The late Steve Jobs once said, “Simple can be harder than complex: you have to work hard to get your thinking clean to make it simple. But it’s worth it in the end because once you get there, you can move mountains.”
The concept of simple has become an operational mindset adopted by KV Capital. Whether for their investors, borrowers, employees, or other stakeholders, the team strives to be known as a company that has the skill and expertise to make complex processes and investment decisions Simple (efficient, easy to understand, and easy to execute on).
Leading the team are Shafin Kanji, Chairman of the Board; Aleem Virani, Chief Executive Officer; Curtis Power, President, Private Mortgages; Nicholas Jeanes, Managing Partner, Asset Management; Jonathan Herman, President, Private Equity; and Marc Prefontaine, Managing Partner, Commercial Real Estate Finance.
“Simple is what we strive for,” says Virani. “At its most basic form, simple is the answer that we’d want our clients to describe their interactions with KV. It not just about the solution, but also the process. We work hard to break down complex financial processes into a simple, stepwise and understandable experiences for everyone we connect with.”
KV Capital was founded in 2006 by Shafin Kanji, Aleem Virani, and Farhan Virani with the objective to act as an alternative service provider in the complex world of finance. A true family business – Aleem and Farhan are brothers, and Shafin is their brother-in-law – the three founders work closely together to instill a culture of collaboration and trust across the organization.
The company began its journey as The Mortgage Corner. However, the 2007 – 2009 financial crisis brought about new opportunities for growth given the limited amount of capital that was available for business and property owners.
“We started procuring private capital with those that needed it to support their growth and over time have transitioned into an asset manager and capital service provider that continues to service the real estate industry,” says Kanji.
Having rebranded to KV Capital in 2010, the company now provides solutions for commercial real estate finance, private mortgages, residential mortgages, asset management, and private equity. Today, KV Capital currently has approximately $200M in assets under management and has funded over $1B in loan and private equity investment opportunities.
“Think of someone you trust, that you would turn to for advice and know that they would have your best interest in mind. That’s KV Capital. We build long-term mutually beneficial relationships predicated on trust, on respect and on providing value,” says Jeanes when describing KV Capital’s service platform. “We help clients simplify complex financial transactions. It’s that simple.”
In addition to providing capital to commercial and residential real estate clients, KV Capital’s asset management team provides mortgage and private equity investment opportunities through two funds: KV Mortgage Fund and KV Private Equity Fund. Interesting to many and not commonly known, within KV Capital’s private equity portfolio are four exciting recreational vehicle manufacturers: Campion Marine, Escape Trailer, Off Grid Trailers and Northern Lite.
For everyone on the team, every opportunity represents far more than monetary value.
“We are not transaction focused. We value long-term relationships and for that we need to continue to be able to add value. If we can’t add value, we’ll tell you and help refer you to someone who can,” says Power.
“Getting to know our clients’ needs comes first and we believe that great business relationships are built on mutual trust, understanding and win-win scenarios. When working with a new client across any of our business units, we start things off by listening so we can understand their unique needs,” explains Prefontaine.
Each of KV Capital’s five business units are equipped with distinct teams, each lead by experts in their industry, driven to help find the best financial solutions for each client.
“The single biggest contributing factor to KV Capital’s success is our team,” says Aleem Virani with pride. “There isn’t a single person, a single product, service or idea that defines KV Capital. We have great people that have created an incredible culture where we challenge and support each other and where differences are seen as a sign of strength.”
Further adding to the organization’s expertise is the educational background of the team, which includes 15 Chartered Professional Accountants, many of whom also hold multiple designations such as a Chartered Business Valuator (CBV), Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) or Master of Business Administration (MBA), amongst others. With a diverse array of skills and backgrounds, KV Capital has invested over $800 million in mortgages since 2006 with no loss of investor capital.
KV Capital provides the same attention to detail to the team as they do for clients, celebrating success and helping them grow professionally. When asked about his fondest memory with the company, Virani shares that it was a time of collective celebration; the entire team took a spontaneous trip to Las Vegas to celebrate reaching $50 million in assets under management.
Team members enjoy paid volunteer days and donation matching, an employee share purchase program, professional development compensation, fitness reimbursements, residential mortgage perks, and a paid day off on their birthday.
KV Capital is proud to call Edmonton home. “Edmonton is a vibrant business community with an abundance of innovative and motivated professionals who actively support fellow entrepreneurs. It’s both refreshing and constructive to feel the type of support we see in Edmonton, which can feel like a ‘big small town’ in the right ways when it comes to business and family. It’s easy to form connections here, and there is a myriad of talent when it comes to finding the right people to help you reach your business goals,” says Herman.
Giving back to the community is an important value for everyone on the team. KV Capital is proud to be a long-term supporter of Aga Khan Foundation Canada and has also contributed to CASA, Edmonton’s Food Bank, the Lieutenant Governor’s History and Heroes Alberta Foundation, and more in recent years.
KV Capital has been on Canada’s Fastest-Growing Companies (formerly Growth 500) list for six consecutive years. Their simplified approach to capital solutions has put the organization on the map with marked success and an expanding footprint. KV Capital now seeks to build on the progress achieved in Edmonton and grow into new geographic markets with leaders that share their passion and values.
As KV Capital celebrates 15 years, the partners say a big thank you to the team, whom they call “the most instrumental group to the growth of KV.” Gratitude is also expressed to the independent board of directors for KV Mortgage Fund and KV Private Equity Fund. “The combination of their time, expertise and many other contributions have added an element of strength to our team. We’re truly fortunate to have them oversee such a critical piece of our operations.”
Learn more about KV Capital along with its commitment to simplified, proven solutions across a variety of financial markets by visiting kvcapital.ca online. The company is also active on LinkedIn, Instagram, and Facebook.