Esusu is a Forbes Fintech 50 startup that is on a mission to redefine accessibility in the fintech space. More than 45 million Americans are deemed “credit invisible”, meaning one in every ten adults has no credit history with one of the three credit reporting agencies (Equifax, Experian, or Transunion). (esusu.com 2023)
This creates a barrier that prevents access to secure housing and other resources that require “acceptable” credit.
What is Esusu?
“Esusu was built to create equitable financial access for everyone. Today, the barrier to financial stability for many in the United States is their credit score or lack thereof.” (esusu.com 2023)
Esusu’s main focus is making credit building accessible by providing the opportunity for users to have their rent payments reported as on-time payments to credit burreaus. The amazing thing about this product is that individuals with poor or no credit are able to build their credit through its use.
How does this make it accessible?
What amazes me about this product is that it creates a space of opportunity for those that may feel hopeless and lacking of support when it comes to bettering themselves financially.
I speak for a large group of Americans when I say that I too came from a low income background with parents that struggled to support the household financially let alone focus on improving their credit and building stock portfolios.
There aren’t many products created with people like this in mind because they’re seen as being less than, careless, and irresponsible instead of society acknowledging the fact that they are truly uneducated because of the lack of accessibility to financial literacy.
Instead of calling out and acknowledging the broken systems in place most financial products fixate on the improvement of already financially well established individuals without bridging the gap to get others there in the first place.
Esusu is in the business of bridging this gap and changing the lives of so many that deserve a second chance financially.
Getting approved for credit building opportunities is another obstacle that is extremely difficult to overcome. I can’t be financially well without diversifying my wealth building options but I can’t diversify my options with bad credit because I can’t get approved for anything to aid in my development.
Its a never ending cycle that Esusu is working to change.
The weight of housing security and its advantage
One thing that my mother and father always prioritized was having a roof over our heads as many parents do. Utilizing a prioritized form of consistent payment as a form of credit building is genius seeing as that many people, regardless of the obstacles, will always make sure that their rent is paid.
Presenting people with the opportunity to benefit from an essential financial aspect of life to better themselves truly embodies financial accessibility.
In conclusion…
With this being said, I think that Esusu is a revolutionary product and has focused on accessibility from a lens that is not commonly discussed among UX professionals. Its innovative and truly acknowledges that financial wealth and growth isn’t one dimensional.
