Natalia Bulanova - the first PR director of LEAGUE of the mixed single combats in Russia (M-1) and the owner of PR agency 'NOTA BENE. It came to the world of severe man's sports and forced the Russian mass media to start talking about those whom already I knew and read the whole world. It works and is on friendly terms with brothers Emelyanenko and other stars of league of M-1, builds successful business, and executes dreams of the friends.

Tell, please, about itself. Where were born where studied?

Till 16 years I lived in the city Novy Urengoy the Tyumen region. At school I loved very much to write compositions, and it was sure that I will be the journalist. But in conversation with the teacher of social science I found out that there is a new specialty "public relations". It only just appeared, and nobody knew, than the specialist in public relations will be engaged specifically. Mother joked that I will be animator inventor. Naturally, in my native city of higher education institutions with such specialty wasn't. In the tenth class I visited Petersburg and fell in love with this city! Wanted to study only here. Parents were against my departure therefore arranged a hysterics.

With what your career way to PR began?

I started working practically from the first course. More precisely, work began to be paid yet soon, but I very much wanted practice. I helped to organize press conferences, student's PR weeks.

On a third year through the announcement in the newspaper I found the first serious work – the advertizing manager and PR in sports shop. I developed the site concept, organized corporate actions. To combine full work and study on a full-time department it was difficult, on correspondence it there was no wish to be translated. As a result I graduated from higher education institution not only with the diploma with honors, but also with two years' experience.

Now, to be honest, I regret a little that so strained, I practically had no rest. When all went to sunbathe and on a shashlychok, I sat in front of the computer and wrote the course. However, it appeared not for nothing: the term paper of the 3rd course became the winner of regional round in the nomination "The Best Analytical Work" at the VIII All-Russian competition in the field of public relations "Crystal orange". And the thesis in 2006 took a final place in the award iPRa PRoba Golden World Awards nomination "The Best Student's PR Project".

Thanks to parents who supported during study. I hadn't to endow perspective, but low-paid work in favor of more monetary option.

How you appeared in a sporting world, in particular in the sphere of the mixed single combats?

Having graduated from institute, I started looking for work. In one of vacancies it was specified: the PR manager for advance of power drink is required. It appeared that the brand belongs to the person who also is engaged also in sports league of fights without rules. I was told that it is better to advance drink by means of fights, on actions. So I became the PR manager of the Enerdzhi-Lyne company, the producer of power drink "Formula M-1".

It is interesting that the marketing director who carried out interview, at first tried to frighten me. He says: "I see, you vulnerable, and show business – very rigid sphere. Give so: I take you. If you aren't frightened and you won't change the mind, I wait for your call". I called.

In the very first days in a new position me presented with a fait accompli: if in a month there is no publication or a plot, I will be dismissed. I was frightened, and in a week agreed about a plot on NTV – interview to one of fighters of league. First awfully worried. It seemed to me that TV men won't arrive or that won't find the road.

As far as I know, to you anybody wasn't engaged earlier in public relations of this sport. You, it is possible to tell, the pioneer. How to you such idea with what it was necessary to begin came and what successes you reached in this field?

When I started working in M-1 league, the mixed single combats were almost unknown to general public. And to advance fights it was difficult. Names of champions (the same Feodor Emelyanenko, the absolute world champion) which knows the half-world, told nothing to editors-in-chief of the Russian editions.

It is interesting that I advanced fights, the first half a year absolutely them without understanding. I simply felt, on what it is worth placing emphasis, looked for that counter for which it is possible to be hooked. It now I distinguish all this Law-kiki, suffocating, painful.

Effect from work felt at once. I remember, in a month could leave on some plots and articles. My working day at that time began in the 10th mornings, and could end both in two, and in three nights. And in the 7th mornings I got up to go for work.

Tournament on April 14, 2007 on which were present Vladimir Putin, Jean-Claude Van Damme, Silvio Berlusconi was most of all remembered. To me called from security service of the president and told: "We don't know, to congratulate you or to sympathize". I estimated all sense of the phrase when to three o'clock in the morning it was necessary to fill manually lists of surnames and passport data of 200 VIP-guests who were going to visit tournament.

Whether the public relations of the athlete strongly differ from public relations of a fashionable event, for example? Or technology same?

I teach at the Moscow business school and at the Russian school of management. And so, I always speak to the listeners: methods of public relations of plant on production of turbine shovels and sports same. Certainly, there is a specifics in each sphere. There is the circle of editions, the audience and, respectively, work methods with audience. But technology same.

With what known athletes you happened to work?

There is a lot of them, and all of them are interesting, remarkable people. I will call some names. Fedor Emelyanenko, Alexander Emelyanenko, Sergey Haritonov, Mikhail Malyutin, Jabar Askerov, Arthur Kishenko, Julia Berezikova.

What is fragile girl to work in the sphere of severe man's fights?

Normally, I got used :) Fights aren't so severe as it seems at first sight. It is very spectacular and noble sport. At first, of course, shocked such things, as blood on a ring or deep knockouts when the fighter can lie some unconscious seconds. Once it seemed to me that the athlete died, I was frightened, it was really very terrible.

How your relationship with fighters is under construction?

We are on friendly terms. I hate when the people far from the sphere of single combats, start joking on mental capacities of fighters. Actually it is often educated people (much more educated and clever, than those who jokes on this subject), with the developed logical thinking. After all a duel – very difficult thing. Besides very high moral and strong-willed qualities, it first of all ability to foresee on some actions forward actions of the opponent.

Many of them perfectly play chess, know some foreign languages.

Irritate also jokes about athletes that they start beating at once. Directly here go and all beat :) to be engaged there is nothing more.

I like to communicate with athletes: among them practically there are no mean people or insincere. Professional sports temper character.

You represent, what means – after you had a fracture of a nose, a jaw, a hand – after that to go again to a ring and to fight? I can imagine only, but also I respect them for it.

These are people with huge will power, those who always win, despite loss on a ring. And I know that I can always ask them for the help and support.

Tell about the PR agency.  How there was an idea of its basis?

At first it was simply the joke. At institute we with friends joked: our PR agency, represented, from what mugs we will drink coffee who what position will occupy. Further jokes then business didn't go.

At some instant, after four years of work in the sphere of single combats, I understood that the status of the hired worker categorically doesn't suit me. I had long ago a desire to be engaged in the business, and time for its development catastrophically didn't suffice, despite the free schedule. From outside it seems cool: continuous flights, tournaments, press conferences, but sooner or later very much you are tired. I decided that further so can't proceed. I want to work for myself.

  Everything began with that acquaintances started calling me, to address for PR services. At first it turned out to organize some publications in various editions, and the effect was tremendous: for example, to one company after a release of article about them in one Moscow magazine called from other region and made the large order. Clients were delighted simply that from one publication there can be such effect.

At first it were single addresses, then I reflected on, whether it is possible to make from this business. There was a choice: to work for the benefit of foreign organization as the hired worker or to work for itself. I decided to risk. All first are afraid: after all to stability very much you get used.

With what work specifically began?

I studied the market and personal experience showed that, unfortunately, despite abundance advertizing and PR agencies, accurate result nobody guarantees. For example, at the press conference organization the agency gives only a guarantee of that it will dispatch the invitation on the mailing, whether and there will be an exhaust after a press conference – about it the agency learns only after its carrying out. And any other guarantees. And by experience I can tell – not very well, how many the agency takes for service: 40 thousand rubles or 280. I have other approach and if I promise something to make, I do. And the client feels effect.

About a year I combined work with clients and on projects with the main work – work in league. And then there was a situation when I understood, something development of the business, or hired work. Since the beginning of March, 2010 I am engaged in only the agency.

What difficulties it was necessary to face at the initial stages?

Oh, I will be tired to list, and any owner of the business can tell the same :) Problems with the personnel, problems with finance, unfair clients, imperfection of the contract for services.

Profit I got at once as first there were only costs of communication and my work. Now I have workers in staff. Actually, I consider that while I have not a business while I have a work. But on itself. Business also differs from work as that you can leave for a year, you will arrive, and everything remained at former level. While I didn't reach this goal. If I don't work on the current projects (together with the team, certainly), the question of bankruptcy is a question of several months. But I work over creation of the real business. I want to supervise only key questions in an ideal, and business let works without my participation.

Work in team – a necessary condition?

Only having worked in the business, I understood what is huge responsibility – to take people for work to make key decisions.

In operating time in league there was such case: during preparation of one tournament I took and simply departed to Budapest for three days. Certainly, I took with myself all phones, the computer. I made mistakes in work. And terribly took offense at Vadim (the president of league of M-1) when it made me the remark. And only three years when with me my employee (simply in the same way arrived later I presented with a fait accompli), I understood that that time was wrong. The owner of business is responsible for everything. On it, instead of the hired worker from whom demand small, lies all responsibility: and for result of work, and for, whether there will be a client happy and will come again, and even for all the workers. I consider if in any company the secretary is rude, the head because it he allows such atmosphere is guilty.

Certainly, the main loading lies on me. Sometimes it is necessary difficult. The main thing – freedom in decision-making. And if any project isn't pleasant to me, I am not obliged to be engaged in it absolutely not. I solve, whether will be at me today output. The most important for me – freedom.

From outside, probably, apparently, that everything turns out on time, two, three. I seldom to whom tell about the difficulties, only to friends. For example, summer of 2010 there was absolutely terrible situation, I had nothing to pay a salary to people. I sat and really cried because money there was no place to take. As a result parents helped.

And at what level your company is now?

The company develops, succeeded to reach growth postoyannost in development. And it is important. There are some big customers, I work over expansion of staff and client base. We aren't engaged in active sales. Us find is speaks about high degree of loyalty and good reputation. Thus I understand that to call agency the large company I can't eat over yet what to work.

I understood that in business there is no stability.  Either development, or falling down.  And when it seems to you that there came stability – it is time to start moving actively:

What you inspires and loads? Happens such, what hands fall? How you cope with it?

Happens, but most often it is connected with elementary lack of rest. I like to give all the best to the maximum, and sooner or later the organism demands a respite. Simply I understand that it is necessary to have a rest, and I know that everything will be good. I remember similar situations and than they ended. Sometimes there is such period when it is necessary to wait simply – and all by itself is normalized. Close people nearby which will always support are very important.

When around there are a lot of really great people and you understand that you can help them, it inspires.

What your main achievement in life?

It is difficult to tell. Probably that I could organize itself that way of life which I have now. I have excellent team and many beautiful people around.

And your vital credo? Probably, any phrase, otrazhayushchy your relation to life?

Life is too short to waste time :) It is so much countries in the world in which yet I wasn't, affairs which want to be realized. Sometimes I regret that in days only 24 hours and it is necessary to distract on a dream and rest :)

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