A new role, promotion within 9 months on the role, building two new features on Circlesapp

AND WHY I REJECTED A £70,000 PM OFFER FROM A FINTECH

A blue beetle

Helloooooo. I’m back.

It’s been two years since I last touched my blog. Not because nothing was happening but because everything was happening.

You know when life picks you up like an Uber ride you didn’t request and just keeps speeding? Yeah. That’s been me. But now that I’ve caught my breath (somewhat), let’s catch up.

I’ve had some big wins, made some tough decisions, and started building things I once only dreamt about.

So here goes my “life lately” download, from frozen UK mornings to turning down a £70k job (yes, I know) keep reading.

It All Started With a Cold Summer Afternoon

Cold and summer in the same sentence? 

Yes!!

One very dramatic British “summer” afternoon, I was speed-walking home, whispering a Bible verse to myself:

“Pray at all times; be thankful in all circumstances. This is what God wants from you in your life in union with Christ Jesus (1 Thes 5:17-18 GNT).”

I had just recently finished my interview for a role at a company that was building a product that I loved so much, which was

Streamlining the UK rental process with tech and automation.

But a quick backstory to this is that I applied to their sister company just 3 weeks back, but we didn’t agree on pay.

I had asked for £1,500 more. Not 15K, lol, £1,500. Understandably, they couldn’t move on their budget for the role at that time. So I respectfully declined.

Two weeks later,

Boom. The main company posted a hybrid version of that same role. This time, with the exact pay I’d asked for.

I didn’t need a sign from heaven; I knew this was it.

So I had done the assessment and just finished the physical interview.

Inasmuch as I was nervous, I found common ground with the interviewers, which calmed my nerves a lot more.

I found out over the years that when I feel nervous about an action, I end up doing it well, lol. Is it just me?

If I am not nervous, I fumble it; in fact, the moment I don’t feel nervous about an event, action, presentation, or anything, it simply means my whole system doesn’t rate the event, and they tend to act accordingly. Lol

Long story short

I applied. They offered. I joined.

Now let me be honest, starting as a referencing executive was totally new. I didn’t even know what referencing was when I moved to the UK. But I knew I was ready to learn.

I didn’t plan for what came next.

Referencing wasn’t something I’d ever done before. But what I lacked in experience, I made up for in curiosity, hunger, and a deep need to understand how I could add value fast.

My managers (yeah, I had 2 awesome people I was reporting to) were the kind of leaders who don’t just say, “We’ve got your back.” They show it.

From feedback sessions to regular check-ins, they helped me see that doing excellent work doesn’t have to be lonely.

I requested feedback often.

Probably too often. 😂

But I wanted to learn, grow, and evolve quickly and well.

Three months after passing my probation (6 months PBP), there was an opening for a higher-level role, Level 3.

I was at Level 1. The next level wasn’t just a bump in title; it was a bump in everything: responsibility, product knowledge, expectations, and more engagements.

It is more like playing the career in 2.5x speed

I told my wife about it first, slightly nervous: Do you think it’s too soon to go for this?

She asked me one question that shut me up real quick: "Do you meet the requirements?”

“I think so,” I stuttered

So I spoke to my manager. She was hyped. Maybe more excited than I was. She booked a session with me to prep for the internal interview. Mock interviews, cover letter, all of it.

I went through the promotion process, which was 3 stages, and then

Seven days after the last stage:

🎉 “You’ve been promoted.”

I screamed (internally, because rent in the UK is too high for noise complaints).

But it wasn’t just the promotion that made me happy. It was what it did to my self-confidence.

It reminded me that the right company will never make you feel guilty for wanting more, growing fast, or asking questions.

Let’s just say I’m now Team “Don’t be career shy” without shame. Please, leave fear behind.

Yeah, career shyness is a thing, but that is a post for a different day

CirclesApp and Building for online MSMEs

While working full-time, I’ve also been quietly building something on the side: CirclesApp.

A tool that helps small online store owners thrive.

We’ve been in the trenches for three years.

Testing, failing, rebranding, learning, improving.

Earlier this year, I told the team, “Let’s go again but smarter.” We revamped our offerings, brought in a PR and social lead, and started taking content seriously.

Two big things came out of this:

🎥 1. AI Product Video Generator

Ever wanted to turn a product photo into a realistic video of someone actually using it? That’s what we built.

Upload a picture. Get a professional-looking, AI-generated video in minutes.

This single feature doubled our user base. I even got a DM from someone offering to invest $5,000 just to run ads for it (but we didn’t align on terms).

See the magic here: kygai.co

📲 2. QR by CirclesApp

This one is for the solopreneurs in Africa. A lot of people still get paid via bank transfers, but there's no clean way to track payments or confirm receipt.

Lots of manual work and business friction

So we built QR by CirclesApp:

·       Generate a QR code with your bank details

·       Confirm when someone pays

·       Upload receipts

·       Keep records

·       Look legit

It’s simple. It’s free. And it’s launching soon at qrbyc.com.

In the coming years, we intend to support at least 10,000 businesses across the world in simplifying their business processes, making more money, and cutting their costs.

Especially solopreneurs who try to start and build a business online with little to no budget.

For me and the team, the goal is to reduce barrier to entry and make scaling less expensive

💰 Why I Rejected a $70,000 PM Offer from a UK Fintech

So here’s the juicy part.

Literally a day after my promotion, I got a message on LinkedIn.

It was from the Head of Recruitment at a popular fintech in the UK (no third party involved).

They wanted me to take up a product manager role. £70k per year.

My phone nearly fell into my plate of jollof rice. (Because yes, I was eating rice when I saw it.)

But I said no.

I politely declined.

And no, I didn’t reject it because I’m already earning more (spoiler: I’m not even earning that lol).

I rejected it because something about it didn’t sit right with me.

Here’s the thing: I don’t chase jobs. I chase alignment.

I’m big on purpose. I don’t just want to build or grow products; I want to build solutions that matter.

Solutions that leave a mark. That improves how people live, move, interact, and dream.

And as at that time, going the fintech route was not appealing to me, I didn’t see alignment.

I have had a fair share of developing and working with teams in building financial products.

Some of which will outlive me, but there is always a ceiling to creativity when it comes to fintech

Yes, the money was attractive. The title? Even more so. But I kept asking myself, Would this role get me closer to my long-term mission or just further from it with a nicer paycheck?”

The answer was clear.

It wasn’t just about career moves for me anymore. I’ve grown past the phase of taking every shiny opportunity just because it looks good.

I now ask:

• Does this company’s mission light me up inside?

• Will I be proud of the product we're building five years from now?

• Is this a place where my values can breathe, not just my skillset?

A few months before joining my current company

I interviewed for a PM role with Convo Communications, a startup building tech for the Deaf.

I didn’t get it; honestly, I would’ve done it for free part-time. Because that product? That mission? It made my heart beat faster.

The same thing happened when I turned down a payment leadership role for a fintech in Nigeria.

because my wife and I were preparing for her master’s abroad. I could have stayed back for a bigger title and better pay, but I chose partnership and family.

My life isn’t just about money or building products. It’s about building a legacy. And that means saying no to even great things when they’re not your thing

I’m building a life where my work, my values, and my voice all point in the same direction. If it doesn’t align, it doesn’t enter.

Maybe someday, I might consider going back to fintech, but right now I am focused on doing a PM role in different industries

A little request, my dear friend

Thanks for reading all the way.

Whether you’re here for the story, the laughs, or because you're rethinking your career, I see you.

I have a little request. See, again, I am feeling nervous about writing more personal stuff.

I am happy to write on topics such as customer experience management, product management, SaaS, and AI.

But when it comes to really personal stuff, I tend to prefer watching Dora take on a new adventure.

I will be so happy if you can fill out the poll below

Do you think I should write more personal blog post

• Yes, I enjoy it and can relate with it
• Noo, please stick to educational post

If yes, how often do you want me to share a personal blog post

• Daily (please don't select this; I can't keep up, loool)
• Weekly
• Monthly
• Yearly

Thank you for spending time with me.

Let’s keep choosing purpose, over and over again.

Until next time,

– DMD