Ksenia Yudina on Power, Control, and Startups

In this episode of The Authority Company Podcast, Joe Pardavila sits down with One Venture, Ten MBAs author Ksenia Yudina, CFA for a raw conversation about building companies when the playbook breaks. Ksenia left a successful career in finance to start a fintech platform designed to help families invest in their children’s futures. What followed was the full founder arc. Rapid growth. Major funding rounds. A $120 million valuation. Then a series of black swan events that tested every assumption behind venture capital, control, and resilience. She walks through what first-time founders never see coming, why fundraising feels more like dating than pitching, and how capital structure quietly decides who holds power when markets turn. Ksenia shares the hard lessons behind venture debt, board control, and what happens when founders lose the ability to steer the companies they built. The conversation goes deeper than tactics. Ksenia opens up about identity after stepping away from her own company, the emotional toll of losing control, and why she chose to start again with a new venture, stronger boundaries, and clearer conviction. This episode speaks to founders, operators, and leaders who want the truth behind startup success. Not the highlight reel. The reality.