Welcome to the Arena from ICR – Conversations with Today's Innovators & Business Leaders
ICR
In the increasingly crowded and competitive corporate and financial ecosystem, it’s harder than ever for companies to break through the clutter and be heard. The media, investors, agenda-driven influencers, even customers and competitors, are defining your business story on their terms. Therefore, it is imperative that companies take control and proactively drive the conversation with stakeholders in an effort to build & maintain equity value.
In Welcome to the Arena from ICR, Co-Founder & CEO of ICR, Tom Ryan, interviews key business and financial players who influence the fate of public or aspiring public companies in the capital markets. As a former Wall Street Journal ranked sell-side equity analyst and the founder of one of the largest strategic communications firms in the world, Tom understands what it takes to navigate this complex environment.
This is a forum for CEOs, CFOs, institutional investors, sell-side analysts, financial journalists, private equity professionals and other financial community participants to share their stories and give advice in an open and candid conversation.
For more information, visit http://www.icrinc.com
In Welcome to the Arena from ICR, Co-Founder & CEO of ICR, Tom Ryan, interviews key business and financial players who influence the fate of public or aspiring public companies in the capital markets. As a former Wall Street Journal ranked sell-side equity analyst and the founder of one of the largest strategic communications firms in the world, Tom understands what it takes to navigate this complex environment.
This is a forum for CEOs, CFOs, institutional investors, sell-side analysts, financial journalists, private equity professionals and other financial community participants to share their stories and give advice in an open and candid conversation.
For more information, visit http://www.icrinc.com
Episodes
Mentioned books
Oct 20, 2021 • 30min
Miguel Martin, Aurora Cannabis — High Times: An exploration of the ever-evolving cannabis industry
Highlights:Introduction of the 4 key areas (1:08)The pathway to SG&A profitability (4:19)What it takes to succeed in medical (6:25)The importance of building relationships with regulators (9:47)The future of cannabinoids (14:50)Dynamic nature of the cannabis market (18:21)Breakdown of the science and innovation unit of Aurora (19:55)The pathway to EBITDA profitability (24:02)Aurora's next steps (26:07)Links:ICR TwitterICR LinkedInICR WebsiteMiguel Martin LinkedInAurora WebsiteAurora LinkedInAurora TwitterFeedback:If you have questions about the show or topics you'd like discussed in future episodes, email our producer, andrew@lowerstreet.co
Oct 13, 2021 • 32min
Harold Edwards, Limoneira — Freshly Squeezed: Creating an agile, sustainable business that lasts
Highlights:The asset base and background context on Limoneira (3:57)How the company dealt with challenges brought by the pandemic (10:43)How the pandemic changed supply-demand dynamics (13:10)Limoneira's secret weapon (15:46)Why there is increased emphasis on company balance sheets and Limoneira's plans for capital structure moving forward (20:33)How the company is integrating technology to provide a better brand experience (26:31)Limoneira's technical transformation (29:56)What investors need to understand when they look at the company (32:08)Links:ICR TwitterICR LinkedInICR WebsiteHarold Edwards LinkedInCalavo Growers WebsiteCalavo Growers TwitterCompass Diversified Holdings WebsiteCompass Diversified Holdings TwitterLimoneira WebsiteLimoneira LinkedInLimoneira TwitterFeedback:If you have questions about the show or topics you'd like discussed in future episodes, email our producer, andrew@lowerstreet.co
Oct 6, 2021 • 31min
Rob Sharp, Ramy Brook — Both Sides of the Check: Lessons from Private Equity and Management
Highlights:The benefits of diplomacy in the private equity world (8:08)What Rob looked for in his initial meetings with management teams (11:45)The personal nature of business and private equity (16:42)The origins of Ramy Brook (17:47)The power that comes from people (19:42)You can't be too detailed: what Rob has learned moving from private equity into management (23:06)The importance of your team (25:40)How Rob uses the complexity of his business to drive value (27:20)Links:ICR TwitterICR LinkedInICR WebsiteLaird Bieger LinkedInBaron FundsBaron Capital Group LinkedInBaron Funds TwitterMentioned in this Episode:MidOcean PartnersBen & Jerry'sThe Bronfman FellowshipMike MilkenDeutsche Bank (formerly Banker's Trust)Jenny CraigCarter'sWaterpikBushnellTotes - IsotonerAgilex (acquired by Accenture)Thomas' Baked GoodsVitaquestKeith Frankel - MidOcean PartnersTom FordGucciBergdorf'sSaksNieman MarcusBloomingdale'sFeedback:If you have questions about the show or topics you'd like discussed in future episodes, email our producer, andrew@lowerstreet.co
Sep 29, 2021 • 32min
Bob McCooey, Nasdaq — After IPO Day: A look into securities exchange and the logistics of foreign markets
Highlights:Bob's change of career from brokerage to Nasdaq (5:06)The modern services Nasdaq provide (5:52)How Nasdaq provides an exceptional experience to listed companies (10:39)Consolidation and trends among the exchanges (14:17)A look at some of the companies that Bob has counseled (18:39)Next steps in building Nasdaq brand globally (24:18)How Nasdaq approaches the SPAC market (26:52)Bob's personal assessment of SPACs (28:50)Links:ICR TwitterICR LinkedInICR WebsiteBob McCooey LinkedInBob McCooey TwitterNASDAQ WebsiteNASDAQ LinkedInNASDAQ TwitterFeedback:If you have questions about the show or topics you'd like discussed in future episodes, email our producer, andrew@lowerstreet.co
Sep 15, 2021 • 38min
Don Duffy, ICR — SPACs: the ongoing evolution of Special Purpose Acquisition Companies
Highlights:Looking at the impact of SPACs and recent history of the market (0:41)When the market 'pivoted' and institutions changed their transactional approach (4:06)The changes of structure relating to transaction negotiation (5:52)Don's opinion on regulation (13:30)The benefits of buying SPACs for investors (15:35)Sponsor and target relations (23:29)Media strategy difference between IPO and SPAC (28:02)How to deal with the threat of short-sellers (30:32)Links:ICR TwitterICR LinkedInICR WebsiteDon Duffy LinkedInFeedback:If you have questions about the show or topics you'd like discussed in future episodes, email our producer, andrew@lowerstreet.co
Sep 1, 2021 • 27min
Laird Bieger, Baron Capital Group — Eyes on the Buys: What the Buy-Side Looks for When Investing
The buy-side has analysts that know your industry, so why don't you know the universe of buyers? Asset managers have different strengths and different strategies. Knowing the players will help you find the best investment partner for your business. It also helps to know what they're looking for. On this episode, Laird Bieger, Vice President and Portfolio Manager of the Discovery Fund at Baron Capital, gives us a peek behind the curtain of a successful fund. What makes them confident enough to invest in a business, and how can you position yourself to receive that investment?Highlights:The blessing and the curse of investing in small-cap off-the-radar businesses (7:10)Why the Discovery Fund focuses on specific subsectors (12:00)Why Laird loves talking to middle management when researching a company (13:46)The questions Laird asks to discern a company's growth potential (16:37)What is a "shadow list" (17:53)Why you should be more transparent when things are going poorly (19:30)Why it can be beneficial to be conservative in your guidance estimates (20:52)The importance of a bulletproof balance sheet (22:08)Links:ICR TwitterICR LinkedInICR WebsiteLaird Bieger LinkedInBaron FundsBaron Capital Group LinkedInBaron Funds TwitterMentioned in this EpisodeRaven IndustriesTradeDeskWingstopHydraFacialFloor & DecorTripadvisorSientraFeedback:If you have questions about the show or topics you'd like discussed in future episodes, email our producer, andrew@lowerstreet.co
Aug 18, 2021 • 26min
Nicole Miller, Piper Sandler — Food for Thought: Sell-Side Analysis & the Restaurant Universe
Effective sell-side analysts have to be well-versed in their industry. The best are experts on every aspect: consumer behavior, competitive landscape, and industry trends. Nicole Miller is one of those experts. As Senior Research Analyst at Piper Sandler, she has been conducting sell-side analysis for over 15 years, and is an authority on the restaurant and hospitality universe. We sat down with Nicole to talk how the restaurant industry drove value by adapting to COVID, what factors into her picks, and where she thinks equity research is headed.HighlightsHow the restaurant industry has adapted during COVID (3:10)Structural changes that businesses made during the pandemic (6:05)What companies can do to help analysts (9:06)The companies that do the best don't care about their stock prices (12:28)How ESG factors into Nicole's analysis (13:13)How private companies are emerging from the pandemic (15:29)Where does Nicole think equity research is headed? (23:01)Why you should think long-term in a world focused on the present (25:14)LinksICR TwitterICR LinkedInICR WebsitePiper Sandler WebsitePiper Sandler LinkedInPiper Sandler TwitterNicole Miller LinkedInFeedback:If you have questions about the show or topics you'd like discussed in future episodes, email our producer, andrew@lowerstreet.co
Jul 8, 2021 • 2min
Introducing Welcome to the Arena
Introducing Welcome to the Arena, launching Q3 2021.For more information, visit http://www.icrinc.com
