The definition of success isn’t only about the magnitude of achievements that one has accomplished. What makes it more worthwhile is not allowing failures to drag everything down. A man who braved the challenges of the business industry is Michael Vostok, a serial entrepreneur and founder of BTP Media Corp., among other successful brands under his belt. His media company has gained over 20,000 followers on Facebook within a short time span. The acronym BTP stands for Buharskie Toje Plachut which became the brainchild of Michael’s brand. All members are vetted and it is exclusive to Bucharian members only. The groundbreaking and prolific platform has helped thousands of men and women find their voice, gain exposure of different types of businesses and keep up to date with the latest news in the community. The years of experience brought made him a branding guru, heavily sought by aspiring entrepreneurs. He is represented by ZavoMedia Group based out of NYC. ZavoMedia strongly believes and stands behind Michael’s entrepreneurial success.
With five businesses spanned across various industries such as entertainment, finance, telecom, retail, and wholesale, it is no wonder that Michael charms the audience with his flair and wisdom. He jokingly dubbed himself as an unofficial social worker because people consult him with their business problems. To this day, Michael continues to chase his passion and follow his inner voice as a multitalented businessman and mentor. In this interview, we’ll discover how he conquered failures and used them as the springboard to reaching his summit.
NY Weekly: It’s great to have you here. Handling and juggling multiple businesses must be a difficult feat to accomplish. Any advice on the best timing for scaling?
There is never a best time nor the worst time to scale. It’s always up to how ready you are and how equipped your business is. Before you do something, make sure you have a contingency plan. If you don’t have a backup, you don’t have anything to fall back on. I always have ideas brewing in my head 24/7. Sometimes, I’d wake up at night to write them down. But before acting on these ideas, I brainstorm with my teams and discuss the possibilities – both good and bad. It’s always better to prepare for anything that might happen. Many think that my success was accidental. No, there was no accident. It’s all about planning. I have a vision, and I work towards it.
NY Weekly: Failure is inevitable in business. How do you encourage those who are afraid of taking the next step because of failure?
Failure is a learning process for everyone. It’s normal to encounter failures along the way. The most important thing is to learn from every failure and never repeat your mistake. When you repeat a mistake, that’s the true failure. Learn and move on from every downfall. I’ve had more failures than successes. However, those failures did not overshadow my accomplishments.
NY Weekly: What was the most valuable piece of advice from someone in your niche?
Delegation. I’ve spoken to a wise woman few years ago, and she told me one thing: learn how to delegate. If you master the art of delegation, everything you want to acquire will come to fruition. I did listen to her, and I started working on it – and it did work. People told me the same thing earlier, but it never got to me. But this time, it struck a chord. I’m able to multiply my scope because of proper delegation. I want to personally thank, Liana Zavo for teaching me a valuable lesson in life. Find the right people you can trust, and they’ll take care of the rest.
NY Weekly: You’ve recently had the most challenging and perhaps the scariest phase in your life. Tell us more.
I’ve contracted Covid-19 earlier this year. I only had mild symptoms at first, but ten days later, it became worse. I couldn’t walk nor move anymore. I lost my senses of smell and taste, and I couldn’t eat properly – I threw up anything I ate. At that time, hospitals were already at capacity. I’ve reached the point where I had difficulty breathing and thought that was the end. But out of nowhere, I had a second wind. I call it the survival instinct, and it’s telling me to do everything I can to live. I started rocking my shoulders, moved any part of my body until I fell off the bed. It was the best thing I ever did. Fast forward, I recovered and became more appreciative of what life offers. It’s truly a miracle.
NY Weekly: Before we end this interview, what lesson do you want to impart to readers who aspire to follow in your footsteps?
Be curious and stay curious. Don’t be afraid to explore and experiment. It’s in those times of curiosity that you’ll get your aha moment. Once you do, you can achieve anything. And in doing so, those achievements leave an impression that people won’t forget.
In memory we live forever, for our legacy is timeless.
Achilles chose to leave behind a peaceful life in exchange for everlasting glory where books will remember his name forever. It is what inspired Michael to keep pushing forward and become the success that he is today.
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