About the Project

Zest Financial is thesis project designed by Justin Lee, an MFA graduate (ABD) at Academy of Art University in San Francisco. This project is a two-year-long exploration revolving around young consumers and credit reports. The idea stems from an alarming rate of young adults avoiding credit cards for fear of falling into debt. Therefore, they are "credit invisible." In 2015, the CFPB (Consumer Financial Protection Bureau) Office of Research published a report estimating that 26 million of Americans have little to no track record of their credit history. 

Of the 26 million, nearly half of them are teens and young adults who do not realize the importance of managing a healthy credit history and report. This alarming trend can cause detrimental effects in the long run. What if there’s a bank that can help them begin their financial journey on the right foot?

Zest Financial aims to instill healthy financial habits for young audiences through a mobile banking app. The powerful all-in-one app consolidates your credit card(s) to your checking account making it easier to know what you have and what you owe. With the Zest mobile banking app, you can manage it all—your money, credit report, credit history, bills, and emergencies—seamlessly. 

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This website is the outcome of a student project and does not represent an actual bank or any other individuals referenced or acknowledged within this site. Everything is hypothetical and designed for academic purposes.

Hello there! I'm Justin, and my bad credit history brought me here. Like many others before me, I signed up for my first credit card without understanding how to use it. Eventually, my poor habits took a hit on my credit score. When it came time to choose a topic for my thesis study, I challenged myself to find a solution to prevent young consumers from falling into the same black hole of debt. Thus, Zest Financial was born. Stay tuned for a full process report on my thesis journey. In the meantime, you can check out my thesis blog site for any updates. 

About the Designer