Driven by Legacy: Vladimer’s Relentless Pursuit of Excellence and Gratitude | Vladimer Botsvadze

Vladimer: [00:00:00] I just wanted to think different. I was a dreamer. I had tutors in childhood that my parents supported me as much as it was possible.

So education is a best investment, right? So, uh, All efforts paid off because my parents then moved to the capital at the age of 15 just to help me make my dreams come true, you know, and even many parents would not take such a risk to move to the capital. You know, uh, for, for a greener pasture, you know, that to help their kids, uh, make their dreams come true.

Matt: Welcome to Push To Be More with me your host Matt Edmundson. Now this is a show that talks about the stuff that makes life work. And to help us do just that, I am chatting with my very special guest Vladimer Botsvadze, uh, from, from, well just, All [00:01:00] over it seems

And we're gonna talk to Vladimer about where he's had to push through

what he does to recharge his batteries and to be as well as what more looks like for him. Now, thes, the SHOs, the show notes, I'm gonna take that as a word. The show notes, uh, and transcript from my conversation with Vladimer will be available on the website.

Push to be more.com. And whilst you're there, make sure you sign up for the newsletter and each week we'll email you the links. And the notes from the show automatically, they go straight to your inbox. Now, this episode is brought to you by Aurion Media, which helps entrepreneurs and business leaders set up and run their own successful podcast.

Why on earth would you want to do that? That is because, in my humble opinion, is probably one of the best marketing tools. Out there at the moment, I have found running my own podcast to be a really rewarding thing to do. Opens doors to amazing people like nothing I have seen. I've built [00:02:00] networks, made friends, had a platform to champion my customers, my team and my suppliers, and genuinely think everybody should have their own podcast just because of the impact it's had on my own business.

Which of course sounds wonderful in theory, doesn't it? But in reality... There are quite a few problems to think about. What's the strategy? How do I get set up? How do I launch this whole thing right? What about production? The list goes on. Well that's where Aurion Media come in and take everything off your plate other than chatting to your guests.

I see I love talking to people but I'm not a big fan of all that other stuff so I just give it to them, which they do brilliantly, which is awesome. So if you're wondering whether podcasting is a good marketing strategy for your business do connect with them at aurionmedia. com. That's A U R I O N M E D I A.

com. That's the show sponsor. Let's talk about the show's guest. With a distinctive voice echoing across the globe, Vladimer has edged his name [00:03:00] as a celebrated icon in the sphere of digital transformation and social media. His journey, which spans more than 15 years, has been marked by numerous accolades.

Thought Leadership and lots of invigorating keynote speeches. He is full of influential startup advice and is basically an infectious online persona. He's a great guy. Currently crowned as the Top Rank Marketing and Retail Influencer by Thinkers360, Vladimer continues to redefine the digital landscape with his unmatched expertise and innovative outlook.

And also, I might add to this bio, uh, I've not met that many people with a joy and a passion, uh, to the degree, Vladimir, that you have for what you do. So welcome to the show. It's great to have you. I've been looking forward to this conversation, man.

Vladimer: Hi, Matt. You know, thanks a lot for inviting me to your podcast. And, uh, you know, uh, when I, in retrospect, when I look back, I'm very grateful to the UK because I [00:04:00] moved to UK at the age of 22 in London. Uh, I, I used to live in Mottingham, um, uh, Catford, um, uh, uh, and Egham, you know, where, I mean, I gained practical experience.

I studied business marketing and, and, uh, I'm very grateful to the. UK from the bottom of my heart for all support that I now work with speakers agencies. I work with, I have been invited, I was invited as a award judge to Prolific Norse Marketing Awards last year and I was the only international judge to Prolific Norse last year.

So I'm very grateful for all support and I believe that this business is a two way street for me and I always look forward to giving back and to helping my friends in the UK through my expertise, you know.

Matt: Fantastic. Well, it's great to have you, Vladimer. It's great to have you. Now this show, Vladimer, as I mentioned, is sponsored by Aurion Media, the podcast genius, guys. Now, if you had your own podcast, you could have a guest on the [00:05:00] show. Someone from your past or the present, no doubt. The only thing being, the only rule is they've had to have a, had to have had a really big influence on your life.

Who would be someone that you would like to interview on the show and why?

Vladimer: It would be Matt, James Clear, the author of Atomic Habits.

Matt: Okay, so

Vladimer: Yeah, so I mean, if you follow James on Twitter, you know what an amazing leader he is because he provides content that is in followers best interest, literally very eye opening and refreshing perspective, you know, from his content from his book.

He's an amazing individual. You know, I, I praise, uh, James to the Skies because of his willingness to give back and to inspire people, you know.

Matt: what was it, um, well let me ask you this question, what are some of the key insights that you took away from his book?

Vladimer: Well, it's all about [00:06:00] capitalizing on a digital transformation to tell your story, you know, I mean And James is a amazing storyteller because he has so many followers on Twitter. So many people follow him He inspires. I mean so many people and of course when I started following him on Twitter, I have been Uh, I have been inspired by him, by his wisdom, by his inspiration.

You know, it just that we like people like, uh, James because, uh, James leads by example, you know, and James wants to see many confident and uh, uh, successful people around him in his community. So I would advise, uh, James adds a drop of a head, uh, to my podcast, uh, to let him, to share his wisdom with my audience.

Matt: Yeah, no, fair enough. I'm just looking here, Vladimer, on the Amazon website, Atomic Habits, his book, which was released in 2018. I didn't realize it was that long ago. I thought it was much more recent. I don't know why, [00:07:00] but it's had over a hundred and thirty six thousand reviews. That's a phenomenal number of reviews, isn't

it,

Vladimer: it, unparalleled, unrivaled, you know, James, James is just cream of the crop.

Matt: Hmm. Yeah, well, if you're listening to the show, go follow

James on Twitter

Vladimer: Matt,

Matt: and tell him to say hi. Hmm.

Vladimer: very delighted, I'm very delighted that, uh, I embarked on this journey from scratch, uh, in the, in the last nine years, I have managed to join Speakers Bureaus. I'm alongside, uh, James Clear, uh, as a speaker at some Speakers Bureaus throughout the world. And it's just like that, uh, I live my passion every single day, you know, I, I don't follow the crowd.

If it takes three years, four years, five years to build my path, I hit the ground running and I go into overdrive because I don't have my time to waste and every second should be spent on making my dreams come true, you know, because I was 18 when I moved to New York and when you, even in [00:08:00] childhood, I was burning the midnight oil and it was my dream to explore in the United States at an early age.

So my dreams came true, then it was followed by the UK. And you know that, uh, uh, for me, United States and the UK are two peas in a pod, almost the same mentality, uh, galvanizing people, forward thinkers, uh, uh, and these, uh, environments, uh, just, uh, applause and cherish your, uh, determination, your hard work, uh, hardworking skills, you know, your sleepless nights, you know, and I was sleeping like four hours a day in order to build my personal brand.

And, you know, Building a huge following on Twitter is not a walk in the park. I was just building my dreams. I was just connecting with the world. I was just, you know, that communication dictates everything we do. If you don't communicate with the world, nothing great happens, and it's all about emotional connection with my followers, for example, Nike has [00:09:00] emotional connection with us because Nike storytellers, Nike, collaborates with top athletes to tell the best stories, right?

So it's inspiring, example for me that, I positioned myself as a media company. That I provide value. I positioned myself in a media company like Forbes, like Guardian, like CNN, Bloomberg, to tell my story, to publish informative content that was in my followers best interest, and my efforts truly perform miracles, you know.

Matt: So, um, there's a lot there, Vladimer. There's a lot there. Let me dig in to some of this. So, you said that you were 18 when you went to New York. Where were you before New York? Where did you come from?

Vladimer: I come from Tbilisi, Georgia, Matt, you

Matt: In Georgia.

Vladimer: Georgia.

Matt: why did you move to New York when you were 18? Was this, um, a family thing? Was this just

Vladimer: No, I was, I was, uh, I [00:10:00] was involved in summer exchange program, you know, it was a work control, work and travel program. And, uh, first I was in, uh, Washington dc, DC area where I, I had trainings, then I, I got my certificate, then I got my social security card from the State Department. Then I was sent with my colleague to Menezes, Virginia.

Which is like a 25 minute drive from D. C., you know, and then afterwards, two months later, I moved to New York City, you know, the best melting pot in the world, and I wanted to explore this amazing city. I started seeing the world faster, easier, clearer, and you know that U. S. experience is worth its weight in gold.

Uh, I, I have just started taking risks, you

Matt: hmm. Yeah.

Vladimer: a risk taker. I have become a risk risk taker and you know, I, I always want to give 150% day in and day out, you know, so when you, when you explore all avenues, all streets, uh, you know, In [00:11:00] Manhattan, you know, and when your CV is empty, it's very tough, you know, because it's very tough to get experience, to get a job.

So, so I was building, I was just dreaming that I wanted to rub shoulders with successful people. I wanted to get inside track. I wanted to establish myself as a game changer in New York City. And, uh, you know, this social media networks emerged like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and It, uh, it was like a road to Damascus to, for me in order to tell my story, you know.

Matt: So, here you are then, a young 18 year old lad from Georgia going to New York, and what is intriguing me here, Vladimir, is you come from a different culture, I mean, it is different, isn't it? The culture between Georgia and America is different,

Vladimer: Yes, of course, of course.

Matt: so, and then obviously you talked a little bit about You know, the, the ability in the US to sort of, um, [00:12:00] work hard, have that, you know, rewarded the American dream, as we like to call it, and a similar, I suppose, a little bit to the UK.

But what, what are some of the things that stand out between the culture that you grew up in and the culture that you, um, moved to? And, and, and what was it about that that really drew you in?

Vladimer: You know, Matt, you know that my country was part of Soviet Union for 70 years and, and you know, since I was born in 1987, I have been swimming against the current.

Matt: Mm hmm.

Vladimer: I mean, I was burning midnight oil. I just wanted to think different. I was a dreamer. I had tutors in childhood that my parents supported me as much as it was possible.

So education is a best investment, right? So, uh, All efforts paid off because my parents then moved to the capital at the age of 15 just to help me make my dreams come true, you know, and even many parents would not take such a risk to move to the [00:13:00] capital. You know, uh, for, for a greener pasture, you know, that to help their kids, uh, make their dreams come true.

So then, uh, then, you know, uh, I passed my entry exams. I started, uh, uh, doing my, uh, BA, bachelor's degree in computer engineering. So, so it's the end of, uh, second year of my bachelor studies. I, uh, I was given a U. S. visa to move to the United States to get a practical experience and georgia. Help me, uh, uh, make my dreams come true. Even when I'm in the Western countries, everyone emphasizes that I'm a true storyteller.

I'm of high energy. I'm a passionate because I don't want to waste opportunities and time is very precious. So. I can't turn the clock back in time where it's precious, you know, so I always try to make, uh, uh, the right decisions. Even I make 100 decisions a day and it's not easy to be Vladimer in 2023 because I [00:14:00] take so much responsibility.

I wear so many hats. I go into a drive, you know, so, but, but, you know, it's just, I followed my path.

Matt: mm

Vladimer: I live, I have been living my passion and I don't need to follow the crowd to be in survival mode, you know, so I have been in gross mode and I have turned all the tables because I love what I'm doing and, uh, and you know, now the shoe is on the other foot.

Matt: hmm. Such a great phrase, such a great phrase. So what does, um, what does the business, uh, what, what does your business day look like? What does a typical day for Vladimer look like now?

Vladimer: Yeah, it's, it's very passionate, you know, very energetic, very dynamic, you know, I work with 25 speakers bureaus throughout the world. so I often receive, like, invitations to get featured in magazines, Matt, you know, and I was featured in Exilium Magazine, Matt, Exilium Magazine.

Matt: Yep. There he is. Yep.

Vladimer: Yes. In Delaware, Exilium [00:15:00] Magazine recognized me. Uh, as a transformative leader of the year, you know, so I'm also able to judge, uh, Matt, you know, I have been invited to Gartner and Communication Marketing Awards in London, and of course, it's a great privilege even to be recognized by me. Uh, Gartner as a leading marketing software there.

So I, I have judged amazing projects or Fortune 500 brands. And, uh, you know, I was, uh, uh, a member of marketing judging committee of the American business that was last year. And I judged the biggest projects of big, big, biggest brands, you know? And, uh, of course I'm also a public speaker. As you know, I work with, uh, six, seven, uh, uh, speakers agencies in the UK.

I work with champion speakers, inspirational speakers, uh, Kruger and Cohn. Um, I also work with, uh, many, many speakers agencies, you know, so I deliver my master classes. I deliver my workshops. I deliver my podcast episodes. I deliver [00:16:00] my keynote speeches. And of course I believe, Matt, that I, I believe in, uh, putting everything into different baskets.

You know, I don't depend on one, uh, revenue stream and I want to. Put my eggs into different baskets to be in gross mode and to have a contribution. Even as you know that Sync360, which is the best open platform for global software developers, has ranked me as number one global marketing software since 2019.

I have been ranked number one. So consistent action creates consistent results. So, so there's a more. Uh, every ceremonies I judge, uh, the more interviews I have, the more speakers bureaus I join, uh, the more followers I gain, right? This, uh, algorithm gives me higher scores. So I have been ranked number one in the world and it's just remarkable that, you know, it's through passion, it's through long term thinking.

And I advise everyone, Matt, to deploy long term thinking, long term thinking, you know, it's very game changing.

Matt: When you, when you talk about long-term thinking, what do you mean by that? What's your, [00:17:00] what's your definition of long-term thinking?

Vladimer: Long term thinking is that we need to envisage what will happen in five, 15, 20 years, not in one year or two years, you know. We need to reinvest every penny in our growth, even if we, for example, build our personal brands. And there are 8 billion people in the world and 5. 4 billion mobile users, 5. 2 billion internet users, and 4.

8 billion social media users. Consumers trust people. Consumers, Trusts, Influencers, thought leaders, not companies and not executives and locals because executives and directors of big organizations are not willing to download social media channels like Twitter, Instagram to share their expertise outside their companies, you know.

So I have been in storytelling mode. I have galvanized my audience on Twitter. I built a trust with my followers. It's not about gaining followers, Matt. It's all about building community. So the power of [00:18:00] community is just miraculous. You can make your dreams come true when you build your personal brand.

So as you know, like a big automotive companies depend on advertising, right? So, but Tesla, Tesla does not depend on advertising. Tesla depends on Elon Musk's personal brand. So it is a best example,

Matt: Yeah.

Vladimer: a best example, uh, to build your, uh, personal brand, to build your authority, self leadership, to tell your story and to be close to your consumers and audiences worldwide.

Matt: So, I agree with you on the whole personal brand and Tesla and Elon Musk and how those two things are very closely intertwined and buying Twitter was probably one of the most extraordinary marketing moves I've seen for a long time. Um, if someone's listening to the show, because we have a lot of CEOs, business leaders, uh, listening to the show, where personal brand is one of those things that they've, Maybe not done a whole great deal with up until this point.

Um, where do they [00:19:00] start? Do they, do they open up a Twitter account, an Instagram account? What, what's your advice to people who, who, who need to understand where to start when it comes to personal brand?

Vladimer: Matt, you know, it's a great question. Uh, I just want to remind everyone of that, great ox grow from smaller corns. You know, so big things have small beginnings. So if you even open a Twitter account and if you start tweeting, even if you follow like 300, 3000 people, like, I mean, uh, 750 will follow you back.

So you will need you, you will, uh, you need to. Start building your account gradually to show more patience, to create great content, compelling content, you know, and to connect with the world because 85% of global technology leaders use Twitter, you know, even through networking, you can become a billionaire through networking.

Through networking, you can [00:20:00] become a keynote speaker. Through networking, you can build like a million dollar marketing agency. Through networking, you can, uh... Rub shoulders with successful people. So, the market decides, Matt, what is good and bad. The market is a decision maker. So, not MBAs, not business schools, not professors, because, uh, like, uh, business schools are water under the bridge, and even MBA degrees, and even when Elon Musk, uh, is hiring, he does not check out, uh, MBA degrees, you know.

They web your CV. LinkedIn is your CV, Twitter is your CV. So what you publish today is going to bring you success tomorrow. So it's a now or never for everyone to tell their stories and to be in gross mode through social media channels. Because it used to cost a fortune to reach global audiences like a set years ago, and you had to pay millions of dollars to traditional media to reach global audiences.

And, and through Twitter at no cost, you can reach millions of people. And my work has reached [00:21:00] million, millions of people annually. Just remarkable, remarkable figure. You know,

Matt: So, the platform that you, I mean you've talked a lot about Twitter, Vladimer, is that your preferred platform or do you prefer like Instagram or LinkedIn, what's your, what's

your

Vladimer: I mean, uh, LinkedIn is very competitive. Matt, you know, very competitive. Uh, everyone is try, uh, everyone is trying to put, uh, there. Best foot forward. It's very competitive, but Twitter is more collaborative, you

Matt: Mm,

Vladimer: Twitter allows you, Twitter is like a cocktail party for the business world. Just imagine that you are at a cocktail party.

You are mixing with people, you break their eyes, you exchange experiences, you know. So you build great contacts and connections because of this network. So if you tweet great content, people... We'll start retweeting you and it will, uh, skyrocket your brand awareness. [00:22:00] So you and I have been followed by... Um, like a billion entrepreneurs, you know, on Twitter.

So I have learned a great deal from my colleagues from the United States, how they have built up their success, how they connected with the world, how they have become, uh, um, keynote speakers, you know, so. So it's just remarkable to what extent you can learn through networking. So luckily, uh, I have fired on all cylinders, uh, on Twitter and, uh, I have gone into overdrive.

So I have put my shoulder to the wheel and, um, I have made my dreams come true because now I have a... Now I'm at the forefront of digital transformation, social media, because of my indefatigable hard work in the last nine years and success, uh, is not, is not accidental. Success is earned. So I have earned my success from my hard work, you know.

Just

Matt: So, uh, Twitter then is a good platform for you. And I'm just looking here at Twitter. Um, and so your last tweet, start, start now. Start where you are. Start with [00:23:00] what you have. Start with what you already know. Start moving toward the goal. Start small. Start now. Just start. Um, I liked the, there's a phrase, isn't there?

The, I can't remember the phrase where you kind of, you repeat the, the end is the beginning to sort of repeat it and the key bits in the middle kind of thing. Um, So you start with what you already know. I guess this is one of the big questions for people, um, you know, that they have is like, how do you create good, compelling content on a consistent basis for a platform like Twitter, um, because it's very noisy.

It's very, you can easily get drowned out, I think. And,

Vladimer: imagine, just imagine that you also will need to cope with toxicity of Twitter because it's not a walk in the park just to build your following. I mean, you need to be, it is an uphill battle on Twitter. Just imagine, you know,

Matt: Yeah, yeah, it's the same, I mean it's true on any platform, isn't it? It's an uphill battle. [00:24:00] Um, and I can see why a lot of people get put off by it and don't do it. Or they start doing it and two days later can't think of anything to say or they, they download the app and it's like, well, what do I tweet?

What do I, so what advice, I mean, what's your own personal strategy when it comes to tweets? What sort of things do you tweet about? How do you keep that consistency?

Vladimer: you know, I'm a curious guy to the core. You know, I'm curious how Jeff Bezos built Amazon. I'm curious how Elon Musk started, uh, going on a strong path to success. I'm curious how, uh, I mean, uh, Travis Kalanick started building, uh, uh, Uber. You know, with Ryan Graves, so Ryan Graves became a billionaire because Ryan replied to Travis through Twitter, said, uh, uh, Travis, uh, tweeted that he was hiring first product marketing manager at San Francisco Berry Area in 2011.

So Ryan replied, they met, they started, uh, building Uber together and Ryan Graves [00:25:00] became a billionaire through Twitter. A few years later, you know, it's all about networking, you

Matt: Yeah.

Vladimer: so, so Twitter is like a happy hunting ground, happy hunting ground for ambitious people, ambitious people, you know, so I would, um, I was tweeting quotes of successful people, entrepreneurs, I was sharing videos, I was, uh, Sharing articles from Forbes and major media publications, you know, and you know, uh, as they say that, uh, uh, nothing, nothing succeeds like success.

Then I started growing from strength to strength. And then, uh, then, uh, you know, it had like a snowball effect on my, um, statistics on Twitter. And then, you know, I mean, I was, I was just tweeting, you know, my, my parents and my family members were asking me to go out and hang out with my friends. But. I have forgotten everyone for a few years in order to sacrifice, in order to build my community, my, and authenticity, [00:26:00] authenticity is what sets me apart, Matt, because, you know, I'm a bona fide, uh, influencer, if you check out like a Twitter audit of my Twitter, like a 98% of my Twitter followers are real because I, I was building organically, organically, you know, I mean, organically, and you went so many executives.

Cheers. Oh, I mean, use Twitter from Fortune 500 brands, business schools. So, so they helped me a lot in gaining ground, going places and moving up, moving up in the world. So everyone sees who I am today, uh, very ambitious, very forward thinker. You know, I even deploy, still deploy long term thinking. I, uh, I reinvest everything in my growth.

You know, if you Google like a digital transformation keynote speaker, my website appears. Uh, on page two, I'm even in a 6 million results, 6 million, million results, you know, so, but, but, uh, my, my website has great authority because I'm a, I, I put my heart and soul into industry. So Google chooses [00:27:00] me as one of the top three, top three digital transformation keynotes, because in the world, because of, based on my strong performance.

and Consistency. So Consistency, as you mentioned, Matt is decisive and a game changer, you know.

Matt: So the key then, uh, to building a personal brand is you, you talked about, um, having compelling content, being consistent. Um, I mean, I, I'm looking here at the numbers and you've written 100 and what did it say? 133,000 or something like

Vladimer: Yes, Matt, I was, I was, I was truly crazy about tweeting, you know. I, I was working 16 hours a day on Twitter to build my network, uh, from scratch, uh, organically, authentically, you know. So as you know that I, I posted, I posted more than 130, 000 times or 125, 000 times just because I'm consistent and I, I love communicating and I have the gift of the gap.

And, you know, I always try to communicate with other people, even if someone is successful, [00:28:00] if someone is a tycoon, billionaire, it means that, uh, uh, you can also become, uh, like a, like a tycoon. You can also be on the path to success. So you need to be very open minded, Matt. So open mindedness has been my, has been the bedrock of my growth because I always try.

Uh, to surround myself with smarter people. And I never say that I'm a smartest person in the room. No, I always, I'm always in learning mode, in growth mode, outside my comfort zone. You know,

Matt: So what are some of the things that are emerging in the digital landscape, Vladimer, that you think we need to keep our eye on, that things are going to be game changing? What's getting you excited at the moment? What's today's Twitter? Uh, you

Vladimer: yes, I mean, Webster is very emerging and very promising, you know? So even we are in a Web2 landscape, marketing landscape nowadays, and even brand struggle with Web2 marketing ecosystem, Matt, brands [00:29:00] struggle, because even majority of clients I know. Uh, and even prospective clients, they, uh, invest 90% of their marketing money on the wrong traditional marketing channels.

You know, they are wasting their money on TV, on billboard, on TV, on radio, in magazines, in print, you know, so they need to tell their story to where 4. 8 billion people spend their time online. They need to be in their eyeballs and ears business.

Matt: mm,

Vladimer: to win attention is that they need to win attention in nine seconds through their stories.

Not because as you know, that people have a short, uh, short attention span. So, so it's just, uh, you need to, uh, win attention. at a drop of head, you know?

Matt: yeah, yeah, I, I couldn't agree more and I, I think actually the, the attention span seems to be getting smaller and smaller for people, doesn't it? It's, um, it's, it's, it's only going down, it is not [00:30:00] going up. Um,

Vladimer: So, so Matt, you even as a judge, I can see what brands are doing. So, so, so the world has put my personal brand building on a pedestal because I have put my. Um, You know, heart and soul, you know, even, even, you know, I have the underdog mentality, you know, I know that I will turn the tables through my hard work, you know, if people denigrating, uh, uh, Twitter in 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, I'm now a winner because I have shown consistency.

I have told my story. I told my story in 20 14, 20 15, 20 16, 20 17. So, so the market is a decision maker. The market decided that Uber, Uber, Airbnb, Spotify, are, are good. And the rest of the brands, uh, that, uh, disregarded internet and social media, uh, gone, uh, have gone outta business. You know, for example, a blockbuster, uh, disregarded, uh, uh, to buy, uh, uh, Netflix for $50 million [00:31:00] in 27, 2007.

And they have gone out of business because they are outdated business models, you know, they were thinking, they were thinking that the internet was not going to affect their business, you

Matt: mm,

yeah, it's a very famous story, isn't it?

Vladimer: I was in Virginia in 2006, when I was, uh, I, I, I, I used to see, uh, uh, blockbuster stores in my area, you know, in Westgate.

I, I live in Westgate, you know, so, so, but, but, um, um, uh, the market is tough. You, you need to keep up with the latest trends and adapt what is coming and, uh, to stay ahead of the car. And marketing is that the, the ultimate driver of business results. So you need to. Constantly reinvent yourself and you need to be a long term thinker, you know.

Matt: Yeah, no, fair enough. Very good. So I'm curious, Vladimer, you're working crazy hours, you're investing a lot of time and energy still into your brand and into your clients. What, [00:32:00] what recharges your batteries? What do you do, um, to sort of, uh, refill your tank?

Vladimer: Well, I love playing tennis. I also love rock climbing. I'm a climber to the core, you know. So, so these two sports are my pastimes because I don't have much time just to, I mean, to spend in gym. Or, 15, 16 hours a day. It is a very hectic schedule because I'm supposed to, uh, deliver my keynote speeches, uh, you know, judge because of, uh, projects and nominations at, uh, award ceremonies, you know, I receive a request for, from media to feature me.

You know, and I also deliver my masterclasses, workshops. I mean, uh, so, uh, it's, I have so many ongoing projects, but playing golf, playing, uh, tennis and, uh, um, rock climbing are two of my pastimes because, you know, these, uh, two activities truly, [00:33:00] Uh, galvanize me to achieve more, uh, to, I'm a big fan of tennis, you know, I love Andy Murray.

I love Djokovic. I love Roger Federer. I love their mindset, how they respect each other. I love their mentality that they, everyone wants to achieve more. And it's a very competitive world, Matt, you know, even, even tennis is very competitive. So, so the growth of Noak Djokovic also inspires me because he started, he started turning all the tables.

He, he has shown more consistency. He's mentally very robust, you know, so it's all about a mental game, Matt, you know, mental game because everyone, everyone plays tennis, everyone is healthy, but it's all about mental game. And I would say that success is also a mental game. So you need to be able to cope with negativity.

You need to be able to cope with skeptics, doubters. And, uh, so [00:34:00] you need to just move forward, never look back, and, uh, to, to have, uh, a thick skin. It's very important because, because if, uh, if their, uh, if their critics affect you, then you go backwards. So you should always choose optimism. You should always, uh, Uh, choose positivity.

Uh, you need to, um, be collaborative because nobody has time to waste in high places because those are millionaires and billionaires and building their startups and as they are speaking, they are extremely busy. So, so you need to be very finicky and choosy when it comes to your circle. Because your circle will, uh, uh, will determine your future and your success.

So you are a product of five successful people you hang out with, right?

Matt: Yeah. Yeah. That's true. So, part of me is almost afraid to ask Vladimer, but what does growth look like for you? What does more look like? Where's the future going?

Vladimer: Matt, it is a great question. You know, I just want to be in the right place at the right time with the right people. You know, I'm now [00:35:00] 35 and, uh, uh, from the vantage point of the present, I have always fired on all cylinders and I, I'm proud of every step I have taken. That, uh, I'm a very diligent, very hardworking, very dexterous, very, uh, they say that, uh, uh, uh, elbow grease is the best polish and, uh, you just need to be very hardworking, you know?

So the harder and smarter you work, the luckier you get, you know? You need to put your, your future in your hands. You need to depend on your, on your, only on yourself. You need to peddle your own canoe and you need to stand on your own two feet, you know? So you should never depend on MBAs, on people. On, uh, I mean, your friends, because you need to, you, you, you should be a solo entrepreneur.

You need to be depend on your, yourself. You need to make the right decisions, right decisions, because I want everyone to, listen it carefully, right decisions, who are listening to, if you are listening to people who have given up on their dreams, you should dissociate [00:36:00] yourself with them and start associating yourself with successful, smarter, better people, you know.

If you are in complaint mode, if you are in such mode, even you are going to backward. So we need to choose optimist. We need to choose positivity and, I'm sure that, time after time you will be on the right path to success because, uh, if I can do it, if I can do it, anybody can do it. You

Matt: Mm, yeah, powerful, powerful stuff, man. Um, listen, Vladimer, we have come to that stage of the show where we do the question box. Oh yes, this is the random question. I'm gonna flick through the questions, you're gonna tell me when to stop, wherever we stop, that's the question we ask.

Vladimer: please stop.

Matt: Okay, uh, that's an interesting question.

Um, would you, and this is presuming you don't, but would you like to believe in God?

Vladimer: Matt, you know, I [00:37:00] believe in God, you know, because God helps those who help themselves and I help myself, you know,

Matt: Mm,

Vladimer: even this, my example has demonstrated the great, my case, my success story that if you work hard, if you love what you do, if you are passionate, God is always by your side, you know, so I, when I wake up, I'm very thankful to God that I wake up, I'm healthy, that I choose optimism, I choose positivity, I always try to surround myself with right people and I'm, I'm just, life is very short, but I'm very grateful for small mercies.

I'm, I'm very kind to the core, you know, very kind guy, but very, success, very ambitious, very competitive, very driven, you know, I'm very passionate, you know, because My parents invested their fortune in me that they sold their house in Georgia to, to, to prepare me from the United States for the UK. And I [00:38:00] want my parents to be proud of my performance, my activities, and even if they watch me on TV or if they listen to me on podcasts or if they see me in the magazines, I know that I am doing the right thing.

So they are proud of my activities, you know.

Matt: Is that what drives you, Vladimer, the fact that your parents gave up so much so you can have

Vladimer: Yes, because you know, Matt, you know, I mean, my father is a professor in Georgia. My mother is a doctor and, uh... Uh, I was born in a very hardworking family. You know, I mean, uh, uh, hard work has always been, uh, noticeable in my family, uh, in, in, in the last 35 years since, uh, I was born in fam in this family. So I don't have my time to waste.

Uh, I'm very finicky. I'm in the learning mode, growth mode. So I want my parents to be proud of me because of, proud of my performance that I have been showing, uh, uh, uh, patients, uh, from year to year. Then they knew. That, uh, that I, if I was going to show more patience, the results [00:39:00] would come so they would be proud of my global performance, you know?

Matt: Yeah. That's really interesting. It's an interesting place to end there, because actually that's where you started. You started, uh, where you were in Georgia, and you sort of bring it back to your parents, which I, I think it's quite lovely. Um, and, and, and, and really nice and special, so,

Vladimer: Yeah, so, so Matt, you know, my parents were not allowed to leave their, uh, their country when they were raising and growing up in the USSR. They know how important it is, uh, to have a good education, to invest in yourself, and of course, they are the best parents, you know? Like, my father is an author of more than 20 books, he has been an eager beaver his entire life, you know, very contagious, very infectious guy, you know what I mean.

So it's very genetic, just that I'm successful, that I'm very ambitious, that, uh, that I don't rest on my laurels. So I always look to my laurels in order to improve my results, you

Matt: Yeah, they're [00:40:00] fantastic. Fantastic. Well, listen, Vladimer, it's been a thoroughly enjoyable conversation. Uh, I've, I've got lots of notes I've had to work hard to keep up. Um, but it's been, it's been a great conversation. If people want to reach out to you, if they want to connect with you, what's the best way to do that?

Vladimer: You know, I'm available at vladimerbotsvadze. com where they can book me as a speaker, as a mentor, as a, uh, like a lecturer, as a coach, you know, so they can also follow me on LinkedIn. Uh, I'm open to new connections. Follow me on, uh, Twitter at vladimerbotsvadze, also on Instagram at vladimerbotsvadze. So let's, let's connect and build something great together, you know?

Matt: Yeah, yeah, absolutely. Uh, no, they're all of those links. We will, of course, put in the show notes as well, uh, which you can get along for free at the website. Push to be more.com. Uh, we will link to Vladimer's LinkedIn. We will link to, uh, your Twitter and we'll of course link to the website so you'll be able to find all of [00:41:00] those things there.

But Vladimer, thanks for coming on the show, man. Genuinely, uh, Thank you, I really appreciate your energy, your passion, um, um, there are very few people that I, I, I've, I've listened to I think that maybe work as hard as you do, um,

Vladimer: Matt, you know, so, uh, uh, compliment also from my side because, uh, I watched your episode with Neil Morecroft and other amazing people and you are a true storyteller at the heart. a guest on more than 30 certified podcast. And I know that you stand out through your qualities, through your authenticity, through your thought provoking ideas and questions.

And I loved, uh, uh, being a guest on your podcast. You know,

Matt: ah, super kind of you, uh, thank you, uh, and I'm glad you enjoyed that episode with Neil, he's a great guy, Neil, a great story, so, um,

Vladimer: we send my regards to Neil. I hope we connect and build great things together

Matt: Yeah, absolutely. He's a great guy. You should definitely reach out to him. Uh, but um, yeah, of course, uh, all legends on the Push To Be More podcast, [00:42:00] but thank you Vladimer and genuinely, uh, huge thanks to you for joining me today.

Vladimer: Thank you so much, Matt. Thank you.

Matt: Thank you. Well, what a great conversation. Also a big shout out to today's show sponsor, Aurion Media.

If you're wondering if podcasting is a good marketing strategy for your business, do connect with them at aurionmedia. com. That's A U R I O N media.com. Uh, be sure to follow Push To Be More wherever you get your podcasts from, because we have got yet more great conversations lined up and I don't want you to miss any of them.

And in case no one has told you yet today, you are awesome. Yes, you are created awesome. It's just a burden. You have got to bear. Vladimer has to bear it, I've got to bear it, and you've got to bear it as well. Oh yes. Now, Push To Be More is produced by Aurion Media. You can find our entire archive of episodes on your favorite podcast app.

The team that makes this show possible is Sadaf Beynon, Estella Robin, and Tanya Hutsuliak. [00:43:00] Our theme music is by Josh Edmundson, and as I mentioned, if you would like to read the transcript or show notes, head over to the website, Push To Be More. So that's it from me, that's it from Vladimer, thank you so much for joining us, have a fantastic week, wherever you are in the world, I'll see you next time, bye for now.

Vladimer: you.