How sport helps to earn: personal experience of businessman Daniil Goncharenko, CEO of ATEMI

Sport helps to develop both physically and spiritually. Success through training can be achieved not only in competitions, but also in ordinary life, for example, in business. Imagine what would happen if one person could combine the qualities of an entrepreneur and an athlete?

In the section “The Shape of Success” we study how sports and careful attitude to one’s health help to develop one’s business. Here are the stories of various entrepreneurs and business enthusiasts.

My company is a family business, which I started at a very young age, about 16-17 years old. I started as a sales representative, working with customers.

Of course, there were various difficulties along the way. At first, it was hard to build a competent team, to select people. And communicating properly with clients is not an easy task either. Time and experience helped me to overcome this. I personally went to meetings with clients, made sales, let’s say, “built up my hand”, gradually built up and fine-tuned all the processes of work.

Looking back, I realize that I did everything right, I wouldn’t even give myself any advice. The main focus even then was on creating value for the consumer, product quality and brand distribution. The customer was always key in this chain – that’s the main thing.

There was no point or specific moment that would be an indicator of success. It was always a systematic work, gradually giving confidence in oneself, one’s abilities and actions. There was no clear realization of success, it was formed over time.

There is a basic concept that allows you to reach all heights and achieve all goals no matter in what field they are set: “Never give up and move forward.”

I have been active since I was a child. At the age of four my parents put me on alpine skis, then from the age of 13 to 18 I regularly practiced wrestling. Running was also always present in my life. I always liked individual sports, I was not particularly fond of team sports. I think regular training formed the very inner core, stability and discipline.

Personal experience of training and exercise helps a lot when working with each individual area of the company. For example, when practicing in a swimming pool, I evaluate the comfort of the equipment from the inside. I try to identify what the consumer is missing. In this aspect also helps the team, which has a lot of sports experience, they have worn more than one swimming goggles, soccer boots and sleeping bags. I have people with me who have first-hand knowledge of the product they are creating.

I can’t say I stick to dietary restrictions. But to keep myself toned – both emotionally and physically – there are a few habits that I observe. The first is daily sports. It allows me to unload emotionally and keeps me physically and mentally healthy. The second is a sleep schedule. Getting up early every day allows me to get more done during the day. I try to go to bed at 23:00.

Right now I am into triathlon, alpine skiing and cycling.

In total, I have about six training sessions a week. It is not so difficult to combine them, but the main secret I revealed earlier – I get up early. At 7:00 I can be already in the pool, it’s good that it’s not far from the office and I can do everything in time. If there is no swimming that day, then in the evening after work for 1.5 hours I go out to spin a bike or run.

My plans are:

Do the Ironman iron distance. The whole journey is 226 km, of which 3.8 need to swim, 180 – ride a bike and 42.2 – run on the highway.
By the end of the year, climb the highest point in Argentina, the highest peak in the Andes, Aconcagua. Its height is 6960.8 meters above sea level. I have already tried to reach this goal, but the weather let me down.
Within three years to climb to the top of the world – Everest. It is 8848 meters above sea level!

As for climbing, it all started when in May 2020 I traveled across the Caucasus on a motorcycle and came to Elbrus.

I saw people preparing to conquer the summit, it was incredibly beautiful, and the weather was pleasant. After that I started to go deeper, to study the issue and to prepare for the ascent. In September of the same year I went to conquer Elbrus myself.

Four months of hard training, physical training in the first place. Every day I ran 10-12 kilometers. This allowed me to approach the ascent in fighting form. The climb itself lasted seven days, and all this time I lived in anticipation. Anything could go wrong, there were a lot of factors: weather and acclimatization. But when you are already on the summit, you feel like a winner.

The monologue was recorded by Svetlana Ibragimova. Photo in the material – from the personal archive of the hero.