California LIVE Podcast : Up - Close & Personal - EPISODE 1

Welcome to California Life Podcast.

It's up close and personal.

Do you make a difference in the community?

Do you have a unique product, service?

Do you change someone's life?

Do you love how you sound, how you look?

If you answer yes, please contact our team, California Life Podcast, and we'll

be delighted to share your story with the audience. Hey guys, I'm Victor Migalchan.

And I'm Sergey Ivannikov, and we're glad to have you on our podcast. Victor, what a great product, California Life. We're living with you in the most beautiful state of the United States, California. People from all around the world trying to get here, and we're here already.

We are blessed, and indeed it's the most beautiful place, I would say, in the world. And thank you for inviting me, and I'm delighted to partner up, join our

efforts

and talents, powers, and create this platform to unite different communities all around California. And I do believe we'll unite them more all around the states.

I'm so excited. We just started basically one month ago this project, and we already have 20 Podcast with different audience that speaking in Russian, English, Chinese, Hispanic. What else we did?

Romanian.

Romanian languages. So wow! And thank you for your talents. I didn't know that you speak seven languages.

Yeah, I try. I mean, it's California, and we're all you know so different but so alike. And I'm happy that we can all connect together. And I believe this. Media platform will be another stage of development. When I attended your event, which was amazing—

International Kids Festival?

Yes, International Kids Festival, and then we had the Best Awards Ceremony. Yes, and then we had a beauty pageant. You brought together everyone. It was a festival of unity, of love, of peace, and This is how you show that unity makes us all strong instead of dividing.

Yeah, I just figured out when myself came to United States and I was trying to build success in 4 walls, in my family, in my business. But there is always second stage of success when people getting successful in their business, families, and their relationship with people, and also they would like to invest in community. They would like to produce something. So those events actually, it's our investment in community when we would like to introduce different people, different religions, different ethnic backgrounds. We would like to showcase their talents on the stage and we would like to provide them awards for being great in community and for their achievement in businesses and nonprofit success.

Definitely. This makes me recall when I met Danny Trejo, the one and only. You love him. We love.

What a character.

Yeah, and an amazing person. He shared with me that success is in giving; it's not just in receiving. And it's like planting that seed which grows. It's investing and it's happiness. And when I when I learned your story, I was. I was fascinated. You've done so much. This International Kids Festival, it was the 19th. You've been running it almost 2 decades.

Next year we will celebrate 20. So, let's make together something special for our community.

Definitely, we will. This podcast will be another perk to the festival. Sergey, how did you start?

I started as a digital print shop. If you're talking about this particular company, and since I had a lot of information about small companies, small businesses in our community, we created our first community directory and then newspaper and then magazine, Russian Time magazine. By the end of the day, I figured out it doesn't matter how much advertisement you provide for people. By the end of the day, people would like to meet other people. They would like to see their eyes, they would like to have handshake, they would like to see their smiles and feel atmosphere and attitude. They would like to feel people, not just to talk to them, not just receive client. And money, it's just an instrument, it's like tools.

Yeah.

That they can use. So, that was my idea when I moved to next stage of my business, not just to provide marketing and advertising products, but introduce different communities to each other. And those events help. Very well in this mission.

Definitely. Which was your first event?

First event was our best award ceremony, and we create first event as a customer appreciation. So when we started our business, I would wanted to appreciate my customers, and we create very simple event for first my 50 customers. We did big pilaf, shish kebab. And just I met personally with clients and say thank you for doing business with us. And then it's actually transformed to business award ceremony. Obviously not right away, but in years.

Definitely. And you proved that the way to a person's heart is through the stomach. You had a lot of tasty food and everyone was happy.

I'm from Uzbekistan, you know.

Yeah.

And that's how people meet other people. Before we will talk about business, let's eat. Let's drink tea, eat pilaf, shish kebab, and all this Asian food.

Definitely. Do you believe that we shouldn't make any important decisions on empty stomach?

I think it's very difficult and you can be wrong.

So, you've had your best awards, the first best awards, and you've been running it for how long?

More than 20 years already.

More than 20 years, more than 2 decades, wow. How did you see its development? How did you see people prepping for it, participating in it, their emotions, their—

You're talking about clientele or our team?

Yeah, about those who are receiving awards.

Receiving awards. So, first of all, we created a great platform, it's rm.vote, that allows anybody, it doesn't matter you have business or not, to participate in voting contest. So, people can choose companies and experts they have personal connection with and put some marks, basically vote for them. And then our team selects from all these votes best candidates for our award ceremony. During the year we award 200 businesses in our community. 10 of them receive awards on the stage. 50 businesses receive awards on the special VIP reception 1 hour before event, and rest of them we deliver in their businesses, or they can come to our office and receive these special awards. Most of the time, people, when they paying money for services or products, they thinking it's the best appreciation for what a business has done for them, but I think it's a wrong statement. I believe that special thank you Always much better. I don't say we don't need money, obviously. We're living in the world when we have to spend money, make money. But I think there is a lot, a lot more people expecting for their services, especially if they're doing great job.

Definitely. Um, last year the event was very successful. What are your plans for the Best Awards 2023?

So we're doing similar program. Several changes will be done in 2023. First of all, we have brand new hall in downtown Sacramento that fits more than 700 people. So it's going to be almost double. And the problem— reason, actually, not problem. It's a good problem, right, to have more people. Yeah. But reason for this, every year when we prepare this event, first of all, tickets sold out without advertisement and before actually we start to promote tickets. So basically it's a— a lot of people know about this event and then trying to buy tables instead of tickets, so we don't have time for tickets and we don't have opportunity for tickets. So this year we invite not only sponsors but also people who would like just attend this event and be part of this celebration. So second, we invited several legislative members of state capital, congresswomen, congressmen. We invite senators, assembly members, and mayors of our city to join this celebration. And last thing, if you're talking about VIP invites, it's Small Business Administration. This year joined us and they would like to provide special awards to small businesses of the year. And we very appreciate that they joined our celebration.

Definitely, I look forward to meeting these great people. And as a small business owner, I would love to meet Small Business Administration representatives. Yeah, I've heard a lot amazing people. They do their best for improving business environment in California. Sergey, you've been doing so much. You had Yellow Pages.

We changed name to. Community directory, because Yellow Pages, it's like a spam account already. So obviously it has physical printed version and online version.

So you had this directory, then you had a newspaper, you have a magazine, you have a few magazines, I think. You've done so much in media, in community service, you are on board of multiple organizations. Why did you want to start this podcast? You're busy.

First of all, I always open doors for talented people like you. When I meet new people, I always looking and listening what they say and looking in their eyes. There is 2 category of people. Some people just dreamers, and probably 99% of people like this I met in my life. And second people doers. category people like you are, Victor. It's very small, but when I see these people, I have like an energy, you know, and I have—

Inspiration.

Inspirational, you know, to be part of their dream, to create something new. And plus, every person, I think, would like to do something else, not just a routine, day-to-day routine. But create something else. Every human would like to be creative in their lives. So this podcast actually brought a lot of new contacts, and I appreciate it for what we're doing with you. And plus, you have a lot of talents that actually my idea to promote to our community, because I always looking for leadership and for role models in our community and other communities. We already did with you a lot of interviews. and promote the role leader. Yeah, for sure. So, also I will be very interested to tell your story to our community, to all international community, because your story is very unusual. You, first of all, talented person, very dedicated, you know what you're doing and you have a lot of talents. You're like a combination of multiple talents in one person and I first time meet person like you are. So, plus Let's say about your movie industry. You're talking about 7 projects that running already, right?

Yeah, we filmed 3 pilots, 4 shows, and 2 feature films. Yeah,

yeah. My American Family already on Amazon Prime?

Yeah, My American Family is already released. It was released in the States, in the United Kingdom, in Brazil. Now we also negotiate with European Union, Russia, Argentina, China is on hold. Then we have a lot of programs for educational purposes developed for kids, talent shows, cooking show,

your academy.

Yeah, Life Academy. And for right now, whatever we do, we focus on education development and bringing different people, different cultures together. Just as you do, we just do it in film. You have events.

Perfect.

We have it on camera. And when we released My American Family in 2021, I think we were called the most diverse cast in Hollywood.

Wow.

We had, like, almost everyone. Of course, we couldn't combine all the cultures because that's a lot. But for season 1, we tried our best to keep quality and bring authentic cultures. bring them together, show how we can connect being different but being in California. Right.

And in our International Kids Festival, like you noticed, we had more than 20 international groups that performed on the stage. With your help, I would like to choose best groups for next year, for our 20th anniversary, that will be promoting their culture on the professional stage.

Yeah, I'm more than happy to help and What I loved, so many things, but the most important that I saw, people loved being at that event. They loved competing. They loved showing their talents. They loved communicating with people. What I see in South California, what I see in LA, it's a lot of people are not that active. They don't want to do much. They're just like, whatever. And at this event, everyone They were so active, they were so passionate, they were sharing their stories, they were jumping, running, showing dragon dance, lion dance, wushu. Then you had gymnastics, singing. You had this unique gentleman who plays 100—

17 instruments.

17 instruments.

Actually 18, because we played some cucumbers and tomatoes at the same event, so it's 118 already.

There you go. so many different organizations and companies coming and participating and sharing joy with people. I think you, you had like more than 10,000

people. Yes. And people showing up. 120 organizations that include government affairs.

Yeah.

Small businesses, big corporations, and nonprofits. And I love that nonprofits actually start to become team, you know, on this event because nonprofits have great resources, especially for new immigrants. And sometimes it's very difficult. I remember myself when I came to United States, I was looking for all resources, but I didn't know what door to open.

Yeah.

So in this event, actually resources coming to you. So you have to just go through, introduce yourself, handshake, get information, business card, plus giveaways and prizes. What is the best way for introduction?

That was a lot of fun. After running 19 Festivals. What is your idea for the 20th?

I think make it more effective for visitors of festival to think more about entertainment program. And like I said, I would like to create with you unique performance stage program. So maybe we can do a cast with you. And choose actually who for this next year celebration will be performed on the stage. Also, I would like to bring more resources that will be helpful for our immigration, for new immigrants from Ukraine, Russia, and other countries. I would like really to help these people to do to make first steps in America. I remember this time it was very difficult for me, and I don't want people go. Through same ways and making a lot of mistakes. Let's help them to go straight.

Definitely. Well, it's not easy, but it was so much fun.

It is, it is fun. That's our idea, you know.

Yeah,

create not just another meeting, not just another event, but create fun. And it was free fun for everybody. That's another thing, because we have a lot of events and not all of them free.

Yeah, a lot of— you had Ponies,

pony rides, you had jumping, yeah, body jumping,

yes, you had a little train,

yes, mini train was traveling around lake, yep,

yeah, you had so many different cuisines coming in,

educational organizations like Jessup University, yes, Bible colleges,

and then you had police officers,

you had firefighters, police, firefighters, Gospitals like UC Davis, Shriners. Library. Library, mobile library.

Mobile library, that was fun.

That was coming to you, that was unusual. And we had a unique fire truck from Shriners Hospital. You remember it? So like 1800, that's very unique. Everybody wanted to make photo.

Yeah, yeah, yeah, I remember that. We filmed it. Um, so Sergey, um, I'm like in this podcast, I'm responsible for technical I will definitely show up a little bit in front of camera as well, but who do we have lined up for our next episodes?

I think we will have several diversified audience because we're not focused only on one audience that we will choose. My idea is to introduce our community. When I say community, it's not only Russian-speaking, obviously, it's all community living in our region. California and above to regular business owners. I would like to hear their success stories, how they started, what they achieved, what's their next steps. I would like to introduce people to politicians because in this country we can vote, that's our rights, right? And we can choose who gonna be run our community and government, represent government in this country. And that's another thing I would like to introduce first. With actual politicians who already have seats or who's running for a seat. And nonprofit organizations like Apapa who actually educating with civic education, providing civic education to our community. How to vote, why, how to do it, how to organize it, why it's important. So a lot of stuff that basically we didn't learn in our countries. I would like to introduce to all educational resources. We have a lot of colleges, universities, and especially in California, we have tons of resources to get educated. We have free schools like Highland Charter School, you know, that can provide you free educational classes and career opportunity. You know, they can actually help you with employment, especially for new immigrants. It's a very important tool. I also would like to talk about recreation. and some crazy ideas. We have right now artificial intelligence.

Yeah.

That's a problem on top of all newspapers and magazines and online channels. This topic is very well discussed and we would like to have experts who can discuss, is it a help for our community or it's a problem in our community? Plus we have always social things like housing, employment, I mean finances, financial literacy. So, for 25 years in this business, probably best things what I achieved, I connected with great people, with great partners, with great leaders of this region, California region. And I would like to introduce all these friends to our community and we'll ask them to share their expertise on different topics.

Definitely. On your list I saw a very unique surgeon which you united with him to go to different countries and perform extremely difficult—

Timur Naseirov, yes. He's working in Stanford University and doing surgeries in our Sutter Hospital, local hospital. And this person, one of the 10 best surgeons in the United States, and he's doing unique surgery for kids who was just born and have some problem with heart. And recently Timur opened nonprofit Global Heart Care that allows him to travel around the world, especially he focused on Silk Way. Countries like Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, and not just provide free surgery for kids who cannot afford this, you know, procedure, but also to create departments that he will manage remotely and help them to continue these services with his knowledge, with his applications. He creates several applications And with his technique that already proved to be one of the best in the world.

Definitely. I also saw Mr. Cici.

Cici Yin, that's a great leader, that's my mentor.

Your friend.

My friend.

Let's share about this gentleman a little bit.

Cici Yin came to the United States. I would like Cici to talk about this, but we briefly just acknowledge that we will have Podcast with Mr. Ccn, my great mentor, and he educate me how to do business in America. And he actually first one who explain what is success in America mean. And I always repeat his words to other people when people coming to me and say, Sergey, I already successful person. Let's talk about me. Let's write story. Let's create magazine or. Something else. I say, can you tell me more? What is your success? How you success? And they say, you know, I already have million dollars business, I purchased my houses, I invest in different, you know, projects, I have, I don't know, Porsche, Lamborghini, and so on. So basically people focus on money and on their material things.

Yeah.

And that's their expression of success. And obviously it's just the beginning. And I tell them straight, oh, you just begin, you know, you're just on the way to success. And say, what do you mean? I already reached, right? So I said, uh, and that's again not my words but C.C. Yin words, uh, he said that success started when you're not receiving but actually start to invest to communities, start educate communities, start to to share tips and expertise to community. And that's what he's doing for 20 years. And his organization, APAPA, that I helped to develop and I invest always and I partner with them, created their offices all around United States. It's the largest nationwide nonprofit organization as an Asian Pacific Islander Public Affairs Association, short APAPA. And it's a great example for our community how we can not only receive stuff but actually invest in the life and success of our community.

Definitely. On your list I also saw Madame Heather from SBA.

SBA, yes.

How did you meet her? What is your relationship with SBA and how our listeners, our viewers can benefit from working with them?

Khazar is District Director of Northern California Small Business Administration. It's a government agency, United States Small Business Administration office. Headquarter is here in Sacramento. And the reason why I partnering, I can say have relationship with these people, with this head, of office because they provide multiple resources for any stage of the business. For example, if you would like to open business, that's a first door with very strategic information for opening business. If you already opened your business, you're looking for more finances, that's again same door. for your relationship with banks and financial institutions. If you would like to expand, if you have problem with your business, it's again same door. And I think it's a great opportunity to introduce through our California Life podcast Head of Small Business Administration and District Director Heather Lucey, and so she can straight talk to our community listeners. And explain what resources available today in Small Business Administration office.

Absolutely. In a couple of days, we are meeting a unique UFC fighter.

Yes.

Let's talk about this gentleman,

Slava Barshov. It's another my great friend. It looks like we just doing podcast with our friends.

Yeah. Well,

but we need behind the circle, right?

Exactly.

So we not only focus on our friends. We would like to invite. All people who unique, you know, who create some success, please contact us and we will provide on the bottom our information so people can apply for this podcast.

Sergey, after more than two decades in community service, you have so many friends. It's difficult to bring someone who is not a friend of yours.

But still, be open, be open for new stories, right?

Of course.

So I would like Slava Barshov. Coming back to this name, that's very interesting story. I actually very shocked was when I heard he when I first time heard his story. He's a person from what city? Volgograd.

Yeah.

He's from Volgograd, Russian city, and he was dreaming all his life about being UFC.

Fighter.

Fighter, yes, to have UFC contract with Dana White. And people around him said he's just crazy, it's impossible, it's America and you in Russia, how it's possible? But he never give up, you know, he was focused only on this goal, he was dreaming and his dream come true, you know. And last year he signed a contract with UFC, Dana White. And right now fighting on worldwide, best worldwide arena. So, story about Slava and his life, his success, his downs and ups, because that's our life, right? It's never go one direction. We will hear on our podcast.

I saw many other business people, doctors, lawyers, but also in the list I saw I saw a very unique student, Haley Pluggie.

Yes.

I do believe she is new in the circle.

She's new in the circle, but like I said, we always welcome new people who actually achieve goals. And when I see a new person with fire in their eyes, I would like to bring them and motivate other students, especially she's in Sac State, our local university. to showcase her success, to share, you know, her experience with other students so they can become successful.

Well, she's a, she's a leader in, in her school. She got an amazing scholarship. She's a leader in, uh, athletics. She's a professional athlete. She just won a competition.

Yes.

She does motivate a lot of younger people and her fellow students especially. Young ladies, and from what I you know learned online, she holds very strong values. So it's it's another thing that's very important.

And also I want to not only talk about your achievement in sport, but also I would like to hear about your personal life, about your relationship with parents, about your attitude to our temporary world. About all this IT stuff, about all iPhones connections, you know, and all this social

media,

social media online, you know, because that's most of the time where our teenagers right now spending, right? So what is your response to this? What is your— how she see it?

Well, Sergey, I can't wait. I'm super happy to be here in our new studio. I look forward to meeting our guests, to hearing their stories, and that's why we have the slogan of the show. It's up

close and personal.

So guys, stay tuned, make sure that you subscribe to our channels. We are on podcast channels, Instagram,

Facebook,

YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify. Everywhere, and you're welcome to join this community, to learn from the best, and make sure that you also contribute. This is how you become successful.

And we hope to hear from you.