Alexander and Andrew Shirnin Satanin wanted to open a climbing wall the European level, but without

Alexander and Andrew Shirnin Satanin wanted to open a climbing wall the European level, but without the investment that was impossible. Convince investors to invest in the project helped to start construction. Pauline Potapov, swell September 4 4957 0
Alexander and Andrew Shirnin Satanin met as a student - in alpsektsii MAI. After graduation the friends decided to devote his life passion, first discovered along a company specializing in industrial mountaineering, and then -
the largest climbing center in Moscow BigWall. Climbing wall has been working for more than a year and has started to bring its first profit. The annual turnover of the company amounted to $ 1.5 million for two years, the partners hope to return the investor his investment.
Alexander Shirnina
I started climbing and climbing, when he entered the Moscow Aviation Institute and joined alpsektsiyu. At first it was just a hobby, and then it changed my life. In this section, I met my future partner Andrew Satanin. After graduation, we set up our first business - engaged in industrial climbing. After some time had the idea to create a climbing center in Moscow on the European level.
It was immediately clear that this is a very costly affair because need large investments in real estate. We started swell to look for an investor, swell but it was very difficult to prove the commercial attractiveness of the idea. In Moscow, there are no mountains, accordingly, is not developed to a sufficient level sport climbing and business on it. It was not possible to provide an accurate business plan.
First, in no one believed us and we had to start a project on their own funds. We rented a room near the metro station "Shabolovskaya" and began construction. But when it all started, a potential investor, IT-worker, passionate about climbing, I realized that we are ready to really grow your business. However, from the opening of the center in the first room we found had to be abandoned because the investor is considered the conditions for renting too risky for such a volume of investment. We lost about a million rubles, but we do not regret about it: it was a charge for the loyalty of a business angel.
Total investment in the project amounted to 45 million rubles. Initially, we evaluated the creation of the project is 15 million rubles less. We did not have enough experience in construction, and we misjudged the cost of construction. Everything was more expensive. Fortunately, the investor has met us and put the missing funds.
Mountain climbing, of course, is not a mass phenomenon in Russia. In the Soviet Union, these sports were more developed and maintained by the state, and now the government has forgotten about them. Nevertheless, in Moscow on 10 mountaineering clubs, and in each of them - the 100-150. swell Plus, there are more of those who are engaged in outside swell clubs. In the city of 20 000-30 000 people who are engaged in some form of rock climbing. Prior to the opening of this center in Moscow had a few small climbing walls, which were always crowded.
Our ckalolazny center has a much greater capacity than any other in Moscow, thus we are more than covered by the desire to have a demand for the sport in the city. We have a large variety of walls, which allow people to deal with any training swell and experience.
In addition to the size of the distinguishing feature of our climbing wall from existing in Moscow is the marketing department. He was promoting rock climbing in general. People just do not have any idea about this sport. They will automatically appear association that rock climbing - it is difficult and not for me. People should be drawn into the sport, to explain and show that it is an interesting and useful exercise.
Most of our visitors - people who have long been involved in the sport, the Moscow climbing swell community. Also, people come to us, backpacking and mountaineering. Word of mouth - our main way of attracting the audience. New visitors usually lead their own friends and colleagues. Conventionally, we divide them into three categories. First - it is the students. They have free time, many universities are working section of climbing, plus sport itself is not very expensive. One lesson costs 450 rubles.
A special group of visitors - people older than 35 years. Although rock climbing is enough youth sports, swell with older visitors this sport in recent times also becoming popular.

Now climbing wall is filled about half and still have resources to increase swell attendance. On an average day comes 200: 100-150 happens swell in everyday life, at the weekend - to 400. Season - c November to December and from February to April. This is largely due to bad weather in the street and little alternative pastime in the city as a whole.
But in addition we provide a climbing wall space for all kinds of corporate events and children's parties, both with reference to the skalol