By Steve Moran
I can’t count the number of articles I have written offering advice and offering my services to Brookdale. When I heard Cindy Baier was out, my only thought was. “Why did it take so long?” I met her a few times, I emailed with her a few times, and she was unfailingly polite. I am sure she is a fine human being and a competent financial leader.
She was not a great CEO. My biggest criticism is that even though the way Brookdale was operating was obviously not working, they continued to do more of the same.
Each quarter, their message was that they are well positioned for the coming baby boomer wave… which is a terrible approach. What they were saying was that when people got desperate enough, they would move into Brookdale communities.
In my view, the board of directors has been completely irresponsible. When Cindy refused to try something new, to go in a different direction, they should have forced her hand or forced her out a long time ago.
I Believe In Brookdale
For all my criticism, I have always believed, and I continue to believe, that Brookdale could be the industry leader in everything. They could be creating the best resident experiences; they could be creating the best employee experiences.
They could be leading with high occupancy; I am talking 95% to 98%. They could even be a company that has a massive waitlist across their entire system.
A week or so ago, I went through the In-N-Out Burger drive-through, and there were perhaps 20 cars ahead of me. I waited gladly, and when I got to humans, the encounters were uniquely pleasant.
That could be Brookdale.
This does not even need to be seen as a long-term project. In 12 months, they could get to 90% occupancy, fantastic margins, and double or quadruple their stock price.
Back to Basics
Fixing Brookdale is about getting back to the basics of thinking about how interacting with Brookdale makes people feel. If they make their team members love working for Brookdale, their residents will love living there. When that happens, families will love how they are being supported.
Word of mouth—telling those stories will fill the community faster than one could ever imagine.
The singular focus needs to be on creating great experiences for every person in the Brookdale ecosystem.
My Biggest Fear
My biggest fear is that they will bring in another financial person who will continue to take Brookdale down the path of mediocrity.
This is a fixable problem, and it is fixable fast. Give me a call, shoot me an email.
Is Brookdale closing?
I don’t think so, but their CEO stepped down.
Hi Steve! Greetings from your friendly neighborhood Executive Director Fixer (remember the Pegasus building i brought to 100%)
Keep Peaching My Friend! The majority of operators need to hear it and ACT on it! For 15 years I have been shouting the solution! Falls on deaf ears!
I’m leveling up and doubling down
Change is in the air ! I can smell it!
All my best to you and the Mrs.!
Thanks Robert
I do remember. There is so much opportunity in Brookdale. Changes peoples lives and make a lot of money for shareholders. They need vision.
Former Brookdale Executive Director here. Good buildings, good menus, poor staff treatment leads to poor care, and poor understanding by upper management of what it takes to do it right. Examples from taking a building coming out of stop placement : – You need a working call light system. Response: But that would cost money. – I want to thank our residents and their families with a holiday meal. Response: You’re going to charge them, right?
When Brookdale absorbed Emeritus, the then Brookdale CEO told a CFO for another chain ( I go to church with him and we discussed it: We got a bunch of dogs – that’s how he thought of the facilities he “acquired”.
If you go to the staff directory, it’s real hard to find the person where the buck stops there when it comes to care. There are a whole ton of lawyers.
To my knowledge Brookdale hasn’t built any buidings, they buy and sell assets. As such, so much soul is just lost, and it shows in performance.
If they fix that, they stand a chance of beginning to get it right.
I was with Emeritus and a fantastic group opening new communities across the nation. I came when Emeritus was acquired to help open the new developments strong. It was two very different cultures so I see what they felt we were just acquisitions. They became so massive overnight. Emeritus and the crew I worked with there were phenomenal. Yes, had our challenges but it remains one of my favorite roles. Our prospects came first. Our first impression in new developments was first rate. There were some great leaders that went on to bring that culture to their new companies. For the success of the industry, we all need to not work it from the eyes and ears of the prospects and residents. It does not cost a lot to change the feel of the building. Great ED’s are needed and stellar sales team that can have deep conversations with prospects and get to know their likes and fears. Be a family and welcome prospects as part of the family. Come on Senior Living industry….we got this!
Hi Steve, spot on with this. I was an Executive Director with Brookdale for 14 years, I witnessed the culture change from take care of you residents and your associates, the bottom line will take care of itself, to never ending zoom calls, constant corporate chaos, and a decaying work culture. Brookdale definitely needs an overhaul in leadership.
Linda J. Cinco
Post script, Steve we worked together a long time ago.