Tactical insights for first-time founders to outsmart the burn, the churn & the breakdown.

Hey Founder,

The first thing I ever sold was a ring made from a chestnut and a piece of string.

I was six. I didn’t know it then, but that tiny sale taught me something every founder eventually has to learn:

That lesson has followed me from a small town in Bulgaria to late scrappy nights in New York City startups, from selling handmade handbags to pay for English classes, to sitting beside founders as they try to keep their companies (and themselves) together.

I didn’t grow up around entrepreneurs. Where I’m from, starting a business was seen as reckless, not brave. There was no safety net - just the stubborn hope that if you held on through the sleepless nights and scrappy launches, one day, it would be your name on the cap table, not just your effort behind it.

I started Tiny Margins because too many brilliant founders burn out, bleed cash, or lose their teams - not from lack of effort, but from flying blind.

No one warns you how early the cracks start to show. No one prepares you for the all-consuming isolation or talks about how fast the pressure builds up. 

I’ve seen it up close, not as a founder, but as the person sitting next to one at 11pm in a tiny, unglamorous Chinatown office, untangling financials and payroll, stitching slides before the “life-or-death” board meeting.

I’ve watched teams quietly lose faith after the tenth strategy pivot.

I’ve helped clean up after growth sprints that nearly broke both the company and its founder.

I’m not another self-proclaimed startup expert.  Think of me as your operator-in-the-wings.  I’ve been in the engine room. I know what breaks. And I know what helps you hold it together. 

This newsletter isn’t another hype machine or a list of recycled “top 5 tips.”

You get enough noise already. You don’t need more.

Tiny Margins exists to demystify every corner of the scaling journey from $0 to $20M (and beyond).

You’ll get a tactical, behind-the-scenes lens on what it really takes to build, scale, and survive as a founder. And it’s all shared in real time, while I’m actively working alongside founders navigating the same challenges you are.

Every Thursday, I’ll deliver:

…And a chance to ask your toughest questions, so I can help you while you build.

I didn’t come from money, venture circles, or flashy exits.

I carved my own path from a small town in Bulgaria, fueled by a stubborn belief that “there’s got to be more than this.” At 17, I taught myself English from scratch. At 19, I boarded a plane to the U.S. with $200 in my pocket and no safety nets.

I flipped burgers, worked 16-hour shifts, and built startups from the back office to the boardroom. Over the years, I quietly became the right hand to more than 20 founders, helping them scale from $0K to $20M+.

I’ve watched companies rise fast and fall faster.
I’ve seen what breaks, and what holds at $1M, $5M, $10M, and $20M.

So no, I’m not writing from a pedestal.

I’m writing from the side of the room, where the whiteboard is messy, the Slack is noisy, and the founder is quietly asking, “Am I missing something?”

Scaling isn’t just a business challenge; it’s an emotional one.

You need margin, not just in your P&L, but in your mind, your energy, and your clarity. The real margin is mental headroom. 

That’s what Tiny Margins is here to protect.

As Naval Ravikant says:

Your margin is your moat. Once it’s gone, it’s hard to get it back.

See you next Thursday,
– Mariya

P.S. I started with a chestnut ring. What about you - what did you build first, or what’s keeping you up at night right now? Hit reply and tell me. I read every response, and I’d love to hear your story.

Mariya Valeva

Find me on LinkedIn