Unexpected Transitions: From Farm Life to Investment Banking

Deborah Smith is Co-Founder and CEO of The CenterCap Group, LLC and heads the firm's Strategic Capital and M&A and Execution efforts. Prior to forming The CenterCap Group, LLC, Ms. Smith was Co-Head of M&A and a Senior Managing Director with CB Richard Ellis Investors (CB Richard Ellis's $40 billion AUM investment management business).

Links:

The CenterCap Group, LLC

Deobroah on LinkedIn

Brandon on LinkedIn

Juniper Square

Topics:

(00:00:00) - Intro

(00:00:51) - Deborah’s background and career

(00:05:18) - Deborah’s experience with CBRE

(00:07:57) - What was the thesis behind starting your own boutique investment bank?

(00:11:14) - How has real estate as an institutional asset class changed over your career?

(00:13:51) - What was driving REIT activity pre-GFC?

(00:16:36) - What are you seeing in the markets today?

(00:18:40) - What does CenterCap do today?

(00:23:06) - What does it mean to have a ‘good story’ to stand on?

(00:28:25) - What are some important principles for GPs to think about when looking for capital partners?

(00:33:31) - What are you getting in return for capital?

(00:36:51) - What are you seeing that is driving the buy-side of the acquisitions you’re involved with?

(00:39:59) - Where are other capital providers coming from?

(00:41:55) - What’s driving RIA’s wanting to have captive GPs?

(00:47:38) - How do you think about drivers of enterprise value?