/ Company
/ Company
Novo
Novo
/ Role
/ Role
Lead Product Designer
Lead Product Designer
/ Date
/ Date
2025-Present
2025-Present
Welcoming
Welcoming
Welcoming
Welcoming
Small
Small
Small
Small
Businesses
Businesses
Businesses
Businesses
[2]
[2]
/ About Novo
/ About Novo
Novo provides banking tools for small businesses. The first stop on a user's journey involves signing up and applying for a checking account. I redesigned the onboarding experience — stripping friction, building trust signals, and increasing application completion rates.
Novo provides banking tools for small businesses. The first stop on a user's journey involves signing up and applying for a checking account. I redesigned the onboarding experience — stripping friction, building trust signals, and increasing application completion rates.
Novo provides banking tools for small businesses. The first stop on a user's journey involves signing up and applying for a checking account. I redesigned the onboarding experience — stripping friction, building trust signals, and increasing application completion rates.
/ Underserved market
/ Underserved market
Traditional banks have long overlooked small businesses, offering products designed for enterprise customers. Over 33 million small businesses in the US represent a massive opportunity for purpose-built financial tools.
Traditional banks have long overlooked small businesses, offering products designed for enterprise customers. Over 33 million small businesses in the US represent a massive opportunity for purpose-built financial tools.
M+
M+
M+
small businesses in the US — most served by products designed for enterprise customers
%
%
%
of consumers cite the hassle of switching banks as their primary barrier to change
%
%
%
of small US firms now work with non-bank fintechs, pulling business from traditional institutions
/ Hurdle
/ Hurdle
It's not hard to create more value than the large banks, but it's hard to challenge their reputation. Building trust starts the moment someone engages with the Novo brand and continues through every interaction.
It's not hard to create more value than the large banks, but it's hard to challenge their reputation. Building trust starts the moment someone engages with the Novo brand and continues through every interaction.
/ Trust in Fintech
/ Trust in Fintech
Trust in fintech is rising globally, but the US lags — only 55% of Americans trust financial services companies to do the right thing. For a neobank asking small business owners to hand over their SSN and EIN, every screen either builds or breaks that trust.
Trust in fintech is rising globally, but the US lags — only 55% of Americans trust financial services companies to do the right thing. For a neobank asking small business owners to hand over their SSN and EIN, every screen either builds or breaks that trust.
/ Opportunities
/ Opportunities
The existing onboarding application was slow, disorganized, and underperforming. After teardowns and analytics deep-dives, I identified three key goals.
The existing onboarding application was slow, disorganized, and underperforming. After teardowns and analytics deep-dives, I identified three key goals.
/ Flow structure
/ Flow structure
I reordered the flow — stripping unnecessary inputs, building in automatic decisioning, and rearranging information collection into an intentional sequence.
I reordered the flow — stripping unnecessary inputs, building in automatic decisioning, and rearranging information collection into an intentional sequence.
/ BUILDING Trust
/ BUILDING Trust
I built momentum through trust signals — testimonials for social proof, checkpoints to set expectations, and clear explanations of why we're collecting sensitive information.
I built momentum through trust signals — testimonials for social proof, checkpoints to set expectations, and clear explanations of why we're collecting sensitive information.
/ Shipped
/ Shipped
I deployed the first version to an increasing percentage of new applicants to track performance before full rollout.
I deployed the first version to an increasing percentage of new applicants to track performance before full rollout.
Drag →
Drag →
/ Testing
/ Testing
Monitoring page drop-off and approval rates allowed me to iterate on the modular experience in real time.
Monitoring page drop-off and approval rates allowed me to iterate on the modular experience in real time.
/ Outcome
/ Outcome
The revised onboarding is already showing statistically significant improvements — faster application completion and increased auto-decisioning rates.
The revised onboarding is already showing statistically significant improvements — faster application completion and increased auto-decisioning rates.
/ Reflection
/ Reflection
More early research would've resulted in stronger initial recommendations. But this workstream became an exercise in rapid delivery — and it gave the team an appetite to keep pushing.
More early research would've resulted in stronger initial recommendations. But this workstream became an exercise in rapid delivery — and it gave the team an appetite to keep pushing.
