YouLend

11 months ago I joined YouLend as a Junior — and since then, it’s been a fast-moving journey full of learning, responsibility, and opportunities I genuinely didn’t expect this early on. After passing probation 5 months ago, I was trusted by Weronika Cieraszewska and others across the business to help spearhead the new Credit Eligibility Department in our Berlin office — something I’ll now be leading on the ground from June, with the continued support of the team back in London. As my time in the London office comes to an end, I’ve been reflecting on how much growth can happen in a short space of time when you’re surrounded by high standards, trust, and people who push you to improve professionally and personally. Over the past months, I’ve been heavily involved in building out the new team alongside Alex Patterson — from hiring and process development to hands-on training. Recently, I also had the opportunity to travel to Berlin with Alex to meet and train the new starters directly, something we’ll continue with my good friend Alessandro Devos flying in next week. Still being a Junior while taking this step makes the journey even more interesting. Goes to show what can happen when good people trust you early and you’re ready to take ownership. Big appreciation to the people around me for the support and standards they’ve set. A lot achieved already, but this feels more like the start than the finish.