We are Wave
Why we do what we do
We will create a future where small business owners manage their finances fearlessly, and more aspiring entrepreneurs have the confidence to live their dreams. To get there, we'll be the simplest, all-in-one money management solution small business owners can’t live without.
We believe small businesses are
the heart of our communities.
Our mission is to create a future where current and aspiring
small business owners feel empowered to manage their
finances fearlessly, so more of them can start, survive, and
thrive as self-employed pros. To make that happen, we will
be the simplest, money management solution
small business owners can’t live without.
We believe small businesses are the heart of our communities.
Our mission is to create a future where current and aspiring small business owners feel empowered to manage their finances fearlessly, so more of them can start, survive, and thrive as self-employed pros. To make that happen, we will be the simplest, all-in-one financial management solution small business owners can’t live without.
The values that guide us:
- 1Believe in small business owners
- 2Reimagine the possible, together
- 3Do fewer things, simply and beautifully
- 4Care deeply and challenge directly
- 5Achieve extraordinary results
Wave through the years
- 2010
- In a shared workspace with a team of eight, co-founders Kirk Simpson and James Lochrie launch Wave Accounting
- 2011
- Wave reaches 100,000 customers
- Makes Deloitte's 100 Companies to Watch list
- Moves into the historic Wrigley Factory
- 2012
- Launches payroll and payments products in North America
- Surpasses 500,000 customers
- 2014
- Launches free invoicing
- 2018
- Launches Wave Advisors
- 2019
- Grows to more than 250 employees
- Makes Best Workplaces in six categories
- Makes Deloitte North American Fast 500
- Acquires fintech startup, Every
- Gets acquired by H&R Block
- 2020
- Receives more nominations and podium finishes at the 2020 Canadian HR Awards than any other company
- 2022
- Co-founder & CEO, Kirk Simpson, announces his successor
- Zahir Khoja becomes Wave’s CEO
- 2023
- Releases new and improved receipts feature
- Partners with the Shorty Awards
- Launches the $120,000 Elevate Creatives Fund to fuel creative entrepreneurship
- 2024
- Moves to a subscription model and introduces the free Starter Plan and paid Pro Plan
- By June, reaches $3,000,000,000 in invoice-generated payments
- Serves 10,000th Wave Advisors customer
- Pavilion names Zahir Khoja one of 50 CEOs to Watch
- Our Future
- Continuously innovating simple money management solutions for small business owners
Executive Team
Zahir Khoja
Zahir is our Chief Executive Officer. He comes to Wave with decades of executive experience, most recently as General Manager for Afterpay North America, and previously as Executive Vice President at Mastercard. He joined Mastercard in 2012 as Chief Executive Officer for Mobile Payment Solutions (MPS) where he was responsible for deploying mobile solutions in Brazil, Argentina, Egypt, Indonesia, Philippines, India and Turkey.
Zahir has always had a passion for small business and enabling financial access for all. This led him to a four-year stint as President and CEO of M-Paisa Afghanistan, bringing banking and financial education to underserved communities.
Speaking of passion, Zahir’s mad love for Canada’s own Vancouver Canucks follows him everywhere (including into his pocket—check out his phone case if you get the chance!). These days he calls California home, and lives there with his wife and two daughters.
David Axler
David Axler is the Chief Strategy Officer, focusing on formulating, communicating, and fulfilling Wave’s initiatives and future goals. With over five years at Wave, David brings an enthusiastic leadership style and unyielding service to our customers. Prior to Wave, David was a GM and Chief of Staff at a B2B technology company, Influitive, and was previously a management consultant with Deloitte. A graduate of the Rotman School of Management at the University of Toronto, he has a wealth of experience knowledge in business strategy and growth.
Outside of work, David can be found in various arenas across the city, including coaching his kids’ hockey teams and, when he’s lucky enough to find the time, paddling a canoe across an open lake or struggling his way around a golf course.
Enes Begovic
Enes is a dynamic and ambitious leader with 18+ years of experience across global technology leaders, including Amazon (AWS), HP, Rogers, and Bell. He has a proven track record in driving globally referenced digital innovation and transformation programs, with a focus on cloud computing, digital sales and marketing, and multichannel customer engagement. At AWS, he led the Canadian Customer Success team, partnering with top organizations across industries like software/technology, financial services, healthcare, retail, and sports to deliver innovative solutions.
Enes is passionate about developing inclusive and diverse high-performing teams and leaders. An MBA from the Schulich School of Business and a former CPA, Enes brings executive leadership experience spanning across technology, corporate strategy, business development, operations, and product management.
Outside of work, he enjoys traveling with his wife and two sons, playing and watching sports. Enes is an avid Toronto sports fan (#WeTheNorth), often found cheering from the sidelines.
Sandra Wrycraft
Sandra Wrycraft is the Chief People Officer, focusing on fostering a high-performance culture driven by a commercial mindset and a customer-centric approach. Sandra comes to Wave following a decade of management consulting. Her expertise lies in partnering with high-growth companies and driving business transformation by aligning business and people strategies.
She has a passion for inspiring potential in others and in building trust-based high-performance teams. Sandra’s experience in executive search, coaching, and leadership development is all focused on optimizing business performance through empowering people and teams.
A certified executive coach and board director, Sandra is highly entrepreneurial and has also held senior people leadership roles in tech, retail, and healthcare. She is a proud mom and aspiring chef who enjoys all things cottage life, giving back to her community, and spending time with family and friends.
Leadership Team
What's happening at Wave
We are thrilled to announce three wins at the 2020 Canadian HR Awards:
Wave is honored to announce that for the fourth year in a row, it's been named one of the 2020 Best Workplaces ™ by Great Places to Work®.
Wave is honored to announce that for the second year in a row, it's been named one of the 2019 Best Workplaces ™ for Women by Great Places to Work®.