small BUSINESS in Moscow, RUSSIA?! малый БИЗНЕС в Москве, РОССИЯ?!

Summary

The video follows an American expat family in Russia, celebrating their one-year anniversary of moving to Moscow. They explore local small businesses, focusing on a Shawarma fast-food joint and a fashion boutique. The Shawarma place, popular among university students, offers a traditional Russian barbecue taste. The fashion business, recently acquired by a couple, showcases their design process, from sketch to sewing, and discusses the cost of rent and labor in Moscow. The video also touches on the topic of taxes and regulations for small businesses in Russia.

Takeaways

• 🌨️ The video starts with a picturesque scene of snowfall, setting a serene tone for the content.
• 🎥 The narrator shares that it's been a year since they moved from America to Russia, indicating a significant life change.
• 🏬 The video features a regional shopping mall in Moscow, showcasing local small businesses similar to those in America.
• 🍗 A focus on a Shawarma fast food restaurant is highlighted, emphasizing the cultural aspect of traditional Russian grilling methods.
• 👗 The script introduces a fashion business, discussing the process from design to production, including handmade tailoring.
• 💼 The video contrasts the business expenses in Florida and Moscow, particularly focusing on rent and payroll.
• 👕 The fashion business segment also touches on the importance of fabric selection, with a mention of sourcing from Italy.
• 📈 The script mentions the business's growth, having recently expanded by purchasing an existing business, indicating entrepreneurial activity.
• 💰 There's a discussion on the tax regime in Russia, suggesting it may be more favorable for small businesses compared to the U.S.
• 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 The video ends with a family scene, bringing a personal touch and showing the integration of the narrator's family into Russian life.

Q & A

What is the occasion being celebrated in the video?

The occasion being celebrated is the one-year anniversary of the speaker's family moving from America to Russia.

What type of food does the speaker mention trying at a small business in Moscow?

The speaker mentions trying 'Sharma', which is traditional fast food in Russia, similar to a shawarma or kebab.

What is unique about the way the Sharma is prepared in the small business featured in the video?

The Sharma is prepared on a charcoal grill, which is said to give it a more natural and traditional Russian barbecue taste compared to electric grills.

What is the significance of the location where the Sharma place is situated?

The Sharma place is located near a big university for engineers, which was historically significant in the development of rockets during the Soviet Union era.

What is the speaker's background in relation to small businesses?

The speaker has been a small business owner in Florida for the past 20 years.

What is the main expense for the speaker's small business in Florida?

The main expense for the speaker's small business in Florida is payroll.

What is the rent for the fashion business featured in the video?

The rent for the fashion business is 163,000 rubles a month for a 160 square meters space in a central area of Moscow.

How does the fashion business create their clothing models?

The fashion business creates their clothing models by hand, using a special constructor who cuts the cloth and sews it to ensure a good fit.

What is the process for creating the clothing designs in the fashion business?

The process involves preparing sketches, creating experimental samples, fitting them on models, correcting them, and then producing different sizes as per the design.

What is the significance of the Hermitage mentioned in the video?

The Hermitage is a huge museum in St. Petersburg, often referred to as the 'Queen of Russia' in contrast to Moscow, which is seen as the 'King'.

What is the tax regime like for small businesses in Russia as discussed in the video?

The tax regime for small businesses in Russia is favorable, allowing businesses with not very big turnovers to pay only six percent of all turnover without having to declare expenses.