Inna Leontenkova holds the position of Entrepreneur in Residence at FinLeap. She joined the company builder in July 2016.
Inna loves her job because of its diversity. Being used to a lot of change, she appreciates the lack of routine when working in developing our ventures.
Inna joined FinLeap in July 2016. She learned about the company builder from her network in Berlin. Thus, she now holds the position of Entrepreneur in Residence and is responsible for kicking off ventures, setting up operations, hiring a full-time team, and then, moving on to the next project. Not only is her position at FinLeap impressive, but also her background - Inna has three Master’s degrees in International Management (from London School of Economics), Finance (from London Business School), and Corporate Strategy (from the Academy of National Economy in Moscow). She has worked in Diane von Furstenberg, Aviva Insurance, Groupon, foodpanda and more. Inna has also moved quite a bit, changing from Moscow to London, Dublin and finally Berlin. Today, we interviewed her about FinLeap, her previous experiences, and her job as entrepreneur.
FinLeap.com: What is your favorite part about FinLeap?
Inna: Everyone says how great the team is, and I will confirm. We have launched many ventures and have several in the pipeline, but the teams are not big. This allows us to focus on the meaningful, tangible jobs that add value and push forward. I have seen in the past how company solve their problems by throwing in extra people. The smaller system at FinLeap allows us to keep the thread that connects everyone’s input to the big picture as well as to stay close on a personal level.
FinLeap.com: How does FinLeap differ from your previous experiences?
Inna: FinLeap takes technology and product matters seriously and doesn’t consider everything with a plug as innovation - that’s rare these days, when everyone is in a mad rush to start something and sell it. Also, the leadership team members complement each other with a good balance of structural, functional and industry expertise, leadership and drive. They have a handle on imperfections and are open to opinions and challenges.
FinLeap.com: What is the most important thing to make sure you’re successful as an entrepreneur?
Inna: For me, an entrepreneur is a jack of all trades kind of job, and the most important things are stamina, tenaciousness and getting your hands dirty (versus being a so called "laptop-founder"). Seeing your weaknesses and the ability to attract and inspire people who could cover for those weaknesses helps. Having a vision, staying focused and not taking things personally are pretty high on my list too. I don't think there is only one secret ingredient, it really depends, for some it's just pure luck.
FinLeap.com: What’s your favorite part about your job?
Inna: To me the lack of routine, and the ongoing effort to try to figure things out that one has not done before, are the best. It always keeps me on my toes and is never boring.
In addition to enjoying her time at FinLeap, Inna loves to travel, do sports, read, and cook. She is an animal-lover and also appreciates her sleep.