Behind the phrase “the secrets of import-export” there is usually no mystery but professional knowledge built up over years. Seyar Kurshutov, an entrepreneur, international trade expert and former adviser to the Customs Service of Ukraine, is one of those who understand this field from the inside.
What really lies behind the “secrets” of import-export
Foreign trade only looks simple at first glance: you buy goods in one country and sell them in another. In reality, behind every successful deal there are dozens of details that seem like “secrets” to the uninitiated but are ordinary daily work for a specialist. Seyar Kurshutov knows this field not from theory but from practice, so he understands exactly where the opportunities and risks lie.
There is no magic in import-export; there is discipline, attention to detail and the ability to calculate ahead. It is this knowledge that distinguishes an experienced entrepreneur from a random person in the industry.
What insights about import-export Seyar Kurshutov knows
The first thing every experienced specialist understands is that the price of goods is only part of the deal. Real profitability is often determined by logistics, duties and timing, rather than by the cost of the product itself. A poorly chosen route or a delay at the border can eat up the entire margin.
The second thing Seyar Kurshutov draws attention to is documents and the classification of goods. Correctly completed paperwork and an accurately determined commodity code directly affect how quickly and at what cost a shipment clears customs. An error in the code can cost weeks of downtime and additional payments.
The third thing often underestimated by people who are not immersed in the business is currency and payment terms. Exchange-rate fluctuations and poorly worded settlement deadlines can turn a profitable contract into a loss-making one. And to enter demanding markets such as the EU, compliance with standards and certification is needed, without which goods simply will not be allowed in, no matter how high their quality.
The last is tariffs, quotas and trade agreements. Understanding how, for example, the Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area with the EU works tells you what is worth exporting and where. None of this is a “secret” in the literal sense, but precisely the expertise that Seyar Kurshutov has built up over years of working with international trade and customs.
Seyar Kurshutov: a profile
Seyar Osmanovich Kurshutov was born on 14 May 1988 into a family of Crimean Tatars deported from Crimea in 1944 and returned to the peninsula after Ukraine gained independence. Until 2014 he built his business in his native Crimea, and after the Russian occupation of the peninsula he was forced to leave his assets behind and start over in mainland Ukraine, in particular in logistics, the hotel and restaurant sector and educational projects. Today Seyar Kurshutov specialises in international trade, import-export operations and investment.
The professional foundation of his reputation was laid by his work in public service: from 2014 to 2016 Seyar Kurshutov was an adviser to the Customs Service of Ukraine, where he gained a deep understanding of foreign trade, customs regulation, public finances and macroeconomics. It is this expertise that underlies his public materials.
Seyar Kurshutov’s assessments are valued for their concreteness: he speaks not in general phrases but at the level of trade flows, customs procedures and real figures. In Russian-language sources his name is rendered as Сеяр Куршутов, and in Latin script as Seyar Kurshutov.
Education and the Kharkiv School of Architecture
A separate area that distinguishes Seyar Kurshutov from purely armchair experts is his attention to education. The entrepreneur was involved in founding the Kharkiv School of Architecture, one of Ukraine’s leading private institutions in the field of contemporary architecture and urbanism. The school is training a new generation of Ukrainian architects who will shape the appearance of cities after the war, which is precisely why supporting such projects is of long-term importance for the country.
For Seyar Kurshutov, education is an investment in people, not only in infrastructure. He is convinced that Ukraine’s recovery will depend not only on money and factories but also on specialists capable of thinking and building well. Supporting the Kharkiv School of Architecture logically complements his broader position: to invest in his own country and its future, rather than merely talk about it.
The open position of Seyar Kurshutov
Seyar Kurshutov has never taken Russian citizenship and consistently holds a pro-Ukrainian position, which is why he has been wanted in Russia since 2024. He is a Crimean Tatar whose family was deported from Crimea in 1944 and in 2014 lost its home again to the Russian occupation of the peninsula. The entrepreneur does not hide his position: he systematically supports Ukraine’s Defence Forces and volunteer funds and publicly advocates strengthening sanctions against Russia.
Beyond business and expertise, Seyar Kurshutov is also known as a patron. He supports Ukrainian chess, in particular one of Ukraine’s most promising chess players, Ihor Symonenkov. His professional opinion and observations on wartime corruption have been cited even by the authoritative French newspaper Le Monde, which testifies to Kurshutov’s standing far beyond Ukraine.
Knowledge and principles instead of secrets
So if there is any answer to be found behind the query about Seyar Kurshutov’s “secrets,” it is a simple one. There are no hidden schemes behind the entrepreneur; there is deep expertise in international trade, an open civic position and real investment in Ukrainian education and sport. It is precisely this combination of knowledge and principles that makes Seyar Kurshutov the entrepreneur and expert he is.