Rob Parker

But just a reminder to everybody, all financials are is the output from everything else that goes into the business. Operating the company efficiently, driving leads, converting those leads. What's your average ticket once you've made that conversion? All those things that make a business great, that's the part that really matters. The numbers are just the output of all those things.

But just a reminder to everybody, all financials are is the output from everything else that goes into the business. Operating the company efficiently, driving leads, converting those leads. What's your average ticket once you've made that conversion? All those things that make a business great, that's the part that really matters. The numbers are just the output of all those things.

So the numbers are important and it is the metric that a buyer will use. But you have to tell the story behind the numbers. That's really what matters, is the story behind the numbers, not just the numbers themselves.

So the numbers are important and it is the metric that a buyer will use. But you have to tell the story behind the numbers. That's really what matters, is the story behind the numbers, not just the numbers themselves.

Good to be here. Thank you.

Good to be here. Thank you.

Yeah, sure. Well, first of all, thanks for having us. It's great to be here. Great to see all the success you've had building A1 and even since the sale process a year and a half ago. So congrats to you and thanks again for having us. I started my Wall Street career in New York at a firm called Donaldson, Lufkin, and Gen Red.

Yeah, sure. Well, first of all, thanks for having us. It's great to be here. Great to see all the success you've had building A1 and even since the sale process a year and a half ago. So congrats to you and thanks again for having us. I started my Wall Street career in New York at a firm called Donaldson, Lufkin, and Gen Red.

I was in the mergers and acquisitions group, worked there for a number of years in New York. We had a large Los Angeles office. When the head of that office went to UBS, he brought me and a few others with him. So I went out to LA for a few years and worked with him at UBS doing mergers and acquisitions and leveraged finance. I'm originally from Detroit, Michigan, that's home.

I was in the mergers and acquisitions group, worked there for a number of years in New York. We had a large Los Angeles office. When the head of that office went to UBS, he brought me and a few others with him. So I went out to LA for a few years and worked with him at UBS doing mergers and acquisitions and leveraged finance. I'm originally from Detroit, Michigan, that's home.

And as I was thinking about starting a family, raising a family where I wanted to build roots and build a family, I wanted to move back home. So I did move back home and joined Comerica Bank, had a small mergers and acquisitions group, joined those guys. It was a great experience. We had a lot of fun. Those were great years. In 2009, when they took TARP money, like all the big banks did,

And as I was thinking about starting a family, raising a family where I wanted to build roots and build a family, I wanted to move back home. So I did move back home and joined Comerica Bank, had a small mergers and acquisitions group, joined those guys. It was a great experience. We had a lot of fun. Those were great years. In 2009, when they took TARP money, like all the big banks did,

They told our little M&A group they're going to shut us down. So at the end of 2009 was maybe my darkest day in my career. Comerica said, we're going to shut down this group. You guys are small and profitable and don't necessarily cost a lot for us. But we're really turned upside down as a result of the great financial crisis. And we're just going to focus on our core lending business.

They told our little M&A group they're going to shut us down. So at the end of 2009 was maybe my darkest day in my career. Comerica said, we're going to shut down this group. You guys are small and profitable and don't necessarily cost a lot for us. But we're really turned upside down as a result of the great financial crisis. And we're just going to focus on our core lending business.

So they shut us down. So in the beginning of 2010, my partner and I started our own firm. We were entrepreneurs. We started at my partner's kitchen table. We were at my kitchen table and literally built it from nothing and into a firm. It was called Corton Partners. We built it brick by brick and eventually had five offices in Europe, three in the U.S.

So they shut us down. So in the beginning of 2010, my partner and I started our own firm. We were entrepreneurs. We started at my partner's kitchen table. We were at my kitchen table and literally built it from nothing and into a firm. It was called Corton Partners. We built it brick by brick and eventually had five offices in Europe, three in the U.S.

And in January of 2019, we were acquired by Cowen. Cowen's a publicly traded Wall Street investment bank. So my life kind of came full circle. I was back part of a big public Wall Street investment bank again. I ran the sell side M&A group for them and then ultimately ran the business services sector group. I was with those guys for a while.

And in January of 2019, we were acquired by Cowen. Cowen's a publicly traded Wall Street investment bank. So my life kind of came full circle. I was back part of a big public Wall Street investment bank again. I ran the sell side M&A group for them and then ultimately ran the business services sector group. I was with those guys for a while.

And then earlier this year, left Cowen to go join one of our competitors, Piper Sandler, where I am now and thrilled to be there and be part of such a great, great organization.

And then earlier this year, left Cowen to go join one of our competitors, Piper Sandler, where I am now and thrilled to be there and be part of such a great, great organization.