BC B U S I N E SS NOVEM B ER/ D ECEM B ER 2025 | 33
FINALIST
THE KICKOFF:
Matt Lewis spent a decade in banking before realizing
he needed a change. "I was sitting across the desk from
entrepreneurs, leaders, business owners and their exec-
utive teams, and I thought that I was on the wrong side of
the table," says Lewis, who grew up in White Rock. "So,
I decided I was young and naive enough to give it a shot
for myself."
In 2012, Lewis acquired his first business, Por t
Coquitlam-based textile distributor TrendTex Fabrics. That
acquisition laid the groundwork for Braidy Corporation, a
Surrey-based private holding company that's expanding
with a "buy, hold and grow" model.
"'Buy, squeeze and flip' is generic. It's transactional,"
Lewis argues. "For operating businesses with a long-term
mindset, you need to truly understand what makes the
business tick, what makes the company go around, and
it's far more fulfilling."
ACTION PLAN:
Lewis named the company after his children—"Br" from
Brenna, "ai" from Claire and "dy" from Cody. That sense
of legacy continues to shape Braidy's role in the market
today as an increasing number of baby boomers struggle
to find people to take over their businesses.
"We are very often a succession plan for a business
owner," says Lewis. His company has acquired 13 busi-
nesses to date, spanning textile manufacturing and distri-
bution, roofing and HVAC accessory manufacturing, among
others. "The fact that we don't have outside investors to
answer to—negating the need to buy, squeeze and flip—
resonates very deeply for some business owners."
Braidy operates with a core team of six and has some
600 people across its operating companies. Its revenues
are in the hundreds of millions, while TrendTex Fabrics now
claims the title of being the largest distributor of printed
cotton fabric for the hobby and craft industry in Canada.
CLOSING STATEMENT:
In 2025, Braidy Corporation acquired Langley-based K-Line
Trailers, a manufacturer of dump truck boxes and heavy
equipment trailers.
"In the short term, we're focused on integrating that
business," Lewis says. Braidy typically buys new-industry
businesses with annual EBITDA between $2 million and $10
million. "But over the longer term, we're going to continue
to buy great businesses in industries that we feel we can
understand and can take a long-term approach on."–R.R.
How do you
celebrate your
achievements?
We go to fun concerts
and sporting events.
An odd job
you've had?
I used to fill potholes for
the city of Surrey.
An embarrassing
obsession?
I don't like prime numbers.
RAPID
FIRE
Matt Lewis
PR ES I D ENT, B R A I DY C O R P O R ATI O N
