My Paysafe: A week in the life of Aneliya Lapadzhova
In our latest look at what it is like to work at Paysafe we ask Aneliya Lapadzhova, Head of Accounting and Shared Services based in our office in Sofia, about her career and role on our D&I committee.
For you, is there a typical day or week at Paysafe?
Paysafe is a very dynamic company so I would not say that there was a standard day or week. But typically, I start work earlier on Monday when there is no one online. I review all the projects I am involved in, make the plan for the week, and decide what I want to get done. I am involved in multiple projects, including the implementation and enhancement of different finance system and standardising accounting processes. We recently started an automation and lean process engineering project in Accounts Payable, which I find particularly interesting. I’m expecting it to bring some significant benefits both for the company (by increasing efficiency) and the accountants (by removing some of the pain points they have).
What has surprised you about working at Paysafe?
It surprised me how people orientated the company is. All global companies say this is a priority, but Paysafe takes this concept to a different level. Seeing how much Paysafe invests in developing its employees and in employees’ wellbeing is inspiring and engaging. It also surprised me how fast the company has grown during my time at Paysafe.
What initially motivated you to join Paysafe?
I have been working at Paysafe for four and a half years. I joined because I liked the idea of establishing a centre of excellence for accounting. Most of my experience is in accounting shared service centres, implementation of ERP systems, process improvement, and automation. I am very passionate about all those things.
I also wanted to push myself by working in a new sector. By the time I joined Paysafe I had worked in production, retail, and service organisations, so joining a company in the fintech sector was very exciting.
You are a very active member of our Diversity and Inclusion (D&I) committee in Sofia. Why do you think D&I is important for companies and what initiatives have you been involved in so far?
Raising awareness of the unconscious biases we all have sometimes helps us understand and change the way we act. Those biases create barriers to inclusion, engagement, performance, and innovation. I joined the D&I committee because I want to help create an inclusive work environment where all differences are respected.
My D&I journey started a long time before joining the committee. Two years ago, I hired someone with autism, and initially it was a challenge both for me and the team. I am so grateful that the whole team supported me in this. In the beginning she only spoke to me, but as time went on she started having conversations with the rest of the team, started joining some team events, and started smiling. It was an eye-opening experience.
What do you think about diversity and inclusion at Paysafe?
I like that Diversity and Inclusion at Paysafe is not just a slogan without concrete substance; it is not just writing a few D&I policies. There are conscious efforts and actions taken at the executive level to build an inclusive working environment, and to engage all employees in the process.
Does Paysafe do a good job of communicating with its employees?
We have regular updates from executives through a number of channels: internal comms, all hands town halls or calls. During the COVID-19 pandemic we have been receiving a company update every Friday as well as a two-minute commercial update video from our Chief Operating Officer every month. Paysafe also conducts regular employee engagement surveys to monitor the wellbeing of employees, which helps the company understand what employees believe we are doing right and identify areas where we can improve.
How did you find having to work from home as opposed to working from the office? Would you explore this opportunity in the future if given the opportunity?
Of course we transitioned to working from home due to COVID-19, and that move has been seamless so my work has not been adversely affected by the change.
Working from home as a temporary solution has been a success for us, but personally I would not prefer to work from home permanently even if was offered by Paysafe. For me working from the office is more fulfilling, it helps me stay focused, it is easier to separate work from personal life, and I much prefer face-to-face communication. Collaboration is easier, faster and the team stays really connected. The home office policy we had in place before the pandemic worked perfectly for me.
Describe Paysafe in three words.
Innovative. Engaging. Inclusive.
What makes accounting fun?
Accounting is fun if it is your cup of tea. For sure there are aspects of accounting that are repetitive but there are ways of enhancing the fun: automation of routing processes, integration with different systems, continuous improvement of the processes, spending more time on analysis and activities that add value in driving the business success.
You should come to work at Paysafe, because…
...of the great culture the company has, the ambitious people you will work with, and the opportunities for growth you will receive.
About Aneliya
Aneliya Lapadzhova is Head of Accounting and Shared Services at Paysafe, where she oversees transactional and operational accounting activities (Accounts Payable, T&E expense management, fixed assets management, GL reconciliation) for many of the Paysafe entities.
She believes in continuous education, and is using the current time of isolation to prepare for her final ACCA exams and attending the PwC Mini MBA programme.
Outside of the office, she is a keen runner and traveller.
