INTERVIEW WITH EKATERINA VISHNYAKOVA

We open a new rubric – Hookah Battle Anthology. And today we will talk to Ekaterina Vishnyakova. You should recognize her, because she is a golden legend of Hall of Fame.

– Katya, hi. Just a simple question to start with. Tell us who you are and where do you work now?

Ekaterina Vishnyakova – a regional trade marketing representative of Brusko brand, the largest company in the Hookah and Vape segment. My task with the help of the field team is to develop distribution and increase off-take on the territory defined to me.

– Cool, it’s interesting to know where the journey started then. Your first hookah, what was it?

Mia Mozza, with a ceramic bowl and carbopol.

– A classic starter. What’s your educational background? Do you work in a specialty?

Management organization in the hotel and restaurant industry. In general, my work is related to the organization of smooth, quality work of the team – so I can say that the knowledge comes in handy

– Indeed, what then attracted you to the industry so much that you decided to invest your professional skills \time?

In general, my working life started early, and before adulthood you can only get a job in a catering business. That’s where my journey and career started. All stations from waiter to manager were passed, and it became clear that I can earn money with it, and most importantly, I like to work with people. I was connected with hookahs indirectly, I packed for friends and helped masters at work to smoke them for guests. And when I changed the establishment, I was offered to try myself in it, arguing a higher rate per hour.

– What has the industry given you, what changes have happened in your life?

This is a difficult question for me. I spent my entire conscious life in the industry, and I guess I grew up in it not only as an employee, but also as a person.

I started out as a young girl who was interested in everything new, because nothing existed back then. It was important for me to prove something to someone, to measure my knowledge and so on. I worked a lot, almost never rested, never went anywhere and was nowhere. That’s how I earned my first apartment in St. Petersburg. That was the time of achievement and the hookah industry was a great tool for that.

Now I’ve become a person who doesn’t need to prove anything. I just live my life and enjoy it.

– How did your relatives feel about your choice of field and your long stay in the industry?

In the first few years, my parents did not accept my activities and thought that I would go to a regular job in an office or a bank. But when they began to see my financial achievements, all questions disappeared and were never raised again.

– What are your hobbies besides hookahs and why didn’t you connect your profession with it?

In fact, after the appearance of hookah in my life all hobbies went to the second plan. Only dancing remained, which was difficult to combine with work in the lounge. Yes, and teaching needs to be learned, and being a performer is not a very stable job, purely in my opinion. When I started, there were only a few girls in the industry, so I realized “that the niche is free” . And remember from the questions above, I liked to prove things.

– I agree, the logic here is clear! And what was the establishment where you got a job as a foreman?

The very first one was Botanica Lounge Bar in Anapa, a project where friends called me.

– What was memorable about working at Botanica Lounge Bar?

There I tried Tange for the first time in my life and they didn’t tell me what it was. The instructions were as follows: loosely throw tobacco in the RF killer and then on a foil on 4 coals to heat under a hood for about 5 minutes to smoke. Can you imagine the body’s reaction? I could barely carry the order to the guest.

– How long before you ended up at Inferno and why? Memories of Inferno?

I was invited to work for Inferno, Adameva and Insite. Like any small business in Russia, you go for one position, but you combine 20. But the experience I gained there is incomparable to anything else. Ambassador and training specialist, and event manager, and marketer, and product manager, and production director, and buyer. I can list for a long time .

– Interesting, that’s probably why you were invited to Brusko? Or did you decide to change jobs at some point?

When you take on the responsibilities of many people who should have been hired separately, sooner or later it leads to burnout. And that’s exactly what happened to me.

I was invited to Brusko for a position that was lower than my current one, and with a lower salary too. I was very scared to leave the place where I worked for 5 years and grew together with the team, which became almost a second family for me (I still think so). But I decided to take this step.

– You could call it a tragic choice! Tell us about interesting moments from your work in Brusko and Inferno.

Inferno: Teaming and events in Belarus is their industry and the guys are in it for good. in , my first Hcs and Jc development with the budgets we had. Procures of new flavors and how we won a Prunes for Asya Zakatova.

Brusko: I have 13 guys in my team with their own life, character, mood – every day we have some moment, but we are always in touch with each other and solve everything together. And any of our exhibitions is a charge of love for the brand.

– You mentioned trade shows, which means it’s time to ask this question. Your first battle, 2016 (what was the job?), how did you find out about Hookah Battle and why did you decide to participate?

I think you might be confused right now, so I’ll tell you in more detail. At the time I was working with Gipnoze Craft Tobacco, back when Spectrum didn’t exist yet and Satyr was sold in paper bags. We decided to make a name for ourselves at the show, and I registered for Hookah Battle.

I made my bong, baked it out of pastry dough in the oven, wrapping it all in food wrap, and stuffed my grandmother’s Gipnoze fritter flavor into the baked cupcake. I ended up taking first place!

The paradox of the situation is that the event was Vapehookah, and Hookah Battle was held separately for hookahs, where I won, and for vapes the guys with mechmods connected to the platform won. The two winners then had to go out and determine which one of us was better, the hookah or the vape. In the end, I won, as according to the jury, my bong was better and tastier than the vape.

And now, in 2025, I work in the largest company in the segment. Vape – Brusko!

– What motivated you to continue to participate for a long time?

Sporting interest, the desire to learn what I can and the desire to be the best at something.

– What project for participation in Hookah Battle are you proud of?

Sore subject. There was a project New Year’s table, which I worked on for 2 months. We took it to Moscow. We cooked it there for 4 hours, where 5 hookahs, made in hand-made dishes, were built in at the same time, and one of them was smoked not as it was planned (the draught was screwed up) Because of this, according to Oleg Knyaginin, I got the second place. But the first took a stock hookah, wrapped in tinsel, in general after this desire to try so hard and passed.

– Has your legend status and participation in Hookah Battle influenced your work?

It’s hard to say, but at least I’m taken to all the exhibitions, because someone else knows me in the industry. The company is big, there are a lot of people, so, of course, not everyone goes. and it’s very valuable for me to be hired for a booth.

– Why do you stay in the industry after all these years, what motivates you to work?

I wouldn’t say I’m in the industry. in general, my position and work can be in any FMCJ field, but the laws and rules of ours are closer to me. And such a close community of old guys and guys you see a few times a year at profile events year after year keeps you going a little bit.

– Top industry trends in your opinion.

Exclusive non-aromatics for the pro community and mixes/beats/shots for retail.

– What would you like to leave behind in the industry, the world?

I think I’m already remembered for sharing my experiences with my staff, in training or speaking engagements. To go from behind the counter to an office in the industry and grow and develop there, gaining skills and experience. For me, I have already done everything I wanted to do.

– And now a blitz poll:

Who of the newcomers of Hookah Battle is memorable and why?

Borja Kosmos, I’ve seen him for a long time, he tries very hard and sincerely cares about his performances!

Are you glad you got into the industry?

Yes

What advice do you have for those who are just about to enter the industry?

Less to show off and talk, more work and do

The most interesting battle

Hookah Battle Gypsy 2023 – JC Festival.

What Hookah Battle format have you been wanting to see for a long time?

Speed packing

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