I started Lutendi not just as a business, but as a mission. Unlike the ventures I launched in my early years, from digital arbitrage to Shopify stores and countless side hustles, this company wasn’t just about making money. It was about solving a fundamental problem in the real estate industry that I experienced firsthand.
The journey began in 2019 when I moved to Ottawa as a transfer student from the University of Guelph. Like many business students, I was expected to land an internship, but my resume was somewhat unconventional, I had always been an entrepreneur, never a traditional employee. A stroke of luck connected me with a recruiter who secured me an interview at Claridge Homes, one of Ottawa’s largest real estate firms. I was hired on the spot by the CFO.
Why & How Lutendi Started
At Claridge, I wasn’t just another intern, I was given the freedom to implement real change. From introducing company-wide Asana workflows to working directly with real estate finance systems, I gained an inside look at the inefficiencies plaguing the industry. Meanwhile, with a solid income, I decided to take my first step into real estate ownership only to discover that I couldn’t get a mortgage... The reason? I lacked an extensive credit history, despite making consistent rental payments for years leading up to that point.
That was my lightbulb moment! As an accounting student, I saw an imbalance: rent was my largest recurring expense, yet it wasn’t building my credit. At the same time, I saw firsthand how arrears and bad debts were a constant headache for property managers. If rent could be reported like a credit card payment, it would create a financial ecosystem where responsible tenants benefited, and landlords gained more control.
Knowing this, I reached out to Equifax with a simple question: Could rent be reported? It took patience, persistence, and an uphill battle, but the answer was yes. And that’s how Lutendi was born. I quickly began speaking at local conferences, pitching my ideas to potential investors, and assembling an all-star team to make this dream a reality.
The Journey So Far
Lutendi officially became a credentialed data aggregator, allowing us to report rental payments directly to credit bureaus, rewarding responsible tenants, and giving landlords leverage over delinquent accounts. Claridge became our first major customer, and from there, we scaled rapidly.
Markets thrive when incentives align with positive outcomes. By transforming rent into a credit-building tool, we’re unlocking financial mobility for tenants and reducing financial risk for property owners. We’ve already reported millions in rental payments, helping housing providers see eye-to-eye with their tenants, and driving measurable impact for both sides.
What's Next For Lutendi?
This is just the beginning! The real estate industry is outdated, fragmented, and primed for disruption. At Lutendi, we’re building the future, one where rental payments aren’t just an expense, but a financial asset. We are leading this transformation, and we’re only getting started.
We're in the midst of launching the new and improved Lutendi app, expanding our API integrations with Yardi Voyager support, and partnering with key leadership figures in real estate and the government to bring rental reporting and human-centric AI solutions to Canadians nationwide.
