying on the bed at
night and we thought aboutsomething big, what we want to
create from us.
We thought about the stores orevents or something like this,
and we had one idea to make thisevent.
And you know, this idea was sohuge and so inspirational for us
(07:54):
.
This is the reason that's why,from idea to making this event,
we've gone only two weeks at all.
I think People began to ask forwhere they can buy these
products on a regular basis whenthey were on the exhibition and
they didn't want to wait forthe next exhibition.
We immediately realized that weneed to open the stores and you
(08:17):
know it was like very fastgrowing up.
In one and a half year itbecomes from one to seven stores
in different cities.
It's not worse, see, but wehave invested all our funds in
the opening of new stores thattime.
Hilmarie Hutchison (08:32):
What an incredible story and what an
incredible fast expansion to gofrom one to seven in one and a
half years.
What are some of the challengesyou had during this expansion?
Gaziza Yespayeva (08:43):
It's very first and biggest problem that
we were open the store afterstore and the demand was gay,
but the goods were literallyincontable units because we took
rental payments from thedesigners to display them in our
store and the thought that thedesigners needed it too.
We was entrepreneurs and we hada business and for us it was a
(09:07):
really big business, but thedesigners had only the
creativity.
It's like when inspiration came, they came up with one dress
and gave it for tailoring forfive pieces.
You are waiting for these fivepieces for selling them, and the
designers are waiting to becomea builder, but that doesn't
work.
(09:27):
For a year we were looking forreally cool designers with large
volumes, but it didn't happen.
And then we decided that it isthe time for us to produce
clothes by ourselves.
There are shops, there is ateam, there are customers and
demand, and I remember we sendoff like something similar like
(09:50):
200 summer blouses for the firstbatch and sell a small price
for them.
If I'm not mistaken, we soldeverything like in one or two
weeks in those times, and afterfour months we build up a
workshop and produced from 1,000until 1,000 to 200 and
(10:12):
something similar like theseunits of goods per matinee and
we work with them five years.
Hilmarie Hutchison (10:17):
Really fast expansion, really having to also
pivot, so having to think, okay, what's the next thing, what's
going to work, what's the demand, and pivoting and changing as
you could see where things aregoing.
Really incredible.
So then, how did you end up inDubai?
Gaziza Yespayeva (10:34):
we work with our chain, with our stores, with
designer clothes, and tilltwenty twenty one and we close
up everything.
Because I thought that I dothis business seven years at all
and I wanted to grow up.
I wanted to make somethingbetter, I wanted to make
something bigger.
All of last three years I dreamabout something international
(10:59):
and I started to thought aboutTreatments for girls.
Because it will be easier thanto make the clothes is by
ourselves, than to produce it byourselves in our country,
because, open the stores oropening the salons, it will be
easier because you are justmaking the decision of where you
(11:20):
will stand, taking the officeor rental shop, contracting
there, and after you are makingthe command and the hiring
people who will work with youand that's all.
In the dress is in thepreparing clothes is.
It took time like from five tosix months for preparing the
(11:41):
clothes is and after one or twomonths for selling.
That the time is very, I can say, and a completely different
business model that you will befollowing for the salons, so
that's very exciting yeah, Idecided that I should make
something bigger, make somebigger chain in international
and the first city I wanted toand it was to buy.
(12:03):
In the january when I came hereafter two months Leaving here,
I thought and I recognize theopening of the one salon here
will be very costly.
It looks like similar, likemore than three thousand hundred
dollars for opening one salonand I thought that this is the
(12:27):
very high cost for business,because last my business, as I
opened like one or two and fivethousand dollars, for example,
for one store we spend like notmore than five or seven thousand
dollars.
Then I decided that I shouldfind out the partners, that I
(12:47):
should find out other businesswith home I can open it more
easily.
And then it's now I try to findout something and I followed the
girl named that's the other bbqfrom russia and she has her
international big chain includesmore than two hundred School,
(13:09):
so musical classes for adults,and I thought that this is the
not bad model for business foropening here.
I tried to call them so we havetheir meeting each other like
thirty minutes and after theygave me the potential investors
who want to open this classeshere in dubai with somebody like
(13:34):
french z, like me.
So then we decided that we willmeet with leonid.
We met with him like alsothirty minutes and that more,
and we decided that we want toopen that one, two, three or
five, that we want open morethan one hundred Schools here in
the middle east, and then itbecomes my prime partner here.
(13:58):
So this is the one other storyof success for me fantastic.
Hilmarie Hutchison (14:04):
So now we've moved away from the salons
talking about the project to dowith music.
So the name that I've got forthis project is not schools
drums, so can you explain thatname to us please?
Gaziza Yespayeva (14:17):
okay why it named like not schools of the
drum, because when we aretelling that this is the school,
some people think that we areteaching kids.
But we are not about the kids,we are about adults and we are
about hobby.
We are not just teaching, weare making a hobby and making a
community for adults who wantsto after work, to come to us and
(14:40):
having a relaxed, having agreat community and taking a new
friends, for example, becausethe buy it's so big and has so
different internationalities.
I know by myself that to findout the friends here it's a
little bit difficult foreveryone.
Hilmarie Hutchison (15:00):
So this will create some kind of community
as well, for people to gettogether with like-minded folk,
and it's to learn to playinstruments only, or is it for
singing and dancing and acting,or is it instruments only?
Gaziza Yespayeva (15:14):
It's like having enjoyed with the music
and dancing and instruments also.
So we create a community forpeople who want to be inspired,
enjoy life in sustainable ways,because we all get tired after
work or after work of ourprojects and we want to spend
the evenings and have friends ininteresting company, a couple
(15:37):
of types of it.
We think that making music,having enjoyed making dancing,
maybe in our school, andspending the time with friends
developing new skills byteaching, it's better a proposal
than just sitting in cafe, asit's often the case.
Hilmarie Hutchison (15:55):
You are planning to open 100 of these
schools, or not schools, I guesswe should say Is that all over
the?
Gaziza Yespayeva (16:04):
UAE.
It will be in the UAE and Saudiin the Qatar, in the Oman and
the other countries in MiddleEast.
Hilmarie Hutchison (16:13):
Excellent, and how many students do you
plan to have in each location?
Gaziza Yespayeva (16:18):
In each location.
It should be like not less than200 students every month.
In Dubai, for example, we wantto open from 7 until 12 for not
schools.
Hilmarie Hutchison (16:29):
And the time that it's open.
Is it open all day or is itonly open in the evenings on
weekends?
Gaziza Yespayeva (16:34):
or what?
No, it's opening from 10 amuntil 12 pm because our teachers
will teach the customers until10 pm, but after 10 pm until 12
pm they can come and just havean enjoys playing their
(16:55):
instruments for free Soundsreally exciting.
Hilmarie Hutchison (16:58):
I'm really looking forward to visiting one
of the not schools to see how itall works.
Sounds fantastic.
Gaziza Yespayeva (17:04):
Of course, of course, I have no idea, of
course.
Hilmarie Hutchison (17:07):
Balancing entrepreneurship and leadership
requires exceptional skills.
How do you manage to maintain acohesive team across different
store locations?
Now you're doing internationalprojects.
How do you manage your team?
Gaziza Yespayeva (17:21):
The one way how we can manage and how we can
work for a long time withpeople, it's to know their
values.
I work with people on the levelof their values.
When hiring a person, it'simportant that the international
values and the principlescorrespond to the set of
qualities that are necessary fora particular position.
(17:44):
You don't need to force or onceagain motivate or direct.
You just give the task, thedeadline for its completion and
the reward for speed.
For example, all stores indifferent cities with the
closest work independently inthis way.
I didn't go there more than oneyear in each of the store and I
(18:06):
think that the working by thevalues with people is the best
way to have a good team.
Hilmarie Hutchison (18:12):
Excellent insight.
So you find people that hassimilar values, so that you're
on the same page, and then youdon't have to be micromanaging
them, checking on them all thetime, because you know that
they're going to do whatever isrequired of them.
Gaziza Yespayeva (18:24):
Yeah, because it's important for them also,
not only for me.
Hilmarie Hutchison (18:27):
Building a multi-million dollar business
surely comes with moments ofself-doubt.
How do you overcome thosedoubts and keep your vision
steadfast?
Gaziza Yespayeva (18:37):
I had some times of self-doubt also, but
rather, on the contrary, mybelief is that everything in the
world is unstable, also inbusiness like this.
I set a goal, go towards it,but change a cure, and then my
main advantage is that easilyadapt to situations and continue
(18:57):
on my way.
This is the reason why I amhere now.
Hilmarie Hutchison (19:00):
My last question in this section is your
story is a testament to theextraordinary heights one can
achieve through determinationand hard work.
What legacy do you want toleave behind and what impact do
you hope your endeavors willhave on future generations of
entrepreneurs?
Gaziza Yespayeva (19:17):
Everything.
What I want to tell that womencan do everything, and even more
than they imagine aboutthemselves.
And this is the main thing.
What I bring to the masses, andI will not try or repeat it
Even you are 17, with 20 doors,a girl, and you can become an
entrepreneur and also, with that, you can make an international
(19:39):
market, even you're a woman.
This is the one thing I'mbringing to the masses, I think.
Hilmarie Hutchison (19:44):
It's a lovely legacy to leave for
future generations as well.
Thank you so much for sharingyour story, because it's
absolutely inspiring, but nowwe've come to the segment of our
show.
We'll ask you some rapid firequestions, our version of a game
show.
Are you ready?
Okay, what is your favoritedrink?
It's Pepsi Died.
(20:06):
Okay, who is your biggestinspiration?
You know?
Gaziza Yespayeva (20:10):
I haven't one person who inspired me.
Sometimes I open my YouTube andI write the most rich or
richest people in the world andI am seeing some videos about
these people and all of theminspiring me in different cases.
Hilmarie Hutchison (20:29):
Very interesting Heels or sneakers,
sneakers.
What is one piece of advice youwould give to a young
entrepreneur?
Just don't stop.
Gaziza Yespayeva (20:38):
If you will have some problems on your way,
just don't stop.
Just make the different way,even every time you have some
problems or you are notbelieving in the way you are
going now.
If you have problems now, juststart to go by different ways,
but don't stop.
Hilmarie Hutchison (20:59):
Don't stop Look for alternative solutions.
I like that Good advice.
What is one thing you do everyday, no matter how busy you are?
Gaziza Yespayeva (21:06):
Taking time with my child, lovely.
Hilmarie Hutchison (21:10):
I like that.
Well, thank you very much.
That was the end of the gameshow.
It wasn't too difficult.
Before we wrap up, we'd like todo our Green Pole moment, so
could you please share aninspiring or life-changing
experience that you have gonethrough?
Your Green Pole moment.
Gaziza Yespayeva (21:26):
I think that this moment was from my first
story for today.
It was from the day when I wasseven years old and when I
decided that I will have my ownmoney.
Hilmarie Hutchison (21:38):
It was at seven.
Okay, wow, incredible yeah.
Gaziza Yespayeva (21:42):
Because I decided that I will have my own
money and I will never work forsomeone.
When I was seven years old,this decision gave me this green
pill, I think for all my life.
Hilmarie Hutchison (21:54):
And then, by the time you were 17, that's
when you started your firstbusiness.
Yeah, an incredible story.
Somebody so determined, fromsuch a young age already, with
such a clear vision you don'toften hear that.
I can say I've spoken to manypeople and it is quite
remarkable to meet somebody likeyou.
Gaziza Yespayeva (22:11):
Thank you.
Hilmarie Hutchison (22:12):
As I said, your story is nothing
extraordinary.
From Kazakhstan to the globalstage, you've conquered
challenges to fight odds andcreated a million-dollar empire
in just a few years.
It's a tale of tenacity,innovation and unwavering
determination, and I'm sure ouraudience is going to really
enjoy this conversation.
Gaziza Yespayeva (22:33):
Of course, I enjoy everything what happens in
my life.
Maybe that's why I'm verypositive person, even some
challenges happening in my life.
Hilmarie Hutchison (22:42):
I think that's the key right Just to
always be positive, no matterwhat you're facing.
I think that's excellent.
Yeah, before we say goodbye,could you please tell our
listeners where they can findand follow you, and we'll also
put this in the show notes.
Gaziza Yespayeva (22:54):
I have my social network on Instagram, my
own page, it's gaziskamg and youcan find me.
Hilmarie Hutchison (23:02):
Excellent, so do you say gaziska?
I've been saying gaziza, am Isaying it?
Gaziza Yespayeva (23:06):
wrong.
No, my name is gaziza, but myfriends call me gaziska.
Hilmarie Hutchison (23:12):
Gaziska, I believe you've also got a
nickname Gazy Mac.
Gaziza Yespayeva (23:16):
Yeah, this is the Mac.
It's like a first letters ofthe name my grandpa, and I think
this is the part of the wordmagic, and I want to inspire
people like everything that youdo in your life.
It's going to be like magic.
Hilmarie Hutchison (23:33):
A very cool nickname to have.
I like it very much.
Well, thank you again so muchfor joining me today.
It's been absolutelyfascinating and inspiring.
I wish you all the very best,and for sure I'll be watching
and following your journey andall the new stores that you are
planning on opening in thefuture.
Gaziza Yespayeva (23:50):
Thank you so much and thank you for inviting
me here, because it was veryinteresting and very inspiring
for me also.
Hilmarie Hutchison (23:59):
Thank you so much and you did excellently so
thank you for that.
Gaziza Yespayeva (24:03):
Thank you, thank you, bye.
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