Built in Western Canada. Backed by Experience.
I’m not a Wall Street private equity executive. I’m a former commercial banker and multi-business owner who knows what it takes to make payroll, scale operations, and execute a successful exit.
Jey Arul, Principal
The Story: Failing at Retirement
In 2024, after successfully selling the companies I spent years building, I decided to pack it in. I spent 2025 traveling, trying my best to enjoy an early retirement.
By 2026, at 55 years old, I realized something: I am terrible at sitting still. I missed the action. I missed the grit of Western Canadian entrepreneurs. Most importantly, I realized that there is a massive gap in the market for business owners doing $1M to $10M in revenue. The "Big 5" banks are too rigid to fund them, and institutional private equity firms are too aggressive to partner with them.
I launched AJS Capital as a private investment and alternative finance firm to fill that gap. We buy great businesses from retiring owners, and we provide creative capital to the ones looking to grow.
I don't evaluate deals purely off a spreadsheet. I evaluate them based on 25 years of sitting on every side of the table: as a Banker, an Advisor, and an Operator.
The Banker & The Dealmaker (Knowing the Numbers)
To structure a successful buyout or alternative loan, you have to know how capital actually works.
The Banking Foundation: I spent a decade (1998–2008) as a Senior Mid-Market Commercial Banker at BMO. I learned exactly how the major banks underwrite risk—and more importantly, where they leave good businesses behind.
The Advisory Years: After a tenure as VP of Mergers & Acquisitions at MNP, I brought VR Business Brokers to Alberta in 2010. Over the next decade, I personally brokered over 90 business sales, built the top-performing office in the network, and earned the Certified Business Intermediary (CBI) and Business Certified Appraiser (BCA) designations. I even helped spearhead the expansion of the IBBA into Canada, eventually serving as its President.
The Takeaway: I know how to value a business, and I know how to structure financing so a deal actually closes.
The Operator (Walking the Walk)
In 2014, I decided to stop just advising owners and put my own skin in the game. I transitioned from the advisory side to the ownership side.
Building the Portfolio: I acquired Coldwell Banker (managing over 40 Realtors) and Davies Property Management. In 2017, I expanded my footprint in Edmonton by starting and operating two ATB Financial agencies.
Scaling Up: As my businesses grew, I stepped away from my brokerage franchise in 2020 to focus solely on being a CEO. Over the next few years, I grew Davies Property Management from 400 doors to over 1,000 units under management.
The Exits: I executed my own succession plan, selling my ATB interests in 2022, followed by the successful sale of both Coldwell Banker and Davies Property Management in 2024.
The Takeaway: When you talk to me about equipment failures, losing a key employee, or managing cash flow, I understand. I've signed the front of the payroll check, and the back of the exit check.
Why Partner with AJS Capital
I built this firm to be the financial partner I wished I had when I was scaling my own companies.
Whether you are a retiring founder looking for a buyer who will protect your legacy and your staff, or an operator looking for creative debt to unlock your cash flow, you deal directly with me. No junior analysts. No rigid corporate committees. Just straight talk, fast decisions, and flexible capital.
Let’s Grab a Coffee
If you have a business you are looking to transition, or if you need creative capital that your current bank won't provide, let's have a strictly confidential conversation.