An Interview with Ágnes Mogyorósi, Author of the Best-Selling Fundamentals of Corporate Finance Planning and New Expert Author for Boast Magazine

It is my great pleasure to introduce our new expert contributor, Ágnes Mogyorósi, financial advisor. Ágnes launched her financial planning consultancy in 2018 after thirty years of experience in governmental, banking, and non-profit financial management. Her mission is to help small businesses achieve successful growth. She believes that through data-driven decisions, long-term and short-term strategies, and meticulous financial planning, any company can be set on the path to success. Ágnes shares her knowledge and expertise in a practical book, Fundamentals of Corporate Finance Planning. Over the next twelve months, she will be sharing her insights with us in Boast Magazine, helping Readers enhance their financial knowledge and business success.

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Agnes Mogyorosi Financial Advisor

How did you become a financial advisor? What path led you to this profession, and why did you choose it?

I often say that this profession chose me, rather than the other way around  ̶  Ágnes begins with a smile.
I attended a vocational high school where I studied business management and finance, with a focus on administration and financial operations. Later, I also qualified as a certified accountant. These were the fields that shaped the start of my career. What interested me most was business management and organisational development, but back then, these skills could primarily be applied in public administration.

“Success is the result of a series of well-planned and well-executed small actions.”

My first job was at the tax office, where I worked for ten years. The two years I spent in the customer service department were my favourite. I had a genuine passion for helping clients, and it gave me immense satisfaction when a worried, stressed client left with a smile, feeling reassured. Later, I moved on to work at FHB Commercial Bank, again in customer service. There, I gained knowledge of a wide range of banking products and became the deputy manager of the Miskolc [a town in Hungary] branch. Here, too, client satisfaction was my top priority: I would even call the bank’s department heads if necessary, to get the job done for the client.

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Agnes Mogyorosi Financial Advisor

From there, I moved into the non-profit sector, becoming the financial director of the Central Organisation of the Church of Scientology in Hungary. I myself am a practising Scientologist and have since attained the status of ‘Clear’—the highest level currently available in Hungary on the path to spiritual freedom. Although this is a non-profit organisation, it operates with fantastic professionalism, and I learned a great deal from that.

After these wide-ranging professional experiences, I felt that I wanted to use my knowledge to help small businesses with financial planning, as they are the most vulnerable yet crucial segment of the economy. While I plan everything meticulously in business, my career has developed quite spontaneously. I have always embraced the opportunities that came my way, which propelled me forward.

You are considered one of the most practical financial advisors. Why is that?

The first question I ask an entrepreneur when they talk about their dreams and goals is, ‘But how?’ How will you achieve what you want? Success is the result of a series of well-planned and well-executed small actions. You need to know where you want to go, why you want to get there, and how you’ll go from A to B. I love realised dreams and support entrepreneurs with practical advice to help them reach their goals.

That’s why I wrote Fundamentals of Corporate Finance Planning: to help many people at once. Its knowledge is highly practical, presented step-by-step in a way that everyone can understand. It can be used as a handbook or workbook—the chapters build on each other, allowing readers to map out their business’s financial operations and fix areas where there might be obstacles.

“I love making dreams come true!”

How can you help businesses? What typical problems do they come to you with? When do businesses turn to a financial advisor?

Usually, by the time businesses reach out to me, they are already aware that they need help with their financial planning. They’ve hit a roadblock—they can’t see their processes, they’re not efficient enough, they’re not growing, etc. For example, when a business has tried and failed multiple times to expand. It’s crucial to understand the stage a company is at and to know how to allocate profits accordingly at that stage. If the business is on an upward trajectory, most of the profit should be reinvested back into the company. It’s a mistake to take money out of the business and spend it on holidays at this point.

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Agnes Mogyorosi Expert Author for Boast Magazine

What does a typical consultation with you look like?

A full consultation is a well-structured programme—it’s not just a one-off discussion, but an ongoing collaboration. First, we discuss the current state of the business, where it stands, and where the owner wants to take it. We look at all the data because this is what allows us to draw conclusions and make good decisions. If no such data exists, we set up a system to gather it.

For example, we need to understand why a marketing campaign performed worse this month compared to the previous one, or why it performed exceptionally well. We examine where the money is going, what expenses are unnecessary, or where costs could be optimised. Then, we develop a long-term strategy broken down into small, manageable steps. The key is to break the path to big goals into tasks that the client feels they can realistically achieve. This is the most important part. Planning is the art of taking small steps.

You’ve written a book titled Fundamentals of Corporate Finance Planning. Could you tell us a little more about it? Who is the book for, and what problems does it solve? Why did you feel the need to share your knowledge with entrepreneurs in a book format?

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Fundamentals of Corporate Finance Planning

Throughout my career, I noticed that small business owners are the ones who need financial planning knowledge the most. For many entrepreneurs, ‘finance’ means little more than issuing invoices and sending them to the accountant. When it comes time for the annual tax return, they often don’t understand how the figures were arrived at.

Running a business requires a highly complex set of skills. Most people become entrepreneurs because they are good at something they love to do—whether it’s trading, hairdressing, or journalism—but this only makes up about one-third of the tasks involved in running a business!

The remaining two-thirds, which determine the success of the business, are the hidden parts of the iceberg: HR, finance, sales and marketing, branding and PR, and client relations—just to name a few key areas. I wanted to help small business owners, not just through individual consultations but on a larger scale. With my book, I can reach many people, and now that it’s available in English, even more so! The book covers everything a business needs for success, from the basics of financial management to efficient, transparent record-keeping and strategic planning.

“Money is not the most important thing in financial planning.”

Could you share a few success stories with us? What are you most proud of in your professional career and why?

I don’t like to boast about myself. On my website, I share the positive feedback and success stories that my clients have written about. But I’ll give you one example: I have a friend who always came to me with various financial and business development issues. One day, I told her, ‘I’m happy to help, but you’d benefit from reading my book. Everything you need is in there.’ A few days later, she messaged me saying, ‘I’m only on the third chapter, and I’ve already found an extra seven million forints in my business!’

What I’m most proud of, personally, is that I can pass on my knowledge to everyone, even to those with very little financial expertise. And it’s also incredibly rewarding to receive positive feedback from my clients. Besides, this is a position of great trust—you don’t let just anyone look into your finances. These business relationships often become so close that they turn into friendships. For example, it was recently my birthday, and one of my clients, on top of my regular fee, surprised me with a birthday cake from their family.

You encourage your clients to engage in financial planning, proper time management, achieving more success, financial awareness, and running organised businesses for higher performance. What does success mean to you personally? Do you consider yourself successful? How do you incorporate what you teach into your business and everyday life?

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Agnes Mogyorosi

To me, success means that I’m on the path towards my goals—that I’m progressing towards them every day and heading in the right direction. I greatly appreciate the small things. I know that every little action brings me closer to my goal. That’s why I don’t see tasks as a necessary evil or ‘chores’; rather, I focus on the outcome.

Let me use a simple analogy: no one enjoys vacuuming. If we think of it as a burden, something unpleasant that we have to do, it feels like a chore. But if we focus on the result—the clean, tidy home—suddenly, we feel much more enthusiastic and motivated to do it!
I feel successful because I’m moving forward on the carefully planned path towards my goals. I’m successful in my business because I love helping people, and I receive great feedback from them.

What does a typical week look like for you? How much do you plan, and how far in advance do you schedule things?

I have long-term plans for the year and each quarter, which I break down into weekly and daily action plans. I usually plan smaller daily tasks two weeks in advance. I consider it a success when I can complete these tasks and continue progressing along the path. The road to my goals consists of many small tasks.

Where do you draw the strength to manage both your daily life and your business successfully?

I have a strong sense of self-awareness and self-love, which is the foundation of everything. I protect my boundaries and my integrity, which is very important. I know my limitations and constantly work on surpassing them through personal development. I set goals that I know I can achieve, and if I need to learn something new or grow in a certain area to reach those goals, I do so. So, primarily, it’s self-awareness, self-love, and self-development that give me strength—I draw my energy from within.

What are your long-term goals and dreams?

My goal is to continuously progress along the path I’ve set for myself, becoming more efficient as I go. I always strive to perform at a higher level. Efficiency is key for me. I don’t have goals like a bigger house or a bigger car. Instead, I aim to make the most of my current opportunities while naturally continuing to grow.

What advice would you give to the readers of Boast Magazine to help them achieve success?

What I share in my book: take control of your finances—don’t just drift along with the current. Face reality and make decisions based on data when running your business.

Thank you very much for the interview and your valuable contributions as an expert author for Boast Magazine.

Our expert authors are given the opportunity to build their expertise image and credibility over the course of a year with the support of Boast Magazine. If you would like to join our Contributor Programme and to be our expert author for one year or more, please fill out this Application Form. 

Agnes is also a partner of our Exclusive Membership Club, so she offered a 10 per cent discounted price on her service to the members of our community. For more information contact us.

Ágnes’s book will soon be available in English as an e-book. She invites the readers to join a fun game!

The game aims to guess the price of the Fundamentals of Corporate Finance Planning e-book. If your guess is the closest to the actual price, you will receive the e-book for free. If more than one person guesses the same price, the first one to submit their guess will win the e-book.

Submit your guess now: I’m in the game!