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He can make a good joke, but he also builds teams and communications effectively and very seriously. He could host an evening show – but now he is launching PR campaigns that are turning the arbitration market upside down.
KonstantinGolubev, creativedirector of the triad Wild Wild Leads, Wild Wild Apps and Wild Wild Partners, shares his story: from 10 years in top Ukrainian TV shows to launching interactive stands and shows about fakaps that are breaking the niche.
In the interview, she talks about why the best merch is what you would wear yourself, how to build a brand in a field where everyone works in the shadows, and why you can’t survive in this business without humor.
Spoiler: Kostya’s favorite PR activity is the morning of the second day of any international conference
I got into arbitration in June 2022. Prior to that, I built a career in television – I worked for more than 10 years in various TV projects, grew from a journalist trainee to an editor-in-chief and project manager, mostly focusing on the entertainment segment (The Bachelor, The Weighted and Happy, Exes, and many others. He even worked for 2.5 years on the TV show “Everyone’s Business,” which is now going viral on social media).
However, a full-scale war broke out, and, of course, the country had no time for entertainment shows, so I lost my job. For some time, my family and I lived on a financial cushion that we managed to dig up. At the same time, I was engaged in volunteer activities related to my specialty and what I am best at – together with my colleagues, we monitored the news and compiled a database of fixed crimes committed by the Russian Federation against Ukraine. Of course, there was no question of any payment, the cushion was getting smaller and smaller, and none of the shows were on time, so I had to look for a way to make money.
And then I came across the story of my old friend Inna Gagarin. Together with Inna, we took preparatory courses and eventually studied at the Institute of Journalism at Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv. I had come across her stories before, and I knew that there were some conferences going on, but I had no idea what they were about.
The important thing is that in that fateful story, Inna was looking for a specialist in the marketing department or something like that. I responded, Inna decided to take a chance and gave me a chance. Here I would like to thank her once again for this – it was thanks to Inna that I learned everything I needed to know about the industry and, of course, got the job. As an experienced leader and as a friend who has known me since I was 16, Inna believed in me and found ways to turn my unique experience into a benefit for the company in particular and the niche in general.
That’s how I ended up at G✦Partners.
My zodiac sign is Capricorn, so I am stubborn and stable. If I have already chosen a path for myself, I will improve in it, hone my skills, put down roots and reach new heights. So, I think I’ve assimilated quite well: I know exactly what I can bring to the development of the industry and business, and I have a step-by-step understanding of how to do it.
Therefore, for me it is:
And money, if you have a head on your shoulders, can be earned in any direction, so you can’t go far in our business on a mercantile idea alone – you have to be burning with it.
The secret of such success is not a secret at all. I am absolutely convinced that the best approach is communication. If you maintain adequate human relations with others, if you are friendly not for the sake of profit, but because you are interested and ready to communicate and discuss, because, first of all, you care about your colleagues and respect them, then, of course, the attitude towards you will be appropriate.
Personally, I wouldn’t call my way of communicating an approach. Rather, I am just the kind of person I am: I am impressed by people, and I will obviously find something good in each of the community members.
There is a realization that we are all in this difficult business, and the work of everyone – a competitor or even a person with whom you have no working relationship – should be respected! And then, if necessary, doors will open for you at your request, if not one, then certainly others.
I am convinced that the most successful PR case is yet to come – I am currently preparing a very powerful campaign for all three Wild Wild areas: WWApps, WWleads and WWPartners. It is strategically necessary, long-lasting, and will definitely not go unnoticed.
Of the recent realizations, we have named the organization and fully prepared from scratch – from idea to implementation – the first stand for Wild Wild Apps at Conversion Conf Warsaw – 2025. We did the impossible – 4 days before the conference, as the company’s creative director, I took the responsibility to jump into the last carriage with the stand, and we made it happen.
And not just realized it. It was an interactive stand that could be touched, where you could and should draw and compete for prizes. The guests of the stand had fun, we got a lot of excitement and a database of relevant contacts that we are still working on.
Don’t go to the dentist in the morning if you have to give a presentation on stage in a few hours)))
But seriously, in my opinion, the most common mistake or faux pas can be not remembering people and names. Thank God, I have never had this, but I am very worried about it.
There is always a lot of communication, a lot of people and chats. So, it’s not hard to confuse or forget something. But you should always remember: you have a lot of people, and that person has only one. This can be offensive, as well as suspend or not develop the necessary branch of communication that could be useful in the future.
I repeat: the most important thing in any field is people! And ours is no exception.
I don’t think there has ever been such a story and it is unlikely to happen. I always soberly and rationally assess all the chances of success of a particular case.
But if I were to single out something, I would probably name two cases that first came to mind:
Look at me)) did you see that I am “strict”?)) My tone of communication is as friendly and open as possible. If I have to remind you of certain agreements that are not fulfilled in a timely manner, then I am a kind, but already a parrot.
And if (and I don’t like this most of all) there are (fortunately, very rarely) rude people or posers, then I turn on the snake that is as poisonous as possible with intellectual ascents – I do it so professionally and smilingly that the stupid rude person won’t understand, but the well-mannered and educated people around will blush, holding back their laughter.
Wow, you could write a book here! Now, within my competence at Wild Wild, the word “preparing” means “preparing”, because one of the many areas of my responsibility is the team’s participation and performance at conferences.
My task is to make sure that the team has to do as little as possible and can focus on communicating with existing or potential partners. So I take care of communication with the organizers, with contractors, designers, the technical department, and so on.
Also, together with marketing and PR teams, we determine the vectors of manifestations, brainstorm ideas for development, create media support, order merchandise, book places for our speakers, register for nominations, book satellite events for the conf and much, much more.
The only criterion that, for some reason, is often avoided and reinvented is that your merchandise should be something you would wear yourself! That’s it. Period.
The lion’s share of the merchandise is used at home as pajamas, a layer under a scratchy sweater, or a uniform for a trip to the village. People are already picky about their clothes, and if the print, which is questionable in itself, has an inscription with the name of a company, they will never wear it, with the rare exception of a person’s personal relationship with a particular company.
When you honestly admit to yourself: “Oh, I would really go for a walk in the city center in this right now,” then this is it.
The morning of the second day of any international conference is my favorite and most trashy activity!
The biggest mistake is “I want everything at once”! A person comes to the field, sees this sometimes imaginary external luxury, thinks “now I’ll do it,” and this “now” stretches for a very painstaking and long period.
And given the fact that you want achievements and recognition too quickly, you get burned out. Therefore, my personal advice is to do everything moderately and carefully, do not chase instant fame or money: if you succeed instantly, you will be great, you can be happy about it!
If you fail, you’ll be mentally prepared for it, and it won’t exhaust you.
In my work, I often come across cases when pretty girls with little or no experience in the field apply for headhunting and business development positions, thinking that the main task is to attract new advertisers, I don’t know. It’s even stranger when they get such positions.
As for the guys, the strangest thing for me is this “seeming, not being”. Well, there are those who wear serious faces, and there are those who are tinkerers, weavers, business decision-makers, and gatekeepers. Personally, I don’t understand this.
Maybe I haven’t grown up yet, and I’ll start driving serious cars closer to 40, who knows.
If three and if from scratch, then yes:
Imagine that you are invited to the stage – what will you write in your description?
Comedian, paddle tennis player, mom’s flower.