Freedom, Focus, and the Frontline: The Unfiltered Drive of Evgenii Tiapkin

“We’ve built a culture where people care deeply.”

There’s something magnetic about the way Evgenii speaks about his team. Not in abstract terms. In names, faces, years spent building something that lasts.

“We just celebrated our 10th anniversary in Cyprus. I asked the team organizing the celebration to write down every single person who’s been with us since the start, so we could recognize and congratulate them all. I could’ve named them myself, but I didn’t want anyone to be missed. Recognition matters.”

He describes Freedom as a team sport. Like sailing. Like cycling. “No one here works ‘for the idea’ alone. We recognize contributions. But what really makes the difference is that people feel ownership. Most of us are shareholders. We’re building something we believe in, and something that belongs to us.”

“Anyone here who wants to grow — personally or professionally — will find the support. Whether that’s renovating a padel court behind our office, helping a colleague run a marathon, or encouraging someone to take on a new role. We don’t let achievements go unnoticed. Our reporting culture is designed to make sure every step forward is acknowledged.”

“I don’t believe in separating work and life.”

This is where the conversation turns. Most executives talk about work-life balance. Tiapkin doesn’t see it that way.

“I live my work as part of my life. It’s not a 9-to-5 followed by something else. It’s all one rhythm. That’s balance to me.”

That rhythm includes racing sailboats, fishing (when there’s time), raising three daughters with his wife, and trying to gather the whole extended family for a monthly lunch at a local taverna. “Sometimes I feel like I have to book time with my own children,” he jokes.

Even weekends aren’t sacred. “I don’t remember the last full weekend I took off. There’s always something — an event, a race, a business trip. But it’s never burnout. When you’re aligned with your purpose, it fuels you.”

“Sport gives me clarity.”

Before sailing, his previous serious athletic pursuit was mountaineering — he’s climbed Elbrus and Mont Blanc. These days, it’s regattas, the occasional football match, a bit of gym work. “I don’t train like a pro. But I stay active. Even rest, for me, is in movement. That’s how I prefer it. You’ll never find me lying on the sofa… well, maybe only if I’m sick,” he laughs.

He believes sport provides something work can’t – reset. “When you’re on the water, you’re not thinking about client reports. When you’re on the pitch, you’re not thinking about regulations. It clears your mind.”

And like work, it humbles you. “We don’t lose often in the office, but at sea, sometimes it happens. Sometimes we don’t hit our goals. And that’s a great experience on its own. It grounds you.”

“I hate losing. I take it hard. If I lose (which doesn’t happen often), I can walk around visibly upset for two days, sometimes two weeks. But then I analyze, course-correct, and set a new target. In sailing, we say you have to redeem yourself in the next race — and that’s what drives me.”

“Freedom is balance.”

When asked what freedom means to him, Evgenii pauses for a long time. Then, calmly:

“Freedom is balance. But not the kind people usually mean. It’s waking up and doing something that matters to you. Whether that’s a 12-hour workday or a race in the sun — it’s your choice.”

“And freedom isn’t something you win once and keep forever. You have to protect it. Stay in motion. The moment you stop — you lose it.”