SMARG
Smarg is a Lagos-based fintech startup reimagining the way African creatives go about their finances. They started as a remote contract facilitator enabling clients and freelancers to create project agreements before deciding to pivot to a Neobank to provide financial services that will help creatives thrive.
I joined the founding team to design the new banking experience during which we ideated, carried out product discovery and introduced features like Accounts, Virtual cards, Analytics and Moneyflows (automations). The Smarg mobile app is launching in March 2023.
Waitlist Website
To swiftly validate our product, we crafted a waitlist website. I designed an engaging website tailored to our new target demographic. We had 300 waitlist signups within one week of launching the website
Fun fact: I designed and prototyped the website in one weekend.
Accounts
The multi-currency accounts on Smarg enable creatives to carry out normal day-to-day transactions like sending and receiving money while solving specific pain points by allowing users to create invoice links that can be sent to clients and employers to get them paid seamlessly.
Spend
International card transactions have gotten increasingly difficult in Africa over the last few years. We are solving this problem by providing users with virtual USD and Naira cards that actually work. The ultimate goal is to issue cards directly linked to users’ accounts eliminating the need for separate funding as required with virtual cards.
Moneyflows
Reimagining the way Creatives go about their finances goes beyond accounts and cards. Moneyflows help users create automations that “let their money work for them” like scheduled transfers and targeted savings.
Analytics
Our discovery and research process revealed that users find it stressful to stay on top of their finances as they rely on third-party apps, spreadsheets and the traditional pen & paper. I designed an intuitive analytics flow that enables users to monitor inflow and outflow.
Conclusion
Solving a problem that resonates personally is immensely gratifying. The journey involved intensive technical research, exploring provider documentation and component libraries to optimise the app design for React Native.
Over the next few months, I’ll be working with the team to design and implement a new website that aligns with the brand and communicates the product’s value better.