Meet Anu Oladele from Flexiti
Tell us about your work
Flexiti offers Point-Of-Sale financing options to consumers to get access to desired goods/services with convenient and favorable payment options. I am the VP, Data Engineering and I get to build and lead a world-class team on data acquisition and understanding about our business and consumers. I am also accountable to ensure that we are using the best technologies to manage our data and retain the trust of our customers in how we use and collect information that pertains to them.
Why did you decide to work at your company?
It was the right time for the growth I sought. My career has largely been in Financial Services. I started with a Canadian market-leader in payments and after over a decade working there, I wanted to prove my abilities so I switched things up and did short-stint at a digital agency. Then I got an opportunity to get back into FinServ and help set up a data practice for another market leader but this time in alternative lending. Flexiti presented me with a great opportunity to combine my data and information management expertise with payments and lending experiences. Also, I was excited to work seasoned executives and a CEO that I could aspire to.
Tell us about your family!
I have two beautiful children Neriah and Nate from an amazing wife, Racheal. Neriah is 9 years old and Nate is 5. I have three brothers and one sister. I am lucky to have my parents alive and well to be beloved grandparents to my kids
What was the hardest thing about becoming a dad?
Of all the things, what stands out the most is how can I give to both equally, knowing that the have and will have different needs.
Has being a dad impacted your career? How?
I think my career has been positively impacted from me being a dad. Being a dad is what motivates me the most to be the best that I can be in all that I do, and also to set the best examples for my kids. So my work enjoys getting the best from me, because I want to show my kids that they can and should excel at whatever they want and choose to do with their lives and careers.
What's one thing you've learned from your children?
Neriah’s actions and character reminds me of how important empathy is, and to be kind and thoughtful each day. Nate's curiosity is intriguing and reminds me to ask questions about many assumptions. You'd be surprised how many things one does without ever asking questions, or sometimes even knowing why.
How has being a dad made you a better/ different leader?
In a number of ways. I think foremost, that being a leader starts at home. How I compose myself to ensure we uphold our values and grow as a family, meet our goals, and enjoy one another are all learnings that I take from being a dad to being a leader at work. Also, I’m able to relate to other parents which make up a significant part of our workforce, understandings their joys and struggles. Before I was a dad, there were some things that working parents dealt with that I could just never understand or relate to – now I feel well-rounded I have experience working as a parent and non-parent and better equipped to deal well with both groups.
