Why I joined Moov: Morgan Bonham
My design career started at the age of six when I got my first Polaroid camera. I was obsessed with taking photos, and I started out by taking a photo of every family member, friend, or stranger who would let me, as well as many portraits of the family dog dressed up in my clothes.
While I didn’t win any photography awards, that little camera ignited some innate part of me, and all I wanted to do was create things. I turned to singing, acting, writing, and advancing my photography skills—you know, all of the incredibly fulfilling activities that some may label a “hobby” and not a “sustainable livelihood.”
When it was time to start applying to colleges, I considered attending art school, but some (well-intentioned) people expressed their deepest concern for my future and pointed me toward a more traditional college path. After graduating with both an English and education degree from the University of Tennessee, I hoped to land a glamorous job in copywriting. Instead, I faced the age-old catch-22 that plagues the job market: entry-level jobs require experience, but you can’t get experience without landing an entry-level job.
After all this time, my pragmatic college path led me to a crossroads. I could either continue pursuing something I wasn’t that passionate about, or keep exploring my interests and wait for something that felt right. After graduation, I hiked the Pacific Crest Trail until a foot injury sent me home. I worked as a barista, helped open a new juice bar, and was even a flight attendant for a while. After realizing I didn’t want to spend my life running through airports, two of my friends invited me to move to L.A. and the prospect of a new environment felt promising.
While there, I reconnected with an old friend who was a product designer at Snapchat. I’d never heard of product or UX design. As I learned more, I felt that same innate, creative impulse rekindling. I was excited by a role that combined psychology, research, and design. I wasn’t interested in returning to a university, so I decided to move back home and pursue a UX bootcamp.
After completing the program, I picked up freelance work, grew my resume, and landed my first UX designer role at a software development agency. From there, I transitioned to a more marketing-focused UX designer role where I learned a ton. But I knew I eventually wanted to work in product design, and I had become very interested in the fintech space. That’s when I learned about the product designer role at Moov.
Like all designers, the first thing I did was check out their website. I enjoyed Moov’s design, messaging, and company values, so I decided to apply. Within no time, I was talking with people on the product and design team. I won’t lie— it was hard to shake off the initial imposter syndrome because the industry was brand new to me.
Instead of pointing out my lack of financial services experience, the team made me feel confident in my abilities and assured me I would learn everything I needed to know.
From day-one at Moov, my perception of company culture and corporate team dynamics completely changed. For starters, there is no hierarchy between teams. The design team is considered an equally important and valuable part of the organization instead of a “nice to have.”
And then there’s the people: from the top-down, Moov’s created a safe space for creators to build and thrive. Managers routinely ask about your happiness, and encourage your growth, and I have a real ownership over the things I’m creating. Your coworkers are your biggest fans who lift you up instead of trying to compete with you.
Everyone at Moov has an equal voice and you’re trusted to work when, how, and where it suits you.
Overall, I’m beyond excited about the products we’re building and the impact they will have. If you’re a designer looking for a role, I hope you’ll consider Moov. You don’t necessarily need fintech experience— as long as you have an insatiable curiosity for how things work (and how to make them better) and a passion for learning and sweating the details, you’ll thrive here.
If you’re someone who wants to pursue your artistic interests, I hope my story shows it’s okay if your journey is non-traditional. Don’t be afraid to explore as many opportunities as you want. Don’t be afraid to try new things! If design is where you’re headed, there are so many great programs out there. And if a bootcamp isn’t an option for you, there are free online courses and free software (hello, Figma) available as well. Do whatever you have to do to nourish your creative side, and you’ll be happy you did.
These are the reasons why I joined Moov—and why you should too.
