Stride
Building Financial Confidence for Young Women
OVERVIEW
For young women making the transition into financial independence for the first time, it can be overwhelming and isolating, especially when it comes to finding relevant advice or finding people to talk to without feeling embarrassed.
Stride is an AI-powered social finance app that understands these emotions behind money decisions and provides a judgment-free space to build lasting financial confidence.
ROLE
Lead Designer & Researcher, Project Owner
TIMELINE
6 Months • 2025
WHY I CHOSE THIS TOPIC
My dad is a stockbroker, and my mom has a degree in finance. Yet, managing money makes me anxious…
…and turns out it's not just me.
PROBLEM
Until just 50 years ago, women could be denied a credit card without a male co-signer [sourcearrow_outward]. This lack of access is what gave rise to the stereotype that women are bad at finances - misconceptions that show up as internalized shame and guilt in young women today.
EXPLORATORY RESEARCH
Understanding emotional aspects and cultural + familial influences on financial decision-making
Social Listening
Explored different ways young women consume financial information and identified barriers to implementing financial advice.
User Interviews
Conducted in-depth interviews with 7 women (ages 20-27) to deep dive into their money mindsets and cultural + familial influences.
Diary Study
Analyzed real-time financial decision-making to understand internal emotional triggers of 6 women (ages 20-27) daily for 1 week.
key insights
[01]
Experience builds trust, but not relatability
Online sources are not enough to build trust. Young women seek personalized financial advice from knowledgeable, experienced people around them, like their parents, but find their advice difficult to relate to.
"He gives elaborate examples from his own life experience but I can't relate to those yet. I have to tell him 'Dad, explain it to me like when you were 25.'"
— Isha, 25
[02]
Fear of judgement
Friends going through similar life experiences are the most relatable source, but fear of judgment makes them the least accessible.
Young women want advice from people in similar life phases but feel vulnerable discussing it with their friends, fearing judgment and discomfort.
"I tried talking to my boyfriend about it, but he knows too much so I don't want him to think I'm stupid."
— Sarah, 23
THE CHALLENGE
How might we help young women learn from relatable, trustworthy sources to build healthy, sustainable financial habits?
DESIGNING FOR TRUST IN AI
Designing the AI's Tone of Voice to be empathetic yet professional to make it sound trustworthy
DESIGNING FOR INTENTIONAL ACTION-TAKING
Confidence is built when action is taken, so I studies Nir Eyal's Hooked model to design for behavioral change
INTERACTIVE PROTOTYPE
Take confident strides towards financial growth
