As a venue for expo events, Moscow accounts for 75% of all trade shows in the country – and if it wasn’t for COVID, the expo market profits would have been enjoyed by even greater number of entrepreneurs. This belief is shared by Ivan Nikolsky, a graduate of HSE ICEF and leader of Exponic. In this interview with Success Builder, Ivan tells about the nuances of running a family business, how Russian SMEs struggle through challenges, and how to approach ministers more confidently using networking skills.