Hello! I'm Ethan Holzer.
Senior Product Designer, at Step Mobile.
Leading design for the growth team at Step.
Onboarding beginning in the app store and ending at the user's first retention related action. Finding innovative ways to build the financial literacy of the next generation.
work
1. Signup Flow
Designed the signup experience across several use cases, i.e. Organic users, adults invited by their children looking to open a bank account, and sponsors inviting their children to open a bank account.
This project was the first area of the app to implement a new brand identity, and the first to be designed under a new designs system.
The flow also segments users based on their primary reason for coming to Step, which is then used as the north star for users to follow as they get started in the app.
Role
Impact
Product strategy
Visual design
UX
Significant increase in rate of users verifying their identity in signup
2. Account Progress
An onboarding experience after signup to allow users to track what steps they should take to get the most out of their experience with Step.
Role
Impact
Product strategy
Visual design
UX
Significant increase in first time funding events and monthly transacting user (MTU) conversion rate
3. Step Mobile
In March 2025, Step became the first banking platform in the country to offer a phone plan, Step Mobile. Step leveraged Gigs for Fintech, a product that allows users to purchase phone plans using AT&T's network, whitelisted in Step's brand.
This feature targets price conscious young adults, and builds their credit history with each monthly payment.
Role
Impact
Product strategy
Visual design
UX
TBD ~This one is very new!
strategy
Understanding the overlap between user goals and business goals to find a solution that enriches the user's experience, and accomplishes what we want as a business.
Here are a few examples of how I worked across design, engineering, product, and marketing to gain alignment and push innovative projects forward.
Leading brainstorming sessions with company leadership
Getting alignment on big concepts is always a delicate process. Starting with a brainstorming session has been a great tool to get everyone on the same page.



Within a year of joining Step, the app had grown substantially with new features like investing, credit reporting/monitoring, bill pay, high interest savings accounts, and many more. But with a larger product comes a need for a more robust onboarding system.


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To address this problem, I led a brainstorming session with company leadership to generate ideas on how we could improve our onboarding system. This session resulted in one large systematic change to one of our onboarding features, and 10-12 smaller improvements to A/B test.
Roadmap and Product Management
Role
Designed the signup experience across several use cases, i.e. Organic users, adults invited by their children looking to open their bank account (aka. Sponsors), and sponsors inviting their children to open a bank account (aka Sponsees).
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This project was the first area of the app to implement a new brand identity, and the first to be designed under a new designs system.
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It also segments users based on their primary reason for coming to Step, which is then used as the north star for users to follow as they get started in the app.
Often acted as both Product lead and design lead within the growth team
collaboration
Peer Reviews - How did I do?
Kate Montgomery, Head of Product Marketing at Step
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Throughout the past year, Ethan didn't just engage in product development processes; he assumed a leadership role, spearheading initiatives like getting groups together to brainstorm unmet opportunities with our 18+ audience and lead project retros within the Growth Pod. He led by example, always motivating team members to question assumptions, seek innovative solutions, and actively egage in the creative process.
Jamie Knowlton, Head of Finance and Strategy at Step
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Ethan always brings a great attitude to his work, and I can tell he genuinely enjoys the design process, which injects energy into the whole group. I noticed this particularly while we were designing the visual identity for Step Black.
Dmitry Shulga, Senior Engineering Manager at Step
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One of Ethan's standout qualities is his abundance of creative ideas. He organizes and/or actively contributes to brainstorming sessions, suggesting improvements and innovations that have proven invaluable to the team's projects. His ability to generate a whole plethora of ideas showcases his creative prowess.
Greg Hill, Head of Design at Step
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Ethan's unique superpower lies in his ability to foster collaboration and harmony across various teams, a trait that is vital to our success and rare on our team. His impact extends beyond his responsibilities as a product designer on the growth team because he's able to bring together diverse groups of people to achieve common goals.