Discover
Canadian Private Lenders’ Podcast
Canadian Private Lenders’ Podcast
Author: Neal Andreino and Ryan MacNeil
Subscribed: 5Played: 74Subscribe
Share
© 2026 Canadian Private Lenders’ Podcast
Description
The #1 Podcast on Private Mortgage Lending in Canada. Ryan MacNeil and Neal Andreino of Keystone Capital Group outline their private mortgage lending experience and help you grow your mortgage business, while focusing on the importance of the growing Canadian Mortgage Broker channel.
128 Episodes
Reverse
In this episode of the Canadian Private Lenders Podcast, hosts Ryan and Neal sit down with Matthew Solda, VP at Morrison Financial, to break down one of the most unique lending models in Canada. Matthew shares his journey from working in a high-end family pool construction business to becoming a key player in private lending. He dives into how Morrison Financial built a niche in condo corporation financing, a highly secure and often overlooked asset class. The conversation explores constructi...
In this episode of the Canadian Private Lenders Podcast, Ryan and Neal sit down with Jonathan Alphonso of Mortgage Broker Store Inc. to break down a completely different approach to private lending. Instead of relying on brokers, Jonathan reveals how his team built a direct-to-borrower pipeline using SEO, high-speed lead response, and aggressive online marketing. They dive into the realities of lending in today’s Ontario market, from rising power-of-sale opportunities to the risks of high LTV...
In Episode 126 of the Canadian Private Lenders Podcast, Ryan and Neal tackle a topic that’s quietly reshaping the entire mortgage industry: the difference between private lenders and alternative lenders. For years, the terms have been used interchangeably. But with new perspectives from the Canadian Alternative Mortgage Lenders Association (CAMLA), that definition is being challenged, and it could change how lenders, brokers, and investors view the space. This episode breaks down what truly s...
In Episode 125 of the Canadian Private Lenders Podcast, Ryan and Zach sit down with Brad Donnelly to unpack one of the most unique journeys in the mortgage industry, from radio broadcasting to building a thriving brokerage. Brad shares how his background in communication and sales became a competitive advantage in the mortgage space, and why making the leap from banking to brokering can dramatically change your earning potential and career trajectory. The conversation dives deep into the boom...
In this episode of the Canadian Private Lenders Podcast, Ryan and Neal welcome back Doug Adlam for a deep conversation about building real enterprise value in the mortgage industry. Doug has worn many hats, mortgage broker, fintech co-founder, industry executive, entrepreneur, and now author of The Business of Brokering. He shares the lessons he learned scaling brokerages, launching startups, writing his book, and helping transform how mortgage businesses operate. The conversation dives into ...
In this episode of the Canadian Private Lenders Podcast, Ryan and Neal revisit one of their earliest and most popular discussions, the borrower profiles that benefit most from private lending. Since the original conversation nearly 120 episodes ago, the lending market has evolved significantly. With tighter bank lending, shifting real estate markets, and new investor strategies emerging across Canada, private lending has become a strategic financial tool rather than just a last resort. Ryan a...
Nova Scotia has launched a new 2% down payment pilot program for first-time homebuyers, and it’s making headlines across the mortgage industry. But when you break down the math, does this actually help buyers… or does it increase long-term costs, tighten affordability through stress testing, and expose taxpayers to more risk? In this episode, Ryan and Neal unpack: How the new 2% program compares to Nova Scotia’s existing 0% down programThe impact of higher interest rates and stress testingWhy...
In this episode of the Canadian Private Lenders Podcast, Ryan and Neal sit down with Jack Cameron, 24-year mortgage veteran from The Way Home Mortgage at Premier Mortgage in Halifax. Jack shares how he left the bank in 2002 with no ringing phone and built one of the most respected careers in Atlantic Canada’s broker space. We dive into: The evolution of broker market share in Atlantic CanadaWhy private lending took so long to develop in the East CoastThe discipline behind building elite mortg...
In Episode 120 of the Canadian Private Lenders Podcast, Ryan and Neal sit down with Alex Lavender of the Clinton Wilkins Mortgage Team to unpack his journey of becoming one of Atlantic Canada’s top mortgage brokers. Alex shares how starting with zero network in Halifax forced him to master alternative lending, why unbiased advice and client-first service became the foundation of his success, and how mentorship, marketing, and persistence shaped his career. The conversation also dives deep int...
In Episode 119 of the Canadian Private Lenders Podcast, Ryan and Neal break down how mortgage renewals, higher rates, AI, open banking, fraud controls, and regulation are reshaping private and alternative lending across Canada. They explain why more borrowers are moving into private lending, how underwriting is evolving, and what lenders, brokers, and investors need to understand as they head into 2025–2026. This episode covers: • The mortgage renewal wave and rising payment shock • Why the p...
In Episode 118 of the Canadian Private Lenders Podcast, Ryan and Neal break down the latest Canadian jobs data and what rising unemployment means for interest rates and mortgage strategy heading into 2026. They then turn their attention to a market that rarely gets the spotlight: Montreal. With home sales up, prices rising, and inventory remaining tight, Montreal is emerging as one of Canada’s most resilient major housing markets, especially when compared to Toronto and Vancouver. The episode...
In Episode 117 of the Canadian Private Lenders' Podcast, hosts Ryan and Neal break down the five most common and costly mistakes private lenders make when scaling their businesses. Drawing directly on their experience growing Keystone past $25 M in AUM, they unpack real-world lessons on infrastructure, software, deal quality, hiring, and recognizing early market cracks before they turn into serious problems. This episode is a must-listen for: New and emerging private lendersMortgage brok...
In Episode 116 of the Canadian Private Lender's Podcast Ryan and Neal break down what it really takes to scale a private lending business from $10M to $25M in assets under management in just over two years. They go beyond surface-level growth talk and dive into the realities of scaling: operational strain, investor confidence, underwriting discipline, capital flow challenges, and why saying no becomes more important than saying yes. From team expansion and MIC structuring to managing risk in ...
Welcome back to Episode 115 of the Canadian Private Lenders Podcast! Ryan and Neal kick off 2026 by breaking down what fix-and-flip investing really looks like in today’s more balanced Canadian real estate market. With buyer behavior shifting, inventory rising, and exits becoming less predictable, this episode dives into where opportunities still exist, and where lenders and investors need to be far more conservative. The conversation covers real-world market conditions in Halifax, the GTA, a...
In Episode 114 of the Canadian Private Lenders Podcast, Ryan and Neal wrap up 2025 by reviewing their bold economic and housing predictions, and grading themselves on what they got right (and wrong). They break down RE/MAX’s controversial condo recovery forecast, analyze rate cuts from the Bank of Canada, unpack national and Atlantic Canada housing trends, and debate what 2026 could look like for home prices, housing starts, immigration, and the Canadian dollar. This episode is a grounded, no...
In this special episode of the Canadian Private Lenders Podcast, the Keystone team flips the script. Ryan, Neal, Sam and Zach sit down for an in-depth conversation on how Keystone Mortgage Investment Corp was built, from working out of a living room and funding the first deal with personal lines of credit, to launching a fully structured MIC with registered investments. The team breaks down their individual roles, how brokers can submit stronger deals, what investors want to know before commi...
In this solo episode of the Canadian Private Lenders Podcast, Ryan MacNeil breaks down the core types of private lending deals and explains when, and why, they make sense for brokers, investors, and borrowers. Ryan starts with major industry news, including EQ Bank’s acquisition of PC Financial, before diving deep into Keystone’s most common loan structures. From single-family construction and renovation loans to quick-close purchases, refinances, and bridge loans, this episode explains how p...
In Episode 111 of the Canadian Private Lenders Podcast, Ryan and Neal bring the focus home to Halifax and Nova Scotia, breaking down how Canada’s newly announced $82 billion in defense and aerospace spending over the next five years could transform the local economy, job market, industrial landscape, and housing demand. From Irving Shipbuilding’s growing footprint to the surge in military procurement, the hosts explore who the major winners may be, what risks still exist, and how private lend...
In Episode 110 of the Canadian Private Lenders Podcast, Ryan and Neal break in their brand-new studio with a deep dive into one of the hottest topics circulating in the real estate and lending world: the rise of 50-year mortgages in the United States. The hosts unpack what a 50-year mortgage actually looks like, who benefits, why the U.S. is considering them, and whether Canada would ever dare to follow. Along the way, they explore current housing forecasts, affordability breakdowns across Ca...
In Episode 109 of the Canadian Private Lenders Podcast, hosts Ryan MacNeil and Neal Andreino sit down with Arlen Ekstein, VP of Sales & Marketing at Tembo Financial, one of Ontario’s fastest and most flexible direct private lenders. Arlen shares his journey from sponsorship sales into private lending, the origin story of Tembo Financial, and how the company built its reputation on speed, transparency, and customer-centric lending. He also gives a candid take on today’s volatile Ontario ...



