What was your most significant deal of the year?

One of the more significant deals we closed recently was the recapitalization of EagleRider, the world’s largest provider of motorcycle adventure travel. The two co-founders started their business in a Los Angeles garage 20 years ago by maxing out their credit cards.

Title: Founder, Chief Executive, Managing Director

Firm: Intrepid Investment Bankers

Rank: Investment banking, No. 7

Years at firm: 6

Residence: West Los Angeles

What was your most unusual deal of the year?

We were preparing to explore the sale of Drawloop, a developer of software-as-a-service document automation, through a full market process. But we were approached by workflow automation leader Nintex Global Ltd., which was determined to stop us from engaging in a competitive auction process.

What trends are you seeing in the sectors that you serve?

Companies with unique brands, market position, and proprietary intellectual property are receiving highly aggressive valuations. In a slow-growth economy, strategic buyers are more aggressive than ever in pursuing growth through acquisitions.

Is the work always about getting the largest return possible or are other factors just as important?

While clients often view the selling price as a key measure of success, the final decision often comes to nonmonetary issues such as risk of closing the deal, postclosing risks from seller representations and warranties, acquirer culture, likelihood of preserving the entrepreneur’s legacy, and, yes, chemistry.

How has doing deals changed since you first got into investment banking?

Today, you need to be more clever and resourceful to deliver differentiated service to your client. You need to capture the acquirer’s interest with fewer words and creative, impactful messages and data.