There’s something about the turn of the year that makes people want to try again. Every January, social media goes wild with a list of resolutions.

Read more, eat better, show up for yourself, learn that skill, land that role.

I, too, am guilty of resolving, so this July, six months after the fireworks and vision boards faded, I caught up with a few of our people to find out how their year is going. One of them is Motunrayo, HRBP turned Team Lead, People Operations. 

A history of showing up

Motunrayo’s story is one of thousands unfolding across Moniepoint this July. But I chose to speak with Motunrayo for a reason. She had moved from a technical background in computer science to a thriving career in people operations. Throughout her career, she has progressed from intern to HR executive, to project coordinator, to senior associate, and is now a team lead. Every step of the way, she has shown what mastery can look like across roles, industries, and time.

As a People Partner, Motunrayo’s role is about supporting the people who support the business. She works directly with Moniepoint’s last-mile teams, navigating everything from performance conversations to personal development.

At the start of 2025, Motunrayo’s New Year's resolutions were clear: Close knowledge gaps. Strengthen policy compliance. Improve her response time. Be more present in her business and personal relationships.

Motunrayo’s vision board didn't begin in January 2025. New Year's resolutions require what I like to call “execution muscle”. A history that supports the aspiration, indicating that this person has been consistent before and can afford to do it again. She had that. She has had it since joining Moniepoint in 2023.

“Before I joined the team at Moniepoint, I had seen names on LinkedIn, read the job description, done my research,” Motunrayo said, laughing. “But my first meeting with Naz changed everything. She told me, ‘You’re not just joining a team, you’re the first HRBP in your team, meaning that you will build templates for a very unique business unit.’”

That team was a new division with tens of thousands of people across the country. It was a space that needed structure, and Motunrayo brought it.

She rolled up her sleeves and started from Day One. Policies, processes, and approval flows, all built from the ground up. There was a lot of documentation, but it was also effective communication. Working with a nationwide team that speaks multiple languages, and sometimes none of the ones used in corporate comms, required flexibility. Sometimes calls work better than messages. Sometimes you just explain things one-on-one.” And yet, through it all, she says she would not trade it for anything in the world. “It’s the most fulfilling work I’ve ever done.”

The impact of this kind of work is evident where it matters most. Because DreamMakers like Motunrayo are present and trusted at the frontline, our last-mile support teams are better equipped to show up for the people who need them. It’s the kind of behind-the-scenes care that strengthens our promise to power dreams with our technology and real people who make the work easier and more human.

A 60 to 110 mindset

So, how’s the year going? What has she actually done with those January intentions?

Close knowledge gaps ✅

She led a fresh push to communicate policies more clearly across regions. This included simplifying language, increasing one-on-one explanations, and driving product integrations that made compliance easier to follow. In her words, “If someone defies a policy, it’s either that they don’t know it exists, or they don’t understand it. We tackled both.”

Strengthen policy compliance ✅

The onboarding rollout brought structure from Day One. Motunrayo said, “When a new DreamMaker joins, they know exactly what is expected. No confusion. No grey area.” That clarity has already helped strengthen compliance in the region.

Improve her response time ✅

“I wanted to be more present for my team. They needed to know I’d respond, quickly.” She doubled down on what already worked. Her handwritten to-do list. Her accountability habits. Her follow-ups. Motunrayo is known for follow-through across the organisation, while still leading her team.

Be more present in relationships ✅

Her goal this year has been to reconnect. “Last year was hectic. I had an intimate wedding, and I realised my circle is deliberately small. But those people matter. So I’ve been making more of an effort to reach out, show up, spend time.” Since then, she has been more intentional about reconnecting with friends and carving space for life outside of work. Not as an escape, but as a way to stay grounded.

In March, she was promoted and asked to lead the entire People function for the on-the-ground sales team. Her mindset, in her words, went from 60 to 110. 

“I just kept thinking, this is nothing new. You need to deliver, and you will do it as you’ve always done. You need to be on your A-game every single day like always,” she said. “It was scary at first. My manager went on maternity leave right after the promotion. I remember thinking, after the effective pep talk, ‘How am I supposed to do this alone?’ But then I reminded myself, you’re not alone, you have an amazing team. You’re just in motion. Keep moving.”

And it shows. Her most significant win of the year yet? A new onboarding process was rolled out across the distribution team. “People take baby steps towards change. Especially when they’re used to doing things a certain way. However, with the support of Ezekiel Sanni and my team, we managed to pull it off. That kind of leadership alignment is everything.”

A Mastery of Life

If you ask Motunrayo what she would say to the January version of herself, her answer is immediate: “Calm down. Nothing is impossible. Even the word says, ‘I’m possible.’”

She says, “I didn’t know I’d be promoted when I set these goals. But I’m glad I set them. They gave me something solid to measure against. Not just KPIs, but the kind of person I want to be.”

Outside of work, Motunrayo carries the same fire. She’s also a passionate teacher, offering free workshops on CV building, job preparation, and confidence for students and early-career professionals. “Nobody taught me these things. I had to learn the hard way. So when I get a chance to help someone else skip the struggle, I take it.”

Long term, she sees herself starting a Mindful leadership Institution. Perhaps not a traditional university, but rather a space for intentional career guidance and support. “I want to create a platform where people can learn how to lead, how to work well, how to become better versions of themselves.”

But for now, her focus is squarely on her team. “My role is to make sure my team is servicing other departments excellently. That’s the joy of the work, knowing someone’s day is easier because of something you did.”

She’s also been driving new employee engagement initiatives, setting the stage for what she hopes will be an even more impactful second half of the year. “If, by December, I can sit down with our regional managers and they tell me, ‘This was a great year with your team,’ I’ll know we did it right.”

Perhaps you'd like to revisit your own January list and show us what’s what? If you’d like that, and you’re looking for a place that matches that energy, you will find your people here.

Explore how we grow mastery at Moniepoint. Click here.