Our Stories: Aleru’s Journey so far as a #CitizenofCardtonic

When Customer Success Lead Aleru joined Cardtonic as a fresh-faced team member, she came in with one thing in mind: to do her job well and soak up as much experience as possible. What she didn’t expect was just how much this place would shape her — and surprise her! — along the way.

“I remember my interview with Kay,” Aleru recalled with a big grin during our sit-down chat. “I walked in full of energy and excitement. I had no idea what was coming, but I was ready for it.”

The early days were eye-opening, to say the least. Cardtonic threw her right into night shifts, something she never imagined would be part of her work life. “Those nights were tough at first,” she admits. “I felt out of rhythm at first, as expected. I was fighting sleep and fighting for my job altogether! But over time, I adjusted. I found my groove, and that experience became a huge part of my growth.”

When you’re a 9-to-5er in the city that never sleeps, no journey is complete without battling with Lagos traffic every other week. Aleru laughs as she remembers her ‘okada-days.’ 

“One morning, I thought I’d beat traffic by using one to the office. But my village people were out for me, and I didn’t get the memo. Halfway to the office, this insane rain started to pour. I made it on time, but I was completely soaked and a little irritated. But, I shook it off, literally, and continued with my day,” she says. 

Like random weather conditions, leadership crept into her life when she least expected it. “Back then, I wasn’t thinking about leading anyone. I was focused on learning and doing well. But life surprised me in a really good way. The company gave me responsibilities I didn’t even know I was ready for, and slowly, I grew into them.”

That growth is visible in every part of Aleru’s work today. When asked what changed the most about her since those early days, Aleru doesn’t hesitate: “Confidence, without a doubt. I second-guessed myself a lot in my first year. Now, I trust my judgment, I speak up, and I take ownership without waiting to be told.”

Even some of the toughest responsibilities were entrusted to her before she fully trusted herself. People management, for instance, came with its own mix of fear and excitement. “Being responsible for decisions that affected others’ work and growth was scary. But the trust came before the comfort, and it pushed me to rise to the occasion.”

There’s one lesson Aleru knows she’ll carry with her for the rest of her career: growth is uncomfortable by design. “If it feels too easy, you’re probably not stretching enough,” she says. And that philosophy is visible not just in how she works, but in the way she navigates life outside Cardtonic.

Like the night she got gifted a brand-new car in December 2025. 

Aleru had actually left early from the company party to take care of her daughter at home, missing the big announcement. But thanks to her team keeping her updated, she was able to experience the moment fully. “Pure shock,” she says, when asked about her first response. “Happiness. Then gratitude; I just kept going wow, wow, wow like an ambulance! So surreal!”

Her first drive after getting her car keys? Straight home. “I needed a moment,” she laughs. 

And because we know that this city will test you when you’ve just graduated from being a passenger princess to being in the driver’s seat, we had to ask how she’d describe herself on Lagos roads these days.

She went, “calm, but with selective aggression.” Fair enough.

Looking back, she has advice for a younger version of herself, or anyone just starting at Cardtonic: “The possibilities here are so much wider than your starting role. Trust the process, put in the work, and be open to being surprised.”

And to wrap up, we threw in one more fun question and asked Aleru to describe herself with a single feature of the Cardtonic app. And her answer? Brilliant: “Instant withdrawal. I like to think I’m reliable and fast.” 

Aleru’s story is a reminder that growth rarely comes without challenges, but playing long-term makes every early-day struggle worth it. And at Cardtonic, it’s clear: if you’re ready to embrace the wheels, no matter how bumpy things may get, this company’s ready to ride with you all the way!