Recently, FLEX alumni had an opportunity to meet a very interesting person who decided to change her life once and who wasn’t afraid to take that step.

On June 30, at 7 PM a group of young people met in Moscow’s center and went to the former Krasniy Oktyabr Chocolate Factory.

We didn’t know quite what to expect: everybody was exited because Krasniy Oktyabr is associated with yummy treats and everybody with a sweet tooth has dreamed since their childhood to visit!  Besides that, the topic to be discussed – “Goal Setting and Life Choices”. And there was going to be a story of one lady, a Muskie alumna who earned an MBA in the U.S., who changed her serious, successful business and work in an investment bank for the Happy Pack business. It seemed strange. Furthermore, the meeting was devoted to the FLEX Alumni Mentoring Program, which has been a big success and is always sure to please!  Our excitement continued…

We entered the white room, empty except for about 20 chairs and two tables of cookies in beautiful boxes, cold water in pitchers, big ceramic mugs and pots of sea-buckthorn (Облепи́ха)  tea…Looked wonderful…In some minutes a petite, energetic, casually dressed young woman entered the room. She said smiling :"Please help yourselves to cookies!!!" That was Maria Kicheeva.

Experts predicted that she would have a great future in finance. A former vice-president of ABN Amro bank with an MBA.  She could structure complicated deals and knew finance engineering. But as she said: “I had a goal – to buy a flat in Moscow and to become a director. I realized it and that was enough for me, then I decided to try something new for myself.”

She felt a lack of emotions and creativity in her life and in 2004 she began her Happy pack business – a trading network of packing salons. Now her agency is a place of corporate sweet presents. And already in 2008 there was a new brand on the market – Half-a-teaspoon – based on her belief that there is a half a teaspoon of art in every kitchen.

She created her own team. Those people came from "nowhere," but everybody was devoted to the common goal..to her vision. We could feel the strong team spirit and the fact that people really liked working there. And even in spite of the fact that it might not be a very high paying business, it brings pleasure, income and profit. “I like to create something and share” - she said. We were happy about it, the cookies were really tasty. Besides Maria does different master-classes for people and does some charity projects as well, so everyone has an opportunity to taste and to learn how to make that piece of art. I can’t find another word for that because it’s really so – butterflies, biscuits, glaze – amazing!

FLEX alumni were asking Maria different questions; they wanted to sign up for her master classes. At one point her contagious giggle had everyone in the rooom caught up in her magic. They were interested in her strategies for attracting smart money - investors who share her ideas and believe in what she wants to build. Everybody was excited by her story: how could it be possible to change her former profession, forget about her old life and begin to build something new and fundamental. She doesn’t regret her choice at all; she has plenty of positive emotions and self-realization in the new one. I think that was a good experience for everyone, because after we left Krasniy Oktyabr everybody continued discussing that meeting for a long time. Perhaps one day one of us could take a similar step and choose to create the life he/she really wants to live.

Your FLEX alumni team.