Lev Kushner of Noble Orange Magazine: 5 Things You Should Do To Become a Thought Leader In Your Industry

An Interview With Dina Aletras

Master Your Competence: A true leader must demonstrate a deep understanding and mastery of your field. If you want people to listen, you better know what you’re talking about. This involves learning, staying updated, and staying on top of your game. I didn’t rest on my laurels with my automotive knowledge. I kept pushing. My expertise in the automotive and motor oil industries resulted from my initial knowledge as an engineer and later dedication to ongoing education and improvement as a businessman.

As part of our series about how to become known as a thought leader in your industry, I had the pleasure of interviewing Lev Kushner.

Lev Kushner is an accomplished serial entrepreneur with a proven record of business success in various industries and countries. With over 32 years in business, he has unmasked the mystery of transforming small businesses into large-scale operations. He is a passionate advocate for creating strong partnerships as the key to any business success. Today, he is persistent in sharing this knowledge with the younger generation of entrepreneurs, as even one mistake avoided may mean years ahead of the competition in the world of global business.

Thank you for taking the time to speak with us! Our readers are eager to learn more about you. Could you provide some background information about yourself?

My entrepreneurial journey started in the early 90th in the post-Soviet-Union developing market of Russia. When the Soviet Union collapsed, I was like many — an average mechanical engineer working for an automotive factory. Like many, I was allowed to venture into the unknown waters of the business world. I took the chance. Not many did. Trading a job’s stability for many costly risks of running a business can be taming. I started my first business as a co-partnership, investing everything I had in the only industry I knew well then — I started a shop selling car accessories. Since the market was not yet saturated, the business quickly began to make a profit. Developing the business further, the company began to produce and sell spare parts for cars throughout our region, later nationally. Over several years, the tiny accessories shop became a supermarket and a huge wholesale warehouse. With the arrival of foreign companies in the Russian market in the late 90s, my first company developed a new direction — motor oils. Soon, my business became a distributor for a global British-Dutch oil and gas company with exclusive distribution rights for the entire Volga Federal District, covering roughly 28.5 million people. Subsequently, developing solid foreign economic relations with the suppliers, my business began to supply motor oil additives to produce motor oils for an oil refinery in Kstovo city. Having excelled at the top of the automotive parts and motor oils market, in 2011 I expanded the business into the related field and developed a chain of Taxi Services. Having mastered importing motor oil additives and seeking diversification of my income, I started importing the highest quality French-made canned food of a world-known brand, which was soon sold in every grocery supermarket in the region and the entire country. My urge for diversification led me to develop commercial real estate and invest in residential real estate in Russia, Israel, and the U.S. Over decades of my business experience, I have seized the power of marketing, and from 2015, for the next eight years, I dedicated my efforts developing a marketing company specializing in the production of any types of plastic cards and magnets. Through the years, I have seen technologies and trends change, markets rise and collapse, and I recognized that the jewel of marketing is educational content that leads to intelligent business operations and increase of not only profits but also the morals and heritage of all business participants. That’s why, since 2022, I have been in another co-partnership, forming Noble Orange LLC, a Florida-based company, developing Noble Orange Magazine, and promoting the philosophy of advertisement via education.

What establishes you as an authority on thought leadership? Could you briefly share your expertise with our readers?

For me, being a thought leader means being not only an authority in the field but also a source of information and inspiration. Throughout my career, I have envisioned changes in my industry. I was the pioneer in introducing motor oil additives to the automotive industry of Russia; I have changed the standard of quality of taxi services, turning my taxi company into an exemplary service in the transportation of passengers. Today, I am advocating for marketing via educational content, while, unfortunately, many others use flashy clips and meaningless speeches to represent themselves to their customers. Being a disruptor and a game-changer for my industry has proven that I can serve as a visionary and inspire others. And business is always about people participating in it.

Can you recall a funny mistake you made when you were first starting out? What lesson did you learn from it?

I believe that there are no funny mistakes in business. All mistakes have consequences. And even if you can start over, the loss of time and opportunity may throw your business years behind your competition. My biggest mistakes at the beginning of my business journey were Doubt and Fear. The Fear that external factors, like politics, taxes, law, and regulations, would change and it would put me out of profit. Insecurities of finding a proper balance between owners’ draw of the profits and reinvestments of the same back in the business. I started my business when I already had a family to care for; I had to think twice. Doubts that, naturally, hampered the development of my business. Was it a mistake? I see it as a learning curve. With time, I learned that a true business leader must not be afraid of the unknown of tomorrow. You must dedicate yourself to work, believe in yourself and your business, inspire others and move your ideas forward.

What are the most significant disruptions you foresee in your industry over the next five years, and how can businesses adapt to these changes?

Every business should avoid rapidly raising meaninglessness in their brands’ perceptions, silly campaigns that follow short-lived trends, and the absence of humanity that disrupts communication between business and its customers. Building a meaningful connection with your customer is a timeless gift that will serve you years ahead and must be a non-negotiable goal for everyone dedicated to conquering the modern business world.

Can you explain the benefits of becoming a thought leader? Why is it valuable to invest time and resources into this?

It opens great opportunities for networking and partnerships, inevitably leading to business growth. Investing time and resources into leadership based on authority and inspiration results in trust and influence, which allow for transformative changes to your industry.

Can you share an example of a significant challenge you faced in your career and how you leveraged innovative thinking to overcome it?

One of the most difficult challenges I can think of was when my taxi company landed a big airport deal. It was an unthinkable success to win exclusive rights for transportation of passengers from the airport, all thanks to the exquisite quality my taxi company offered and its reputation. But how do we maintain this service quality with an enormous volume of orders? The carpool was not an issue, but maintaining the necessary pool of qualified and motivated drivers was a riddle. I came up with the outside-of-the-box idea — having learned that the drivers’ biggest concern was regulatory compliance and license issuance, I teamed up with a small local law firm, which developed a unique business product and support system for our drivers to cut through all the red tape for a licensing of every taxi driver. It was a game-changer. Since implementing this service for our drivers, we have had new staff on board constantly, and they were increasing way faster than ever before, so we were ready to keep up with the demands of any size without dropping the ball on quality.

Looking back, it was an unorthodox but thoughtful solution. I turned a significant pain point of our drivers into a chance to really grow my business. In business, it’s always good to think outside the box, you know?

Now that we have covered that, we’d love to hear your advice on becoming a thought leader. Can you share five strategies that someone should follow to gain recognition as a thought leader in their industry? Please include examples or stories from your own experience for each strategy.

1. Develop Strong Relationships: It’s all about who you know and can rely on. I have built my success on good relationships with business minds, industry experts, and competitors. In my experience, strong relationships can open doors to new opportunities and get you where you couldn’t even imagine. But, truthfully, you must make wise choices in your partnership. I established a relationship with a global British-Dutch oil and gas company early in my career. This relationship allowed my company to become their exclusive distributor and provided me with invaluable industry knowledge, credibility, and, consequentially, leadership. I run all my businesses as partnerships. Over the years, I mastered recognizing a good trait of businesspeople. It started intuitively, but now I can confidently state that I unmasked the algorithm for seeing a naturally talented businessperson. Today, I share this knowledge with the world through my book, “Beyond Ordinary Business: Do You Have What It Takes To Get There?”. I am convinced that because of my time and effort invested in human connections with people I did business with, I gained their trust and respect, increasing my standing in every industry I engaged myself.

2. Improve Your Adaptability: Adapting to changing circumstances and trends is critical to a successful business. The market’s constantly shifting, and you’re sunk if you’re not moving with it. When foreign companies started flooding the Russian market, I pivoted from car accessories to motor oils. No one else believed in it or knew how this new product would turn out. I took a considerable risk, but it put my business ahead of the pack.

3. Build Self-Confidence, But Avoid Overconfidence: When I jumped from engineer to entrepreneur, I had to believe in myself, you know? But here’s the thing — you cannot turn that confidence into arrogance. I always kept a learner’s mindset, approached each new venture humbly, and kept updated with modern technology. It’s a fine line. This balance helped me make intelligent decisions and avoid the consequences of decisions made out of overconfidence, which I have observed in business circles.

4. Practice Positive Thinking: A positive mindset can inspire those around you. It’s like a ripple effect — it spreads to your team, partners, everyone. I’ve had quite a few obstacles throughout my career, but thanks to thinking positively, I found solutions that others might have overlooked. For example, when faced with maintaining taxi service quality after winning an airport transportation tender, I focused on the potential solutions rather than the issues, which led to a fruitful partnership with a law firm to streamline driver licensing and hiring.

5. Master Your Competence: A true leader must demonstrate a deep understanding and mastery of your field. If you want people to listen, you better know what you’re talking about. This involves learning, staying updated, and staying on top of your game. I didn’t rest on my laurels with my automotive knowledge. I kept pushing. My expertise in the automotive and motor oil industries resulted from my initial knowledge as an engineer and later dedication to ongoing education and improvement as a businessman.

How do you foster a culture of innovation within your organization, and what practices have you found most effective in encouraging creative thinking among your team?

I have always been open to communication and idea sharing, especially now, in the age of new technologies. I appeal more and more to a younger generation to learn about new developments. Also, thanks to my analytical engineering mind, I can quickly identify those that are promising and those that are short-lived. Today, I am fascinated with the development of AI and its potential capability. I am very privileged, as today I look at AI with the eyes that saw the first computers of the size of a room being improved to a laptop fitting in a pocket. AI will change the way information is exchanged. For my Noble Orange Magazine, I have developed an award-winning AI-driven “Automated Article Draft Production System for Magazine, Social Media, Education and Advertisement,” which enables us to increase production while keeping human authorship in place significantly.

Who do you think is an outstanding example of a thought leader? What specific quality es impress you about this person?

Elon Musk. I am impressed by this fearless and true visionary leader.

How do you stay informed about the latest trends and developments in your field, and how do you incorporate this knowledge into your strategic planning?

I enjoy gaining fundamental knowledge from conferences, science journals, and business publications. But the real secret? It’s all about who you know and who is in your circle. I’ve built up this network of industry experts over the years. We’re constantly bouncing ideas off each other, sharing what we see in real life. It’s like having an additional pair of eyes and ears — never extra.

Some people feel that the term “thought leader” is overused and has lost its impact. What are your thoughts on this?

Overused or not, it’s about action and influence rather than just a title. A true thought leader inspires others to believe in what the company is advocating for. A true thought leader praises innovation and ensures that his or her work has a meaningful impact in the industry without fear or side voices getting him or her off the track to success.

How do you balance short-term business goals with long-term strategic vision, especially in a rapidly changing market?

When I was younger, short-term business goals were always in my mind first. However, with this experience, I have realized that long-term strategic vision is a gift of a naturally born entrepreneur. One can improve it, learn to have more trust, and listen to it, but it’s a quality one must be born with. I was lucky to be able to hear my visionary voice to foresee long-term strategic goals to come to fruition. I learned to set achievable milestones that went along with my broader strategic goals and vision, making sure my business stays focused while working on our short-term needs.

Can you share your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? How has it been relevant in your life?

My favorite quote is, “The only limit to our realization of tomorrow is our doubts of today,” attributed to Franklin D. Roosevelt, the 32nd President of the United States.

Many influential figures in business and entertainment follow this column. Is there someone you’d love to have lunch or breakfast with? They might notice if we tag them.

Undoubtedly, it’s Elon Musk; he is a legend. I am sure that my grandkids would be proud to talk to friends 50 years from now about their grandfather, who had the honor of having lunch with him.

How can our readers further follow your work online?

My email is hello@nobleorange.net

Our website is www.nobleornage.net

Thank you so much for your insights. This was very insightful and meaningful.

About the Interviewer: Dina Aletras boasts over 20 years of expertise in the corporate media industry. She possesses an in-depth understanding of growth, strategy, and leadership, having held significant roles at some of the UK’s largest media organizations. At Reach PLC, the UK’s largest tabloid publisher, she served in various director capacities. Additionally, she held leadership roles at The Independent Magazine Group and DMGT. Her extensive knowledge spans editorial, digital, revenue, sales, and advertising. Upon relocating to Switzerland, Dina took on the responsibility of managing and promoting the international section of Corriere del Ticino — CdT.ch pioneering the English page “onthespot.” She also was the Co-Editor of Southern Switzerland’s first official Italian and English bilingual magazine.