Welcome to the Arena from ICR – Conversations with Today's Innovators & Business Leaders ICR

For industry dominators, success rarely hinges on a 'one-size-fits-all' approach. Instead, they master their market by focusing on specific demographics and creating tailored strategies unique to needs and preferences. Today's guest has used this method to craft customized solutions in his unique market.
Today, we're sitting down with Doug Sanders, Heritage Grocers Group Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. Doug's extensive career in the grocery industry spans 38 years across multiple and wide-ranging sectors including supermarket retail, wholesale food distribution, retail technology solutions, natural and organic foods, in addition to Hispanic and ethnic-focused specialty formats.
Over the past 20 years, Doug has held the role of chairman and CEO for multiple private equity-owned grocery companies, including Sprouts Farmers Market, Cardenas Markets, and Heritage Grocers Group. In 2011, he led the sale of Sprouts Farmers Market to Apollo Global Management, followed by two successful acquisitions and an initial public offering In 2013. 
In 2022, Doug spearheaded the sale of Cardenas Markets from KKR to Apollo joining Cardenas Markets and Tony's Fresh Market under the parent company Heritage Grocers Group.
Highlights:
Heritage's history and background (2:58)Doug's journey in the industry and opportunity at Heritage (4:16)Doug expands on Heritage's demographic and unique consumer base (6:47)What makes Heritage a competitive industry player (7:18)How Heritage prioritizes and celebrates authenticity in it's culture (8:33)Doug discusses the environment and atmosphere at Heritage stores (9:45)How Doug creates a company culture at Heritage (11:14)Field competition (12:34)Doug's approach to maintaining culture amid expansion (13:48)Doug's outlook on technology and innovation in the industry (16:06)Customer stories that left an impact on Doug and his work (18:03)Heritage's unique brand foundation collaborations (19:31)What excites Doug the most about the future of Heritage (20:33)Doug's predictions for Heritage's future growth and expansion (22:17)Links:
Doug Sanders on LinkedIn
Heritage Grocers Group on LinkedIn
Heritage Grocers Group Website
ICR LinkedIn
ICR Twitter
ICR Website
Feedback:
If you have questions about the show, or have a topic in mind you'd like discussed in future episodes, email our producer, marion@lowerstreet.co.

In the world of wealth management, working with clients is a deeply personal endeavor that requires more than just financial expertise. By looking inward first, and prioritizing a strong team culture and personal and professional development, companies can cultivate a strong trust and connection with clients. Today's guest has made this approach the foundation to his business.
Today we're sitting down with Rob Skinner, who is a founding partner and the co-CEO of IEQ Capital. He has served as a financial advisor to wealthy families and institutional investors for over two decades. Rob began his career at Fidelity Investments in 1995 before joining Merrill Lynch as first vice president of investments.
In 2008, he co-founded Luminous Capital, an independent registered investment advisory firm where he served as Chief Investment Officer, Co-Head of Investment Research, and Co-manager of Portfolio Construction. Luminous Capital was acquired by First Republic Bank in 2012. 
Active in the community, Rob serves on the Board of Directors for the First Tee of Monterey County, the Board of Directors of the Pebble Beach Company Foundation. He's a Trustee of PGA REACH, the charitable foundation associated with PGA of America, as well as the Naval Postgraduate School Foundation. Rob and his wife actively support numerous foundations and charities in and around the Monterey peninsula. 
Rob holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the University of Connecticut, which, if you haven't heard has won national championship titles, back to back in men's basketball. Go Huskies!
Highlights:
Rob's early influences and beginnings in wealth management (4:15)Founding Luminous Capital (5:52)Background on IEQ Capital, and company mission (6:37)What differentiates IEQ from competitors (7:13)IEQ's ideal client profile (8:34)How the IEQ team works with clients on wealth management (9:30)Rob walks us through IEQ's client screening process (10:18)The value of culture at IEQ (11:10)The use of technology at IEQ (12:00)How being a founder has informed Rob's work with his clients (13:30)How Rob approaches liquidity planning with clients (14:41)Rob breaks down IEQ's partnership with Stone Point Capital (15:33)The benefits for smaller firms (18:37)What Rob has learned from entrepreneurs during his time in wealth management (19:19)The importance of fostering a fun and enjoyable environment and culture (20:43)Links:
Rob Skinner on LinkedIn
IEQ Capital on LinkedIn
IEQ Capital Website
ICR LinkedIn
ICR Twitter
ICR Website
Feedback:
If you have questions about the show, or have a topic in mind you'd like discussed in future episodes, email our producer, marion@lowerstreet.co.

Venture Capital is all about the cash — but in a crowded field, money is a commodity. To truly stand out, you have to go above and beyond for your portfolio companies. Today's guest has set themselves apart by providing exceptional support.
We're sitting down with Seth Spergel, who is a managing partner of Merlin Ventures, where he's responsible for identifying cutting-edge companies for Merlin to partner with and invest in. Seth has more than 20 years of experience building, selling, and investing in software and startups.
Prior to Merlin Ventures, Seth was VP for Infrastructure Technologies at In-Q-Tel, a strategic investment firm that invests in startups that meet the mission needs of government customers. There he led a team of technology experts to evaluate companies and identify novel uses of their technology within the In-Q-Tel customer set.
Before In-Q-Tel, Seth was the VP of engineering for ThinkGeek, an online seller and manufacturer of geeky toys and clothing. He also spent 12 years at IBM in roles ranging from software developer to sales manager. 
Highlights:
Merlin's background and evolution into VC (3:44)What differentiates Merlin in the VC market (7:32)What an ideal portfolio looks like for Merlin (8:38)Seth walks us through the support system Merlin provides their companies (9:21)The unique guidance Merlin offers on compliance and political relations (12:57)Seth tells the story of one of Merlin's successful exits (14:52)Seth's advice for founders seeking funding (17:59)Current trending market opportunities (18:50)How cloud computing and migration are affecting the cybersecurity space (20:35)Seth describes the current state of Israel's funding environment (22:00)Values and culture at Merlin (25:35)Seth's predictions for the future of Merlin and the VC market (26:55)Links:
Seth Spergel on LinkedIn
Merlin Ventures on LinkedIn
Merlin Ventures Website
ICR LinkedIn
ICR Twitter
ICR Website
Feedback:
If you have questions about the show, or have a topic in mind you'd like discussed in future episodes, email our producer, marion@lowerstreet.co.

In the effort to recover from the impact of the pandemic, the hospitality industry has had a surge of innovation, ideas, and new technologies. And while the boost has been essential to getting the industry back on its feet, it has also intensified the competition. Today's guest is setting their company apart with a consumer-focused approach.
We're sitting down with Matt Tucker, who is the head of Tock, a technology driven hospitality business owned by Squarespace, and trading under the symbol SQSP. 
Matt oversees commercial success and growth of the Tock business, which includes a reservation system, table management, carry-out operations and events for operators across 33 countries. Matt came to Squarespace after nearly two decades of experience building teams and operating companies of all sizes and has a strong background in hospitality tech and the startup world.
Most recently, Matt served as President and COO of Olo, the leading provider of SaaS solutions to the chain restaurant industry, serving almost 90,000 locations. He spent nearly nine years there, taking the company from 10 people and one product to a public company with over 700 team members, six core products and nearly 200 million in revenue.
Prior to Olo, Matt was on the founding team of LendingTree and was also the founder of Rely Software. He has an MBA from Georgetown and a BA in Political Science from the University of Michigan.
Highlights:
Matt's background and path to restaurant software (4:09)Matt describes Tock's founding and current work (5:11)How Tock works in the restaurant to optimize reservations (7:01)Matt explains how Tock targets customers, and ROI agreements (8:35)Data captured through Tock, and what makes Tock's approach to data optimization unique (10:34)Matt talks about recent economic hurdles and how Tock has navigated the atmosphere (14:04)Matt discusses Tock's versatility in the restaurant industry (16:11)How Squarespace and Tock's work interconnect (17:49)Field competition and the state of the restaurant technology market (20:00)Tock's senior team and their history in hospitality (22:57)Links:Mathew Tucker on LinkedInTock on LinkedInTock WebsiteICR TwitterICR LinkedInICR Website
Feedback:If you have questions about the show, or have a topic in mind you'd like discussed in future episodes, email our producer, marion@lowerstreet.co.

In a landscape where standing out demands both innovation and accessibility, finding ways to connect with a broad audience is crucial. Today's guest has been on a career-long quest to revolutionize the culinary world by blending tradition with modernity, creating products that not only appeal to diverse audiences but also prioritize health and taste.
Today we are lucky enough to sit down with Chef Ming Tsai, who is not only an Iron Chef, he's also a James Beard and Emmy Award winner, and a Chef-partner at BABA at the Yellowstone Club in Big Sky, Montana. He's also President of the National Advisory Board for Family Reach and the author of five cookbooks.
Chef Ming was the host and the Executive Producer of the longest-running cooking series on PBS, Simply Ming, and just received acclaim for his new mini-series titled Simply Ming: Better for You. He founded MingsBings, a consumer packaged goods startup bringing chef quality, better-for-you, convenient food to the frozen food aisle.
Beyond being the first East meets West option of its kind, MingsBings supports the mission of the Dana Farber Cancer Institute and Family Reach. To date, Chef Ming has helped raise $12 million for Family Reach. 
In 2022, Chef Ming became Iron Chef Ming Tsai as he joined the cast of five world-class chefs in the Netflix series, Iron Chef: Quest for an Iron Legend. 
Highlights:
Chef Ming's first cooking experiences, and introduction to the culinary world (4:21)Chef Ming's favorite dishes from childhood (7:19)What Chef Ming learned from his family's restaurant (7:46)How Chef Ming adjusted from Chef to businessperson (8:44)Early mistakes and lessons from running a restaurant (10:54)Chef Ming explains his East meets West cuisine style and influence (11:45) Work in the TV and entertainment industry (14:35)Chef Ming discusses his time on Iron Chef (16:50) Chef Ming's approach to writing cookbooks (18:07)The inspiration behind MingsBings (19:17)Philanthropic work for Family Reach (21:54)Chef Ming tells stories about his famous friends in the culinary world (25:21)Links:
Ming Tsai on LinkedIn
MingBings on LinkedIn
MingBings Website
ICR LinkedIn
ICR Twitter
ICR Website
Feedback:
If you have questions about the show, or have a topic in mind you'd like discussed in future episodes, email our producer, marion@lowerstreet.co.

In the current macro environment with growing inflation and financial uncertainty, it's no wonder companies are actively seeking alternative solutions to safeguard their businesses. But today's guest is more than just an alternative; he's a game-changer for his clients, helping them maximize their financial outcomes.
Today we're sitting down with Raj Imteaz, who serves as the Head of ICR Capital's Convertible and Equity Derivatives Advisory Team, where he focuses on complex capital markets transactions across all industry verticals. Raj advises boards and management teams on structuring and executing convertible debt transactions, convertible preferred and mandatory offerings, structured share repurchases, cap calls and call spreads, hedging and monetization strategies, and warrant management solutions.
Raj joined ICR Capital from Matthew South, where he was the Head of Technology origination, advising clients on multiple convertible and equity derivatives transactions. Previously, Raj spent 15 years at Barclays, where he was a Managing Director in the equity-linked and hybrid solutions team and led the origination efforts across several sectors.
During his career, Raj has advised on and executed more than 200 convertible and equity derivative transactions, totaling over a hundred billion dollars of deal value.
Highlights:
Raj gives us an overview of the current economic environment (4:03)What a convertible is and the role of advisors (6:01)How advisors can save businesses time and money (8:45)What makes Raj's team of advisors unique (10:18)Raj describes some of his team's stand-out deals (13:41) Links:Syed Raj Imteaz LinkedIn
ICR LinkedIn
ICR Twitter
ICR Website
Feedback:If you have questions about the show, or have a topic in mind you'd like discussed in future episodes, email our producer, marion@lowerstreet.co.