Marc Biles and Tara Flynn: Ratio

Marc Biles and Tara Flynn, 35 & 31
Company: Ratio
Web: www.ratio.co.uk

“We believe that by combining talented people, by shipping awesome sh*t and by having fun we can create great things”, Ratio boldly proclaims on the front page of its website. It’s a punchy statement that neatly sums up the company’s modus operandi.

Founded by enterprising duo Marc Biles and Tara Flynn in 2013, Ratio is a software company that makes comparison technology for personal finance websites and runs its own price comparison site, Choose Wisely, which uses its own technology to help ‘non-standard consumers’ access vital credit and banking products. That’s not to mention its monthly subscription service for men’s underwear Briefd.

What is a ‘non-standard consumer’ you ask? That would be the c.10 million adults who typically find it more difficult to access basic banking facilities, monthly paid household utility accounts or credit at low rates from mainstream providers. This could be because they’ve never before used such a product, because they’ve only recently arrived in the country, or due to their personal circumstances or credit history.

Ratio says that whilst major price comparison sites tend to focus on ‘high ticket’ products such as home or car insurance – leaving such consumers to trawl through Google and expose themselves to scams, spam and extortionate fees. Choose Wisely offers a “no nonsense” alternative with no ads and no jargon.

Since launching four years ago, Biles and Flynn’s venture has matched more than 27.1 million consumers with personal finance products and have also dispatched over 5,000 pairs of gentlemen’s pants. This combination of undergarments and financial services has put it on track to turnover an impressive £13m next year.