Linear leader. Aigul Vafina

What’s the most difficult challenge for a businessman? Gathering a core team of independent and industrious employees. We need those corporate generals who can organize the whole front of operations, lead departments and command their people. Our company even has a position that’s called «front manager». I believe this is third most important person at the entertainment center (first two being CEO and operations director).

Front manager is responsible for the performance of instructors, employees at arcades, cash register and coat check, as well as other linear employees. These people are our «front», and they comprise the largest and one of the most important departments as they work «in the field» — directly with Guests.

The linear department of the FUN24 entertainment center is headed by Aigul Vafina. Aigul is a living example of a successful career built in our company. In 2014, she started working as a game buddy, probably most linear of all linear employees. Then she switched to arcade (amusements with prizes). And then she became head of the front department.

Aigul is resourceful, industrious and vigorous. She will readily take part in almost any project, as she generates a lot of ideas herself and gets pretty enthusiastic about others’ ideas. She’s often the one initiating processes, which is by far the most important quality of a team member. Aigul is basically a perfect employee.

How to build a soaring career in entertainment? What is a key to success? Well, no one could give better answers other than Aigul herself. So I offered my colleague, Anna Bessmertnaya, to ask our celebrity a couple of questions about working in FUN24.

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— FUN24 is an enormous complex with a fantastic variety of attractions and amusements. When you were a game buddy, what was your favorite location?

Bowling! They have a small but tight-knit team — instructors, technicians, bartenders and waiters. They have their own vibe, their own themes and jokes which only they share because other departments’ walkie-talkies are on different frequencies. And bowling itself is a fun and exciting game. When there are a lot of Guests, time just flies by.

I also loved working at the coat check — day shifts, night shifts, holiday shifts. This place doesn’t let you stop, you’re always on the move, and I like it!

There are attractions that seem boring at the start. For me, it was «Win the Prize». I was sure I would never be happy working there. I was thinking that way until first sales. Especially when Guests were reluctant to play at first but I convinced them. You can’t really describe what kind of atmosphere there was: money flowing, people smiling and winning, me congratulating them… The feeling that Guests are happy, that you are happy, that you make profits for your company and yourself. I was overwhelmed by all that.

After the first six months at «Win the Prize», I understood that there had to be a dynamic, and employees had to attract Guests with their voices, through speakers. We’d never done that before, so it was quite difficult to change the passive, waiting stance for the active, attracting stance. That idea was a success: revenues from «Win the Prize» doubled.

— Tell us what impressed you most during your years here? What do you love to tell others about? What affected you most, emotionally?

Foam party at the end of 2015. I was at the coat check with Karina Seyitguliyeva. Foam party is a big event, we served more than a thousand people in just two hours. We only recently introduced measures to make it smoother for Guests and easier for us: we open two coat checks and bring more employees. But back then, there was only one room and only two of us, not the tallest of girls. The thing is, we couldn’t reach upper racks.

So, more and more Guests were arriving, and soon came the hour of doom: lower racks were all taken. We desperately needed help, and Pavel was the first to aid us. He was tall enough to start hanging coats on upper racks. Then more of our guys joined; Karina and I were relieved.

When Pavel rushed to save us, it inspired us — we caught second wind and started working even faster. Pavel knew how important it was to serve Guests quickly, and it wasn’t hard for him to help. This was an example of the right approach to work, Guests and colleagues. «How cool!» I thought for the first time then.

I kept hanging and bringing coats with a strong feeling that FUN24 was our common cause. No matter what position you hold — every linear employee is incredibly important on the scale of the whole center.

— Your department has the most employees. What challenges does it pose, and how do you face them?

Yeah, it’s really big, about 60 front employees and 8 more at arcades. That’s a lot of people, each with their own temper and principles. But we all have a shared cause, so it is important that all of them feel equally needed.

I’m trying to encourage employees to help each other out, no matter who belongs to which department. If someone needs help, no one is allowed to think something like «that’s not my job, I’m not gonna do this." If new employees show this kind of approach, we immediately explain to them that in FUN24, everyone must be ready to come to aid if need be.

— What is FUN24 to you?

I’ve grown really attached to that place, it’s more than just a job for me. I would say it’s a crucial part of my life. This is the place where I love to be, to work, to have fun and celebrate holidays.

I can’t really imagine my life without FUN24. Every morning I feel the urge to grab a phone and check iiko to see how many Guests came, how much money they brought, to check how well the plan goes, and compare current readings with those for previous periods.

FUN24 is an overwhelming experience. It gave me self-confidence, opportunities for growth, communication and learning. There, I found new friends and met people who inspired me to acquire important qualities and skills, as well as the right attitude to work and people.

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So, the recipe of success seems to be to share common values, help out your colleagues, participate in various projects, suggest improvements and dare to take the lead.

By the way, after we had to close FUN24 for some time last summer, Aigul was one of the first employees to come back to work. She was the magnet that brought everyone together again. And while FUN24 was closed, she was among those who kept showing up, helping and inspiring us to do everything within our power to open the park as soon as possible.

People like Aigul are a precious asset for any company, and any company grows together with them. They believe in their cause, and they love it. I am more than certain that for Aigul, FUN24 is more than just a workplace; for her, it’s a place like home.