Chats With T

On this episode of *Chats with T*, I sit down with **Grace Anyetei**, Regional Commercial Director at Onafriq, to explore her journey from studying architecture to leading global fintech initiatives. We discuss:✅ Her role in major projects like the **MPESA Global Visa Virtual Card**✅ Strategies for driving revenue growth and market expansion✅ The future of **Financial Inclusion in Africa**. Grace also shares insights on building transformative partnerships, mentoring the next generation of women in tech, and using storytelling as a leadership tool in fast-paced industries.Timestamps:(0:00) Intro(1:19) Early Days/ Experiences with a Significant Impact(8:11) Current Role (Regional Commercial Director)(13:43) My Biggest Career Milestone(17:22) Transferrable Skills & Leveling Up(21:43) Modeling Stint 💄(23:54) Most Promising Shifts in Africa’s Fintech Landscape(29:06) Regulation & its Impact(36:41) Navigating The Complexity of Scaling Commercial Operations(38:15) The Technology Shaping Africa’s Financial Future(43:06) Entering New Markets: How to Identify Product-Market Fit(47:51) Breaking Into Complex Markets(51:34) What Makes a Partnership Truly Transformative(55:01) Leadership Approach & Team Building Strategy(57:26) Mentorship(1:04:18) Advice for Women & Underrepresented Groups Entering Tech(1:06:58) Why Speaking & Networking Opportunities Matter(1:09:35) Storytelling for Impactful Leadership(1:11:45) The Overlooked Side of Africa’s Digital Revolution(1:14:26) Leadership Wisdom (Wisdom Nuggets)(1:16:56) OutroLinks:OnafriQ WebsiteGrace LinkedIn

On Episode 4 of Chats with T, I sit down with Nic, Senior Technical Director at Yellowcard Financial to explore the intersection of Blockchain, Financial Inclusion, and Leadership in tech.From his journey into technology to building high-performing teams, we dive into:✅ Blockchain’s role in revolutionizing finance in Africa✅ Lessons from the Terra Luna collapse✅ The future of on-chain technology for governance & transparency✅ AI’s impact on engineering careersPlus, Nic shares insights on the mindset needed to thrive as a technology leader.Timestamps:(0:00) Intro(1:10) Early Days/ Tech Inspiration(4:51) Tech Roles with a Significant Impact(8:50) Blockchain Development Mindshift(10:43) Building Highly Effective Teams(12:52) Blockchain Potential & Challenges in Africa(17:34) Biggest Crypto Learning(21:49) Advise for No-Coiners(25:54) ETH Berlin Hackathon Winner(28:45) Hobbies (DIY Drones & Home Automation)(32:54) Artificial Intelligence. How do we adapt?(37:01) A.I. Strategy at YellowCard(39:34) Leadership Wisdom (Wisdom Nuggets)(41:42)OutroLinks:YellowCard WebsiteNicolaas Vercuiel LinkedIn

On Episode 3 of Chats with T, I sit down with **Kaka Ruto**, founder and CTO of **Autohaven**, to explore his journey from biomedical engineering to building a niche social platform for car enthusiasts. We dive into:✅ His career milestones at Kyle Computer Centre and Andela✅ Insights on relocating for tech opportunities, ✅ The challenges of scaling Autohaven across markets. Ruto also shares lessons on building in public, staying agile through pivots, and the future of automotive and social tech in Africa.Timestamps:(0:00)Intro(1:09)Early Days/ Education Background(3:03) Experiences That Shaped My Career (1. Foundations)(4:55) Experiences That Shaped My Career (2. Suffering)(11:24) Experiences That Shaped My Career (3. Tech Communities(29:37) Experiences That Shaped My Career (4. Always Be Building)(30:26) Experiences That Shaped My Career (5. Put Your Work Out There)(31:13) Experiences That Shaped My Career (6. Tooling - Vim)(34:20) Experiences That Shaped My Career (Recap)(35:07) Relocation and Opportunities(42:52) Relocation Challenges(47:18) AutoHaven Origin Story(53:59) Challenges Building AutoHaven(57:14) AutoHaven Product Offering(1:02:43) AutoHaven Coverage(1:03:50) AutoHaven Tech Stack(1:06:47) Building a Professional Brand(1:09:37) Industry Trends & Future Technologies(1:17:40) Entrepreneurship Lessons(1:21:52) How to Support AutoHaven?(1:36:35) Leadership Wisdom (Wisdom Nuggets)(1:40:53) Outro

On this episode of Chats with T, I speak with Justin Poiroux, CTO of YellowCard Financial, Africa's Leading Stablecoin Payment Infrastructure. We explore:✅ How YellowCard is driving crypto adoption across African markets✅ The company’s evolving vision, and the unique challenges of scaling fintech infrastructure in emerging economies.Justin also shares insights on Security, Compliance, Leadership, and the Future of Cryptocurrency in Africa, offering valuable takeaways for investors, builders, and tech leaders.Timestamps:(0:00) Intro(1:00) How Did You Get into Tech? (2:24) Career Journey (Leading up to YC)(5:29) What is YellowCard?(6:18) Company Vision & Role of Tech(9:08) Unique Challenges(12:05) Security, Compliance & Regulation(15:42) Financial Literacy & Crypto/Blockchain Education(17:05) Future of CryptoCurrency in Africa(19:15) Tech Stack & Innovation(22:54) Leadership & Team Building(24:36) Adapting to Market Trends(27:17) Engineering Leadership Summit (Kigali)(28:51) Leadership Wisdom (Wisdom Nuggets)(30:05) Outro

On Episode 1 of Chats with T, Martin and I break down what stablecoins really are, how they work, and why they matter.We explore:✅ Stablecoins and their differences from other cryptocurrencies, real-world use cases, and their potential impact on traditional banking systems like M-PESA.✅ We also discuss the rise of CBDCs and share practical advice for anyone looking to invest in or build stablecoin technology.Timestamps:(0:00) Introduction(0:44) Host Intro(1:16) What are Stablecoins? (2:52) Most Popular Stable Coins (5:19) Real World Applications(7:23) Stablecoins Impact on Traditional Financial Systems(8:48) CBDCs vs Stablecoins(11:02) Advice for Aspiring Stablecoin Investors & Builders(14:23) Final Thoughts(16:28) Outro