Maxim Spiridonov: A CEO's View of Marketing and Product Development

In a new episode of the Mousetrap podcast, Maxim Spiridonov—serial entrepreneur and co-founder of Foxford and other ventures—joins us to talk about business.

Mousetrap is a podcast about marketing and selling even what may seem impossible to sell. Hosts Ekaterina Rusakova and Sergey Pruss talk with leading experts about effective, creative marketing.

In the ninth episode, Maxim shares his approach to launching brands, strategy, business development and marketing. He also discusses his past experience and newer projects, Insight Estate and Mooz, which are changing how their industries work.

Listen to the full podcast on your preferred platform:
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Maxim Spiridonov explains an approach to business where luck is supported by strategy. At its core is vision: the ability to anticipate trends and shape a direction for the future.

A strategy starts with a deep understanding of the market, identifying gaps—such as a shortage of digital talent—and building business models to address them. Maxim and his partners did this in 2011, when they recognised the potential of online education.

Drawing on past projects, Maxim explains when a founder can start handing brand management to a chief marketing officer. He compares it with raising children: parents need to be closely involved early on, then gradually step back as their children grow.

As a company matures, the founder’s role changes. They become an adviser who still shapes strategy but hands day-to-day management to senior leaders. This allows the business to grow while retaining its core values.

The guest explains how he creates strategies that can change markets. It begins with a vision: what you want to work on and which opportunities you see. After launch and the initial systems are in place, analyse what to improve, transform or change.

He describes how online education became a major shift in 2011 and helped create a new industry.

That change continues today. Insight Estate is rethinking real estate with new solutions, while Mooz is reimagining online music education—an alternative to general-purpose platforms such as Zoom that may not meet the technical needs of music teaching.

The key takeaway: A strong strategy begins with a vision, backed by analysis and the willingness to act and make a difference.

The podcast guest builds his business around purpose, not just profit. Mission and values come first; they then help attract a team and customers.

More people are looking for purpose, and more businesses are offering it. This is a broad trend.

Maxim shares how he communicates a company’s values and mission to the team.

Maxim explains how he communicates values and mission to his team. He compares it with raising a child: building healthy habits takes time and patience, reinforced day after day—even when there is resistance or doubt.

The key is authenticity. If a leader believes in what they communicate, the team may come to share those ideas as their own. Over time, values become part of the company culture and the team carries them forward.

Maxim Spiridonov shares advice for entrepreneurs in a fast-changing, technology-driven world. He proposes a “three perspectives” framework for building a successful business:

1. Market — a large, growing and changing market with an open window of opportunity;
2. Expertise — the ability to create a competitive product;
3. Passion — genuine interest and a personal mission that inspires and motivates.

He emphasises that businesses emerge where these three elements meet. For example, his projects were built around a mission to help people learn, which became a driver for both the team and the product.

This episode offers inspiration and practical advice from an entrepreneur building companies that reshape markets. Learn how to turn ideas into strategy, motivate a team and grow through challenging times.

The episode also explores:

• How views on business and its tools have changed in the digital renaissance.
• Why a manifesto is more than words: it can be the foundation of a strong strategy.
• How a CEO’s vision and purpose can spread across the whole company.
• How to identify promising markets and build products during periods of change.

Listen to the full podcast on your preferred platform:
Apple Podcasts
Mave