'I Don’t Draw a Line between Work and the Rest of My Life'

Polina Yurova studied integrated communications at HSE University, and later, when she cofounded the EGGSELLENT gastronomic project, she experienced firsthand the importance of bringing people together for everyone's benefit. In this interview with Success Builder, she talks about the evolution of her business, the value of mistakes as a source of unique experience, and the importance of always leaving room for chance events.

— Why did you choose to enrol in the Advertising and Public Relations programme at HSE University?

— When I was in tenth grade, my parents and I began to seriously consider where I would continue my education. I decided that I wanted to enrol in MGIMO University to pursue a career as an international economist. I attended preparatory courses three times a week—my portfolio included French, mathematics, and Russian. An acquaintance was studying at HSE University, and her example inspired me—an awesome girl leading an interesting life, doing what she loved. At some point, I realised that perhaps I should enrol elsewhere rather than MGIMO, and this change would require a different combination of subjects, including social studies in particular.

I locked myself at home and began studying intensely to win an olympiad and improve my chances of being admitted. I studied hard—perhaps I’ve never been as focused or as sharp as I was by the end of eleventh grade. I won the social studies olympiad at HSE University, followed by the national olympiad. With this victory, I had the opportunity to choose from a range of top-tier universities, such as MSU, MGIMO, and HSE University, and I decided to enrol at HSE University.

— Do you have any particular memories from your time at university?

— The French-style chicken with pineapples they served in the cafeteria at Tekstilschiki—it was so delicious that we would queue for it. Prof. Sergey Zverev's words that one should take an interest in everything. HSE University had excellent instructors who worked in marketing, PR, and digital fields. We also had an incredibly amazing internship programme. Ten years ago, in our third year, we went to France, lived in Paris for six months, and studied at an institute there.

— Why did you choose France for your internship?

— A few factors came together: I wanted to visit Paris, my friends wanted to go there too, and the courses were taught in English. We didn't pay for tuition, but we arranged our own housing. I had two jobs: walked a bichon frisé and worked at a local grocery store. In this store, they were very particular about the quality of their products. They would discard items a few days before the expiration date and then donate them to the employees. I shared an apartment with the girls, and I would come home with bags of vegetables, cheese, and bread. It was a great time; I wish I could teleport there for a while.

— What else did HSE University give you?

— A wealth of knowledge and the ability to take an interest in things. I absorb a lot of information, and then it magically consolidates in my mind. I really enjoy facilitating connections between people so they can create something together. I studied integrated communications, but I used to struggle with what to say when people asked me what it was about. Today, I understand that to integrate means to connect everything with everything and benefit from it.

— Which connection turned out to be the most beneficial for your business?

— Perhaps it was meeting our future investor. Anna joined us almost from the start, in 2018. At that time, she served as the marketing director for the Ugleche Pole brand. Her company was opening stores, but their foot traffic wasn’t very high, while we were looking for locations to open breakfast cafés. I found her contact information, we met, and I suggested that we could offer our breakfasts at their locations. Anna said it was a nice idea but declined.

A year later, we realised we needed funding, so we started thinking about who in our circle might have money to invest or know people who had money to spare. We wrote to Anna, saying, 'Here is our business model; we need 18 million. Do you think you or any of your friends might be interested in investing in the restaurant business?'

— What did she respond?

— She answered that she was currently studying at Skolkovo and needed to come up with her own business idea, so our concept came in very handy. She offered to become our investor. You might call it a chance occurrence, but it was preceded by hard work. I really like the idea that it's important to leave room for chance events.

Anna is still working with us, and we are truly grateful to her for believing in us. Even when we made a mistake and lost 20 million, she said we had spent it to gain valuable experience. Of course, we are paying her back, but at that time, we really needed her support. We were at a loss about what to do because we were being evicted from the premises we were in the process of renovating.

— What happened?

— We wanted to open a café in Khamovniki but chose the wrong location. It was an upscale apartment building, and our concept didn't fit in, something we hadn't anticipated. As a result, we were unable to secure an agreement. Thank God, after that, we managed to regroup and find a new location. Our team was waiting for the opening of a new café, knowing that we were working on it. But we had to start all over again.

— What are your business priorities now?

— Making it efficient. When you put all your effort into it, your business becomes effective, but your resources deplete quickly. Additionally, when managing a large team, there is a risk of staff expansion getting out of control. Our main objective now is to optimise all those processes that we have come up with and avoid losing speed as we do it.

— How did the EGGSELLENT café perform in 2024?

— We have a tradition: at the end of January and the beginning of February, we review the results of the past year. Each member of the management team gives a presentation.

When I started working on my presentation, I suddenly became worried that we hadn’t opened a single new café in a year. What had I been doing all year? Then I accessed our social media—a showcase of everything happening with our business—and saw that last February, we had opened a location in St Petersburg, launched the CRM process, and added 18,000 new customers throughout the year—those who joined our Breakfast Lovers Club. For us, this is about strengthening the emotional connection with those we serve.

We began focusing more on the quality of our products. We launched a bakery and started baking our own bread to supply two of our locations.

In May, we took a gastronomic trip to Istanbul with a team of chefs. I have the opportunity to travel, collecting impressions from around the world, which I then bring back here. But it’s equally important for the team to have this experience as well.

— What are your plans for 2025?

— We want to open several more cafés, each with its own unique concept. One will focus on a balanced diet, featuring a large juice bar where you can make your own juice or smoothie. Another café will have a dedicated area for children, along with a menu designed for them. Many of our friends have children, so the adults can sit down to enjoy breakfast while the kids play in the designated area.

— Why is opening a café a logical step?

— I believe that a café can drive customers to other establishments. We're opening more cafés to help businesses grow and become sustainable, so people think, 'Oh, they're doing well—I’ll visit them.' This is also a form of marketing. We need to grow. We have to run twice as fast just to stay where we are.

— Will the new cafés be decorated in the same style, with a focus on pink?

— For me, pink interiors represent celebration and a sense of well-being, and they also serve as a test for normality. If you're a normal guy, you shouldn't feel uncomfortable around pink. If it does make you uncomfortable, that's your issue.

But honestly, I’d like to make the next café a bit more subdued. Our new café in St Petersburg isn't as pink, and the men there seem to feel a bit more comfortable. They should feel good too. Of course, there will always be some pink, just not as much.

— The EGGSELLENT café is known for its outstanding marketing, with over one hundred thousand followers on social media and collaborative projects with other businesses, such as Kinder, Aviasales, and Prostokvashino.

— People often praise us for our marketing, highlighting our collaborations and special projects. One of my main goals this year is to shift the focus to our product. I want people who truly appreciate good food to choose us because our food is delicious.

— Do you manage to find time for everything?

— I don’t draw a line between work and the rest of my life. I work all the time and incorporate everything else into it. For example, I work out six times a week, and that’s non-negotiable. My husband and I also prioritise travelling as much as possible. But I never fully disconnect from business—I always have my phone in hand. This is my way of being—it keeps me comfortable and allows me to stay on top of things.