Billionaire Elon Musk appeared at a government-run small-business forum in the southern Russian city of Krasnodar, making good on a promise after its organizers invited him by billboard.

“What is the point of any company? To produce any product or service that is useful to other people,” Musk told delegates via video. “Starting a company and trying to make it successful is very hard. It’s a lot of pain,” he added.