Behind every entrepreneur's success lies a tale of relentless grind, unwavering determination, and unseen sacrifices. Dive into Vladimer's journey, where tennis legends mirror business strategies and parental sacrifices shape global ambitions. Are you playing the right mental game?

Matt Edmundson: BotsvadzeBotsvadzeBotsvadze

Welcome to Push To Be More with me, your host, Matt Edmundson.

Now this is a show that talks about the stuff that makes life work.

And to help us do just that, I am chatting with my very special guest,

Vladimir Botswaze, uh, from...

From, well, just all over, it seems.

And we're going to talk to Vladimir about where he's had to push through, what he

does to recharge his batteries and to be, as well as what more looks like for him.

Now, the shouts, the shouts, the show notes, I'm going to...

Take that as a word.

The show notes and transcript from my conversation with Vladimir will be

available on the website pushtobemore.

com and whilst you're there make sure you sign up for the newsletter and

each week we'll email you the links and the notes from the show automatically.

They go straight to your inbox.

This episode is brought to you by Orien Media, which helps entrepreneurs

and business leaders set up and run their own successful podcast.

Why on earth would you want to do that?

That is because, in my humble opinion, it's probably one of

the best marketing tools ever.

Out there at the moment, I have found running my own podcast to

be a really rewarding thing to do.

Opens doors to amazing people like nothing I have seen.

I've built networks, made friends, had a platform to champion my customers,

my team and my suppliers, and genuinely think everybody should have their

own podcast just because of the impact it's had on my own business.

Which of course sounds wonderful in theory, doesn't it?

But in reality...

There are quite a few problems to think about.

What's the strategy?

How do I get set up?

How do I launch this whole thing right?

What about production?

The list goes on.

Well, that's where Ori and Media come in and take everything off your plate

other than chatting to your guests.

Uh, I see, I love talking to people, but I'm not a big fan of all that other stuff.

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So if you're wondering whether podcasting is a good marketing

strategy for your business, do connect with them at aureanmedia.

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That's A U R I O N media dot com.

That's the show sponsor.

Let's talk about the show's guest.

With a distinctive voice echoing across the globe, Vladimir has etched

his name as a celebrated icon in the.

Sphere of digital transformation and social media.

His journey, which spans more than 15 years, has been marked by numerous

accolades, thought leadership, and lots of invigorating keynote speeches.

Uh, he is full of influential startup advice.

And is basically an infectious online persona.

He's a great guy.

Currently crowned as the top ranked marketing and retail

influencer by Thinkers360, Vladimir continues to redefine the digital

landscape with his unmatched expertise and innovative outlook.

And also, I might add to this bio, uh, I've not met that many people with a

joy and a passion, uh, to the degree, Vladimir, that you have for what you do.

So welcome to the show.

It's great to have you.

I've been looking forward to this conversation, man.

Hi, Matt.

You

know, thanks a lot for inviting me to your podcast.

And you know, uh, when I, in retrospect, when I look back, I'm

very grateful to the UK because I moved to UK, it's age of 22 in London.

Uh, I used to live in Mottingham, um, uh, Codford, um, uh, and

Egan, you know, where, I mean, I gained practical experience.

I studied business marketing and, and, uh, I'm very grateful to the UK from

the bottom of my heart for all support that I now work with speakers agencies.

I work with, I have been invited.

I was invited as a award judge to prolific nurse marketing awards

last year, and I was the only.

International Judge to Prolific North last year.

So I'm very grateful for all support.

And I believe that, uh, uh, this business is a two way street for me.

And I always look forward to giving back and to helping my friends in the

UK through my expertise, you know.

Fantastic.

Well, it's great to have you, Vladimir.

It's great to have you.

Now, this show, Vladimir, as I mentioned, is sponsored by Orien

Media, the podcast genius, guys.

Now, if you had your own podcasting, you could have a guest on the show.

Someone from your past or the present, no doubt.

The only thing being, the only rule is, they've had to have a, had to have had

a really big influence on your life.

Who would be someone that you would like to interview on the show and why?

It would be Matt James Clear, the author of Atomic Habits.

Okay.

Yeah.

So, I mean, if you follow James on Twitter, you know what an amazing

leader he is because he provides content that is in followers best

interest, literally, very eye opening and refreshing perspective, you know,

from his content, from his book, he's an amazing individual, you know.

I praise James to the skies because of his willingness to give back

and to inspire people, you know.

So what was it, um, well, let me ask you this question.

What are some of the key insights that you took away from his book?

Well,

it's all about capitalizing on digital transformation

to tell your story, you know.

I mean, James is an amazing storyteller.

Because he has so many followers on Twitter, so many people follow him, he,

uh, he inspires, I mean, so many people.

And of course, when I started following him on Twitter, I have

been, I have been inspired by him, by his wisdom, by his inspiration.

You know, it's just that we lack people like James, because, uh, James leads by

example, you know, and James wants to see many confident and, uh, Uh, successful

people around him in his community.

So I would advise, uh, James as a drop of a hat, uh, uh, to my podcast, uh, to let

him to share his wisdom with my audience.

Yeah, no, fair enough.

I'm just looking here Vladimir, on the Amazon website, Atomic Habits,

his book, which was released in 2018.

I didn't realize it was that long ago.

I thought it was much more recent.

I don't know why, but it's had over 136, 000 reviews.

Um, that's a phenomenal number of reviews, isn't

it for a book?

Unparalleled, unrivaled, you know, James, James is just cream of the crop.

Yeah,

yeah, well, if you're listening to the show,

go and follow James on Twitter.

I'm very delighted, I'm very delighted

that I embarked on this journey.

From scratch in the last nine years, I have managed to join speakers bureaus.

I'm alongside James Clear as a speaker at some speakers

bureaus throughout the world.

It's just like that I live my passion every single day.

You know, I don't follow the crowd.

Even if it takes three years, four years, five years to build my path.

I hit the ground running and I go into overdrive because I don't have my time

to waste and every second should be spent on making my dreams come true.

You know, because I was 18 when I moved to New York and when you, even in

childhood, I was burning the midnight oil and it was my dream to explore

in the United States at an early age.

So my dreams came true.

Then it was followed by the UK.

And you know that, uh, uh, for me, United States and the UK are two peas

in a pod, almost the same mentality, uh, galvanizing people, forward thinkers,

uh, uh, and these, uh, environments, uh, just, uh, applause and cherish

your, uh, determination, your hard work, uh, hardworking skills, you know,

your sleepless nights, you know, and I was sleeping like four hours a day

in order to build my personal brand.

And, you know, Building a huge following on Twitter is not a walk in the park.

I was just, uh, uh, building my dreams.

I was just, uh, connecting with the world.

I was just, you know, that communication dictates everything we do.

If you don't, uh, communicate with the world, nothing great happens, you know.

And it's all about, uh, Matt.

Uh, emotional connection with my followers, you know, for example, Nike

has emotional collection, uh, connection with us because Nike storytellers,

Nike, uh, collaborates with top athletes to tell the best stories, right?

So it's inspiring, inspiring example for me that, uh, I positioned

myself as a media company.

That I provide value.

I positioned myself in a media company like Forbes, like Guardian, like CNN,

Bloomberg, to tell my story, to publish informative content that was in my

followers best interest, and my efforts truly perform miracles, you know.

So...

Um, there's a lot there Vladimir, there's a lot there, let me dig into some of this.

So you said that you were 18 when you went to New York, where were you before

New York, where did you come from?

I come from Bil,

Georgia.

Matt,

you

know, in Georgia.

Yes.

So why did you move to New York when you were 18?

Was this, um, a, a family thing?

Was this just because

you No, I was, I was, uh, I was involved in

summer exchange program, you know.

Okay.

I was a work control, work control program and, uh, first I was in,

uh, Washington DC area where I.

I had trainings and I got my certificate, then I got my social

security card from the State Department.

Then I was sent with my colleague to Menezes, Virginia, which is

like a 25 minute drive from D.

C., you know.

And then afterwards, two months later, I moved to New York City, you know,

the best melting pot in the world.

And I wanted to explore this amazing city.

I started seeing the world faster, easier, clearer.

And you know that U.

S.

experience is worth its weight in gold.

Uh, I, I, I have just started taking risks, you know, I

have become a risk taker.

I have become a risk risk taker and you know, I, I always want to give

150 percent day in and day out.

You know, so when you, when you explore all avenues, all streets, uh,

in, uh, in Manhattan, you know, and when your city is empty, it's very.

Tough, you know, because it's very tough to get experience to get the job.

So, so I was building, I was just dreaming that I wanted to wrap

shoulders with successful people.

I wanted to get inside track.

I want to establish myself as a game changer in New York City.

And, uh, you know, this social media networks emerged like

Facebook, Twitter, Instagram.

It, uh, it was like a road to Damascus to, for me, you know,

that to tell my story, you

know.

So here you are, you're a young 18 year old lad from

Georgia, uh, going to New York.

And what, what is intriguing me here, Vladimir, is you, you come

from, um, From a different culture.

I mean, it is different, isn't it?

The culture between Georgia and America is different.

Yes, of course, of course.

So, and then obviously you talked a little bit about You know, the, the

ability in the US to sort of, um, work hard, have that, you know, rewarded the

American dream, as we like to call it, a similar, I suppose a little bit to the UK.

But what, what are some of the things that stand out between the

culture that you grew up in and the culture that you, um, moved to?

And what was it about that that really drew you

in?

You know, Matt, you know that my country was part of the Soviet Union for 70 years.

And, and, you know, since I was born in 1987, I have been swimming

against the current, you know, I mean, I was burning midnight oil.

I just wanted to think different.

I was a dreamer.

I had tutors in childhood that my parents supported me as much as.

It was possible.

So education is the best investment, right?

So, uh, all efforts paid off because my, my parents then moved to capital

at the age of 15, just to help me make my dreams come true, you know, and, uh,

even, uh, many parents, uh, would not take such a risk to move to the capital.

In order for, for a greener pastor in order to help their kids,

uh, make their dreams come true.

So then, uh, then, you know, uh, I passed my entry exams.

I started, uh, uh, doing my, uh, BA bachelor's degree in computer engineering.

Mm-Hmm.

. Yeah.

So, so it's the end of, uh, second year of my bachelor studies.

I, uh, I was given, uh, US visa to move to the United States to

get a practical experience and to.

Expand my horizon.

Time is very precious.

So I can't turn the clock back in time, but it's pretty precious, you know, so I

always try to make the right decisions.

Even I make 100 decisions a day, and it's not easy to be Vladimir in 2023

because I take so much responsibility.

I wear so many hats.

I go into a drive.

You know, so, but, but, you know, it's just, I followed my past.

I, I live, I have been living my passion and I don't need to follow

the crowd to be in survival mode, you know, so I have been in gross mode

and I have turned all the tables.

Because I love what I'm doing and, and you know, now the show is on the other foot.

Such a great phrase, such a great phrase.

So what does, um, what does the business, what, what does

your business day look like?

What's a typical day for Vladimir

look like now?

Yeah, it's very passionate, you know, very energetic, very dynamic, you know, I

work with 25 speakers bureaus throughout the world, so, so I often receive like

invitations to get featured in magazines, Matt, you know, and I was featured in

Exilium Magazine, Matt, Exilium Magazine.

Yep, there he

is.

Yeah.

Yes.

In Delaware, Exilium Magazine recognized me.

Uh, as a transformative leader of the year, you know, so I'm also

able to judge, uh, Matt, you know, I have been invited to Gartner and

Communication Marketing Awards in London.

And of course, it's a great, uh, privilege even to be recognized by, uh, Gartner

as a leading marketing software there.

So I have judged amazing projects of Fortune 500 brands.

And, uh, you know, I was, uh, uh, a member of marketing judging committee of the

American Business Awards last year, and I judged the biggest projects of big,

big, biggest brands, you know, and, uh, of course, I'm also a public speaker.

As you know, I work with, uh, six, seven, uh, uh, speakers agencies in the UK.

I work with champion speakers, inspirational speakers, Kruger Kohn.

I also work with, uh, Many, many speakers agencies, you know,

so I deliver my masterclasses.

I deliver my workshops.

I deliver my Podcast episodes.

I deliver my keynote speeches.

And of course, I believe, Matt, that I, I believe in putting everything into

different baskets, you know, I don't depend on one Revenue stream and I want to

put my eggs into different baskets to be in gross mode and to have a contribution

You and even as you know that Sync360 which is the best open platform for

global software has ranked me as Number one global marketing software since 2019.

I have been ranked number one.

So consistent action creates consistent results.

So so there's a more Uh, every ceremonies I judge, uh, the more interviews I

have, the more speakers bureaus I join, uh, the more followers I gain, right?

This, uh, algorithm gives me higher scores.

So I should be ranked number one in the world.

And it's just remarkable that, you know, through passion, through success,

through long term seeking, and I advise everyone, Matt, to deploy.

Long term thinking, long term thinking, you know, it's very game changing.

When you, when you talk about long term thinking,

what do you mean by that?

What's your, what's your definition of long term thinking?

A long term thinking is that we need to envisage what will

happen in five, 15, 20 years, not in one year or two years, you know.

We need to reinvest every penny in our growth, even if we, for

example, build our personal brands.

And there are 8 billion people in the world and 5.

4 billion mobile users, 5.

2 billion internet users, and 4.

8 billion social media users.

Consumers trust people.

Consumers trust influencers, not companies and not executives and locals

because executives and directors of big organizations are not willing to

download social media channels like Twitter, Instagram, to share their

expertise outside their companies.

You know?

So I have been in storytelling mode.

I have galvanized my audience on Twitter.

I built a trust with my followers.

It's not about gaining followers, Matt.

It's all about building community.

So the power of community is just a miraculous.

You can make your dreams come true when you build your personal brand.

So as you know, like a bigger automotive companies depend on advertising, right?

So, but Tesla, Tesla does not depend on advertising.

Uh, Tesla depends on Elon Musk's personal brand.

It is a best example.

Yeah.

Yeah.

It's a best example, uh, to build your, uh, personal brand, to build

your authorities of leadership, to tell your story and to be close to your

consumers and audiences on worldwide.

So , I agree with you on the whole personal brand and, and

Tesla and, and Elon Musk, and how those two things are very closely intertwined.

And, and buying Twitter was probably one of the most extraordinary marketing

moves I've seen for a long time.

Um.

If someone's listening to the show, because we have a lot of CEOs, business

leaders, uh, listening to the show, where personal brand is one of those

things that they've maybe not done a whole great deal with up until

this point, um, where do they start?

Do they, do they open up a Twitter account, uh, an Instagram account?

What, what's your advice to, to people who, who, who need to understand where to

start when it, when it comes to personal

brand?

Oh, Matt, you know, it's a great question.

Uh, I just want to remind everyone of that, uh, great ox grow

from smaller coins, you know?

Mm-Hmm.

. So big things have small beginnings.

So if you even open a Twitter account and if you start tweeting, even if you

follow like 300, 3000 people, like, I mean, uh, 3, 750 will follow you back.

So you will need you, you will, uh, you need to.

Start, uh, building, uh, your account gradually to show to, uh, to show

more patients, uh, to, to create, uh, great content, compelling content, you

know, and to connect with the world.

Because 85% of global technology leaders use Twitter.

You know, even through networking, you can, uh, become

a billionaire through networking.

Yeah, so networking.

You can become a keynote speaker.

So networking.

You can build a like a million dollar marketing agency through networking.

You can, uh.

Rub shoulders with successful people.

So the market decides, Matt, what is good and bad.

The market is a decision maker.

So not MBAs, not business schools, not professors, because, uh, like,

uh, business schools are water under the bridge and even MBA degrees.

And even when Elon Musk is hiring, he does not check out, uh, MBA degrees, you know?

So web your CV.

LinkedIn is your CV, Twitter is your CV.

So what you publish today is going to bring you success tomorrow.

So it's a now or never for everyone to tell their stories and to be in growth

mode through social media channels.

Because it used to cost a fortune to reach global audiences like 70 years ago.

And you used, you had to pay millions of dollars to traditional

media to reach global audiences.

And through Twitter, at no cost, you can reach millions of people.

And my work has reached millions of people annually.

Just remarkable, remarkable figure, you know.

So, the platform that you, I mean, you've talked a lot about Twitter.

Uh, Vladimir.

Is, is that your preferred platform or do you prefer like Instagram or LinkedIn?

What's your, what's your sort of place of choice?

LinkedIn is very competitive.

Matt, you know, very competitive.

Uh, everyone is try, uh, everyone is trying to put, uh, their.

Best foot forward.

It's very competitive, but Twitter is more collaborative, you know,

Twitter allows you, Twitter is like a cocktail party for the business world.

Just imagine that you are at a cocktail party, you are mixing with

people, you break their eyes, you exchange experiences, you know.

So you build great contacts and connections because of this network.

So if you tweet great content, people...

We'll start retweeting you and it will, uh, skyrocket your brand awareness.

So you and I have been followed by, um, like a billion

entrepreneurs, you know, on Twitter.

So I have learned a great deal from my colleagues from the United States, how

they have built up their success, how they connected with the world, how they

have become, uh, um, Keynote speakers, you know, so, so just remarkable to what

extent you can learn through networking.

So luckily, uh, I have fired on all cylinders, uh, on Twitter and,

uh, I have gone into overdrive.

So I can put my shoulder to the wheel and, um, I have made my dreams

come true because now I have it.

Now I'm at the forefront of digital transformation, social media, because

of my indefatigable hard work in the last nine years and success is

not accidental, success is earned.

So I have earned my success from my hard work, you know.

So

Twitter then is a good platform for you and I'm

just looking here at Twitter.

And so your last tweet, start, start now, start where you

are, start with what you have.

Yes.

Start with what you already know, start moving toward the goal,

start small, start now, just start.

Um, I liked the, there's a phrase isn't there, I can't remember the phrase where

you kind of, you repeat the, the end is the beginning, just sort of repeat it and

the key bits in the middle kind of thing.

Yeah.

Um.

So you start with what you already know.

I guess this is one of the big questions for people, um, you know, that they

have is like, how do you create good, compelling content on a consistent

basis for a platform like Twitter?

Um, and because it's very noisy, it's very, you can easily

get drowned out, I think, and

Just imagine, just imagine is that you also will need to

cope with toxicity of Twitter because instead of walking the path just to build

your following, I mean, you need to be...

It is an uphill battle on Twitter, just imagine, you know.

Yeah.

Yeah, it's the same, I mean it's true on any platform, isn't it?

It's an uphill battle.

Um, and I can see why a lot of people get put off by it and don't do it,

or they start doing it and two days later can't think of anything to say

or they, they download the app and it's like, well, what do I tweet?

What do I, so what advice, I mean, what's your own personal

strategy when it comes to tweets?

What sort of things do you tweet about?

How do you keep that consistency?

Matt, you

know, I'm a curious guy to the core, you know?

I'm curious how Joe Bezos built Amazon.

I'm curious how Elon Musk started going on a strong path to success.

I'm curious how, uh, I mean, Travis Kalanick started building, uh, Uber, you

know, with Ryan Graves, so Ryan Graves became a billionaire because Ryan replied

to Travis through Twitter, said, uh, uh, Travis, uh, tweeted that he was hiring

first product marketing manager in 2011.

So Ryan replied, they met, they started.

Building Uber together and Ryan Graves became a billionaire through Twitter a

few years later, you know, it's all about networking, you know, so, so Twitter

is like a happy hunting ground, happy hunting ground for ambitious people,

ambitious people, you know, so I would, um, I was tweeting quotes of successful

people, entrepreneurs, I was sharing videos, I was, uh, Sharing articles

from, um, Forbes and, uh, measure, uh, media publications, you know, and,

you know, uh, as I say that, uh, uh, nothing, nothing success, like success.

Then I, I started growing from Center to Strengths.

And then, um, then, you know, it, it had like a snowball effect on

my, um, uh, statistics on Twitter.

And, uh, then, you know, I mean, I was, I was just tweeting, you

know, my, my parents and my, uh, family members were asking me to go

out and hang out with my friends.

I have forgotten everyone for a few years in order to sacrifice, in

order to build my community, my, and authenticity, authenticity is what

sets me apart, Matt, because, you know, I'm a bona fide, uh, influencer, if

you check out like a Twitter audit of my Twitter, like a 98 percent of my

Twitter followers are real because I, I was building organically, organically,

you know what I mean, organically.

And you went so many executives.

Cheers.

Oh, I mean, use Twitter from Fortune 500 brands, business schools.

So, so they helped me a lot in gaining ground, going places and

moving up, moving up in the world.

So everyone sees who I am today.

Uh, very ambitious, very forward thinker.

You know, I even deploy, still deploy long term thinking.

I, uh, I reinvest every penny in my growth.

You know, if you Google like a digital transformation keynote speaker.

My website appears on page two.

I'm even in a million results, six million results, you know, so but, but my, my

website has great authority because I put my heart and soul into industry.

So Google chooses me as one of the top three, top three.

Digital Transformation Keynotes because in the world because of based on my

strong performance and consistency So consistency as you mentioned Matt is

decisive and a game changer, you know

So the key then to building a personal brand is

you talked about Having compelling content being consistent.

I mean, I'm looking here at the numbers and you've You've, you've

written one hundred and, what did it say, one hundred and thirty three

thousand or something like that.

That's mad.

I

was, I was, I was truly crazy about tweeting, you

know, I, I was working sixteen hours a day on Twitter to build my...

Network from scratch, uh, organically, authentically, you know, so as you

know that I, I posted, I posted more than 130, 000 times or 125, 000 times

just because I'm consistent and I, I love communicating and I hear the

gift of the gap and you know, I always try to communicate with other people.

Even if someone is successful, if someone is a tycoon, billionaire,

it means that, uh, Uh, you can also become, uh, like a, like a tycoon.

You can also be on the path to success.

So you need to be very open minded, Matt.

So open mindedness has been my, has been the bedrock of my growth

because I always try, uh, to surround myself with smarter people.

And I never say that I'm the smartest person in the room.

No, I always, I'm always in learning mode.

In gross mode, outside my comfort zone, you know.

So what are some of the things that are emerging in the

digital landscape, Vladimir, that you think we need to keep our eye on, that

things are going to be game changing?

What's getting you excited at the moment?

I guess what's...

What's today's Twitter?

Uh, you know,

Yes, I mean, Webster is very emerging and very

promising, you know, so even we are in a Web2 landscape, marketing landscape

nowadays, and even brands struggle with Web2 marketing ecosystem, Matt.

Brands struggle because even majority of clients I know, uh, and even prospective

clients, they, uh, invest 90 percent of their marketing money on the wrong

traditional Marketing channels, you know, they are wasting their money

on TV, on billboard, on TV, on radio, in magazines, in print, you know, so

they need to tell their story where 4.

8 billion people spend their time online.

They need to be in their eyeballs and ears business.

They need to win attention as they, they need to win attention in nine

seconds through their stories.

Nine, because as you know, that people have a short, uh, short attention span.

So, so it's just, uh, you need to, uh, win attention at a drop of head, you know?

Yeah.

Yeah.

I couldn't agree more.

And I think actually that the attention span seems to be getting smaller

and smaller for people, doesn't it?

It's, um, it's, it's, it's only going down.

It is not going up.

Um, So, Matt, even as a judge, I can see what brands are doing.

So, so, so the world has put my personal brand building on a pedestal because I

have put my, uh, You know, heart and soul, you know, even, even, you know, I have the

underdog mentality, you know, I know that I will turn the tables from my hard work,

you know, if people denigrating, uh, uh, Twitter in 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, I'm now

a winner because I have shown consistency.

I have told my story.

I told my story in 20 14, 20 15, 20 20 17.

So, so the market is a decision maker.

The market decided that Uber, Uber, Airbnb, Spotify, uh, are good.

And the rest of the brands, uh, that disregarded internet and social media,

uh, gone, uh, have gone out of business.

You know, for example, a blockbuster, uh, disregarded, uh, uh, to buy, uh,

uh, Netflix for 50 million in 2007 and, uh, they have gone out of business.

Because they're outdated business models, you know, they would say Were sinking.

They were thinking that in internet was not going to

affect their business, you know?

Mm-Hmm.

. So

when I Yeah.

It's a very famous

story, isn't it?

Yeah.

When I was in Virginia in 2006, uh, even I, I was, uh, I I I, I used

to see, uh, uh, blockbuster stores in my area, you know, in Westgate.

I, I live in Westgate, you know, so, so, but, but, um, um, uh, the market is tough.

You need to keep up with the latest trends and adapt what is coming

and to stay ahead of the car.

And marketing is the ultimate driver of business results.

So you need to constantly reinvent yourself and you need to be a

long term thinker, you know.

Yeah, no,

fair enough.

Very good.

So, I'm curious, Vladimir, you're working crazy hours, you're investing

a lot of time and energy still into your brand and into your clients.

What...

What recharges your batteries?

What do you do, um, to sort of, uh, refill your tank?

Well, I love playing tennis.

I also love rock climbing.

I'm a climber to the core.

You know, so, so these two sports are my pastimes because I don't have much

time just to, I mean, uh, to spend in gym or I mean, uh, to, I mean, because

I'm working 15, 16 hours a day, uh, it is a very hectic schedule because I'm,

uh, supposed to, uh, deliver my keynote speeches, uh, you know, judge biggest,

uh, uh, projects and nominations at, uh, Uh, award ceremonies, you know,

I receive a request for, from media to feature me, you know, and I also

deliver my masterclasses, workshops.

I mean, uh, so, uh, it's, I have so many ongoing projects, but playing golf,

playing, uh, tennis and, uh, Um, rock climbing are to my pastimes because, you

know, these two activities truly galvanize me to achieve more, uh, to, I'm a big fan

of tennis, you know, I love Andy Murray.

I love Djokovic.

I love Roger Federer.

I love their mindset, how they respect each other.

I love their mentality that they, everyone wants to achieve more.

And it's a very competitive world, Matt, you know, even,

even tennis is very competitive.

So, so the growth of, uh, Novak Djokovic also inspires me because,

uh, he started, uh, he started, uh, turning all the tables.

He, uh, he has shown more consistency.

He's mentally very robust, you know.

So it's all about a mental game, Matt, you know, mental game, because everyone,

everyone plays tennis, everyone is healthy, but it's all about mental game.

And I would say that success is also a mental game.

So you need to be able to cope with negativity.

You need to be able to cope with skeptics, doubters.

And so you need to just move forward, never look back and to have a sick skin.

It's very important because if their, if their critics affect

you, then you go backwards.

So you should always choose optimism.

You should always choose positivity.

You need to be collaborative because nobody has time to waste

in high places because those are millionaires and billionaires and

building their startups and they are speaking, they are extremely busy.

So, so you need to be very finicky and choosy when it comes to your circle.

Because your SQL will, uh, uh, will determine your future and your success.

So you are a product of five successful people you hang out with, right?

Yeah, yeah, yeah, that's true.

So, part of me is almost afraid to ask Vladimir, but what

does growth look like for you?

What does more look like?

Where's the future going?

Matt, it's a great question, you know, I just want to be in

the right place at the right time with the right people, you know, I'm now 35, and

from the vantage point of the present, I have always fired on cylinders, and I'm

proud of every step I have taken, that I'm a very diligent, very hard working,

very dexterous, very, Uh, they, they say that, uh, uh, uh, elbow grease, uh, the

best Polish and, uh, you just need to be very hardworking, you know, so the

harder and smarter you work, the luckier you get, you know, you need to put your.

Your future in your hands.

You need to depend on your, on your, only on yourself.

You need to pedal your own canoe and you need to stand on

your own two feet, you know?

So you should never depend on MBAs, on people, on, uh, I mean, your

friends, because you need to, you, you, you should be a solo entrepreneur.

You need to be depend on your, yourself.

You need to make the right decisions, right decisions, because

I want everyone to, to listen it carefully, right decisions.

Hmm, who are listening to.

If you are listening to people who have given on their dreams, you

should dissociate yourself with them and start associating yourself with

successful, smarter, better people.

You know, if you are in complaint mode, if you are such mode,

even, you are going to backwards.

So we need to choose optimism.

We need to choose positivity and, and I'm sure.

That, uh, uh, time after time you will be on the right path to success

because, uh, if I can do it, if I can do it, anybody can do it, you know?

Mm.

Yeah.

Powerful.

Powerful stuff, man.

Um, listen, Vladimir, we have come to that stage of the show

where we do the question box.

Oh, yes.

This is the random question.

I'm going to flick through the questions.

You're going to tell me when to stop.

Wherever we stop, that's the question we ask.

Okay.

Please stop.

Okay.

That's an interesting question.

Um, would you, and this is presuming you don't, but would

you like to believe in God?

Matt, you know, I believe in God, you know, because

God helps those who help themselves.

And I help myself, you know.

Even this, my example has demonstrated the great, my case, my success story

that if you work hard, if you love what you do, if you are passionate, God is

always by your side, you know, so I, I, I, when I wake up, I'm very thankful to

God that I wake up, I'm healthy, that I choose optimism, I choose positivity,

I always try to surround myself with right people, and I'm, I'm just, life

is very short, but I'm very grateful for small mercies, I'm, I'm very kind to

the core, you know, very kind guy, Bye.

Bye.

But very success, very ambitious, very competitive, very driven,

you know, I'm very passionate, you know, because my parents invested

their fortune in me, that they sold their house in Georgia to prepare me

from the United States for the UK.

And I want my parents to be proud of my performance, my activities, and

even if they watch me on podcasts or...

If they see me in the magazines, I know that I'm doing the right thing, so they

are proud of my activities, you know.

Is that what drives you, Vladimir?

The fact that your parents gave up so much so you can

Vladimer Botsvadze: have this current life?

Yes, because, you know, Matt, you know, I mean, my father is a professor

in Georgia, my mother is a doctor, and, uh, I was born in a very hard

working family, you know, I mean, uh...

Uh, hard work has always been, uh, noticeable in my family in

the last 35 years since, uh, I was born in fam in this family.

So I don't have my time to waste.

Uh, I'm very finicky.

I'm in the learning mode, growth mode.

So I want my parent to be proud of me because of, proud of my performance

that I have been showing, uh, uh, uh, patients, uh, from year to year.

Then they knew.

Yeah.

That, uh, if I was going to show more patience, the results would

come, so they would be proud of my global performance, you know.

Yeah.

That's really interesting.

It's an interesting place to end there, because actually that's where you started.

You started, uh, where you were in Jordan, and you sort of bring

it back to your parents, which I think is quite lovely, um, and, and,

and, and really nice and special.

Yeah.

So, so Matt, you know, my parents.

We are not allowed to leave their, uh, their country when they were

raising and growing up in the U.

S.

S.

R.

They know how important it is, uh, to have a good education, to invest

in yourself, to invest in yourself.

And of course, they are the best parents, you know, like my father

is the author of more than 20 books.

He has been an eager beaver his entire life, you know, very

contagious, very infectious guy.

You know what I mean?

So it's a very genetic, just that I'm successful, that I'm very ambitious,

that I don't rest on my laurels.

So I always look to my laurels in order to improve my results, you know.

Yeah,

no, fantastic.

Fantastic.

Well, listen, Vladimir, it's been a thoroughly enjoyable conversation.

I've, I've got lots of notes.

I've had to work hard to keep up.

But it's been, it's been a great conversation.

If people want to reach out to you, if they want to connect with you,

what's the best way to do that?

You know, I'm available at www.

ladimirbozzuaze.

com where they can book me as a speaker, as a mentor, as a, like,

lecturer, as a coach, you know, so they can also follow me on LinkedIn.

Uh, I'm open to new connections.

Follow me on Twitter at Lado Bozzuaze, also on Instagram at Ladimer Bozzuaze.

So, let's, let's connect and build something great together,

you know?

Yeah, yeah, absolutely.

Uh, no, there, all of those links we will of course put in the show notes

as well, uh, which you can get along for free at the website pushtobemore.

com.

Uh, we will link to Vladimir's LinkedIn, we will link to, uh, your

Twitter, and we'll of course link to the website, so you'll be able

to find all of those things there.

But Vladimir, thanks for coming on the show, man.

Genuinely, uh, Thank you, I really appreciate your energy, your passion,

um, um, there are very few people that I, I've, I've listened to, I think

that maybe work as hard as you do,

um, so, uh, uh, compliment also from my side because,

uh, I watched your episode with NailMotorCraft and other amazing people

and you are a true storyteller at the heart, you know, you have been...

I know that you stand out through your qualities, through your

authenticity, through your thought provoking ideas and questions.

And I loved being a guest on your podcast, you know.

Ah, super kind of you.

Thank you.

And I'm glad you enjoyed that episode with Neil.

He's a great guy.

Neil, a great story.

So, um,

He sent my regards in mail.

I hope we connect and build great things together.

Yeah, absolutely.

He's a great guy.

You should definitely reach out to him.

Uh, but, um, yeah, of course, uh, all legends on the Push To Be More podcast,

but thank you Vladimir and genuinely, uh, huge thanks to you for joining me today.

Thank you so much, Matt.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Well, what a great conversation.

Also, a big shout out to today's show sponsor, Orion Media.

If you're wondering if podcasting is a good marketing strategy for your business,

do connect with them at orionmedia.

com.

That's A U R I O N media dot.

Uh, be sure to follow Push To Be More wherever you get your podcasts

from because we have got yet more great conversations lined up and I

don't want you to miss any of them.

And in case no one has told you yet today, you are awesome.

Yes you are.

Created awesome.

It's just a burden.

You have got to bear.

Vladimir has to bear it, I've got to bear it, and you've got to bear it as well.

Oh yes.

Now Push To Be More is produced by Orien Media.

You can find our entire archive of episodes on your favourite podcast app.

The team that makes this show possible is Sadaf Bainon, Estella

Robin, and Tanya Hutzilek.

Our theme music is by Josh Edmundson, and as I mentioned, if you would like to

read the transcript or show notes, head over to the website, Push To Be More.

Dot.

So that's it from me.

That's it from Vladimir.

Thank you so much for joining us.

Have a fantastic week wherever you are in the world.

I'll see you next time.

Bye for now.

Thank you.