What matters to us
This manual exists to describe how we work. Not our aspirations or perks, but the values that shape who we are and how decisions get made. It's for anyone who wants to understand what Wealthsimple is really about - whether you're considering joining us or just want to know what we stand for.
So if you want to know what life at Wealthsimple actually looks like, this is the best place to start.
Our mission
Our mission is to help everyone achieve financial freedom. It's intentionally broad. And it should be — because financial freedom looks different for every Canadian. But a mission this open-ended means the answer isn't always clear. That's okay. It's our job to figure it out.
Because there are a million different definitions of financial freedom, delivering it for people is going to require people with different perspectives. We need builders, creatives, dreamers, and people who challenge default assumptions and make our decisions better.
The values that drive us
A lot of what we do is guided by our core values. They're what got us through the first ten years — and what will lead us through the decades to come.
Value 01
The client, the client, the client
Our first clients were our family and friends. It wasn't hard to know what they needed or why we should do the right thing for them. Doing that stuff is what builds trust, and what gives our jobs meaning. But it gets a lot harder as you grow. So we have to work harder. To make sure we know what people need, to go beyond our job descriptions to take care of them, to understand them like we do our family and friends. If what we're working on isn't going to make things better for our clients, we're doing it wrong.
This looks like: Thriving here means being obsessed with making clients happy. It means creating exceptional client experiences — not just fixing things when they break, but raising the bar on what clients can expect from us. It means digging into feedback to uncover what clients actually need, not just what they say. And when there's tension between what's easy internally and what's right for the client, the client comes first. That's not a slight to anyone. It's just the order that makes everything else work.
You'll struggle here if you cut corners on the client experience to make things easier, or treat client problems as someone else's job to fix.
Value 02
Ship it
We change the world by making, not by talking. Shipping means being biased toward action. It means knowing what's important and getting rid of anything that's not, and it means empowering people to move fast. We're not talking about rushing unfinished products — we're talking about building amazing things fast.
This looks like: Our most successful employees launch, learn, and iterate, believing that you learn more from shipping than from planning. They constantly ask "how can this reach clients sooner?" and focus on the products and updates that actually move the needle.
This is not a place for people who wait for a perfect plan before starting, or who get stuck in details that don't materially change the outcome.
Value 03
We are maker-owners
If you're an employee, you're an owner of this company. Congratulations. That's our business — ownership. When you buy a stock, you own part of something. Being an owner means we're accountable. It means there are no problems that aren't your problem. It means we take pride in everything we do. It means that each of us is in the business of building the company. We're not here to do a job, we're here to do the best work of our lives.
This looks like: If you see a problem or an opportunity and step in without being asked, you will do well here. We need people who push work forward rather than waiting for permission, and who invent new and better ways of working — no matter how established or respected the old way might have been.
If you focus on titles rather than outcomes, or walk past issues waiting for someone else to fix them, you will struggle.
Value 04
Naive ambition
This whole thing started with naive ambition. That's the only way to build something transformative — if it wasn't a little bonkers someone else would have done it by now. So we don't think about why something won't work — there are always really good reasons. Instead we ask, "What do we need to believe to make it happen?" We're here to challenge the status quo, and that means aiming for something bigger than anyone expects.
This looks like: If you pursue bold ideas and take thoughtful risks when the upside is meaningful, you'll fit right in. The best people here start by suspending disbelief — asking "what's the best possible experience, even if it seems totally out of reach?" and working backwards from there. If you don't start from what could be, you'll always settle for less. It's also why it helps to be an optimist — the work is hard and the mission is big. People who believe things can get better tend to build things that do.
If you shrink from big ideas because they're hard or unfamiliar, or default to what's safe when the situation calls for something new, you'll fall behind.
Value 05
Be human
We're building the most human financial company in the world. So being ambitious is only half the job. What does it mean to be human? It means being compassionate — to each other and to our clients. It means being a person first, and a job title second. It means an idea belongs to no one, because we want the best idea to win more than we want to get credit. It doesn't mean always being nice — directness and honesty are part of building trust. But it does mean always being kind.
This looks like: The people who stand out here care deeply. About our clients — treating them as humans, not account numbers. About each other — showing up when it matters, not just when it's convenient. They give candid feedback without being unkind, handle disagreement with respect, and choose long-term trust over short-term ego. We go farther together than alone.
If you play politics, gatekeep information for personal gain, or treat people as obstacles to getting things done, you won't go far here.
Value 06
Keep it simple
If you forget everything else, remember this one. We want to make things simple because simple is better. Our products, especially. But also the way we work together and the way we talk to our clients. Experts take complexity and make it simple. Simple is hard, but it's our job. (Also, don't forget everything else.)
This looks like: If you reduce complexity instead of adding to it, we want you at Wealthsimple. That could be in the way you prioritize clarity in writing, meetings, and decisions. Or maybe you choose to demo or prototype the actual customer experience instead of writing a long internal document. All of the above, ideally.
If you add process for the sake of it, this is not the company for you. Process itself isn't the enemy. The right structure can keep things simple: plans to follow, ways to align. What we're allergic to is the kind that slows teams down, adds overhead without outcomes, or exists simply because it's always been there.
The job description we all share
Your title describes what you do. Being a maker-owner describes how you do it — and it applies to everyone here, regardless of role or seniority.
That means something specific at Wealthsimple. It's not just that people take initiative — it's that everyone, from the most senior leaders to the newest hires, stays close to the actual work. They do their own analysis, write the doc, ship the code, edit the brief. People who stay close to the work make better decisions. And when something needs to happen, maker-owners don't wait to be pointed at it — they get curious, dig in, and figure it out themselves.
That shows up in a few specific ways:
- Communicate clearly. The work only matters if you can bring others along. We move fast, and a lot of our work happens asynchronously. The cost of being misunderstood is high — and it's a bigger factor in growth here than most people expect. Written or spoken, if people can't follow your thinking, your impact will stall.
- Flex when the work demands it. Maker-owners care about outcomes, not hours. Our clients trade in 24/7 markets — life milestones like buying a home don't wait for business hours. There are moments when important work needs attention at night, on a weekend, or during a holiday. People who take ownership show up then. But flexibility goes both ways - the same way we ask you to go the extra mile when the work demands it, we make room for you to be there for the moments that matter personally. The more senior you are, the more the first part applies.
- Build with AI. AI is changing how work gets done — not eventually, now. Using AI well is part of the job, no matter what your job is. It's not optional, it's an operating expectation. You don't need to be an engineer. You do need to be the kind of person who actually tries the thing instead of just reading about it.
- Earn trust through action. Maker-owners don't just identify problems — they act on them. Do what you say you'll do. Surface issues instead of hiding them. Don't coast. We're in the business of trust — people trust us with their money and their financial futures — and that only works if we hold each other to the same standard internally. The bar is high, and people notice.
Why people stay
We ask people about what keeps them here. This is what they say:
- The work is meaningful — we're reshaping financial services in Canada, one client at a time
- Small teams do outsized things
- The people are smart, collaborative, and kind
- There's real autonomy to think big and experiment
- Growth comes from ownership and results, not tenure
- The company bets on people and promotes from within
- The org is flat: senior leaders stay close to the work and the details
- Caring deeply is part of the job
That environment is rare. So is the kind of person who thrives in it.
