Rob Parker

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.

Yeah, good question. I mean, they're similar in a lot of ways. They're of the publicly traded Wall Street investment banks. You know, there's the very largest players, B of A, Goldman, JP Morgan. And then there's firms that are on the smaller side of the large public companies. Cowen's one of those. Cowen's now part of Toronto Dominion Bank. And to me, that's the biggest difference.

Yeah, good question. I mean, they're similar in a lot of ways. They're of the publicly traded Wall Street investment banks. You know, there's the very largest players, B of A, Goldman, JP Morgan. And then there's firms that are on the smaller side of the large public companies. Cowen's one of those. Cowen's now part of Toronto Dominion Bank. And to me, that's the biggest difference.

Toronto Dominion Bank is a very large commercial bank And they're heavily regulated, like all those banks are. And it's just a different environment from what Cowan was and what Piper is today. And for me, being part of a nimble organization that lets people like Eric and I and our team be more entrepreneurial, that's just a better fit for someone like me. And I'm glad to be there.

Toronto Dominion Bank is a very large commercial bank And they're heavily regulated, like all those banks are. And it's just a different environment from what Cowan was and what Piper is today. And for me, being part of a nimble organization that lets people like Eric and I and our team be more entrepreneurial, that's just a better fit for someone like me. And I'm glad to be there.

Yeah, that's cool.

Yeah, that's cool.

Yeah. Well, there's a lot about the home services sector that appeals to private equity, that appeals to investors and appeals to the capital class. The addressable market sizes are massive. These are huge markets. They're very fragmented. Every town has four or five companies that can fix your garage door, for example. Or 500. Or 500, yeah, in some cases. Yeah, exactly.

Yeah. Well, there's a lot about the home services sector that appeals to private equity, that appeals to investors and appeals to the capital class. The addressable market sizes are massive. These are huge markets. They're very fragmented. Every town has four or five companies that can fix your garage door, for example. Or 500. Or 500, yeah, in some cases. Yeah, exactly.

So they're super fragmented, which creates an opportunity for organic growth. So if you're a best-in-class operator, you can take share from the less sophisticated competitors you have, or you can grow inorganically through acquisition. So that appeals to the private equity class. In the residential world, there is typically very little, if any, customer concentration.