In our latest ‘Five mins with…’ series we meet Yolande Eastwood, Paragon’s new Commercial Vehicle Dealer Finance Manager for the transport team. Yolande gave us an insight to who she is and where she gets her drive from.  To connect with Yolande on LinkedIn, visit her profile.                 

Congratulations on your new role, for the aspiring youth have you got any advice for breaking into the industry?

The very first thing I would say is believe in yourself and your capabilities. Embrace your uniqueness and always stay true to yourself.

Look at getting a mentor and researching the industry; who are the manufacturers, the types of various assets, what financial options are available, the direct funders and brokers who operate in this market. Don’t be afraid to ask questions which can be daunting but as they say, knowledge is power.

Learn from your mistakes and upskill yourself in areas that might be a little uncomfortable i.e. presenting. You’d be pleasantly surprised at what you can achieve with the right attitude and self-belief.

What are you looking forward to most in your role, anything exciting you can reveal to us?

Having spent the last 20 years in Motor Finance both here in the UK and South Africa, I am very excited to have joined Paragon Bank and learning all things Asset Finance related.

Having done similar roles for many years, I have always thoroughly enjoyed meeting new people and finding ways of adding value and leaving a memorable experience.

Delivering excellent customer service is fundamental in building strong relationship whilst getting things done. I am looking forward to sharing all things Paragon with the wider dealer network and forming great, solid working relationships.

Working in the South of England and Wales regions allows me the opportunity to meet with many different people and brands, which is very exciting. 

What do you enjoy outside of work?

Work/life balance is very important to me, so I treasure the time on weekends to spend quality time with my family and friends. Be it frequent braais (BBQ) or exploring new places.

I have also recently taken to gardening, or should I say buying plants with the intention of planting them one day, ha ha!

I also enjoy reading inspiring, motivational, thought-provoking books and sharing great finds with many others.

Thank you for taking the time today to participate in this interview. Before we go, we’d love to know have you got any hidden talents or party tricks?

I love taking photos from time to time. I am the one behind the camera when we are away on holiday or even at birthday parties. I don’t do this professionally, but I enjoy it.

Sharing the true beauty that surrounds us and reflecting on the many memories that photos capture and revisiting those moments brings me great joy.

Party tricks wise, I have tried making and blowing bubbles but this is very much a work in progress.

Visit Paragon SME Lending’s Asset Finance page  to find out more about how we support clients in this market.