"Start with yourself, and the right people will begin to appear around you," — Medet Turin on his lifestyle

Medet Turin, city — Almaty, founder of 2600 Qazaqstan, Instagram

About Me

I have been working in information security for over 12 years — in simpler terms, I am a white-hat hacker. Yes, yes, they do exist! In addition to infosec, I have launched several IT startups in various fields, founded the hacker community 2600 Qazaqstan, and became a co-founder of the social project citizensec.kz, where we promote cyber hygiene and teach people how to protect themselves in the digital world.

I am a night owl by nature. It has always been easier for me to work at night and laze around with a book during the day. But, as they say, biology takes its toll — both health and my surroundings tell me: “Medet, be a normal person!”

Therefore, at the moment, I try to live according to a schedule, as much as possible. Of course, with such a lifestyle — constant flights, conferences, projects — flexibility is required. But if we take an ideal weekday, it looks like this:

08:00 — wake up, breakfast, shower, get ready, listen to podcasts on the way.
10:00–14:00 — office, work tasks, meetings, calls, focused work.
14:00–17:00 — gym, where I recharge for the second half of the day.
17:00–21:00 — meetings, partnerships, research, analytics.
23:00 — bedtime, but before that — reflection and heartfelt conversations with my wife — that is sacred.

Saturday is family day. Here I am fully in “on the same wavelength as my loved ones” mode.
Sunday is knowledge day. This is my personal upgrade day: I read, learn, and plan.

Where and How I Learn

In my field, it is impossible not to learn. The world changes every week: new technologies, approaches, threats, trends. To stay in the game — you need to constantly stay in shape.

In 2024, I took a Data Science course through TechOrda from Astana Hub — a great program, I recommend it! Overall, I prefer courses that give you a real challenge rather than just lectures. Courses that make you search, think, and solve problems — that is where true expertise is born.

In the past, I actively attended meetings of various business clubs, workshops, and masterclasses. Today, I have become more selective. Such meetings are more about networking than education. But if there happens to be a great invitation abroad — I would gladly accept it. Because what matters is not just the format of the “event,” but the level of the environment and the people who attend.

If you really want to understand a topic — do not rely on lectures. Instead, find someone who has already walked this path, talk to them, conduct CustDev, search manually, and perform analysis. Practice is the best teacher.

Circle of Acquaintances

I have always been selective in this regard. Not out of snobbery, but because the energy of your surroundings affects you more than you might think. There is a well-known phrase: “If you hang out with four millionaires — you will soon become the fifth.” But here is the nuance — to get into the circle of millionaires, you first need to be worth something yourself.

Therefore, my approach is simple: start with yourself, improve, develop, and the right people will start appearing nearby. Proven.

I have a wide circle of acquaintances. These are not only IT specialists but also entrepreneurs, government officials, and media personalities. But there is one “but” — I only communicate with those whose values align with mine. It is important to me that a person resonates with me in terms of principles, then the connection is genuine.

There are many options for finding like-minded people in the IT sector. There are specialized conferences, especially in Astana and Almaty. The emergence of regional hubs from Astana Hub is a brilliant solution. Personally, I often organize hackathons and CTFs — young people come there who are interesting to take into projects, whose eyes are lit up. And, of course, 2600 Qazaqstan — our hacker community. A real hive of ideas and experiments.

Where I Spend My Free Time

My work is my hobby. Therefore, I probably do not have free time like ordinary people.

But there is one exception — fishing. This is my way to completely disconnect. In the past, I went alone; now — a whole team of 10 people gathers. My own meditative gathering.

And another must-have: two vacations a year. One — with the family, so the children can see the world. The second — only with my wife. This is our ritual: to be alone together, recharge, and remember why we do all this.