Private Equity Podcast: Karma School of Business cover image

Private Equity Podcast: Karma School of Business

Private Equity Spotlight: Dan Ryan on Turning Challenges into Smart Strategies

Feb 19, 2025
Dan Ryan, Managing Director at MidOcean Partners, shares his journey from investment banking to private equity. He reveals life-saving lessons from a steak dinner mishap, emphasizing trust and collaboration. Ryan discusses building business functions during the pandemic and leveraging data for a competitive edge. He highlights the adaptive strategies MidOcean is employing, including structured equity and AI integration. Cybersecurity's importance in private equity-backed firms and practical life hacks for daily challenges also feature prominently in their conversation.
43:27

Episode guests

Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

  • Dan Ryan emphasizes the importance of leveraging data and nurturing relationships to successfully navigate challenges in private equity.
  • The podcast illustrates how adaptability, proactive risk management, and innovative partnerships are crucial for thriving in a competitive market.

Deep dives

Dan Ryan's Journey into Private Equity

Dan Ryan shares his background, detailing his upbringing outside Philadelphia and his experience at Georgetown University, where he majored in finance with a minor in theology. After spending five years in investment banking focused on the middle market, he became fascinated by the significant value that strong leadership could create within a business. In 2008, he transitioned to private equity by joining Milestone Partners during a chaotic time marked by Lehman's collapse, which provided him valuable lessons in handling adversity. His passion for building relationships and using data in business development has since become a cornerstone of his approach in private equity.

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