Smart Spend, Seamless Control 🚀
Smart Spend,
Seamless Control 🚀
Redefining the Gulf’s Freelancers & SME’s business spend management through smart, affordable Fintech solutions.
Redefining the Gulf’s Freelancers & SME’s business spend management through smart, affordable Fintech solutions.
Responsibilities
User Research
End-to-End Design
Design Team Hiring & Lead
Design Dev Hand-off
team
Head of UX & Remote Design team (2 UX Designers, 1 Visual Designer)
Product Manager
Xpence Leadership team (CEO, CTO etc.)
Time
2019-20 (MVP)
Platform
iOS & Android app
Web App (Launched later)
Problem
How might we help freelancers and SMEs in the Gulf easily manage business expenses with corporate cards, while reducing manual reconciliation, accounting costs, and improving spend analytics?
How might we help freelancers and SMEs in the Gulf easily manage business expenses with corporate cards, while reducing manual reconciliation, accounting costs, and improving spend analytics?
Status Quo
Status Quo
the existing state of affairs before 2020
the existing state of affairs before 2020
the existing state of affairs before 2020
Many freelancers and SMEs in the Gulf, including the founders of Xpence, faced hurdles in opening business bank accounts,* tracking expenses, and managing company spending.
Many freelancers and SMEs in the Gulf, including the founders of Xpence, faced hurdles in opening business bank accounts,* tracking expenses, and managing company spending.
The following were top problems reported online.
The following were top problems reported online.
For freelancers and newly incorporated startups in the UAE, opening a bank account was an uphill task, often impossible or requiring a deposit or security balance of AED 25K–50K.
For freelancers and newly incorporated startups in the UAE, opening a bank account was an uphill task, often impossible or requiring a deposit or security balance of AED 25K–50K.
therefore, use personal bank accounts for business expenses.
therefore, use personal bank accounts for business expenses.
therefore, manually track employee spending without proper controls.
therefore, manually track employee spending without proper controls.
therefore, struggle with business transactions due to lack of affordable Invoicing & payments solutions.
therefore, struggle with business transactions due to lack of affordable Invoicing & payments solutions.
therefore, struggle with day-to-day petty cash issues, missing receipts and accounting hassles.
therefore, struggle with day-to-day petty cash issues, missing receipts and accounting hassles.
Solution
Solution
MVP Solution
in the constraint of time, budget and resources
in the constraint of time, budget and resources
During 2018-19, Xpence initially aimed to become the ‘Revolut for the UAE’. However, due to regulatory challenges in securing a banking license and BIN sponsorship, the company pivoted to solving a more pressing problem: business expense management.
During 2018-19, Xpence initially aimed to become the ‘Revolut for the UAE’. However, due to regulatory challenges in securing a banking license and BIN sponsorship, the company pivoted to solving a more pressing problem: business expense management.
During 2018-19, Xpence initially aimed to become the ‘Revolut for the UAE’. However, due to regulatory challenges in securing a banking license and BIN sponsorship, the company pivoted to solving a more pressing problem: business expense management.
Backstory: The how
Backstory: The how
Dived into an intensive quantitative & qualitative research sprints.
We navigated to an optimal, feasible, and user-validated solution through a structured approach.
Employing Design Philosophy: STRIDE
Employing Design Philosophy: STRIDE
1
1
Survey: What's happening in the market
Survey: What's happening in the market
Survey: What's happening in the market
We quickly initiated an online survey to validate the challenges faced by freelancers and SMEs in opening business bank accounts in the UAE. Before defining the MVP scope for Xpence, it was essential to gather real-world insights on banking limitations, account setup complexities, and financial constraints. The survey helped us identify key pain points, regulatory barriers, and unmet user needs, ensuring that our solution was aligned with real customer problems and market demands.
…the survey connected us with real users for interviews and usability studies, helping us uncover key frustrations, expectations, and workflows to ensure our solution met both business goals and user needs.
…the survey connected us with real users for interviews and usability studies, helping us uncover key frustrations, expectations, and workflows to ensure our solution met both business goals and user needs.
Top Survey findings*
Top Survey findings*
*Conducted on Xpence website as coming soon PPC campaign | 216 Unique customer response
*Conducted on Xpence website as coming soon PPC campaign | 216 Unique customer response
2
2
User interviews: Understanding customer pain-points
User interviews: Understanding customer pain-points
User interviews: Understanding customer pain-points
The survey not only validated key challenges but also connected us with real users who were willing to participate in in-depth interviews and usability studies. This allowed us to meet customers in person and through video calls, gaining deeper insights into their frustrations, expectations, and workflows—ensuring our solution addressed both business objectives and real user needs.
…user interviews helped us empathize with SMEs and freelancers, uncovering their frustrations, workarounds, and obstacles in managing business expenses. These insights shaped our HMWs, ensuring Xpence tackled real pain points with a solution that fit their needs.
…user interviews helped us empathize with SMEs and freelancers, uncovering their frustrations, workarounds, and obstacles in managing business expenses. These insights shaped our HMWs, ensuring Xpence tackled real pain points with a solution that fit their needs.
3
3
Designing the Xpence MVP: Prioritizing Impact, Feasibility & Future Scalability
Designing the Xpence MVP: Prioritizing Impact, Feasibility & Future Scalability
Designing the Xpence MVP: Prioritizing Impact, Feasibility & Future Scalability
…After assessing user needs, frustrations, and technical constraints, the leadership team and all of us agreed—launching physical prepaid cards for business owners was the most viable first step. Using an impact-effort matrix, we prioritized a scalable rollout, with invoicing, payment gateways, and team cards planned for future phases.
…Xpence Leadership and tech team outlined & guided us on existing technical constraints and feasibility. For example, auto-fetching company details from government registers required internal APIs and approvals, potentially delaying the launch.
…Xpence Leadership and tech team outlined & guided us on existing technical constraints and feasibility. For example, auto-fetching company details from government registers required internal APIs and approvals, potentially delaying the launch.
Multiple
Brainstorming & ideation sessions
4+
Scope revisions & design iterations
20+
Usability studies
5+
Usability studies
Customer validated Outcome 🎉🥳
Customer validated Outcome 🎉🥳
Customer validated Outcome 🎉🥳
Showcasing key HMW screens in the MVP;
few HMWs were parked for future releases.
Showcasing key HMW screens in the MVP;
few HMWs were parked for future releases.
Some final product screens for each HMWs
Some final product screens for each HMWs
Some final product screens for each HMWs
Impact 🎯
Hitting the business goals
Impact
Hitting the business goals
20
Customers onboarded from waitlist
20
Customers onboarded from waitlist
Seed
funding secured from private angel investors
Seed
funding secured from private angel investors
Apps
launched on iOS & Android Appstore and playstore.
Apps
launched on iOS & Android Appstore and playstore.
Apps
launched on iOS & Android Appstore and playstore.
Expanded
to newer markets like KSA, Bahrain, Egypt etc.
Expanded
to newer markets like KSA, Bahrain, Egypt etc.
Post success moment of happiness & banter with CEO & team 🎉🥳
Post success moment of happiness & banter with CEO & team 🎉🥳
Post success moment of happiness & banter
with CEO & team 🎉🥳
Learnings & Reflections 🧠💬
Learnings & Reflections 🧠💬
Learnings & Reflections 🧠💬
When we reflected back, we realized some
key learnings and areas for improvement…
When we reflected back, we realized some key learnings and areas for improvement…
⦿ In-House Design Enhances Product Ownership
⦿ In-House Design Enhances Product Ownership
⦿ In-House Design Enhances Product Ownership
Due to limited hiring budgets, we initially built the design team by hiring from top design agencies in India and Pakistan. However, this led to a lack of deep product ownership and iteration speed. We quickly realized the need for an in-house design team to drive better alignment, faster execution, and a stronger product vision.
Due to limited hiring budgets, we initially built the design team by hiring from top design agencies in India and Pakistan. However, this led to a lack of deep product ownership and iteration speed. We quickly realized the need for an in-house design team to drive better alignment, faster execution, and a stronger product vision.
⦿Web Platform Was Essential for Workplace Usage
⦿ Web Platform Was Essential for Workplace Usage
⦿Web Platform Was Essential for Workplace Usage
While Xpence launched as a mobile-first solution, we quickly discovered that most users accessed it in-office. To adapt to real-world usage patterns, we prioritized and launched a web version in 2022, improving accessibility for businesses managing expenses on desktop.
While Xpence launched as a mobile-first solution, we quickly discovered that most users accessed it in-office. To adapt to real-world usage patterns, we prioritized and launched a web version in 2022, improving accessibility for businesses managing expenses on desktop.
While Xpence launched as a mobile-first solution, we quickly discovered that most users accessed it in-office. To adapt to real-world usage patterns, we prioritized and launched a web version in 2022, improving accessibility for businesses managing expenses on desktop.
You Made It Till Here—Thank You!
You Made It Till Here
Thank You!
You Made It Till Here—Thank You!
Every story has layers—beyond what’s captured in case studies. There are challenges, failures, breakthroughs, and decisions that shaped each project. If you’d like to dive deeper, discuss specific aspects of my work, or understand how I approach design, I’d love to share the full story.
Every story has layers—beyond what’s captured in case studies. There are challenges, failures, breakthroughs, and decisions that shaped each project. If you’d like to dive deeper, discuss specific aspects of my work, or understand how I approach design, I’d love to share the full story.
© 2025 | Zohdi Rizvi | All Rights Reserved
© 2025 | Zohdi Rizvi | All Rights Reserved