Crypto Gist: From Classroom to Crypto: Adefoyeke's Inspiring Leap into Crypto

In celebration of International Women's Day, we're thrilled to present a special feature that shines a light on the remarkable women making waves in the often tumultuous sea of the crypto space. This year, we're taking a moment to spotlight those who not only navigate these waters with grace and expertise but also pave the way for more women to join this dynamic industry.

Our journey into the heart of crypto's female-led future begins with an inspiring story from one of the winners of Yellow Card's International Women’s Day giveaway in 2023—a campaign dedicated to recognising and uplifting women who are carving out their paths in the crypto space.
Today, we're honoured to interview Adefoyeke, a student from Nigeria and one of the brilliant minds celebrated in the last giveaway. Her journey from academia to the forefront of crypto innovation is not just a story of personal achievement but a beacon of inspiration for women everywhere.

Hi, Can we meet you?

I’m Adefoyeke from Nigeria. I recently graduated from the Federal University of Technology and Engineering, majoring in Mathematics. I'm a mathematician by profession.

Wow, that's quite impressive! It's not often we come across a female mathematician.

Hahaha! Yes, it's a bit rare, isn't it?
When did you first hear about crypto?

I first heard about it during the lockdown between 2020 and 2021.

How would you describe your crypto experience in one word?

Amazing!

That's wonderful to hear; such positivity isn't always common. So, after learning about crypto between 2020 and 2021, when did you actually start engaging with it?

I got started in 2021. I learned about crypto through my male friends. I began with airdrop. I wasn’t very keen on it at first because it was kind of difficult. But then I heard their success stories. I was intrigued by this, and with their help, I started my crypto journey. They were available to put me through with platform, tools and tips. And simply, that’s how my crypto journey started. 

You mentioned finding it challenging at the beginning. Could you elaborate on the difficulties you faced and how you overcame them?

My crypto journey began on Binance, which I found to be quite technical and challenging to navigate, particularly with transactions, managing portfolios, and understanding trade pairings. What really motivated me to persevere was hearing about my friends' successes, which encouraged me to put in more effort to understand and navigate the complexities.

How did your friends' success stories influence your approach to trading and investing in crypto?

My friends had been able to build technical skills, which they applied to their crypto journey, and this paid off. This motivated me to delve deeper into trading, where I, too, began to see gains by leveraging similar skills.

Can you share your biggest loss or win in the crypto space?

Investing can be a challenge because sometimes you win or lose. If you are considering your losses, sometimes you might want to get frustrated and back off. But if you consistently keep up with it, you will see that you will have more wins in the long run. A particularly tough moment for me was during a recent competition where my account was nearly suspended and deleted. It was a significant setback, and I almost gave up entirely.

That sounds intense. What happened with that competition?

The competition was related to the NEAR protocol, focusing on chain abstraction, and offered numerous opportunities. Despite completing the necessary requirements, my account was suspended, leading to a stressful period of filing appeals to prove my innocence. I remember having to file numerous appeals to their support system and fearing my account was gone permanently.  Fortunately, I managed to recover my account during the competition but lost valuable time, which was incredibly frustrating. I still tried to catch up with the competition, but unfortunately, I wasn’t announced as one of the winners. 

I'm sorry to hear that. Have you experienced any notable victories in the crypto space?

Yes, one of my biggest wins was when I invested in a lesser-known token with minimal capital and earned seven times my initial investment. I began wondering why I didn’t invest more. If I did, I’d have definitely made a whole lot of money.

Hahaha, Don’t we all know that feeling? 

I was super excited about winning. It gave me the energy and drive to expand my portfolio. Additionally, being a woman in the predominantly male crypto space has offered certain benefits. 

Men largely dominate the crypto space, so when a woman joins the crypto space, the community is extra happy to welcome them and provides them with several opportunities.  I had the opportunity to join a crypto community built specifically for women to learn more about crypto. The community is driven to support women, similar to what Yellow Card did last year. I was keen on learning and being active within the community, and in no time, I was made one of the assistant project coordinators. This was a major milestone for me; I was able to educate my friends and other women and onboard them. This role has been a significant milestone, allowing me to contribute to and support other women in the space.

It's inspiring to see you paving the way for other women in crypto. Well done!

Thank you.
You mentioned Yellow Card's support last year. How did that impact your crypto journey?

There’s no doubt it had a significant impact on me. As of last year, I was already in the crypto space but not as active as I am now. When I heard about the giveaway competition, I was excited. I was on break then, so I told my friends about the competition, and while they referred me to the giveaway, many of my friends learned about Yellow Card. It was also an avenue to teach them about crypto, what it is about, and what Yellow Card does. When I won, it gave me more energy. 

I was happy that Yellow Card had women in mind. As I said, men primarily dominate the crypto space; it's almost like sometimes the women are invisible. I was intrigued by Yellow Card’s idea and the fact that they were prioritising women in their minds, giving women the platform, and encouraging them to come on board and be in the crypto space.
Usually, when I talk to female friends, they say, “No, it's for guys.”Yellow Card’s giveaway was able to empower women as it told stories of women in the crypto space and showed it is not just for men. 

That's truly remarkable. How do you view yourself in the crypto world? Are you more of an investor, a trader, or an enthusiast for the technology?
I primarily see myself as an investor in the crypto space. However, I'm also acquiring skills in UI/UX, which will allow me to work on the programming of Web3 and crypto projects. I also write, and I see myself writing content regarding crypto in the future. I mentioned I held a role within a crypto community, so I also have several projects running. 

What's the most important lesson you've learned in the crypto space?

I think commitment and consistency are what drive me to the crypto space. Sometimes, you may feel like you don’t want to do this anymore, but being able to go back no matter what is consistency and commitment. 

Insightful! As an investor and someone who has mentored people into coming into the space, what would be your recommendation to a newbie?
My recommendation would be to learn soft skills. There are a whole lot of opportunities in the crypto space, and this will position you better to enjoy them. Also, ensure that you read and you’re always learning; even as I’m speaking, I’m undergoing a 13-week training to upscale. You should learn and make enquiries - the sky is your limit. There’s always an opportunity to invest and this is a great time to invest and learn about crypto.
Thank you so much; this session has been very inspiring and insightful. 

Thank you for having me, and I want to give a shout-out to Yellow Card for the opportunities they are providing to women.