The Corporate World So far....

Ecobank Rwanda entrance. Photo by me.

At the beginning of 2024, I reflected on my experience in the corporate world so far. Some of you already know—it wasn’t a smooth ride. Like many others, my story back then was marked by struggle and uncertainty.

Looking back at May 2023, I still thank God for the bold decision I made to pivot into a new phase of my career. It’s amazing how the little things start to make sense in hindsight. One scripture I hold dear says it perfectly:

“And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.” – Romans 8:28

Life truly is unpredictable. You plan and plan, and meanwhile, God is probably looking at you with a smile, thinking, “Look at this child.”

I didn’t expect to leave my former employer so soon. I’d been there for five years—that’s where my career began, fresh out of university. I started with the most basic job you can imagine. (And no, it wasn’t even a teller—it was something far simpler.) The salary I earned then? I could then make that in a single day doing freelance work. Ironically, freelancing was what I was doing before I joined the bank. I gave it up because it didn’t seem sustainable, though I truly enjoyed it. But God is good—that’s all I can say.

I started my career as a sales agent at Access Bank. My job was to leave home dressed up, report to the office, and then hit the streets to sell the bank’s products—specifically, accounts. When I say “streets,” I mean streets. It wasn’t about booking meetings with companies or pitching to executives. You’d find me with moto guys, in shops, at schools—you name it. It was summer, and despite the heat, the hunger, and the exhaustion, I had a target: open at least five accounts a day.

Eventually, I moved through six different positions within the bank. Then, the time came—and I left. And only God knows I had to.

In mid-2024, an opportunity came my way, and I couldn’t pass it up. I saw God’s hand guiding me every step of the way, showing me His favor in ways I hadn’t experienced before.

I got a job. A good one.

I am a Corporate Credit Analyst at Ecobank. Sometimes, this title feels bigger than me—I’m only 53kg! 😂 What I do? It’s exactly what the title says: I work on credit (loans) of the big players in the market—multinationals, regional giants, and major local corporations.

I love my job. I truly do. I love how it challenges me and how I learn new things every single day—whether it's technical aspect of the job, corporate policies, or understanding how decisions are made and who makes them. My boss always reminds us that our work is a learning curve, and that we must never deceive ourselves into thinking we know it all.

I work in a men’s department. At first, I felt proud to be the “ka lady” in an all-men’s department—it felt cool. But lately, I’m not so sure. Sometimes I feel like a red bubble in a sea of blue. If I speak, it’s noticed. If I stay silent, it’s also noticed. I don’t know if that’s cool anymore. It’s a constant balancing act, and I’m still figuring out how I feel about it.

This side of my life now takes up about 80% of my world. And from my experience so far, the corporate world demands two things from you: either love what you do, or be strong and patient enough to endure it. Because it’s not easy. It demands your sharpest, smartest, and most refined self.

When I joined Ecobank, my boss told me, “Delice, here we talk—and we talk in capital letters.” It reminded me of Nigeria and my former colleagues. I know I do talk sometimes, but honestly, I don’t like talking at work.

I arrive at the office an hour early, because if I don’t, I might be two or three hours late. I get in, sit down, and start working until I run out of English or just exhausted enough to read numbers or think clearly.

Lately, I’ve been learning how to balance work with my personal life. Even though work is the bigger part, I don’t want to be defined by it. As much as I love what I do, I don’t want it to become my entire identity. I’m learning to avoid distractions and focus, so that I can go home early—at least having done a thing or two that day.

My poor office mate suffers the most from my “focus mode.” He has now accepted that before 9 a.m., it’s useless to try to talk to me —me not a morning person. He even confessed that before sharing anything, he first studies my face to decide if he should proceed or save it for later.

If you’re not careful, this side of the world can swallow you whole. That’s why I am learning not take it too seriously. Learning to rest. Learning to say no. Learning to listen when my brain or body says, “Enough.”

Last week, I learned something new from the Bible that touched me deeply. It’s in Ephesians 6:5-8:

“Bondservants, be obedient to those who are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in sincerity of heart, as to Christ... doing the will of God from the heart, with goodwill doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men…”

This verse reminded me to do my job as though I’m serving the Lord—not just my boss or the company. This lesson also came from my office buddy (I am grateful to have this one there.)

Of course, I’m human. There are days when things don’t go as planned. Sometimes I feel exhausted, and my brain simply refuses to cooperate. Other times, I have my own to-do list, but my boss throws in a whole new set of priorities. Or there are surprise meetings, unexpected trainings at the wrong time, or a boss who’s having a bad day—those are the days when frustration kicks in.

But you learn to adapt. In the corporate world, unpredictability is part of the deal. The key is to accept it, move on, and learn how to cope with it.

One of the hardest things? Being a perfectionist in the corporate world. You want to do things well, but the stakeholders aren’t cooperating, or you don’t even have time to perfect one thing before five more land on your desk. And somehow, your boss is still asking why things aren’t moving. He wants things done quickly—perfectly, but quickly. It’s a constant balancing act of speed and quality, and it can be exhausting.

Some people burn out and leave for good, especially those unlucky enough to have difficult bosses. They run—for their peace and sanity.

As for me, I’m happy. Really, really happy. I don’t know how to half-do anything. Even when I’m tired or sleepy, I give it my best. And at the end of the month, I can reward myself with a cozy gateaway or a few new books.

Can you believe it? Look what God has done in just one year! I’m telling a whole new story now. I now have a clearer vision for my career, and I know exactly what I want. I love my job, my team, and the environment I work in.

How could I not be grateful to Almighty God? He has truly given me everything my heart desired and more. Whatever comes my way, I’m ready to take it on, with gratitude and faith in the journey ahead.