ecosystem / people / billy-mainguy
B

Billy Mainguy

Co-founder, Barley

HR Tech

Billy Mainguy co-founded Barley, a Toronto compensation-management platform, with Loopio co-founder Jafar Owainati in 2021 and served as its chief product officer. Mainguy had earlier co-founded and led Reelhouse, a Vancouver-based direct-to-consumer film distribution platform. Workleap acquired Barley in July 2025, and Mainguy joined Workleap along with the rest of the six-person team.

Billy hasn’t spoken on a TechTO, TechVancouver or TechWaterloo stage. This profile is here because Billy co-founded Barley.

Around the web ×1

Article
Loopio, Reelhouse co-founders launch Barley to help make employee compensation easier, more equitableBetaKit
2023

Quick answers

Who founded Barley?

BetaKit reported on 2025-07-07 that Barley was founded in 2021 by Loopio co-founder Jafar Owainati and Billy Mainguy.

What was Billy Mainguy's role at Barley?

Barley's archived about page (Wayback Machine capture, January 2025) lists Billy Mainguy as co-founder and CPO, alongside Jafar Owainati as co-founder and CEO.

What did Mainguy do before Barley?

BetaKit reported on 2023-03-07 that Mainguy previously co-founded and led Reelhouse, a Vancouver-based direct-to-consumer film distribution platform.

What happened to Barley?

BetaKit reported on 2025-07-07 that Workleap acquired Barley without disclosing terms, that the six-person team would join Workleap, and that Workleap's CEO said founders Owainati and Mainguy are in charge of Barley's future inside the company.

Suggest an edit
This is you? Claim this profileAsk to be removed
Know someone who belongs here? Suggest a profile
Maintained by TechTO · facts sourced and dated · last reviewed Sep 25, 2026