On the TechTO stage ×2
The Expedia for Personal Finance
Watch on YouTube ↗To Raise or Not to Raise
Watch on YouTube ↗First seen on the TechTO stage in 2017. Every talk is searchable — ask the archive about Justin ↗
In their words
We've gotten to a place now where our revenues are over ten million dollars per year, and the beauty is we're funded by our customers, not by our investors.
The one thing I'd like for you to take away from this is it's not always best to get funding. You don't need an ivory tower office with a slide in it, you don't need famous investors to become successful.
A lot of companies in the fintech space brag about how much money they've raised. What I don't hear a lot about is, okay, this is how much money my company makes. Because that's hard.
Around the web ×3
Quick answers
What is Justin Thouin known for?
Co-founding LowestRates.ca in 2012 and bootstrapping it with $150,000 into a rate-comparison site doing over $10 million a year in revenue with no venture capital. He was an EY Entrepreneur of the Year finalist in 2017.
Is Justin Thouin still CEO of LowestRates.ca?
No. He stepped down as CEO in September 2021 when RATESDOTCA acquired the company, and stayed on as a spokesperson and advisor to the board. He remains a co-founder of the business.
Why did LowestRates.ca never raise venture capital?
Thouin argued on the TechTO stage in 2017 that founders should take as little funding as necessary: without investors you keep control, make decisions for your customers, and keep the equity if you ever sell.
How many times has Justin Thouin spoken at TechTO?
Twice in 2017 — 'The Expedia for Personal Finance' at FinTechTO, and 'To Raise or Not to Raise' at the October 2017 TechTO.