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I’m not your ordinary Big Four consultant
and that’s the point.
I built my career in the trenches: bootstrapped, moved across continents, and got my hands dirty solving the problems founders never put in pitch decks—missed payroll, board fire drills, churn spikes, and pivots that hit overnight.
Hi, I’m Mariya.
Born in Bulgaria. Moved to the US at 19 with $300, a suitcase, broken English, and a knack for jumping in before I had it all figured out.
Startups found me in 2015, and I've been up to my elbows ever since—shoulder to shoulder with founders through cofounder breakups, down rounds, layoffs, tough boards, pivots, exits, and those “wait, did we just run out of cash?” moments. The kind nobody posts on LinkedIn, but every founder lives through.
BOTTOM LINE:
That’s why I started FounderFirst. I love helping founders build companies they're proud to own—the kind your friends want to join, your team brags about, and even your mom finally understands.
What I Actually Do
Get your numbers straight so you’re never guessing in front of investors or your team
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Guide you through real inflection points: fundraising, pivots, exits, and growth stalls
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Coach and challenge you so even the riskiest calls still feel like your decisions
Who I Work With
B2B SaaS ($2M–$20M ARR)
B2B service firms/agencies ($500K+ ARR)
Leaders and teams ready for a business (and story) they truly believe in
Who I (Usually) Don't Work With
Pre-revenue companies
$50M+ ARR businesses
Pure ecom, hardware, or enterprise-long cycle sales
Bonus Points
Smith + Harvard grad: survived blizzards, sharp elbows, and mediocre coffee.
Can spot a proper NYC bagel from across the street.
Always says yes to gelato, mountain trails, and a good bookshop.
Still rooting for underdogs, especially those who build on their own terms.
If you’re nodding at any of this, we’ll probably get along.
Beliefs I Won’t Compromise
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1
You can’t scale without knowing your numbers.
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2
You can’t scale what your leadership can’t hold.
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3
You can’t scale what you haven’t clearly defined.
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Credentials
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Trusted by founders backed by
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