Groundbreakers is where real estate investors and operators share how they started, scaled, and built freedom through real estate. Hosted by Domingo Valadez, these conversations go beyond the numbers to uncover the decisions, setbacks, and mindset shifts that shaped their journeys. Whether you’re chasing your first deal or your next big leap, these stories will inspire you to take action and create your own path.
Groundbreakers
Claim This Podcastby Domingo Valadez
4.7(12 reviews)
105 episodes
Updated Daily
Accepts GuestsHas SponsorsLocation 🇺🇸
36
Podcast Authority
BetaPoorBased on show quality, social media presence, reviews, charts, and more
Quality18
Social0
YouTube76
Engagement60
Podcast Overview
Groundbreakers is where real estate investors and operators share how they started, scaled, and built freedom through real estate. Hosted by Domingo Valadez, these conversations go beyond the numbers to uncover the decisions, setbacks, and mindset shifts that shaped their journeys. Whether you’re chasing your first deal or your next big leap, these stories will inspire you to take action and create your own path.
Language
🇺🇲
Publishing Since
10/16/2023
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36
Podcast Authority
BetaPoorBased on show quality, social media presence, reviews, charts, and more
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Social0
YouTube76
Engagement60
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excellent
Episode Length
42 minutes
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Recent Episodes
June 3, 2026
From Goldman to Healthcare Real Estate: Why Medical Office Is the Most Durable Asset Class Available to Investors Today
<p>In this episode of Groundbreakers, we are joined by Jeff Axley, founder and managing principal of Ridgeline Capital Partners, a Dallas-based private equity firm focused exclusively on healthcare real estate, including medical office buildings, ambulatory surgery centers, and behavioral health facilities across Texas and the Sun Belt.</p><p>Jeff brings a rare combination of institutional training and entrepreneurial focus to a sector most investors overlook or misunderstand. He spent 15 years across two landmark firms: the Archon Group, a Goldman Sachs company, where he underwrote assets on a $2.5 billion equity fund, and Hillwood, the Dallas-based firm owned by the Perot family, where he managed nearly $1 billion in assets through the 2008 and 2009 financial crisis. Those years taught him a specific discipline: underwrite for the downside, even in good times, and build in the cushion before you need it.</p><p>In 2013, Jeff founded Ridgeline Capital Partners around a single thesis: healthcare demand is non-discretionary. People delay vacations. They cannot avoid healthcare indefinitely. That structural reality, combined with an aging Baby Boomer population and a broad shift from hospital-based to outpatient care, has made medical office one of the most resilient asset classes of the past decade. In this conversation, we dive into how Jeff identifies and underwrites medical office deals, how his team compares the sector to multifamily, and how they are using artificial intelligence to move faster and more precisely on acquisitions.</p><p></p><p>Key Topics Discussed:</p><ul><li>The institutional underwriting foundation Jeff built at Archon Group and Hillwood, and the specific lessons from managing through the 2008 financial crisis</li><li>Why Jeff chose medical office over every other property type he had worked in across a 15-year institutional career</li><li>How to evaluate healthcare tenants: the difference between orthopedic, cardiology, and urology practices versus primary care providers facing insurance reimbursement pressure</li><li>Medical office versus multifamily: a direct comparison on cap rates, lease structures, contractual rent growth, tenant retention, and performance through COVID</li><li>The Baby Boomer demographic tailwind and why the sector is still, in Jeff's view, in its early innings</li><li>How Ridgeline uses Claude, ChatGPT, and specialized real estate tools to analyze rent rolls and surface red flags before committing to full diligence</li><li>A distressed Atlanta acquisition that went from 50 percent occupied to fully leased and has since appreciated substantially in value</li><li>The current buying window: cap rates have expanded 75 to 100 basis points since the Fed rate hike cycle began, and Jeff sees the next 12 to 18 months as an unusually favorable entry point</li></ul><p></p><p>Why This Matters for GPs and Investors:</p><p>Most real estate capital continues to flow to multifamily, industrial, and general commercial assets. Medical office remains a niche that a relatively small number of specialized operators have built expertise in, and that gap creates opportunity. For GPs looking for a more durable asset class with predictable cash flow, contractual rent escalations, and demographically locked-in demand, this episode provides a grounded look at how one experienced operator approaches the sector. For passive investors evaluating where to allocate, understanding the structural differences between medical office and more familiar asset classes is increasingly important as capital reprices across the market.</p><p>Guest Information:</p><ul><li>Name: Jeff Axley</li><li>Role: Founder and Managing Principal</li><li>Company: Ridgeline Capital Partners</li><li>Website: <a href="https://ridgelinecp.com/" target="_blank">ridgelinecp.com</a></li><li><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeff-axley-4aa3b47/" target="_blank">LinkedIn</a></li></ul><p></p><p>Jeff Axley's path through Goldman-backed institutional underwriting, a billion-dollar fund through the financial crisis, and then a deliberate bet on one underserved niche is a study in what happens when institutional discipline meets a genuinely differentiated thesis. The medical office sector he describes is not glamorous. It does not generate the headlines that multifamily rent growth did in 2021. But it has maintained consistent occupancy, consistent rent growth, and consistent tenant retention through conditions that tested every other asset class. If you are a GP evaluating where to deploy capital in the current environment, or an investor trying to understand the range of options beyond the most trafficked sectors, this episode is worth your time.</p>
April 14, 2026
How Pacific Workplaces Is Turning Flexible Office Into a 25% IRR Real Estate Strategy
<p>In this episode of Groundbreakers, we’re joined by <strong>Ben Wright</strong>, Chief Growth Officer at <strong>Pacific Workplaces</strong>, one of the West Coast’s most established flexible workspace platforms.</p><p>While many investors wrote off office after the WeWork collapse and the rise of remote work, Ben shares why the real story is just beginning. Pacific has quietly built <strong>16 profitable locations over 23 years</strong>, with a differentiated model that combines flexible workspace, virtual offices, meeting rooms, and service-based recurring revenue.</p><p>We dive into why <strong>San Francisco’s AI-driven rebound</strong>, changing workplace behavior, and landlord demand for flexible operators are creating one of the most overlooked opportunities in commercial real estate today.</p><p>Ben also breaks down Pacific’s expansion strategy, how they’re underwriting new locations, and why their latest fund is targeting a <strong>10% preferred return and 25% net IRR over a 5–7 year hold</strong>.</p><p></p><p><strong>Key Points Discussed</strong></p><ul><li>Why flexible workspace is still only ~3% of the office market</li><li>How Pacific generates 32% of revenue outside of desks</li><li>Why virtual office products are an underrated cash flow driver</li><li>The macro tailwinds from AI and San Francisco’s recovery</li><li>Why landlords increasingly want flexible workspace partners</li><li>How Pacific’s newest SF location hit 30% leased before opening</li><li>The investment thesis behind their 6–10 location expansion plan</li><li>Why flexible workspace may become an institutional CRE asset class</li></ul><p></p><p><strong>Guest Information</strong></p><ul><li><strong>Name:</strong> Ben Wright</li><li><strong>Role:</strong> Chief Growth Officer at Pacific Workplaces</li><li><strong>Website:</strong> <a href="https://pacificworkplaces.com/" target="_blank">PacificWorkplaces.com</a></li><li><strong>LinkedIn:</strong> <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/benbwright/" target="_blank">Ben Wright</a></li></ul><p></p><p><strong>Conclusion</strong></p><p>Ben’s perspective is a refreshing reminder that the office market isn’t disappearing, it’s evolving.</p><p>Rather than betting on outdated long-term lease models, Pacific Workplaces is building around how modern teams actually work: hybrid schedules, smaller footprints, flexible meeting needs, and service-driven convenience.</p><p>For investors looking for differentiated cash-flowing real estate opportunities, this episode offers a compelling look at why flexible workspace may be one of the most misunderstood and asymmetric bets in CRE today.</p>
March 18, 2026
From Wholesaling to Build-to-Rent: Scaling a Modern Real Estate Investment Firm
<p><strong>Episode Summary</strong></p><p>In this episode of Groundbreakers, we’re joined by Sterling Anderson, Founder and CEO of Aria Residential Group, a real estate investment and development firm focused on build-to-rent communities, multifamily acquisitions, and luxury residential projects.</p><p>Sterling’s journey into real estate began after leaving his job at a bank in 2013 and deciding to pursue investing full time. Starting with wholesaling and fix-and-flip projects, he gradually expanded into multifamily and development, learning how to raise capital, structure partnerships, and scale into larger projects across markets like Dallas, Houston, Atlanta, and Omaha. </p><p>In this conversation, Sterling shares how he built his firm step by step, the lessons he learned from early deals, and why capital raising, underwriting discipline, and transparency with investors are the foundations of long term success in real estate.</p><p><strong>Key Topics Discussed</strong></p><ul><li>Sterling’s journey from banking to full-time real estate investing</li><li>How wholesaling and fix-and-flips helped build early deal experience</li><li>The importance of mastering underwriting before scaling into multifamily</li><li>Why capital raising is one of the most important skills in real estate</li><li>The growing opportunity in build-to-rent communities</li><li>How partnerships unlock larger deals and new markets</li></ul><p></p><p><strong>Why This Matters for GPs and Investors</strong></p><p>Sterling offers a practical perspective on scaling a real estate business in today’s market. From building relationships with investors to verifying underwriting assumptions and structuring strong partnerships, his approach highlights the systems and discipline required to grow from small deals into larger developments.</p><p>For sponsors raising capital or investors exploring build-to-rent and multifamily opportunities, this episode provides a clear look at how experienced operators think about growth, risk, and long-term strategy.</p><p><strong>Guest Information</strong></p><ul><li>Name: Sterling Anderson</li><li>Company: Aria Residential Group</li><li><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/mrsterlinganderson/" target="_blank">LinkedIn</a></li></ul><p></p><p><strong>Conclusion</strong></p><p>Sterling’s story is a reminder that most real estate careers do not start with large developments. They begin with small deals, learning the fundamentals, and gradually building the skills and relationships required to scale.</p><p>If you are building a real estate investment business or looking to understand the future of build-to-rent and multifamily investing, this episode is packed with insights worth listening to.</p>
105 total episodes available
Recent guests on Groundbreakers
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Georgy Marrero
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Lee Yoder
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Ben Bowerman
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Sean Graham
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Andrea Foley
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Joey Schneider
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Christopher Seveney
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