In the dynamic world of creative industries, few stories resonate as profoundly as that of Igor Sordokhonov, the inspiring co-founder of Media.Work. I had the chance to sit down with Igor and dive into his remarkable 6-year journey, revealing the secrets behind Media.Work’s' impressive success.
This story is more than just about achievements. It’s about the boundless energy and passion, genuine respect and love for people and the courage in facing challenges. And of course, it’s about this special artistic vision that makes Igor and Media.Work truly stand out in the industry.
Co-founder of Media.Work
Earned over 190 awards, including prestigious Cannes Lions and Clio Awards.
Creates high-profile projects for Nike, Chanel, Pinterest and other global brands
Anna: Igor, thank you for joining me today. I’ve heard so much about Media.Work and its impressive portfolio, featuring collaborations with globally renowned clients like Nike, Microsoft, Chanel, Pinterest and much more. It's no surprise that many professionals in the industry admire your success. Could you please start by sharing a bit about yourself and the journey that led to the creation of Media.Work?
Igor: Thank you for having me here. Well, I’m Igor Sordokhonov and along with my best friend Maxim Zhestkov, we founded Media.Work 6 years ago. I’ve known Maxim for over 20 years; he hails from Ulyanovsk, while I’m from Ulan Ude. Our paths diverged early on — Maxim embraced a creative, artistic route, while I ventured into Moscow’s bustling advertising scene, exploring short films, feature films, VFX, animation. I really tried my hand at everything.
At a pivotal moment in our lives, we reconnected and started discussing the idea of creating something of our own. We envisioned a dream place - an amazing space where we could collaborate, enjoy life, create and express ourselves - at that time in Moscow such a place simply didn’t exist. So, we literally took a piece of paper and sketched our vision, focusing on the essence of what we wanted to create. Fast forward 6 years, Media.Work now is that dream space. And what began with just the 2 of us has now blossomed into a vibrant team of 18 passionate and talented individuals.
Anna: That sounds like a happy tail! You say you wanted to create and actually created a dream space. What is that dream?
Igor: That’s a good question as everyone has their own interpretation of what a dream looks like, and it’s challenging to find common ground. However, Maxim and I are best friends and we share broad perspectives on what constitutes goodness, creativity and growth. In the traditional advertising world, there’s often a mentality that working for clients means enduring stress and toughing it out — gritting your teeth to finish a project before finally being able to unwind and heal.
We believe there is a better way to engage with clients. While it might sound naive in hindsight, the dream space is a place where you arrive in the morning with enthusiasm and leave each day feeling inspired to return.
Max has a captivating allegory about birds that I believe may stem from a japanese parable. We enjoy sharing these tales, even if some are invented. The idea goes like this: To catch a bird, you could try to trap it with a net or create a system of traps to catch and contain it. However, a more meaningful approach is to cultivate a stunning garden, where the birds will naturally come to you. At its core, our mission is to create this beautiful environment — a garden where all the heavenly birds feel comfortable, cozy and inspired. It’s about fostering an atmosphere that attracts talent and creativity organically.
Anna: So, I assume the birds are both the clients and your team, right?
Igor: Absolutely. Clients come and go, but it’s the team that we spend the majority of our time with. Our colleagues are the ones who share Media.Work’s journey with us day in and day out.
Anna: So you have a team of 18 people, are they all based together or are you scattered around the world?
Igor: Before the pandemic, we firmly believed that working shoulder to shoulder was essential. The best ideas emerge when you can share the same space, simply connecting with one another in person. But lockdown forced us to adapt to remote work and since 2021 we’ve been using various tools for effective communication. Now we’re not physically together - the team is spread all over the world. Despite the physical distance, we strive to foster meaningful live interactions and apart from our daily communication, each year, we celebrate our studio's birthday together during the last week of August, taking a few days to bond as a team. For us, maintaining those personal connections is crucial.
Anna: This strong emphasis on valuing human resources and the team is indeed admirable and quite refreshing to hear.
Igor: People are our greatest asset and the environment we create is the glue that holds us together.
Anna: So cool! And how did you start working with global clients?
Igor: Since the beginning, we have always targeted the Western market, which is why 98% of our initial clients were American. This made our transition to the U.S. market a natural progression when we registered as a company in America, it was a logical step forward. Konstantin played a crucial role in this process.
Anna: How was the experience of opening a company?
Igor: Opening a company is no small feat, but Konstantin made the process significantly easier for us. He and his team were with us at every step, offering invaluable guidance and support throughout. Honestly, having you, ptc.tax, by our side felt like having a trusted partner in the trenches, and that made all the difference. I can’t help but thank Konstantin and the team for your dedication and for making our journey so much smoother.
Anna: Thank you, Igor! And what Pixel Tax Consulting’s services do you keep using on a daily basis to support your operations?
Igor: Well, we rely almost on the full suite of services offered by PTC - accounting, tax management, payroll, staff management and bank directorship — essentially everything related to our financial needs. Again, I can’t emphasize enough how grateful we are to Konstantin for making these processes efficient and invisible. As one of the co-founders, I appreciate being able to focus on strategic and creative tasks rather than getting bogged down by these essential yet time-consuming issues.
Anna: Thank you, Igor, and that’s definitely true. Delivering our work quickly and with high quality is one of our top priorities. So, if any of our readers are looking to open a company in the U.S. or need consulting or accounting services, feel free to book a free session with Konstantin.
Anna: If we speak a bit more about operating formally on the US market, what are some of the difficulties you encountered?
Igor: It’s hard to pinpoint specific difficulties, as challenges are an integral part of life, especially when you become an adult. It’s a shame there isn’t a subject in school called "Difficulties" — I think that would be helpful. When we moved to Turkey, we had to navigate a new country, adapt to different customs and learn new ways of working. It was certainly an adventure! However, working with clients remained fairly consistent since we were drawing on our prior experience with the U.S. market.
Anna: That’s great to hear! And you know, I’m really curious about how you manage your social media. From a professional point of view, I find it quite impressive. Your social media presence clearly plays a significant role in attracting clients. Was this something you developed gradually, or did you have a clear strategy in place from the start?
Igor: Well, we see social media as our advertisement; it’s our face, much like curation in an art gallery. We view ourselves as individuals deeply passionate about art. The artistic world is always present in our work and we strive to adhere to certain principles. In the art world, curation is crucial — it’s not only about what to showcase, but also about what to leave out.
In terms of our social media strategy, we carefully consider how our Instagram feed looks, how our projects appear on Behance and the overall design of our website. This is essentially our showcase. We don’t have a sales department or engage in promotional activities; our social media serves purely as our portfolio. You could say it functions as a gallery.
Anna: It’s an art gallery, indeed. It's fantastic that you have the opportunity to share your work so openly, especially given the strict guidelines and strong NDAs many clients impose in the industry. Having the freedom to showcase your creativity is a remarkable advantage.
Igor: This approach is one of the decisive factors in determining which projects we take on. Essentially, everything we work on finds its way into our feed. I can recall only a couple of projects that we cannot discuss or showcase; everything else we do is featured over time.
Anna: Is this a fundamental condition of cooperation with Media.Work or did it just happen naturally over time?
Igor: It happened organically. At one point, we gained a significant following, which attracted the interest of several brands. Many approached us to create joint posts, allowing our work to be showcased in both places. It’s a mutually beneficial arrangement.
Anna: By the way, it aligns perfectly with the garden and bird metaphor you mentioned earlier. The clients that come to you are exactly the ones you need for the growth and development of your garden.
Igor: Could be, hahah.
Anna: Great! Now, let’s shift to the more technical and operational aspects, especially since we’re doing business in the USA. How comfortable do you feel operating in this environment? Are there any obstacles you face, particularly regarding tax policies or accounting practices?
Igor: Honestly, that’s a question better directed at Konstantin. I’m not the one dealing with those obstacles or barriers.
Anna: So you don’t feel those challenges yourself?
Igor: Not really. Thanks to Konstantin, he manages all of that behind the scenes, allowing us to focus on improving our work and creativity.
Anna: Well, and then the last, traditional question I have: If an entrepreneur from the creative industry were to ask you for advice on how to enter the U.S. market, what would you recommend?
Igor: I would say it boils down to this: do what you are passionate about and cannot help but pursue, and you’ll find others who want to be involved.
Anna: Igor, you truly exemplify this mindset, creating not to make a fortune; you’re driven by a genuine idea and that’s incredibly inspiring! Thanks a lot for sharing your journey with us and we look forward to the amazing new ventures you and the Media.Work team will take on!
Igor: Thank you, it was a pleasure.
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If you’re inspired by Igor’s journey and are considering starting your own business in the USA, relocating an existing one or simply seeking professional consulting services in the american market, book a free consultation session with Konstantin. Together, you can explore your options and evaluate the possibilities for your venture.
