The Entrepreneur Start Up App
The process of designing a step by step guide for entrepreneurs.
UX/UI - Mobile App
The challenge
About
Starting a business is overwhelming, especially for first-time entrepreneurs navigating endless information and decisions. Square One demystifies the process with a step-by-step visual guide, empowering new entrepreneurs to take confident, actionable steps toward launching their dream ventures.
My Role: UX/UI Researcher
Duration: 3 Months
Tools Used: Figma
Goals
1.
Guide to Success
Equip entrepreneurs with an intuitive, step-by-step framework that ensures they can confidently complete every critical milestone to launch their business.
2.
Providing Support
Provide access to experienced professionals who share actionable insights and personalized advice on building and running a thriving business.
Design Process
User Research: We started by conducting user interviews, uncovering key pain points and goals. Insights from these interviews were synthesized into actionable themes to guide the design.
Competitive Analysis: We analyzed comparable apps in the market, identifying strengths, weaknesses, and untapped opportunities in existing solutions. This helped shape an understanding of user needs and market gaps.
Insights to Action: This dual-layered research—user-focused and market-driven—provided a comprehensive understanding of user needs and market gaps.
Building on the research, we developed the app's structure by creating user flows and a comprehensive site map. Wireframes were sketched and tested with participants, generating valuable insights that informed multiple iterations.
Research
User Interview
Eight participants, aged 26-33, were interviewed to provide insights, with backgrounds ranging from data analysts and entrepreneurs to consultants and designers.
What we’re looking to answer:
1. To identify the challenges or barriers preventing potential entrepreneurs from starting a business.
2. To understand the key motivators that could inspire users to take the first step in launching a business.
3. To find tools and resources that would provide confidence to successfully start and manage a business.
Insights
User interviews uncovered key barriers, that will help guide the app's design, ensuring it offers the tools and support needed for aspiring entrepreneurs to confidently start their business.
1
Users expressed that fear of failure and risk is the biggest factor
Many were deterred by the uncertainty and potential failure of entrepreneurship, preferring the stability of their current situation. The challenges and unpredictability of starting a business made the entrepreneurial path seem too risky for those seeking security.
2
Lack of Financial Capital
Insufficient financial resources pose a significant hurdle, leaving aspiring entrepreneurs feeling unable to launch or sustain a business.
3
Lack of Resources
Lack of guidance on business operations, often leaves individuals feeling stuck and overwhelmed.
4
Commitment
The significant time and effort required to establish and maintain a business can be intimidating.
Market Analysis
We analyzed mentorship platforms like LinkedIn and BetterUp, each of which has carved out a distinct niche in the market. These platforms demonstrate that successful mentorship models combine personalized support with flexibility, catering to the needs of both individuals and organizations.
We also explore platforms like Duolingo and Snapchat, which excel at user engagement through gamified learning experiences, competitive elements, and reward systems—such as streaks or impact metrics—encouraging users to spend more time on these apps. These strategies highlight opportunities to make entrepreneurship tools more engaging and habit-forming.
BetterUp
What they’re doing well:
Tailored guidance and flexible engagement options.
Connect users with a wide network of mentors and professionals across industries.
Possible Pain Points
LinkedIn can feel overwhelming for beginners, while BetterUp may be too expensive for early-stage entrepreneurs.
Both platforms risk providing generic experiences or losing users due to limited long-term engagement strategies.
Duolingo
Snapchat
What they’re doing well:
Both platforms use rewards, streaks, and challenges to keep users motivated and engaged.
Encourage consistent usage through daily reminders and fun, interactive experiences.
Possible Pain Points
Excessive focus on rewards can detract from meaningful content or outcomes.
Users may lose interest once the novelty of gamified features wears off.
User Personas
Concept
Solutions
Based on the insights from our research, we asked ourselves:
How might we empower entrepreneurs to overcome the fear of failure and feel confident in taking their first steps?
Building Blocks: Break down the startup process into manageable steps, making it easier to navigate each phase of business development.
How might we create a supportive community that inspires and motivates users throughout their journey?
Mentorship: Connect with experienced mentors who can provide guidance and valuable insights tailored to individual goals.
How might we design flexible, time-efficient solutions that fit into busy schedules and make entrepreneurship feel manageable?
Progress Tracker: Monitor milestones and track achievements to stay motivated throughout the entrepreneurial journey.
How might we provide affordable tools to help entrepreneurs start their journey without significant upfront costs?
In-App Resources: Access a variety of resources directly within the app, including articles, templates, and tools to support business growth.
Task Flows
We created task flows based on our solutions to map out each action a user needs to take to achieve a specific goal from start to finish, providing a clear and logical path. This ensures that each process aligns with the user’s needs, reduces friction, and delivers a seamless experience.
Business Plan Generator
Mentorship Subscription
Schedule a Session
View Article
Design
Wireframing
Low-fidelity wireframes serve as essential visual representations of task flows, translating complex user journeys into simplified layouts.
Feedback
The overall feedback on the initial wireframes was positive, with participants finding the layout intuitive and appreciating the streamlined process that addressed many of the usability issues from the original site. A few small comments were made, which will help refine the design as we move toward higher-fidelity prototypes.
Onboarding
Users liked the progress indicators but suggested clearer labeling for multiple selections and a prompt to guide goal setting.
Mentor Section
The mentor ad needs to be more eye-catching, with an option for phone or video sessions and time zones specified in mentor matching.
Content & Layout
Reorganize the file upload section after the chat and add a highlighting tool for note-taking on the article page.
Branding
Design System
A design system is essential for maintaining consistency across an app, ensuring a cohesive visual and functional experience that enhances usability. It streamlines the design processes by providing reusable components and standardized guidelines.
Design Values
Foundations
Components
Final Product
Users are guided through a series of prompts that encourage them to define their goals, challenges, and aspirations.
This setup enables the app to personalize its recommendations, delivering targeted resources, relevant mentorship connections, and tailored tools aligned with each user’s unique entrepreneurial path.
By understanding users’ intentions and needs from the outset, the app can provide ongoing support, insights, and opportunities that adapt to their progress and growth at every stage of their journey.
Onboarding
Users are guided through a series of prompts to define their intentions, helping the app tailor resources, mentorship, and tools to support their entrepreneurial journey effectively.
Progress Tracking
Using a gamified approach to visually display and engage advancement through the app. As each section is completed, new segments are unlocked, offering a clear sense of accomplishment.
Connecting users with experienced mentors in their industry through a personalized pairing process. By completing a questionnaire, users are matched with a mentor tailored to their business goals.
Mentor Subscription and Pairing
Mentor Space and Scheduling
Dedicated area to manage and coordinate mentorship sessions. With an integrated calendar, scheduling is made simple—users can easily select available dates and times for sessions.
Ensures that users have all essential information filled out, guiding them through the process step by step. Option of AI tool, users to assist when needed.
Business Plan Generator
Provides essential in app resources for users' research, featuring a highlight tool that allows users to mark and save important content for easy reference later.
Tools
Next Steps
Onwards
As Square One continues to evolve, ongoing testing and iteration will remain at the forefront of development, guided by user feedback and data-driven insights.
By leveraging analytics to identify user needs and refine features, the platform can prioritize enhancements that foster engagement, accountability, and a sense of achievement. These efforts aim to drive higher project completion rates, encourage repeat usage, and shape a more supportive environment for users. This commitment to continuous improvement ensures that Square One remains an invaluable resource for aspiring entrepreneurs, empowering them to turn their ideas into reality while adapting to their evolving needs.
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