This article showcases our top picks for the best Los Angeles based Personal Finance companies. These startups and compan...
Problem
78% of the US lives paycheck to paycheck
This is largely due to spending habits, and shows the difficulty of manual savings.
Saving is challenging, period. But it becomes even more challenging if we try to save on our own. Experts agree that the #1 recommended savings habit for the younger generation is automation. The challenge is finding a savings tool that meets all the needs of the younger generations:
- Saving without thinking (automation)
- Save & achieve goals quickly with total control
- Designed for both Debit & Credit Card users
- Can transfer/use savings immediately
- Cashback rewards
Solution
Guac makes saving as easy as spending, and provides a complete Savings Solution
Guac solves these problems for both our users & enterprise partners. Our patent pending advanced savings tool is % based, so it allows users to reach goals quickly with total control:
- Saving without thinking (automation)
- Save & achieve goals quickly with total control
- Designed for both Debit & Credit Card users
- Can transfer/use savings immediately
- Cashback rewards
Guac goals are achieved in just weeks or months compared to round-up apps that can take years to achieve a goal. Gen Z & Millennials crave that dopamine that Guac provides by achieving goals quickly.
Product
Lifestyle fintech app for millennials, Gen Z & enterprise partners
Guac is all about embracing the younger generation's lifestyle! Guac's savings tool, Earn Cash Marketplace & Partnership Cash Back offerings set Guac apart from other savings apps. Our patent pending advanced savings tool is % based so goals are achieved quickly without having to change your daily saving/spending habits. Guac provides the vehicle to achieve goals & earn extra cash!
Guac is designed for both Debit & Credit Card users and calculates savings from any primary card of use. This auto-tip technology gives total control & allows for goal achievement much quicker than round-up savings tools. We provide daily analytics to help users reach their savings goals without having to dramatically adjust their lifestyles.
Earn cashback by making a purchase with our over 100+ stores in the Guac Marketplace, e.g. Carvana purchase—earn 2.5% cashback on your down payment.
Don't see any stores/partners you like? Guac users can always immediately transfer back their savings to their connected bank. We continue to add stores & partners every week.
Traction
Tripled our users & 10x our total $ saved since initial raise last November
Guac continues to grow exponentially and our CAC has held steady at $25 (as of 9/21). We utilize a mix of traditional and more innovative marketing channels to acquire our Guac users. These include a unique Facebook algorithm, partnerships with Google & iHeart Radio, and our team of social influencers.
We built our team of social influencers over multiple years and continue to add more to our team every week. We've added 30 new influencers with a collective following of 60M+ just this year. The scalability is endless and continues to deliver results proven by our steady CAC with an increased budget.
*User growth & total $ saved as of September 2021
Customers
Helping millennials, Gen Z & enterprise partners save money faster
The younger generation's economy is built on experiences and the perception of social value. Guac embraces these behaviors by rewarding our customers with quick goal achievement & cash back opportunities. The feeling of instant gratification & extra rewards are top priorities for the younger generation.
Guac's % based advanced savings tool allows Carvana customers to save for their down payment in just weeks. Juno Financial uses our Guac audience to offer student loan refinance opportunities. DoorDash uses our audience of motivated savers to add to their driver network. T-Mobile's franchise model uses Guac as a benefits tool for their employees.
These enterprise partners pay us commissions on these leads, which we split with our Guac users to offer additional cashback. Our B2B partnerships will drive business and allow for endless organic loops.
Business model
Multiple revenue streams with favorable positioning
Guac makes money through multiple revenue streams, and is a key differentiator from singular savings tools. These revenue streams offer value to our users & enterprise partners. These multiple revenue streams project an LTV of $588 per user (as of 9/21).
Revenue Stream Breakdown:
- Marketplace Commissions: 37%
- Enterprise Partner Rev: 48%
- Interest on $ Saved: 3%
- Subscription Advanced Features: 12%
What's next
- We're leveraging our relationships with our 11K+ financial institutions to offer responsible entry-level credit cards to our users. Banks will pay around $1,000 in marketing cost to acquire just 1 new credit card user
- In-app crowdfunding & crypto investment/trading offerings
- Guac Visa, Guac checking account & 3.99% annual savings bonus
Market
$5.5T+ market
Guac sits at the intersection of the global fintech market, which was worth $5.5T in 2019 and is projected to grow at a CAGR of 23.58%.
The younger generation is looking for technology to make their lives easier. 7 in 10 under 55s would switch banks for a better experience.
Competition
Guac offers more value, easier entry, and a complete savings solution
Guac offers users extra benefits usually reserved for luxury credit card holders, such as an exclusive in-app marketplace with stores that are static (not rotating offers). When compared to a traditional savings/checking account & other savings tools, Guac outperforms the competition.
Vision and strategy
Reinventing how people save with our advanced savings tool and cashback rewards
Guac has a savings tool like Acorns (More Advanced Auto-Tip Tech) and cashback rewards like Honey. Our team is made up of expert advisors: Rich, Mike, Scott & Sami were key members of both the Acorns & Honey teams.
- Honey was acquired by PayPal for $4B last November
- Acorns is set to IPO for $2.2B Q4 2021
Our multiple revenue streams project significant revenue growth:
We plan to use this next raise to more than double are marketing spend and add more value for both our B2C & B2B customers.
Guac plans to completely rewrite how people interact with their checking and savings accounts. We have the potential to completely disrupt the banking industry and reinvent how people spend, save & earn. Guac provides a complete savings solutions.
Funding
Building on our previous crowdfunding campaign, angels, and VC investments
Guac previously oversold a successful campaign on EquiFund, where we were oversubscribed and raised the max $1.07M plus an additional $325K in Reg D. This raise was comprised of institutional investors such as The Wheelhouse Fund, Rocket Capital and StartUp Camp.
We've also received investments from professional athletes, influencers and members of the original Acorns & Honey teams.
In total, Guac has raised $1.8M from Institutional, Angel & CF investors as of Republic campaign launch.
Founders
Scott & Ryan Armstrong
The father-son founders created Guac because of a real world need. Ryan & his millennial network tested the majority of savings tools in the market but were always left disappointed. Scott & Ryan recognized the need for a savings tool that allowed users the ability to save goals quickly with total control & Guac was born.
Scott is a successful business executive with 20+ years of experience building, scaling & exiting companies in the finance, device & health sectors. Scott's most recent exit was when Novartis acquired Wavetech in 2014 for $350M.
Ryan is an entrepreneur & business executive specializing in sales operations & marketing with a focus on innovative solutions for the younger generations.