High-Low with a CFO: Vulnavia Kombora

From the moment I started speaking with Vulnavia, it was clear—negotiation isn’t just her expertise—it’s her art form. Whether saving millions through brinkmanship tactics or balancing absurd investor demands with calm professionalism, she thrives on turning high-stakes challenges into opportunities.

What makes Vulnavia truly remarkable is her personality. She’s candid, sharp-witted, and refreshingly honest about everything from the chaos of starting a new job to overhyped buzzwords like “AI.” Her stories make complex financial topics relatable and even entertaining, proving that being a great CFO is about much more than numbers—it’s about resilience, leadership, and bold decision-making.

In this interview, Vulnavia breaks down her approach to challenges, her lessons in negotiation, and the mindset that drives her success.

Interview: 

Ben from CFO Connect: Hi Vulnavia, thanks so much for sitting down with us. Let’s get started with some questions. What’s the strangest spreadsheet or financial model you’ve ever had to create?

Vulnavia: Strange things don’t usually cross my desk, but one request stands out. An investor wanted us to model what expanding to Kenya or Egypt would look like—without giving us a shred of relevant data. They essentially said, “Make up some numbers, plug them in, and show me the impact.”

As a finance professional, my instinct is to validate everything. But when you’re on a tight deadline, sometimes you just have to roll with it. You know the numbers aren’t real, but they make the model look good, and the investor is happy. That balancing act—between being honest and speculative—is part of the job, though it often feels absurd. It’s one of those times where your brain screams, “We can’t send this,” but you do, and it works out.

Ben: If there were no budget constraints, what guilty pleasure purchase would you make?

Vulnavia An app that does everything transactional! Especially now, since I’ve started a new job, I’m craving tools that simplify the chaos. I’d love an FP&A app that consolidates budgets, reads people’s minds, and automates tasks. Even tools like Profluo or NetSuite—stuff that might seem boring to others—feel like pure luxury when you don’t have them.

When you’re in a resource-light environment, anything that saves time or eliminates admin tasks feels indulgent. Honestly, just having a tool that could think three steps ahead of me would be the ultimate guilty pleasure.

Ben: If you could trade jobs with another C-suite member for a day, who would it be and why?

Vulnavia: I’d trade with my CEO. Not just the role—I’d want to trade bodies and be a passenger in his brain for a day. I’d love to know what he knows, what keeps him up at night, and what his conversations with stakeholders are like.

When you’re new, you go from being the expert at your last company to knowing nothing about the new one. It’s overwhelming because you’re expected to know everything—quickly. If I could see through my CEO’s eyes for a day, it would fast-track my onboarding. Plus, it would be fascinating to understand how he makes decisions at that level.

Ben: So you mentioned just switching jobs, and you’re only eight days in. It reminds me of the matrix that breaks knowledge into categories of “we know what we know, we know what we don’t know, and we don’t know what we don’t know”? Where are you at in navigating that?

Vulnavia: That’s such a perfect way to describe it! Right now, I’m in the “happy and naive” phase. I know there’s a ton I don’t know, but I’ve made peace with that. You have to be patient and pace yourself.

One of the perks of being new is the “premium of incumbency.” People will tell you things they’d never tell someone who’s been there a while because they assume you don’t know anything yet. I’m soaking up everything. But I know that soon, I’ll hit the phase where I realise just how much I don’t know, and the panic might set in.

The trick is to reflect on what you’ve learnt so far and start piecing things together. I try to stay patient with myself 75% of the time, but for the other 25%, I scream into a pillow and then get back to it. The key is knowing this matrix is a process—and giving yourself grace as you navigate it.

Ben: Is there a financial trend or buzzword you secretly—or not so secretly—hate?

Vulnavia: AI. Not because I don’t believe in it—I absolutely do—but the hype, especially around ChatGPT, has turned it into this mythical concept. People talk about AI like it’s brand new, but we’ve been using it for years. Your phone, for example, has been learning your habits and behaviours for a long time. Machine learning and automation tools have been part of the finance world forever.

The buzzword itself creates unnecessary intimidation. Instead of saying “AI,” let’s just say “automation” or “optimisation.” It’s clearer and less scary. What frustrates me is that some people now hesitate to ask questions about it because it’s trendy, and they think they’re supposed to already understand it. We’ve been using AI for a decade—let’s stop acting like it’s a unicorn.

Ben: What’s the worst piece of career advice you’ve ever received?

Vulnavia: When I was switching jobs, someone told me, “Be careful—this is too much money for you.” They’d assigned a value to me, and it stuck.

If I’d listened, I would’ve missed out on the role that grew me the most. You’re paid for the scope of work and the value you deliver—not someone else’s perception of your worth. That move not only taught me more than any job before it but also proved I was worth every penny. If I would have listened to that person, then they would have been right, and I’d like to think my former employer was quite happy with what they got in return.

Ben: Can you share an example of a major risk you’ve taken that benefitted your company?

Vulnavia One of the biggest risks I’ve taken was when I was working for a company that was struggling financially—like really struggling. We had $20 million in debt, and it became my job to figure out how to keep us afloat. I leaned into a strategy called “brinkmanship,” where you push negotiations right to the edge of reason.

I went to creditors and said, “Look, the best I can offer is 35 cents on the dollar, and you’re going to have to wait a couple of years to get it.” Now, if you’ve ever dealt with revenue services or large creditors, you know they’re not exactly patient—they want their money yesterday. But at the time, I had nothing to lose. I told them, “This is what I’ve got. Take it or leave it.” It worked. I didn’t have to file for bankruptcy, I didn’t have to go to court, and we kept the business alive. The funny part is, because I seemed so harmless—or maybe just so earnest—they probably didn’t think I was serious at first. But they came around.

Sometimes you have to be bold and trust your instincts. It’s not about being reckless—it’s about knowing when you can push the limits and understanding what’s possible even when the odds seem stacked against you. And in this case, that risk paid off big time.

Ben: What’s a financial lesson you learnt early in your career that still stands true?

Vulnavia: Everything has a price—but not everything is monetary. There’s always something people want, and learning to identify what motivates someone is invaluable.

I first realised this during an economics class—demand and supply. It’s such a simple concept, but it applies everywhere, especially in negotiations. If someone demands something, you can always supply value, even if it’s not money. For instance, people might value recognition, flexibility, or an opportunity to grow.

When you’re working with limited resources, this principle is a lifesaver. It teaches you how to have meaningful conversations, build trust, and find solutions that aren’t just about finances. Mastering this approach early shaped how I deal with people and challenges to this day.

Ben: What’s the biggest financial challenge you’ve faced, and how did you overcome it?

Vulnavia: The toughest challenge came when I joined a company under the impression it had a strong investor backing it. Within a week, I learned my actual job was to get rid of that investor—and the company was teetering on bankruptcy.

Negotiating the investor out without paying a cent was step one, but keeping the company afloat was the real fight. It required renegotiating millions of dollars in debt, completely overhauling the business model, and managing the chaos with limited resources.

For 18 months, it was sheer willpower and strategy. I had to negotiate absurd terms with creditors and even the revenue services—extending deadlines, lowering payments, and keeping people onside without filing for bankruptcy. In the end, we avoided collapse, pivoted successfully, and came out stronger. It taught me that even when the odds are against you, a clear vision and bold negotiations can make the impossible possible.

Ben: You’ve led turnarounds and restructurings. What’s your golden rule for managing teams during those times?

Vulnavia: Hyper-communication and total honesty. Tell your team the truth—it’s going to be hard, it’s going to be taxing, but you’ll be there with them every step of the way. You can’t ask them to do something you wouldn’t do yourself.

In times of crisis, people look to leaders for calm and clarity. If you’re panicked or inconsistent, it erodes trust. At the same time, you need to be strategic and focus on the big picture. What are you trying to achieve? Without that clear end goal, it’s easy to get lost in the details and overwhelmed by the noise.

I’ve also learned that restructuring isn’t a one-size-fits-all process. There have been times when I’ve had to play the long game—strategising three years ahead—while others around me were focused on short-term wins. It’s all about aligning your vision with the team and ensuring they understand the "why" behind your decisions.

Ben: This has been such a pleasure. Your stories are filled with bits of wisdom and your humour is on point. Thank you for sitting down with me!

Vulnavia: Thank you, Ben, It’s been a joy to chat. And hey, if anyone needs brinkmanship tips, you know where to find me.

- About the CFO -

Vulnavia is a seasoned financial executive with 15 years of experience spanning technology, e-commerce, real estate, and financial services. As CFO of The StudentHub Online, she oversaw financial strategy for usd20m+ revenue, driving growth, operational efficiency, and profitability. A specialist in business turnarounds, M&A strategy, and governance, Vulnavia has led transformations at South African tech companies companies like Bash.com and Orderin. Known for building high-performing teams and securing strategic partnerships, she excels at navigating complex financial landscapes to deliver sustainable results. She recently moved to the UAE to take up a position in an e-commerce start up.