Our guest today is Diana Aladzhova, an experienced investment manager and partner at the first Bulgarian mezzanine fund Silverline Capital.

Shе is also the founder of the cloud-based provider of CFO services CFO Insights.

Diana has a background in banking and the private sector, with a focus on investment structuring, due diligence, financial analysis, and company valuation.

She holds a Master's degree in Finance and Private Equity from the London School of Economics and is a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA).

In this episode we follow her journey from finance, to private equity and entrepreneurship.

In her conversation with Irina, Diana Aladzhova talks about:

How her experience as an investor helped her found her own company focused on supporting startups and scaleups with financial expertise;
The importance of strategic financial management vs. “growth-at-all-costs” strategy;
How to build the right foundation for sustainable growth as a company;
Achieving balance between life and work is about building efficient work habits and self-awareness;

*This episode of The Recursive Podcast is released in partnership with the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development. As part of their mandate to support small and medium-sized businesses, The EBRD’s SME Finance and Development Team provides knowledge, network, and skills to help emerging businesses innovate, thrive, and succeed.

TIME STAMPS:


0:00 Trailer

03:13 Introduction

04:16 From LSE to Building Bulgaria's Private Equity Landscape

13:00 Learning Curve: First Experiences as Equity Investor

18:00 The Hedgehog Concept: Mastering the Art of Exponential Growth

25:40 How to Build A Sustainable Business Model: Lessons from an Investor Turned Founder

34:29 The Perils of Growth-at-All-Costs: A Financial Perspective

38:32 Building Strong Foundations: Resilience and Responsibility in Startup Culture

44:55 How to Scale a Service Business Efficiently: CFO Insights Long Term Vision

49:45 Creating Social Impact Through Business Logic: The Story of Box to Remember

54:55 Balancing Act: Juggling Work, Family, and Passion Projects

1:02:15 Balancing Vision and Action: Strategies for Long-Term Success

1:07:20 Overcoming Imposter Syndrome & Self-Doubt

1:14:31 Outro