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Ivanka Birtić
Episode · #787

POSLOVNA ŠPICA Ivanka Birtić

Guest Ivanka BirtićHosted by Saša PetarMay 3, 2026
About this episode
What you'll hear in this conversation

“Accounting is often viewed as merely 'counting dead bodies' – a record of the past, not a guide for the future.” This is how Ivanka Birtić describes the old perception of her profession, a view she spent three decades challenging within large corporations. After nearly thirty years in leadership roles in accounting and finance, she left to build Savršeno računovodstvo, driven by the conviction that entrepreneurs deserve more than just compliance from their financial partners. Her experience reveals a disconnect: many founders pour their energy into product and sales, only to neglect the financial discipline that underpins long-term success. They misunderstand cash flow, price by intuition, and often involve financial experts too late. This conversation with Birtić isn't just about better bookkeeping; it's about understanding why true financial discipline is the competitive advantage you're likely overlooking. You’ll reconsider what your numbers are really telling you.

Insights from the conversation
What to take from this episode
01
After three decades in large corporate systems, Ivanka Birtić chose entrepreneurship not for freedom, but for the chance to be “far more creative” in her accounting work. The lesson is that the constraints of an established structure can stifle even the most experienced professionals, making a solo venture the only path to truly redefine your craft.
02
If your accountant is only telling you what happened last month, they're doing half the job. Ivanka Birtić argues true financial partners don't just report the past; they use those numbers to build projections and guide future decisions.
03
The quality of your product or service is only one side of the coin. Many entrepreneurs, focused on their craft, fail to grasp that financial discipline is equally vital, treating critical "papers" as an afterthought until problems arise.
04
An accountant isn't just a data processor; they're an interpreter. Ivanka Birtić emphasizes that genuine financial insight requires deep involvement in a client's operations, allowing them to read the "story" behind the numbers and inform strategic choices.
05
The company's bank account is not a personal piggy bank. This fundamental misunderstanding of business finance leads to penalties and illiquidity, and Ivanka Birtić insists it's a good accountant's duty to intervene and "stop the entrepreneur" from making such critical errors.
06
The most basic entrepreneurial logic — that revenue isn't profit, and the money in the account isn't all yours — remains widely misunderstood, even by experienced business owners. This isn't about complex financial models; it’s about a foundational gap in how many approach their own business.
07
Pricing by "feeling" is a recipe for instability. Ivanka Birtić highlights that many entrepreneurs skip basic cost calculation, failing to build a sustainable margin into their products from the outset.
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