Ep.96 | Pioneers of Atlantic Private Lending: The Owen & Derrick MacNeil Story

In this special episode of the Canadian Private Lenders Podcast, hosts Ryan and Neal sit down with Owen and Derrick MacNeil—the trailblazing brothers behind GraysBrook Capital. Credited as pioneers of Atlantic Canada’s private lending industry, Owen and Derrick share their remarkable journey from flipping homes and working in unrelated industries to building one of the region’s most respected private lending companies.They discuss the early challenges of breaking into the space, how they built strong broker relationships, the importance of due diligence, and what it took to scale GraysBrook into a leading name in private lending before its eventual sale to Credit Union Atlantic.Beyond the business, the brothers open up about lessons learned from foreclosures, managing investor trust, and their role in launching Brokering Wishes, a charitable initiative supporting Make-A-Wish that continues to impact families today.This is an inspiring, behind-the-scenes look at the evolution of private lending in Atlantic Canada, filled with wisdom, cautionary tales, and advice for anyone in the industry.Show Notes:00:00 – Opening thoughts on appraisals & early risks00:20 – Welcome to Episode 96 with Ryan & Neal01:07 – Introducing Owen & Derrick MacNeil02:22 – Career backgrounds before private lending03:21 – Flipping homes & first private mortgage deal05:08 – Discovering the industry through brokers & trade shows06:15 – Why lending was simpler and more scalable than flipping07:15 – Early growth in Halifax & New Brunswick09:00 – Building broker relationships & lending criteria11:22 – Pioneering Atlantic Canada’s private lending market13:33 – Standing out with speed and credibility15:07 – Example of fast deal turnaround in Moncton16:05 – Managing investors & TD Bank line of credit19:23 – Scariest moments: foreclosures & lessons learned21:23 – Developing KPIs and processes for arrears24:12 – Subdivision challenges & cutting losses quickly27:02 – Founding Brokering Wishes for Make-A-Wish29:41 – Impact: $100K raised annually for wishes31:09 – Family succession planning & bringing Ryan into the business38:40 – Selling GraysBrook Capital to Credit Union Atlantic42:27 – Protecting employees & strategic benefits of the sale43:05 – Real estate outlook in New Brunswick & Nova Scotia45:10 – Closing reflections & final thoughtResources:Keystone Capital GroupCPLP Instagram: @cplpodcastKeystone Instagram: @keycapgroupFind Neil on:Instagram: @neal.andreinoLinkedIn: Neal AndreinoFind Ryan on:LinkedIn: Ryan McNeilEmail: [email protected]