Employee Spotlight With Mike Arnstein, Business Development Lead, Eqvista
Welcome to Employee Spotlight! Today, we’re excited to introduce you to Mike Arnstein, our Business Development Lead at Eqvista. Mike joins us with over a decade of experience in equity management, customer success, and account management, and we couldn’t be happier to have him on board!
With a talent for connecting with people, Mike made the smart choice to transition into business development, where he shines at discovering new opportunities and fostering strong relationships with clients. He enjoys collaborating with investors and fund operators to tackle those tricky valuation challenges. We’re thrilled to have someone with his passion and expertise on our team!
Hi Mike, Welcome to Employee Spotlight! What inspired you to join Eqvista, and what are you most excited about in your new role?
I worked in equity management for a couple of years and have spent the last eight years in Customer Success and Account Management. Over time, I realized I was especially drawn to the sales side of the work. I enjoy uncovering new opportunities, building strong relationships, and helping clients solve real problems in ways that make a meaningful impact. I had been thinking about moving into a business development or partnerships role for some time, and after speaking with our COO Brayton and founder Tomas about Eqvista’s valuation services, everything aligned.
What I am most excited about is the chance to work more directly with investors and fund operators. The challenges we are addressing at Eqvista are real and timely, and I see a major opportunity to bring more speed, clarity, and trust to the valuation process. I am looking forward to helping funds access accurate, high-quality valuations at a cost that makes sense for them, especially when they are preparing for audits, reporting to LPs, or raising their next fund. I’m excited to be part of a team that’s making something complex feel a lot more manageable for the people who need it most.
You’ve worked closely with founders, finance, and success teams – what are some recurring challenges you’ve seen in equity management when supporting clients from a strategic standpoint?
One of the most overlooked challenges is that many employees don’t fully understand their equity. They don’t understand how it works, what it’s worth, or what to do with it. That confusion can make a big part of their compensation feel meaningless or frustrating.
For employers, that’s a missed opportunity. Equity can be a powerful way to keep people motivated and invested in the company’s success, but only if they understand it. The companies that take time to educate their teams, whether through onboarding or regular Q&As, see stronger engagement and better retention. It helps employees feel like true owners, not just workers.
How do you measure your success in a role where outcomes can be long-term and sometimes intangible? Could you share a professional achievement you’re particularly proud of?
I measure success by how well I can build trust and create momentum with firms that tend to be cautious about change. In this space, outcomes are not always immediate. So I focus on whether I am opening doors, getting the right people to the table, and framing our value in a way that resonates with their real concerns, whether that is compliance, internal bandwidth, or building confidence with investors. If I can help move the conversation forward and become someone the client genuinely wants to engage with, I know I am on the right track.
One thing I really pride myself on is the ability to build trust quickly, especially in situations where there is initial skepticism. I worked with a company where new leadership had come in and was pushing to move off our cap table platform in favor of one they had used before. Instead of launching into a pitch, I focused on understanding their goals and showing how we could meet them in a way that would actually make their day to day easier. That shifted the dynamic. They began to see me as a partner they could rely on rather than someone just trying to sell them something. We ended up retaining the account, but more importantly, I earned their trust. That relationship led to warm introductions and opened up new opportunities. In business development and partnerships, that kind of trust and credibility is often what creates real momentum.
What do you enjoy most about working in equity management and the valuation services space?
It’s definitely the conversations. I get to speak with founders and fund managers every day, and those conversations are never the same. I learn how they think through complex problems, how they approach fundraising, compensation, compliance, or how they structure deals. It’s fascinating to see the different strategies people use to solve similar challenges depending on their stage, industry, or philosophy. You end up learning a ton just by listening and asking the right questions. It keeps the work engaging and makes every conversation feel like a chance to get sharper and more useful to the people I’m working with.
How do you approach building trust and rapport with General Partners and Managing Directors, especially when discussing sensitive topics like fund performance and fundraising plans?
Building trust with GPs and MDs starts with doing your homework. I take the time to understand their fund strategy, past investments, and where they are in their lifecycle before we even get on a call. That way, I am not asking them to explain the basics. I can bring something useful to the conversation from the start.
From there, it is about being clear on where I can actually contribute. I am not there to tell them how to run their fund. I focus on what I know best, which is valuation, compliance, and reporting. Whether they are going through an audit, preparing for their next raise, or updating LPs, I want them to see me as someone who understands those processes and can help make them more efficient. That’s how I build credibility and create space for meaningful conversations.
How do you stay ahead of industry trends and regulatory changes that impact valuation services, and how do you translate this knowledge into actionable business development initiatives?
I stay current by following updates from the IRS, SEC, and FASB, and by reading insights from leading law and accounting firms. I also pay close attention to what clients are asking about, since that often signals where the industry is heading. Lately, there has been growing pressure on funds to be more transparent with LPs, especially around valuations. When I notice trends like that, I look for ways to adjust our outreach and messaging so we are speaking directly to those concerns. Whether that means targeting a specific type of firm or refining how we explain our process, the goal is always to stay relevant and meet clients where they are.
Outside of work, you’re passionate about skiing and mountain biking. Do you have any favorite places or stories you’d like to share?
I love skiing in Tahoe and British Columbia with my wife, and I try to travel as much as I can to bike in those places too. I live in Santa Cruz, where the mountain biking scene is huge, and I’m lucky to have great trails right outside my door. My goal is to eventually train our dog to run on the trails alongside me as I bike!
