In the US, a self-made man is a person who has achieved fame and fortune by their own efforts. The hero of our interview, Ilya Prusenko, is one of those people.
Ilya Prusenko earned his first million dollars at the age of 26. 3 years after he opened the recruitment agency HelpResource inc. At the beginning, the team consisted of only 10 people, including the owner, who worked in a tiny basement with one window.
Today, HelpResource inc. is a solid recruiting firm with a turnover of $30 million a year and branches around the world, and Ilya Prusenko himself lives in Miami with his wife and two sons. Every day, with the help of HelpResource inc., thousands of people find a job with good pay, and therefore get a chance for a decent life. Satisfied customers call Ilya Prusenko a reliable partner and are happy to recommend him in social networks and personal contacts.
– How it all began?
– Like many young people in Russia, I was a student at a prestigious university but from a poor family, so I had to earn a living in a big city. I grabbed any offer, often combining several completely different jobs: in the morning and in the evening I unloaded trucks with goods, after classes I was engaged in courier delivery. At the same time, even this kind of hard and low-paid jobs was difficult to find in Moscow.
– Is that why you opened a recruitment agency?
– Yes, I know very well how hard it is for a person to find a job and how incredibly difficult it is for an employer to find a good employee. Despite the growing labor market, employees and employers who find each other mutually beneficial are a rarity. Our task is to satisfy the requests of each party, to ensure a mutually successful result for both the job seeker and the employer.
– How long has it been since the registration of Help Resource and the first million you earned?
– Approximately about a year.
– That is, Ilya Prusenko succeeds from the start?
– Why? There are failures too. Just at the start, HelpResource inc. was close to collapse for some time. We trusted too much in the people who were managing us and as a result were left without a client base, which was not just stolen, but used in a vile way.
Because of this, my company suffered substantial damage and the positive reputation that we painstakingly formed nearly went down the drain. But we managed to talk this through with the customers and punished the scammers. In the end, they fixed the situation and learned from the mistake.
– What is the most difficult part of your work?
– Hiring. People are our most important resource.
– Tell me honestly, are you a man of principles or compromises?
– I am a hybrid of principles and compromises (laughs). Of course, in basic things one must be principled, and in nonessentials things one can compromise.
– Is Ilya Prusenko one of those who make decisions quickly?
– Yes, exactly! I know from experience that the most correct decision does not keep itself waiting. But long reflections always lead in an unnecessary direction.
– Besides HelpResource inc., do you have other projects?
– Yes, digital staffing. It is about transforming classic staffing into platform employment.
– HelpResource inc. recruits for businesses from all over the world. Are you good at dealing with people?
“Now I am much better than I was at the beginning of my career.
– Could you share your recipe for success?
– You need to feel the task with your fingertips, which means you should roll up your sleeves and get to work.
And don’t be afraid to make mistakes! Send fears to hell and act. In this case, success will be sure. I experienced it myself (laughs).