In business, the most valuable currency isn’t revenue or market share. It’s information—raw, unfiltered, strategically critical information that rarely sits on the surface. Every CEO knows how to polish the story for investors. Every owner knows how to shape the narrative for the media. But the truth—messy, uncomfortable, and often inconvenient—lives where few dare to look.
At Front Invest, we call this the “Lunch Worth Millions.”
Not with the board.
Not with the CEO.
But with the Chief Accountant.
Seeing Beyond the Facade
When a company engages us—whether for valuation, strategic restructuring, or investor readiness—we never start with the pitch decks or public relations materials. We start by looking behind the scenes, where the real data lives.
“Give me one hour with your Chief Accountant, and I’ll tell you more about your business than your entire board knows.”
It’s a rule we’ve proven time and again in dozens of transactions and transformations. Because the Chief Accountant holds the keys to everything—overdue payments, expiring contracts, liquidity risks, maxed-out credit lines, and unpaid salaries waiting just around the corner.
Intuition vs. Data
Many founders run their companies on gut feeling. Strategy is often built on experience, charisma, and negotiation skills. But markets don’t reward intuition—they reward facts.
That’s where we come in. Our team at Front Invest follows a methodology that starts not with ambition, but with reality.
And reality lives in the numbers.
In Bulgaria, however, there’s an unspoken truth: official financial reports are often “polished” to meet expectations. Everyone in the industry knows about the “black book”—the hidden file or handwritten notebook kept securely under the table, known only to the owner and the accountant. This is where the real numbers live. The untold story that rarely sees the light of day.
The Hidden Financial Risks Few Will Admit
And let’s be clear—company performance is rarely isolated from personal financial baggage. It’s not uncommon to find business owners entangled in personal debts—overleveraged loans, private liabilities, luxury lifestyles, or “non-business-related commitments” that quietly drain company resources. These silent risks rarely make it into investor presentations, but they have a direct impact on the company’s financial health.
And if anyone knows the whole picture—it’s the accountant.
That’s why our process starts there. Because to unlock business potential, you must first confront reality—unfiltered, unvarnished, and undeniable.
True Due Diligence Starts Here
Before the board meetings, before the investor roadshows, before the big strategy sessions—we dig into the numbers. Not the numbers you show the world, but the numbers you keep for yourself.
And we know how to read between the lines.
That’s what makes us different.
About the Author
Nikolay Slavkov is Managing Partner at Front Invest, a boutique consultancy specializing in strategic business analysis, financial diagnostics, and corporate transformation. With over 15 years of experience, Nikolay and his team help founders and investors make decisions based on facts—not assumptions. Front Invest is the trusted partner for companies ready to see their business as it really is—and as it could be.
If you believe it’s time for a reality check on your company’s true financial health, the Front Invest team is just one confidential conversation away.