Arbor Advisors Reviews

Pros

-Have a level of client interaction that would not be possible until VP/MD level at a bulge bracket
-Build sales skills with C-suite in mid market technology firms
-Drive the deal process from client sourcing to transaction close
-Work closely with senior management on deal execution
-Good location off 101, free dinners
-Rarely work weekends

Cons

-Not a huge opportunity to develop financial modelling skills.
-There isn't a huge amount of structure in the role, which can either be a good thing or a bad thing depending on how much direction a person needs

Advice to Senior Management

Should be less focus on call quotas and more on value of prospects brought to the firm and the quality of deal execution

Pros

If you are highly motivated and are willing to put in the work to understand your space and learn as much as can everyday, this is the place for you. Having come from a large Wall Street Analyst training program, I appreciate the flexibility & freedom of Arbor's Associate program and the opportunity to really move the needle for the firm.

With work, the right talent, and a strong demeanor you can quickly become a key asset.

Cons

Less structure than large bulge bracket firms.
Fewer key decision makers than most firms.

Advice to Senior Management

Focus on a more structured analyst programs. During the formative years after college, I think our analysts could use more guidance & shared insights.

Pros

- learn how the growth capital universe works
- learn to cold call
- learn to develop theses around growth industries

Cons

- there is only one equity owner and final decision maker and he was often manipulative and self-interested (simply look at the tremendous amount of turnover during the strong financial years)
- you will need to be very independent and learn to navigate a highly political environment

Advice to Senior Management

- arbor could be an okay place to work and learn about middle market investment banking if there were complete transparency and if all of the policies were not in the self-interest of the sole equity owner

Pros

-Great way to build a network within PE/VC community
-Associates get along - good allies to have in the industry
-Convenient office location off of 101
-13 hour days, not 18 hour days
-Get good at cold calling

Cons

Not only is this a cold calling position that involves little to no actual investment banking experience or training, but it is also a difficult place to work with constant changes in company policy, consistent lying and deception by senior management, and blatant disrespect for work-life balance and personal privacy.

Job performance is measured almost entirely by number of phone calls made rather than quality. Information regarding bonuses or the financial health of the firm is kept secret from Associates. Associates are often manipulated and pitted against each other in a bizarre power struggle with senior management. This is not a place to build a career. The average tenure of an associate is less than a year.

I'm also pretty sure the only two positive reviews on here were written by senior management or an Associate who was coerced into doing so.

Pros

- great team from top down
- lots of opportunity to learn and develop
- solid training program (deal execution, business development, research, negotiation)
- great lifestyle balance
- lots of deal flow and interesting transactions to work on

Cons

- not a con but this is not a quant heavy / modeling driven position
- if looking for a traditional bulge bracket experience, this is not the right fit

Pros

Team gets along really well. Everyone is willing to help each other out. A lot to learn

Cons

A little heavy on the business development side, would rather be getting quantitative training in investment banking. People also run scared of the managing director.

Advice to Senior Management

Management has great negotiation skills with clients. Would like to see that taught to the analysts and associates to improve overall quality of firm.

Pros

Getting to learn how to cold call and sell on the phone is a skill set this job gave me that I value. In addition the junior level employees are great, and there is a lack of pretentiousness that typically accompanies investment banking. Fair to say though that this isn't really investment banking at the junior level, much closer to sales which I found to be a good thing. In addition since turnover is high your network becomes very valuable very quickly.

Cons

The compensation structure is not competitive per investment banking (which is fine since the job is closer to sales) however the visibility into bonus is almost zero which is frustrating. Senior management has a rudimentary grasp of corporate finance which makes training new employees in modeling, structured finance and M&A an afterthought there.

Pros

The junior level comraderie is high. Part of the reason for this is commiseration on quality of senior management, compensation, and high hours worked/high facetime. That being said, the job is mostly autonomous with some degree of freedom about how you go about your day. It's an OK place to park yourself for a few months and get a salary while looking for something else, but if you start thinking long term here, it will get depressing.

Cons

This is not an investment banking job. This is a sales job with little relevance to investment banking. This job will not build your skills for banking. Some associates have been able to move to private equity shops which focus on calling though, which is really the only possible career progression. Compensation as a percent of firm revenue is depressingly low. I would echo other reviewers as well; they have been spot on. Hours are mandatory 7am to 8pm minimum (babysat until 8pm each night; time is tracked).

Pros

There's good camaraderie among junior associates. You're allowed $10 for dinner, although the choice of food isn't great - there's SF Soup Company in the building which is nice for lunch. There's a fully stocked kitchen with snacks. The office is close to 101 which is good for commuting. There's also an underground parking garage which is nice during the winter.

Cons

The firm is fairly misleading during the hiring process. You are told you'll be doing 20% sourcing, 80% deal execution, when in reality, it is the exact opposite. It is a cold calling position for a sales person, not someone interested in investment banking. There is little to no autonomy in both your daily tasks as well as career growth - you are required to make a certain number of calls and source a specific number of companies, regardless of the quality of these efforts.

What is being pitched to a potential client over the phone is not appropriate or even accurate, which can make the daily requirements of the job uncomfortable and ethically and morally questionable. The most disturbing aspect is that clients are brought on retainer and senior management pays little to no attention of whether or not the deal will ever close.

There is a significant discrepancy in the compensation versus hours expected at the office. You are required to be in and out at certain hours, regardless of your "work." If you miss work, you are told to make up the "hours," not the "work." There is little to no tolerance or sensitivity to work-life balance.

The compensation is well below market, particularly because in finance the majority of the compensation comes from bonuses. At Arbor, there are no specific indicators as to what you must accomplish in order to get a top bonus. Even top performers end up with nothing, even when the firm has a strong year financially. The benefits package is also below industry standard with weak health insurance coverage.

There is significant associate turnover due to general dissatisfaction with job expectations, personal growth, and relationships with senior management. This tumultuous environment breeds low employee morale. There is little to no effort by senior management to motivate employees or foster success. Employees are seen as disposable - there's no investment in education or training, which is due both to lack of interest by senior management and lack of knowledge by senior management.

The office environment is further degraded due to frequent attempts by senior management to manipulate employees with false information.

Advice to Senior Management

A focus on work quality and productivity will produce better results and longevity from employees. Employees need to be respected and treated as valuable to the firm. Study market incentives and implement some of them.

Pros

If you want to get "investment banking" on your resume, this is an opportunity to do that. You will gain extensive sales experience as the culture is 100% geared towards selling as opposed to execution of deals. The day to day work demands are relatively autonomous allowing for thoughtful self evaluation of career opportunities. Fun work events including watching sporting games at local East Palo Alto bars.

Cons

Lack of trust from senior management with Associates seen as a commodity. You will spend 10% of your day focused on HR recruitment, i.e. phone screens and live interviews of new Associates and VPs from day one given the routine employee turnover (80-90% annual churn - check LinkedIn). Beyond pure sales experience, limited knowledge gain on the investment banking execution side. Hours are mandated regardless of work load. Overall, a difficult environment to spend 60-80 hours at weekly, you will dread Sunday night.