How do you systematize scattered business processes in a construction company, combine rigid planning with flexibility in daily operations, raise partners for 130 board games, and inspire the team to achieve new results? We discuss all this in our interview with the head of the commercial department at StarBuilding.
About Starting in the Company and the Initial Challenge
Interviewer: How did your journey at StarBuilding begin, and how do you remember your very first working day?
Head of the commercial department: I was invited to the company as the head of the commercial department. At the interview, they promised me very interesting and intense work — and, essentially, they didn't deceive me. For about a year now, almost every day brings new tasks. I officially joined in the twenties of September, although before that I observed the company, studying processes and evaluating prospects.
Interviewer: What was the biggest revelation for you when diving into LGSF technology?
Head of the commercial department: I myself was initially quite far from LGSF (light gauge steel framing) technology. It was a real revelation for me to see the huge number of buildings around us in Kazakhstan and specifically in Karaganda that have already been constructed using LGSF, as well as the capabilities and scale of construction our company possesses.
"Building with LGSF is easier, faster, and in some aspects even more reliable than traditional methods using reinforced concrete or black metal. This technology is the future of the industry."
About Planning, Routine, and the First Victory
Interviewer: What does your typical working day consist of?
Head of the commercial department: My day is planning, planning, and more planning. This is the key to high-quality work. The main difficulty is sticking to this plan: many immediate issues arise, and it is critically important to turn on the filter in time so as not to drown in operational tasks and to maintain the strategic vector of the company's development.
Interviewer: Which project has been the most memorable for you during your time here?
Head of the commercial department: The very first project. One of my main tasks upon joining StarBuilding was to systematize and bring order to scattered processes. I executed the first project personally — although, based on my position, I wasn't supposed to be directly involved in it. But it served as a litmus test, showing which mechanisms required automation so that neither new nor experienced managers would face these difficulties in the future.
Interviewer: If you had to explain to a five-year-old child — for example, your daughter — what you do, how would you word it?
Head of the commercial department: I would say it like this: "We build big buildings for big uncles and aunts, help their businesses grow and develop, and make the world around us more beautiful!"
About Motivation, Fatherhood, and 130 Board Games
Interviewer: What gives you the main boost of energy at work?
Head of the commercial department: I have two main sources of energy. The first is my family. Returning home after a working day, seeing the smiles and hugs of my children and wife gives me an incredible charge. The second source is achieving set goals: when what was planned is realized exactly the way it was intended, it inspires new achievements.
Interviewer: What are you passionate about outside of work that your colleagues don't even suspect?
Head of the commercial department: I really love quizzes — it's a great intellectual analogue to "What? Where? When?" but in an informal setting. Besides that, I collect board games — I already have more than 130 games in my collection! For now, it's mostly just a collection, but I am raising two wonderful daughters, so I am grooming reliable partners for future game sessions.
"My wife runs her own choreography studio, our eldest daughter is in the second grade, and the youngest goes to kindergarten. Our whole life is somehow tied to children, development, and creativity."
Interviewer: Do you have favorite books and movies that you return to?
Head of the commercial department: Among books, it's "The Twelve Chairs" and "The Little Golden Calf" by Ilf and Petrov — I can open them and read from any page at any time. Among movies, I would highlight "The Twelve Chairs" featuring Andrei Mironov and the French film "Amélie". By the way, it was thanks to "Amélie" that our daughter's second name came about.
About Difficulties, the Role of Colleagues, and Service Philosophy
Interviewer: What is the most difficult part of your work and how do you manage to cope with it?
Head of the commercial department: The hardest thing is establishing a system and order. It's like a tangled ball of hundreds of threads: you have to carefully pull the right thread so as not to tie the knot even tighter. Thanks to perseverance and the support of my colleagues, I manage to handle this successfully.
Interviewer: If you could swap roles with one of your colleagues for one day, who would you choose?
Head of the commercial department: I would like to spend a day in the role of an employee in the supply department, the production and technical department (PTO), or manufacturing. Bringing order to the commercial department goes beyond just one unit. From my chair, it seems that everything is simple, but when you dive into the work of adjacent departments, you realize how many nuances and complex processes are hidden behind the familiar facade.
Interviewer: How would you describe the working atmosphere in the company in three words?
Head of the commercial department: System, order, novelty — these are the three guiding principles we confidently strive towards every day.
Interviewer: Why do clients choose StarBuilding specifically?
Head of the commercial department: Because of our responsibility. We always approach tasks with maximum dedication, strive to give clients more than they expect from us, and take full responsibility for the final result.