ВРЕМЯ ЗАРАБАТЫВАТЬ | Миша Токовинин

Summary

Business opportunity in turbulent markets

Tokovinin’s central argument is that turbulence favors new entrants, while stability favors established leaders. Disruption weakens incumbents’ advantages and opens niches that might otherwise be difficult for small businesses to enter.

He uses the Russian auto market after 2022 as an example: changes in imports and distribution created opportunities for new dealers and intermediaries, while established dealerships faced pressure. His advice to entrepreneurs is to look for what has changed in an industry’s supply chain, regulation, or customer access, rather than treating disruption only as a threat.

Areas where disruption may create openings

Tokovinin points to several sectors where business models or competitive structures are changing:

• Auto services: A wider variety of vehicle brands and less support from official dealers may create demand for independent servicing and parts expertise.
• Construction and renovation materials: Changes to suppliers and distribution could create opportunities for sourcing and importing products.
• Marketplaces and pickup points: Changes in the marketplace environment may create uncertainty—and potential openings—for pickup-point operators.
• Payments and cross-border services: New intermediaries have emerged to help customers access payment services.
• VPNs and digital services: Demand has grown for services responding to internet restrictions. Tokovinin notes that operators must navigate changing rules.
• Beauty services: He predicts that tax and compliance changes could force businesses to alter their models, potentially displacing some operators. This is a forecast, not a measured outcome.

He stresses that examples should be assessed for legality and business viability, and explicitly excludes illegal opportunities from his discussion.

Customer acquisition and retention

When inbound leads dry up, Tokovinin advises businesses to work their existing customer base more effectively: serve current clients well and look for repeat or additional business.

At the same time, companies should continue developing acquisition channels where possible. Tokovinin rejects a universal choice between lead generation and retention: both matter, and priorities depend on the company’s situation and capabilities.

Disruption in content platforms can also create opportunities for new content-marketing and lead-generation channels.

Evaluate spending by expected business impact

In a sponsored consultation example, a business owner asks whether to rent and renovate a larger office. The Tochka Bank representative recommends:

• Starting with the unit economics and total cost, rather than the appeal of the space.
• Defining the intended outcome—such as stronger customer trust, easier hiring, or a stronger brand—and estimating its financial effect.
• Considering cheaper ways to achieve the same result.
• Reviewing the decision with a finance lead before committing.

The underlying principle is to treat a large expense as an investment only when its expected business benefits can justify its cost.

CRM implementation playbook

Tokovinin argues that CRM software has no value on its own: it must be configured, adopted, and connected to the company’s processes.

• Treat CRM as an implementation project, not a software purchase. Configure it, train staff, explain the benefits, and adjust workflows where necessary.
• Do not rely on coercion alone. Explain how the system helps employees, and align processes and incentives with CRM use.
• One example tactic is to distribute sales leads as a privilege, with access tied to consistently tracking leads in the CRM.
• Even in a small company, someone must own the implementation. If no specialist is hired, a team member or owner must take responsibility.
• Tokovinin recommends hiring an experienced implementer when the company lacks CRM experience. Specialists bring practical knowledge of configuration, integrations, and adoption tactics.
• Choose the implementer carefully: poor implementation can leave a business dissatisfied with both the software and the service.

Implementation experiment described: A basic CRM setup is standardized and priced at a predetermined amount; the example given is 100,000 rubles. The provider assigns an implementer and defines the scope. The customer can reject the result and receive a refund; if the customer accepts it, the payment is retained. The goal is to reduce the risk and uncertainty small businesses face when choosing an implementer. No rollout timeline or performance results are given.

Customer segment and positioning

Tokovinin rejects the blanket claim that businesses must “work for the poor” to become rich. Profitability depends on the economics of a specific offer, not simply the number of potential customers.

He argues that low-price segments can be difficult because customers have limited spending power and margins may be thin. Premium segments can work too, but require a product and positioning that customers consider worth paying more for.

The middle market may be under pressure. His strategic suggestion is to assess whether the business has a credible path toward either lower-cost scale or higher-value positioning.

A discussion of premium socks illustrates how perceived value is shaped by use, durability, and customer habits. Businesses should understand customers’ willingness to pay rather than assume that a higher price is inherently unacceptable.

Metrics and timelines

• CRM implementation price example: 100,000 rubles.
• Possible compliance-driven change in beauty services: Tokovinin forecasts significant disruption over the next two years. This is a prediction, not a reported KPI.
• No revenue, margin, CAC, LTV, churn, growth-rate, or adoption targets are provided.

Presenters and sources

• Mikhail “Misha” Tokovinin — host and principal business commentator.
• Vasilisa, Tochka Bank — representative in the office-investment consultation segment.
• Sources and examples discussed: Tokovinin’s business observations, including the Russian auto, marketplace, construction-materials, payment-services, VPN, and beauty-service markets, as well as his description of a CRM implementation experiment.