The Rainmaker

In 2000, Coastal Contacts, founded by Roger Hardy, needed capital to fuel its growth. With Peter Brown at the helm, Canaccord raised $1 million, and a further $4 million in 2003. The next year, in a $6-million IPO, Canaccord took the company public. By 2012—now selling contact lenses, designer eyeglasses, and sunglasses—Coastal Contacts had surpassed $1 billion in cumulative sales. In 2014, it was acquired by the French lens manufacturer Essilor for $400 million.