"Discipline gives freedom and helps to be effective," — Birzhan Shakarim on his lifestyle

Birzhan Shakarim, 28 years old, city — Almaty, CEO & Founder, Instagram

About Me

I am an entrepreneur and the founder of several projects. My main focus at the moment is on the startup Yume.cloud, which helps rental businesses with management, accounting, and automation.

Additionally, I have a company for renting equipment for filming, Yume.rent, and a private fund, Garyshker, where we work on solving the problem of inequality in access to quality education in the country. In the past, I was a director of photography, but as the business and team developed, I switched to strategic project management.

I carefully monitor my time. I plan my calendar in advance and strictly adhere to it. I wake up at 05:30 AM, perform my morning rituals, and then exercise in the gym, play tennis, or go for a run depending on the day of the week. After that, I study English, and my workday begins at 09:40. Work tasks vary, and since it is a business, urgent issues often arise. After work, I play the dombra, and I spend my evenings at home. The ski season has already started, so two or three times a week in the mornings, you can find me on the slopes.

My work week begins on Sunday — on this day, no one bothers me, and I can calmly plan the week and distribute tasks to the team. On Friday, I work until lunch, and Saturday is a full day off. My rest schedule is also clear: every three months, I take a vacation for 7-14 days without messengers and social networks, and in January, for a longer period. Some might see this as chasing "successful success," but when you realize that discipline gives freedom, it becomes a lifestyle and helps you be effective.

Where and How I Learn

As projects develop, there is a constant need for new knowledge. Fortunately, we live in times when everything is available on the internet and through AI. I regularly take courses on various aspects of business. Often, project development and acquiring new knowledge go hand in hand — in such moments, you particularly understand the importance of proactive learning.

The best teacher is experience and practice, although it is not always pleasant to learn from your own mistakes. Therefore, I try to regularly acquire knowledge from different sources: books, podcasts, interviews, publications. When it comes to specific courses, I choose them based on specific needs. For example, if questions arise on certain topics, I study available training options in that field. Today, there are courses on almost any topic. It is important to remember that there are almost no unsolved problems, so studying someone else's experience is often the most effective. It is especially helpful when there are people around you with whom you can discuss interesting topics over a cup of tea.

If you need specific answers to questions — I definitely go to various events. I choose them based on recommendations and the expert's experience. Interestingly, sometimes a teacher without practical experience but with a deep understanding of the topic can turn out to be the best teacher — so the speaker's practical experience is not always the main criterion.

Environment

I am from Karaganda, moved to Almaty at the age of 19, knowing no one in the city. Over these years, I have made many good acquaintances. Since I have gone through different stages of life, my circle of acquaintances is diverse — if you gather everyone at one table, it would be like in a joke. I am grateful to every person on my path: they all made an important contribution to my development, even those who are no longer with us — this is also valuable experience. I fully agree that environment shapes a person.

Interestingly, I communicate quite little with IT professionals outside of our project. I have a background in media and traditional business, so I have more acquaintances from there: directors, producers, creative people, startups, and entrepreneurs from various fields. I believe it is important not to limit myself to communication in one sphere — this helps broaden my horizons and be versatile.

I try to attend various events whenever possible. I believe that the task of a CEO is not to sit in the office and control work, but to spend more time on negotiations, meetings, and networking. For some, this may mean constant travel and working outside the office, although it all depends on the current stage of project development. At the moment, I prioritize events related to work, where I can meet other founders, investors, or clients.

You need to focus on your project and self-development — like-minded people will find you on their own. But if there is such a need, there are many communities on different platforms for different groups of people. There you can discuss tasks, go to meetups, share thoughts. The main thing is to understand why you need this and what you can give in return.

Where I Spend My Free Time

I understand the importance of balance between intensive work and quality rest. On Saturdays, I intentionally leave my laptop at home and try to fully recharge before the new work week. My rest changes depending on the season: in summer, it is hiking in the mountains and motorcycle trips; in winter, it is snowboarding. There are also simple pleasures: visiting my favorite coffee shop, meeting with friends, home movie nights, and walks around the city with music in my headphones.

At the moment, I pay great attention to my hobbies. I have a huge love for mountains, hiking, and climbing — almost all my vacations over these years have been spent in the mountains, whether it was Nepal or climbing Mount Elbrus. My plan is to complete the "7 Summits" program within five years — the highest points of the seven continents. I also love riding a motorcycle after work in the summer, snowboarding to dynamic music in the winter, unwinding at shooting ranges, and if the location allows, surfing. But work is also practically a hobby for me, because I love what we do. I believe that if you enjoy your work, you don't need to specifically look for ways to disconnect from it.

Where to Buy What

Lately, I am not particularly fond of buying technology — the main thing is that it is practical and convenient to use. If we talk about gadgets, then mostly it is Apple products, which I choose for the ecosystem where all devices synchronize with each other. There are also devices from other brands that help optimize time and everyday life, whether for work or smart home elements. In general, I love the time we live in — diverse gadgets, the development of AI and technology. It is interesting to see what the future holds for us.

Created with RNI Films app. Preset 'Agfa Precisa 100'