From the review for “Walking on Ice. An American Businessman in Russia” from Russia Profile magazine, by its editor, Andrei Zolotov, Jr. Of the legion of Western entrepreneurs who came to Russia in the early 1990s in search of opportunities, many came here guided not just by greed, but by a quest for adventure. But there were few
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New Book on Business in Russia – American author brings a fresh and honest look at doing business in today’s Russia From Andrei Zolotov, Jr., Editor, Russia Profile, Moscow: Essentially, it is a collection of essays, although one part of the book is structured in chapters on Russian geography, demography, culture, business and politics, while the other is simply called “An
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“Nothing is impossible in Russia but reform.” Oscar Wilde I think Oscar Wilde was wrong—but it will take time to know. The efforts to transform Russia into a viable and democratic economy, one that fits comfortably with the rest of the free world, will at best jerk forward over the coming years. But it is happening. Three steps forward and
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How to succeed in Russian business is the question. While it does not require sleeping on a bed of nails, as the hero did in Nikolai Chernyshevsky’s famous novel What Is To Be Done? to prove his commitment to his Marxist ideals, it does require a clear and serious intent, dedication, perseverance, and many other things. In a land historically
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When I first went to Russia, I was told by a Russian advisor that Dostoevsky’s “Brothers Karamazov” was required to understand the Russian. She was right. I particularly discovered in that great book the chapter entitled “The Grand Inquisitor.” It is not only great writing, but as usual, a “third side” of the Russian coin that I always talk about.
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Taking the "road less traveled" has been a stand-out theme in the life and career of Frederick R. Andresen. Born and raised on the West Texas desert near El Paso, Andresen has spent a great deal of his professional life working and living abroad. Although his time in the military and his earlier career took him all over Europe and Asia, the nearly twenty years he has invested in building telecom companies in Russia have most inspired him as a writer and as a man.