We’re showcasing our Team with Tenure as part of CapGrow’s 20th Anniversary Celebration! It is with pride we feature Dené, who has been with CapGrow for over 10 years.
When I found CapGrow, I knew I could make an impact. I wanted my next career move to be entrepreneurial, healthcare-based, and travel-heavy in a position where I could create and foster business relationships – not dial for dollars. In my first year alone, I attended around 50 behavioral health conferences as a National Account Executive to promote CapGrow’s services and improve brand recognition.
Jump to today and I now lead our Business Development team. I’m still on the road quite a bit, and it’s really rewarding to see the evolution in how providers now recognize the CapGrow brand and myself. When I’m at conferences, it feels progressively more like catching up with old friends rather than trying to “sell” with each passing year as we grow.
Q: You’ve clearly been integral to CapGrow’s growth over the last several years. In your first year (2015), the company owned homes in 8 states in comparison to today, where the team is regularly closing multi-million dollar acquisitions spanning numerous states. How have you achieved all that during your 10 years with the company so far?
A: Well, it’s not just me or just the Business Development team. What a lot of people find remarkable is that our collective team of only 13 people are able to manage and continue to grow a portfolio of over 1100 assets across 41 states. In fact, in our company history, we haven’t exceeded that head count. We also have incredible tenure. All of our management positions are occupied by CapGrow veterans with ten years or more of in-house experience. The sheer volume of deals and quick pace we maintain as a result of that dedication is an extreme asset to our partners.
Q: How do the providers you know shape CapGrow’s function as an organization?
A: Each provider has their own unique mission, services, and strategic goals not to mention the geographic-based differences in where they operate. We have learned to adapt in response. In the last decade, I’ve seen how our meteoric growth has allowed us to be more flexible and develop creative solutions for providers seeking something new and sometimes presenting puzzles we’ve yet to solve. It all starts with a conversation about where they want to go next.
Q: What does that mean for your partner relationships?
A: Because of that sensibility, we’ve maintained thriving 10-15 year partnerships. As the behavioral health field evolves, our partners will often reach out to us to brainstorm new deal structures as they move through acquisitions of new companies, add ancillary services, or enter new states. It’s on us to make sure we’re putting forth our very best effort to support the providers and subsequently, the people receiving care who reside in the homes we own.
Q: How did you become so knowledgeable on Behavioral Health Real Estate?
A: Everything I know about the behavioral health field and real estate I’ve learned while at CapGrow. Back in the day I carried a list of acronyms to conferences, because each state’s services had entirely different names for similar programs or functions of care.
Since the behavioral health industry is constantly evolving, my team and I try to attend conference sessions to follow the latest in state and national news. We always learn something new whether it’s about healthcare payment models, treatment programs, or state and federal policies. I would say our commitment to staying up to date on industry trends isn’t exclusive to the Business Development team you see at conferences. Each department leans on each other’s knowledge to collaborate on strategy and structure as our industry changes with each unique deal.
Q: What does CapGrow consider a strong partnership fit? Or rather, how does CapGrow decide to partner with a provider?
A: We partner with all kinds of service providers: for- and non-profits, single- and multi-state operators, PE-backed companies, etc. Since we invest in virtually any location around the country and there are no minimum or maximum deal sizes for us, we are happy to help a provider with one new home in the community or acquire a portfolio of hundreds of properties already in operation. It really boils down to the financial stability and operational longevity of the provider.
Q: What should providers know about CapGrow?
A: Our reputation has been built on our team’s extensive years of experience closing millions in real estate transactions, our disciplined focus on investments exclusively within behavioral health, and our honesty and integrity. We are aggressive in advocating for our provider partners and still offer flexible pricing and deal structuring. As such, CapGrow remains very well capitalized to fund and close on deals of any size across the country.
Q: What’s your most memorable CapGrow accomplishment from the last 10 years?
A: My biggest accomplishments haven’t come from the deals I’ve closed with the highest portfolio value. Instead, it’s been the ones that took the longest or were the most complex. Case in point, we recently closed on our first deal with a provider who I’ve personally known for over 8 years. We developed a wonderful comradery, and I knew when the time was right we would find the perfect opportunity to partner. It was rewarding to close a deal with people I considered friends.
For more on Dené, visit her staff biography below.
CapGrow’s Team With Tenure
Dené Sanchez, EVP of Business Development
Dené Sanchez serves as the Executive Vice President of Business Development for CapGrow Partners. She leads all business development & marketing initiatives while continuing to secure new business across numerous behavioral health verticals nationwide.
10+ Years
Of In-House Real Estate Business Development Experience
964 Properties
Acquired Since Dené’s Promotion to Executive
