From Startup to Successful Acquisition – Our Work with Kevala
The Company
Kevala Healthcare operated as a dual-platform healthcare staffing solution. The company connects healthcare professionals including nurses and CNAs with medical facilities through an innovative app-based system that allows contractors to pick up shifts that fit their schedules.
The business model has two key components:
● A contractor marketplace connecting 1099 healthcare professionals with available shifts
● A robust SaaS platform that matches staff with healthcare facilities
The Challenge
When Senior HR Consultant Deanna joined Kevala in 2021, the company was experiencing rapid growth but was facing typical scaling challenges. Initially brought on to handle tactical HR functions, she quickly identified deeper organizational needs:
Compliance Complexity: With several hundred temporary employees across multiple states, Kevala needed to navigate complex employment law requirements including EEO reporting, ACA eligibility and compliance, California pay equity reporting, and emerging pay transparency regulations.
Leadership Dynamics: As the company scaled, the executive structure required evolution to manage the growing complexity of leadership roles.
Strategic HR Gap: The CEO had never experienced true strategic HR partnership and didn’t initially appreciate the value it could bring to the organization.
The Approach
Deanna took a methodical approach to building trust and expanding her role:
Building the Foundation
She started by executing on compliance and tactical HR needs, establishing credibility with the leadership team while building strong relationships.
As those relationships deepened, Deanna began partnering with leadership on strategic initiatives including critical hires, organizational development, and addressing team dynamics.
The Breakthrough Moment
When Deanna identified the benefits executive coaching could have for the co-founders, she researched external coaches and presented options. After reviewing those options, the CEO recognized Deanna’s capabilities and asked her to take on the coaching role herself. Her skills and effectiveness helped transform her role from tactical support to strategic partner.
Expanding Impact
Deanna did DiSC assessments and training for all employees, providing a valuable framework for understanding work styles and improving collaboration. She conducted follow-up sessions to help teams continue learning and growing using these insights.
Her coaching practice expanded organically throughout the organization. What began with the three co-founders grew to include other executive team members, leaders, and individual team members either through direct outreach or recommendations from those who had experienced the value of her coaching firsthand.
The Results
Deanna’s four-year tenure with Kevala culminated in two successful exits in 2025:
● The healthcare staffing business was spun out and sold to an acquiring company
● The SaaS platform and remaining business operations were acquired by another company, with most Kevala employees transitioning to continue their work under new ownership
Beyond the successful acquisitions, Deanna’s impact included:
● Cohesive Leadership: The executive team moved from fractured dynamics to collaborative decision-making
● Accelerated Growth: Leadership could make faster, better-informed decisions for the business
● Organizational Capability: Employees gained tools and frameworks for better collaboration
● Strategic HR Integration: Demonstrated the value of strategic HR partnership in a fast-growth environment
Deanna’s journey with Kevala demonstrates the transformative power of focusing relentlessly on providing value. Over nearly four years, she went from handling tactical compliance work to becoming an indispensable strategic advisor who coached the executive team through their most challenging decisions.
By the time Kevala reached its successful dual acquisition, Deanna had been on the entire journey from startup growing pains to mature company ready for exit. She proved that strategic HR partnership is about earning a seat at the table through consistent delivery, building trust, and expanding impact as opportunities arise.