Real experience: participants of the "SVOy business" educational intensive visited small and medium-sized enterprises in Nizhny Novgorod.

      "Your Business" is implemented within the framework of the party project "Entrepreneurship"

      An educational intensive for SVO participants and their family members is taking place in Nizhny Novgorod. Participants gain comprehensive knowledge in entrepreneurship, including financial and legal aspects, as well as business management theory. The program includes several modules. Format of classes: lectures, face-to-face seminars, trainings, and business visits to regional enterprises.

      "Today was an important stage of the program — live immersion in the business environment. We saw how the participants literally ignite with new ideas. This is exactly the moment when you stop being afraid and start acting. Real practice provides more than any textbook. Supporting entrepreneurs is an investment in the development of the regional economy and strengthening human capital. Our participants are strong and decisive, and we are confident that new enterprises created by them will soon appear in the Nizhny Novgorod region," noted Olga Nikitina, regional coordinator of the federal party project "Entrepreneurship."

      The "Your Business" project is conducted at the initiative of the United Russia party in partnership with "Support of Russia" and the SME Corporation. The five-day "Your Business" intensive started on July 21, 2025. Classes are held at the Headquarters for Public Support. 24 residents of Nizhny Novgorod are participating in the training. Each came with an idea for their own business. Over five days, participants will go from business plan to project launch.

      "Today, it's important not just to talk about supporting SVO participants, but to create clear pathways for their inclusion in the region's economic life. The 'Your Business' program emphasizes the most valuable — the personal qualities of the participants: resilience, responsibility, readiness to solve practical tasks. Equally important are mentors — those who have already walked the entrepreneurial path and are ready to share their experience without unnecessary theory. From my side, as the chairman of the Commission on Economics, Industry, and Entrepreneurship, I can say: the City Duma systematically works to ensure these initiatives receive concrete support — from legal solutions to infrastructural possibilities," said Sergey Plyaskin, regional coordinator of the "Choose Your Way" party project, and Deputy of the Nizhny Novgorod City Duma.

      An important feature of the federal project "Your Business" is its intensive practical component. The program primarily involves meeting Nizhny Novgorod entrepreneurs and excursions to small and medium-sized enterprises.

      "Participants not only receive theoretical knowledge about entrepreneurship. The program also includes mentoring by active entrepreneurs and visits to small companies where answers can be obtained directly from owners. Another part of the intensive covers tools of state support that can be used for both start-up and development of their own business," said Alexander Isayevich, CEO of the SME Corporation.

      The third day of the educational intensive was entirely dedicated to familiarization with Nizhny Novgorod enterprises.

      "Business visits are a practical part of the course that helps participants immerse themselves in business processes in detail. The companies we visited today are very open and willing to be mentors for the program participants. All attendees were engaged, asked many questions about business, and received competent answers. It’s very valuable that there was live communication and constructive dialogue with practitioners. Moreover, the Nizhny Novgorod branch of Support of Russia is ready to provide consultations and additional visits for participants to enterprises in areas of interest," commented Svetlana Gilyarovskaya, secretary of the OS FPP "Entrepreneurship" of the United Russia party, deputy director of Support of Russia, and holder of the federal "Your Business" program.

      Participating in business visits were the Head Certification Center of the Upper Volga Region and the Komod furniture factory.

      "Today we visited our members' enterprises, which provided practical advice to the program participants. We visited a furniture manufacturing company that started with a small idea and last year became a leader in investments in the Nizhny Novgorod region. The second enterprise was the Head Certification Center, which specializes in welding production and defectoscopy. Both enterprises and other members of Support of Russia are ready to become mentors for the "Your Business" participants," said Irina Sadovnikova, chairwoman of the Nizhny Novgorod branch of Support of Russia.

      The first business visit of the day took place at the Welder Training Center — the Head Certification Center of the Upper Volga Region. The organization includes a production workshop, a quality control laboratory, and theoretical classrooms. The center is equipped with modern welding equipment and holds a license from the National Welding Control Agency (NAKS). The owners are father and son — Dmitry and Oleg Kuimov. The organization’s leaders noted that Nizhny Novgorod became the first region in the country to adopt a regional law on family entrepreneurship.

      "We are an independent organization within the NAKS welding certification system, with over 20 years of experience. Our enterprise provides professional training and certification for welders. In a special workshop, welders perform test welds, which are subsequently assessed for quality in the laboratory. The program participants showed interest in our work. Perhaps today’s meeting will lead to interesting collaborations with aspiring entrepreneurs in the future," explained Oleg Mikhailov, director of the Upper Volga Region Head Certification Center LLC.

      Great interest among the "Your Business" project participants was also raised by the Komod furniture factory. The owner, Evgeny Kuimov, is a father of many children. He shared that the business idea was inspired by his own children. A significant part of their products is furniture for schools and kindergartens. The factory provides comprehensive services: from manufacturing to assembly and installation. Municipal orders for kindergartens and educational institutions play an important role in the enterprise’s work. "Komod" also participated in collecting humanitarian aid for Syria, sending a batch of children's furniture.

      "I hope that the tour of our enterprise was useful for my colleagues. There were many interesting questions about production. We also explained the measures of state support we utilized. For example, thanks to the small business support program, we acquired new, modern, technological equipment," shared Evgeny Kuimov, owner of the Komod furniture factory.

      The participants of the "Your Business" program highly appreciated the business visits to Nizhny Novgorod small and medium-sized enterprises. They noted that immersion in the entrepreneurship community provides very strong energetic support.

      Participant of the educational intensive, mother of nine children, Karina Altbahi, decided to participate in the project to develop her existing business. She specializes in wellness and harmonizing techniques. One of Karina’s sons is a medic serving in SVO.

      "I am participating for the first time in such a large-scale educational program in entrepreneurship. Over a few days, I learned a lot about business and marketing. The excursions to enterprises impressed me especially. Being able to communicate with successful entrepreneurs and learn from their experience is very valuable. My desire to start my own business that will benefit society and serve our homeland only becomes stronger," shared Karina Altbahi.

      The goal of the "Your Business" project is to adapt SVO participants, veterans of combat actions, and their family members to civilian life, develop entrepreneurial skills, and unlock their potential to start their own business.

      Let’s note that supporting participants of the special military operation and their family members remains a priority for the party and a key point of the People's Program of "United Russia." This initiative underscores the party’s unwavering commitment to providing comprehensive assistance and support to those defending the interests of the country.