Motherboard Memoirs: Moyemi's Internship Review

In a bid to provide more opportunities for career growth, Motherboard launched its Internship program in September 2023. This program was designed to help people get real work experience, grow in their desired fields, and gain more confidence by letting them take charge of projects from start to finish.

Our first cohort of analysts successfully wrapped up their internship program last month, and we're eager to share their stories. Kicking off this series is Moyemi Suleiman, our Finance and Operations analyst.

Why did you apply for Motherboard’s Internship Program?

I decided to apply because I wanted to understand how the Health Industry works and Motherboard had a healthcare category in its offerings. The fact that it was also a remote role aligned with my career vision. I applied for a Finance and Operations role due to my background in Accounting and experience in Operations. I was also interested in a transition from Accounting to Core Finance which influenced my decision to apply.

What was the application and interview process like for you?

My application was spontaneous; I remember applying at night immediately I saw the post on Motherboard’s Instagram page (which I followed prior to the program). I was very confident I would get into the program; I just had that strong conviction. So, when I got a call from Lekan, Motherboard’s CEO, on a Sunday evening, I already adjusted my calendar to start the program. It felt more like a conversation than an interview for me. 

What was your first impression of the team?

When I saw the no-pay clause in my offer letter, I hesitated. But today, I am grateful Lekan called to follow up to confirm I received the offer. That was my turning point for this beautiful experience I have enjoyed the last 3 months. I later found out that Lekan and I were connected by Aluta blood😅; we both finished from Oba Awon University (OAU).

I was a little confused the first week because in every meeting I attended after I joined, I kept hearing PRD left and right and was wondering when we’d get to the numbers turn.

How did it feel to have ownership of tasks?

It was great to be responsible for some tasks. I really wanted to have an impact on Motherboard. With my previous experience, it was easy to channel my thoughts and ideas with supervision from the team. I think my biggest driving force was that I asked the right questions.

Even though I was the only intern in my department, I still performed well like I had a competitor because I needed my performance to continue to speak for itself. I have always taken charge of tasks with little or no supervision, so project ownership was quite a flex.

How was the experience of working with other people like for you?

I struggled to call Lekan by name a lot. I only did it via email because the Nigerian in me won’t allow me say it without my ancestors hitting me lol. But it was good working with Lekan and he became my guy. He made me know about another superpower I had; following up.

Working with my colleagues and the team improved my teamwork, collaboration and communication. I got a shoutout from Al-ameen Abolare and it was beautiful. 

I got more familiar with other interns after I made this comment on the group; I didn’t like how scanty the intern standup call had become.

That statement yielded results- our numbers improved after my comment. Who no like money? “Mo gbe won landicap” actually, because I didn’t have the power to do that but I did it anyway and it worked! Standup became a lot more interesting after that.

Did you learn anything new in the course of planning and executing your project?

Yes, Yes, Yes, different vocabulary - Pool, Stressors, Blockers, Premium and also Reporting Structure. I had a meeting with Bayo (one of our consultants) one time and I kept wondering if it was the same IFRS we studied? That was core finance right there and I still need to steal his brain. 

In general, what was the experience like for you?

One of my ICAN Tutors taught me “Buy Low, Sell High” in one of my strategic courses. My experience in Motherboard is a perfect example. You have to go low to fly (high). Here I am smiling while writing this story. 

Thank you Motherboard, it was indeed an experience; from the late night and weekend messages (a must if you’re in finance) to disturbing people to respond to SMs to pressure from people like Hannah who will first come with a sweet greeting for me. Hannah is definitely my follow-up buddy.

In general, it was a great experience.