Some leaders are made leaders because they’ve had an experience that led to their growth, whereas some leaders are led to a sense of purpose in their leadership role. For Ruzanna Badalyan, the sector of audit and financial services is more than just numbers; it can also be used to help clients in their complexity and provide clarity.
Being a professional in the audit space, Ruzanna Badalyan had curiosity when she started her career and eventually turned that curiosity into a purpose to create a professional firm grounded on the principles of professionalism and transparency at every point of interaction with clients. Today, she is the founder and managing partner of FSP Advice. She combines technical expertise and human insight to create a positive environment for clients and teams to feel supported and empowered.
A Purpose Shaped by Curiosity and Courage
Ruzanna’s early career was fueled by a fascination with the structure and logic of auditing. She enjoyed analyzing details, solving problems, and helping clients make informed choices. Over time, she realized she wanted to influence more than individual projects. She wanted to build a firm grounded in ethics and committed to consistent quality.
“My true passion was not only in solving problems but in creating a firm that consistently delivers high quality, ethical, and client focused services,” she says. Founding FSP Advice allowed her to combine her skills with her vision, turning a single idea into a meaningful long term mission.
A Leadership Style Built on Empowerment and Clarity
Ruzanna’s leadership journey has changed and developed as she has grown into more senior and complex leadership roles. Initially, her understanding of leadership was that leaders must know everything and personally drive achievement. With experience and learning through larger duties, she learned that trusting people, effective coaching, and establishing opportunity for others to grow are more critical than she initially believed.
“My approach changed from task oriented to people and outcome focused,” Ruzanna says. She now focuses on how to align multiple teams around one vision, utilizing active or open listening, while encouraging calculated or cautious risk taking. Today, her leadership focuses on curiosity, communication, and providing an environment in which employees feel they can contribute to developing great ideas.
Responsibilities That Balance Strategy and Precision
In her present position, Ruzanna Badalyan manages long-term strategy as well as everyday functions. She establishes strategic direction, monitors the firm’s compliance with changing regulations, and drives modernization of auditing processes and quality control. She continues to be continually involved with clients, establishing and maintaining lasting relationships built on trust and transparency.
“My work encompasses strategizing/directing, enhancing quality through assurance, guiding team members, and developing trust with clients,” Ruzanna states while explaining how she manages to have a structural approach but be flexible.
A Defining Challenge That Reshaped Her Mindset
One of the highlights of her career occurred during a time when the firm was in the middle of a rapid growth phase. As a result of this rapid growth, she was forced to recognize the limitations of the existing systems that were used by the firm since it was established. She became too involved in the day-to-day operations of the firm, which created bottlenecks within the process and therefore placed additional stress on the entire team.
The challenges she faced prompted her to change her thinking about her role as a leader. “I realized that instead of only being the person who solved problems for everyone, I needed to be a facilitator of problem-solving, who empowered others to solve problems,” she says. She began investing in improving processes within the organization, delegating more responsibility to subordinates, and establishing a culture in which performance was driven by accountability and trust. Through this experience, her leadership mindset changed, and the foundation of the firm was strengthened.
Guiding Clients with Clarity and Integrity
Ruzanna takes a holistic approach to financial guidance. She begins each engagement by understanding a client’s priorities, whether focused on compliance, growth, or long term financial planning. She then translates technical information into insights that clients can use confidently. Ongoing communication ensures their strategies evolve with their goals or with changing markets. Her commitment to transparency reinforces trust.
“I make sure clients receive guidance that truly reflects their best interests,” Ruzanna Badalyan explains.
Staying Ahead in an Evolving Financial World
Staying informed is essential in audit and advisory work, and Ruzanna has created systems that keep her firm proactive. She monitors updates from regulatory bodies and industry associations and leads internal training whenever new standards appear. She also emphasizes innovation, adopting modern audit tools and analytics to enhance accuracy and efficiency. This combination of awareness, training, and technology ensures the firm remains ahead of market expectations.
Workplace culture at FSP Advice is shaped by core values that guide both client service and team performance. Integrity is central, supported by transparency and accountability at all levels. Client focus is another pillar, encouraging staff to understand each client deeply and deliver advice that extends beyond numbers. Continuous learning ensures the team stays strong in a constantly changing field, while collaboration and respect create an environment where ideas flow freely and people feel comfortable contributing.
Maintaining Balance as a Leader & Supporting the Next Generation
To stay productive and grounded, Ruzanna follows routines that help her manage pressure and maintain clarity. She begins each morning with a brief planning session to define key priorities. Time blocks in her schedule help her manage deep work, meetings, and communication more effectively. She also prioritizes movement, whether through walks or gym sessions, to stay mentally sharp. “Leadership is measured in trust,” she says, and maintaining balance allows her to lead with calm and consistency.
Ruzanna encourages young professionals, especially women, to build strong technical foundations while staying curious and confident. She highlights the importance of mentors who can offer guidance, perspective, and encouragement. She also stresses resilience, self-advocacy, and relationship building as essential tools for long term success. “Opportunities come to those who prepare and take initiative,” she says.
A Future Built on Insight and Innovation
Amongst all of her successes, there is one very important success that stands above the rest. She was able to take her small organisation and completely transformed it into an Auditing & Advisory Practice with a professional level of organisational structure. In order to accomplish this task, she put together a plan that used technology, mentored employees, changed how tasks were processed to make them more efficient, elevated the level of service offered to customers and developed a better understanding of when to let go and allow others on her team to perform. This success proved that sustainable leadership requires not only having a solid structure but also developing the right workplace culture to provide for sustainable growth.
Ruzanna Badalyan is focused on taking FSP Advice to become known as a “trusted leader” in providing financial services advice to her customers and the industry as a whole. She plans on providing a high standard of Technical Expertise along with a meaningful Impact to the Client Base. The company’s future will include Innovation, Data driven Tools, Continuous Learning, a Culture of Integrity, and Developing Future Leaders in the company. Ruzanna believes FSP Advice will create a Legacy not only to its clients but to the industry as a whole.
