Balancing Motherhood and Career: How to Succeed in Fintech

Irena Kuseva began her career in 2012 as a Payments Specialist at Piraeus Bank, spending two years building expertise in transactional processing. She later joined Grant Thornton as an auditor, where she strengthened her analytical, regulatory, and compliance capabilities for four years. In 2018, Irena moved to Paysafe. After a year of maternity leave, she returned in a leadership capacity as a team lead, responsible for overseeing daily operations and supporting a small team. She remains with Paysafe today, leveraging her finance background and people-management experience to contribute to the company’s continued growth.

Can you tell us about your role and how you balance your career responsibilities

with motherhood?

As a team leader in the finance department, I’m responsible for overseeing the day-to-day financial operations, ensuring that the team is meeting deadlines and everything is running smoothly. When it comes to balancing my career responsibilities with being a mother, it’s all about time management, prioritization, and finding the right support system. As a mother, I’ve learned to be more efficient in my work and take advantage of every moment of focus I have, knowing that my time is limited. I also set clear boundaries between work and home life, which helps me stay present in both areas.

One key thing I’ve learned over the years is that I don’t have to do it all on my own. Building a strong, collaborative team at work allows me to delegate and empower others to take ownership of projects, which not only helps the team grow but also gives me the flexibility to be there for my family. Similarly, at home, involving my partner and family in the process and asking for help when needed ensures that I’m able to manage both roles effectively.

Ultimately, it’s a continuous balancing act, and there’s no perfect solution. Both career and motherhood are important parts of who I am, and learning to balance them has been an evolving journey for me.

How does Paysafe support you as a working mother through its culture, flexibility, or social benefits?

Paysafe genuinely supports working parents through its inclusive culture and flexible work arrangements. As a team lead in Management Accounting, I truly value the company’s focus on results rather than rigid schedules, which allows me to balance important family moments with my professional responsibilities.

The flexibility to work from home when needed, along with understanding managers and a supportive team, makes it easier to manage both roles effectively. Paysafe also offers great family-friendly benefits and employee networks, such as Families@Paysafe, which create a sense of community among parents.

Overall, the culture here makes it possible for me to grow in my career while being fully present for my family — something I truly appreciate.

What has been the biggest challenge in balancing motherhood and a fintech

career, and how have you managed to overcome it?

The biggest challenge has been learning to fully show up in both worlds — as a mother and as a professional — without feeling guilty about not giving 100% to one or the other all the time. Fintech is a fast-paced, constantly evolving industry that demands innovation and agility, while motherhood requires patience, presence, and emotional energy. Finding balance between those two can feel impossible some days.

What’s helped me overcome this is learning to redefine balance. Instead of aiming for perfect symmetry every day, I focus on integration and intentionality. I plan my time meticulously, but I also allow space for flexibility — understanding that some days my career will take priority, and other days my family will. Building a strong support system, both at home and at work, has been essential.

What advice would you give to other women who want to succeed in fintech while

raising a family?

My advice would be to first permit yourself to define success on your own terms. Fintech can be demanding, and motherhood is a full-time responsibility in itself — trying to meet external expectations in both can quickly lead to burnout. Instead, focus on what truly matters to you in each season of your life, and align your choices around that. 

Secondly, don’t be afraid to ask for help and build your support network — both personally and professionally. Whether it’s a mentor in the industry, a manager who understands flexibility, or family and friends who can step in when you need time to focus, having the right people around you makes an enormous difference.

Finally, motherhood teaches resilience, prioritization, empathy, and adaptability — all of which are powerful leadership skills in fintech. Own your story, use your voice, and know that you don’t have to choose between being a great mother and a successful professional. You can be both — just not always in the same way every day, and that’s perfectly okay