Geegpay Diaries Episode 6: Precious Ahwuri’s Journey from Engineering to earning $20k as a Freelancer on Upwork
In this episode, Ahwuri shares her journey from engineering graduate to successful freelancer on Upwork.
2 minutes
In Episode 2 of Geegpay Diaries, we spoke with Osehi Tayo-Obikoya, from the IT realm. She's all about juggling numbers, spreading positive vibes, and making a difference in the world. Working as a Financial Controller, she's got the knack for balancing the financial universe while spreading her wings in the social impact arena.
In this interview, she talks about her journey, a little hiccup with salary reception, and how Geegpay swooped in to save the day. Get ready for a fun conversation sprinkled with some finance and a dash of faith-based wisdom!
Introduce yourself to us
My name is Osehi Tayo- Obikoya, I work as a financial controller in an IT company. When i’m not working, I love to do social impact work and give back to society.
Hmm. A financial controller sounds different, what led you to do what you do?
I studied economics & statistics in my undergraduate studies at the University of Benin and when I finished school the first opportunity I had to work was at an accounting firm where I worked as a junior accountant during NYSC. While doing this I found it interesting and thought I don’t have to go back to economics, because you know they are different—I.e. accounting and economics.
All I know is they are both hard!
Haha, I don’t agree o! So I did that for a while after NYSC I got another job as an accountant and from there I was introduced to the finance role. Finance is a broader field compared to accounting. It takes into cognisance business analytics, it’s not just about tracking the numbers, it’s also about seeing things from the business side.
My role as a Financial Controller is about being able to manage the finances of a business and right now I report to a finance director.
How long have you been doing this?
I’ve been doing this for 7 years now.
What has challenged you the most with this role?
One of the big challenges in my job is making sure my boss understands both the financial side and the business side of what I present in reports. I have to explain why we should take certain actions based on the numbers I show. It's about making a strong case for the recommendations I make. Everything I present needs to be logical and show how it helps the overall business. This skill of connecting numbers with smart business decisions is something I'm always learning and improving.
Oh. Fair enough
What problem were you looking to solve when you found Geegpay?
Oh, I forgot to mention that the company I work for is based in the UK. When I began working, there was a struggle regarding how I could receive my salary. They mentioned they couldn't pay me in Naira (the Nigerian currency). I was stumped and couldn't figure out how to solve this issue, which led to my first month's salary being delayed until the second month. I received various recommendations for apps to use, but unfortunately, none of them worked.
A friend then suggested Geegpay to me. At this point, I was quite skeptical since I had already tried multiple platforms without success. After expressing my concerns, she connected me with someone who had been using Geegpay for a while. Talking to him instilled confidence in me, and I decided to give Geegpay a try in August 2022. I'm glad I did—the experience has been positive.
That’s great. So if you had to use 3 words to describe your experience with Geegpay so far, what would it be?
Transparent, Seamless and Effective.
Love it
Let’s back up a bit, you mentioned you work for a UK company and you’re here in NIgeria, so what would you advise people looking for remote work?
I follow my faith closely, so I believe placing God at the center is important for believers. Additionally, excelling in your field is crucial. When you become exceptionally good at what you do, you naturally get recommended and become highly sought after. This was the case for me—I was recommended for my current role because of the exceptional work I had done.
So what’s your favourite thing about Geegpay at the moment?
Oh, definitely the Virtual card! I was thrilled when I first learned about it, especially because I had faced challenges trying to pay for things using my Naira card. It just never seemed to work. Now, with the Geegpay card, I use it a lot and it's made transactions so much easier and smoother for me!
I recall receiving that email about the Geegpay card. The process of obtaining one was incredibly smooth for me. It was hassle-free and straightforward, which made the experience even better.
On a scale of 1-10, how satisfied are you with Geegpay?
An 8.
If you were to give advice to anyone on your what would it be?
Something that has truly benefited me is adopting an ownership mindset at work. Wherever I've been employed, I've approached my role with a sense of stewardship. There's a unique way of owning your responsibilities that distinguishes you from others and enhances your visibility. I'm not talking about merely doing things for show; it's about genuine hard work and diligence. I highly recommend this approach to anyone looking to stand out and excel in their professional journey.
