The aim is to maximise the long-term return for shareholders who, in the case of imutual, also happen to be its customers Such returns can take (at least) 3 forms
1) Dividends
2) Growth in company value
3) Improved product / service
At present, I believe the focus should be firmly on increasing the number of active members, as this is the best way to achieve (2) and (3). I think if we have spare cash over and above what's needed to invest in growth, then it's better to distribute that in the form of increased cashback rather than dividends (1). It's less admin, more tax-efficient and makes us more competitive and therefore more likely to attract new members.
So next year, we'll look to spend money on improving the site e.g. more mobile-friendly and perhaps one or more initiatives to attract more members.
I wouldn't rule out making a loss next year, as that would be normal for a company at our stage of development.
It's a fair question and there's no doubt that extra capital could help. To raise money we'd either need to take on debt (which I'm reluctant to do) or issue equity (which might prove poor value and would dilute our customer ownership structure). So given that we now have some funds in the bank to spend, I'd rather exhaust the possibilities for growing organically before seeking external funding. Having recently returned full time to the business, and upgraded the site such that future development should be quicker and easier, I'm keen to see what impact that has next year.