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In this episode, Fahd sits down with Chris Grimes, founder and CEO of Fundmore, to explore his journey from 20-year mortgage industry veteran to building one of Canada's fastest-growing fintech companies. Chris shares how firsthand frustration with a slow, paperwork-heavy mortgage system led him to walk away from a secure career and take on the entrenched Goliaths of banking and lending as a small, scrappy David.
From bootstrapping through survival mode and pivoting during COVID to winning the trust of massive legacy institutions one customer at a time, Chris discusses what it really takes for a David to survive long enough to break into a highly regulated industry. He also shares insights on leadership, learning to lead through people instead of as an individual contributor, and how naivety, nimbleness, and sheer persistence can let a small company punch far above its weight.
Chris Grimes
For over 20 years now, I've been working in the financial world, from large banking institutions to small boutique brokerages and a few start-ups. I've helped clients build their wealth, buy their first home, refinance their investment property, and access capital to develop their commercial property. I've always believed that understanding my clients' needs is more important than selling them on a deal. I love the mortgage industry because I enjoy helping people, and it makes me happy seeing my clients achieve their financial goals. I’m also very passionate about advancing and innovating the mortgage industry through technology and forward-thinking initiatives, which is why I started my own company, FundMore.ai, with three great friends, Darryl Bandoro, Bogdan Blaga & Dinesh Kandanchatha.
